One might not see Portugal as a profoundly Christmassy destination. Yet, if the weather is merciful – that is, when sunny and dry – it allows you to enjoy a fair amount of fairy lights and drink some mulled wine without ever needing your mittens.
Each year, the city halls of Lisbon and Porto invest more and more money into decorating the streets for the holiday time. For the 2025 season, Lisbon will be adorned with 182 kilometers of LED lights across 46 locations and a monumental 30-meter Christmas tree on the riverfront.
Here is my short guide to the most atmospheric activities to experience the festive spirit of Natal:
Lisbon events, markets and fairs
The official opening took place on 22 November with a major event at Praça do Comércio (Terreiro do Paço). For future planning the event gathers big crowds, so it’s not suitable for those who want a “quiet Christmas.” For that, you might want to take a ferry to the other side of the river, Cacilhas, and watch the fireworks from afar.
More people than usual will also be strolling along the main shopping streets of the capital – Rua Augusta, Rua do Carmo, Rua Garrett and Rua do Ouro. These streets have been decorated since mid-October (and aren’t completely ready yet … Portuguese speeds, you know). I actually really like this year’s decor, which features floating clouds of golden lights and twinkling stars that, in daylight, look morelike rainclouds.
It never snows in Lisbon, so rain is appropriate enough!
Lisbon Wonderland: From 29 November to 5 January, Parque Eduardo VII hosts the city’s flagship festive event. You can find a giant Ferris wheel with heated (!) cabins, an eco-friendly ice rink, and over 100 stalls selling crafts and regional products. Another usual spot, Rossio square, also hosts a Christamas market. This year, there are twice as many stalls selling traditional craft and local gastronomy and a free Christmas train running around. What’s the taste of the Portuguese Christmas season?
Omitting one rather questionable Christmas-table must, codfish, there are a number of great sweet and savory dishes that should be explored:
Bolo Rei & Bolo Rainha: These are the classic Portuguese Christmas cakes.
• Bolo Rei (King’s Cake) is a crown-shaped sponge cake filled with crystallized fruit and nuts.
• Bolo Rainha (Queen’s Cake) is a variation without the candied fruit, featuring just nuts (less of a sugar coma). You can find excellent versions at historic bakeries like Confeitaria Nacional or Pastelaria Aloma in Lisbon. Keep an eye out for other seasonal specialties: rabanadas – a Portuguese version of French toast, often drizzled with honey, and sonhos, pumpkin-flavored fried dough balls, similar to doughnuts.
• On colder days, warm up with a rich, thick hot chocolate. Iconic spots in Lisbon to enjoy this include Versaille, Confeitaria Nacional and Bettina Corallo. Do not forget port wine and ginjinha, a sour cherry liqueur. Both work great alongside or even on top of all the cakes mentioned above. On the savory side, roasted chestnuts are a great, affordable option that is easy to spot on the city streets.
Options outside Lisbon
What about the markets outside of the capital? There are also a couple of great options outside Lisbon, which are great for a one-day trip and especially festive in December. Just a short trip from Lisbon, the romantic town of Sintra hosts Reino do Natal (Christmas Kingdom). This free-entry event in Parque da Liberdade offers a Christmas market, a free festive train ride, and daily entertainment like circus performances and living nativity scenes.
The city of Óbidos, a medieval town surrounded by a castle wall, is magical at any time of the year. Around Christmas time, it turns into a wonderful Vila Natal, a Christmas town, and accommodates lots of activities and events for all ages This year, from 30 November to 31 December, the castle area will be turned into the School of Wizards to welcome the Harry Potter fans. My favorite thing, however, is getting a hot take-away drink and some chestnuts and climbing up the town wall to get an all-encompassing view over the busy streets and festive lights.
Ready to venture further than Sintra and Óbidos?
For a truly authentic and unique experience, the Aldeia Natal de Cabeça in the Serra da Estrela region is worth a ride. This community-run “Christmas Village” stands out because all its decorations are made exclusively from natural materials, creating a wonderfully rustic and cozy atmosphere. If you’re lucky, you might even spot some snow!
Christmas shenanigans aside, I believe there is one more activity that makes a perfect festive morning if you are in Portugal: an ocean swim or, rather, plunge! The water here is cold any time of the year, so why not add a little refreshment after a Christmas or New Year’s Eve celebration?!
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Read more about Portugal here in Dispatches’ archives.
See more Christmas Markets here.
Nina Danilova is an art writer and contemporary art curator. She is about to finish her PhD
in Culture Studies. She grew up in Russia and lived in Germany, Estonia, Italy and
Portugal, where she is currently based. She is passionate about history, languages, food,
and dancing.
