Climate and Average Weather in Portugal
The climate in Portugal varies from north to south and from coast to the mountains. The south experiences Mediterranean weather with particularly mild winters and hot summers. Further north the coast is warmed by the Gulf Stream, so winters are still mild and summers are very warm. More inland summers are hotter but the winter temperature drops. In winter you can even find snow inland in Portugal.
In the Algarve summers are particularly dry and sunny with 12 hours of sunshine each day and an average maximum temperature of 28 degrees Celsius (82° Fahrenheit) and minimum of 20 degrees Celsius (68° Fahrenheit). Although temperatures in the north of Portugal are a little lower, there's still around 11 hours of sunshine each day and the cool sea breeze makes it pleasant for a summer break.
The best time to visit Portugal is from April to mid-October. However it does depend on what you want to do in Portugal and where you go. For a beach holiday, the months July, August and the beginning of September are perfect but also the most busy. For a city trip we would avoid July and August because of the heat. This also applies to those who want to go to Portugal for an active holiday. Then we would advise to go in April, May, June and October.
Interested in more detailed Weather and Climate information?
Please select the city below you wish to travel to, or the one closest to your destination. Each selected city will show you the following graphs:
1. Average minimum and maximum temperatures over the year
2. Average monthly precipitation over the year (rainfall, snow etc)
3. Average monthly hours of sunshine over the year
On certain pages we also offer other historical weather data like humidity, wind speed and water temperature.
