Porto has a temperate oceanic climate, which translates into hot summers, pleasant spring and autumn seasons, and mild but very wet winters. Each season offers a distinctly different experience, and the best time to visit often depends on the type of trip you are planning.

The peak tourist season runs from June to September, when the weather is reliably warm and sunny. This is the ideal time for a beach-focused holiday, with the coastal towns of the Costa Verde at their most vibrant during July and August. The downside of a summer visit is that this is the most expensive time to travel, and the city's main attractions will be at their busiest.

For many visitors, the best time to explore Porto is during the shoulder seasons of late spring (May to June) and early autumn (September). During these months, the weather is typically warm and pleasant, but the city is noticeably less crowded. This period offers a perfect balance of comfortable sightseeing conditions and more moderately priced flights and accommodation.

The winter months (November to February) are the off-season. While the weather can be unpredictable with a high chance of rain, this is the most affordable time to visit. It offers a chance to see Porto's sights without the crowds and experience the city's authentic, atmospheric side.

This guide will provide a detailed overview of each season in Porto, including average weather conditions and notable events, to help you decide on the perfect time of year for your visit.
Related articles: Porto introduction – Top 10 Porto - 48-hours in Porto

The following weather charts display the average weather for Porto.

The summer months in Porto are hot, and daytime temperature routinely exceeds 25°C. As this is the average air temperature measured in the shade, it will feel much hotter while sightseeing under the intense summer sun.

During the summer, Porto has an average of 9.9 hours of sun per day, and this is very similar to Lisbon (11.4 hours) and the Algarve (11.9hours). In the winter this drops down to an average of 4.0 hours of sun per day (Lisbon 4.6 hours, the Algarve 5.5 hours). As a comparison Rome has an average of 3.6 hours of sun per day in January, London has 1.6 hours, and Paris has 1.6 hours.

Surprisingly, Porto is one of the wettest cities of southern Europe, and this high annual precipitation mostly falls in the winter months.

Between October and April over half of the days will have some rain (more than 0.1mm), and in the winter six days per month will have very heavy rain with 10mm or more falling.

Insight: April is a surprisingly wet month in northern Portugal, with heavy rain brought on by the seasonal winds. If you are planning a visit to Northern Portugal in the spring, it is much better to delay the trip until mid-May or visit the much drier Algarve region.

Recently there has been a massive increase in the number of tourists visiting Porto. This popularity has led to the extension of the tourist season, so that now, the tourist visit almost year-round.

In our opinion, Porto is not a year-round destination, and should never be considered as a winter sun destination.

That said, Porto will have significantly better winter weather than most European cities and will be much warmer than Northern Europe. If you visit during the winter, it is best to have flexible plans which could account for the wet weather.

The large volume of winter rain feeds the mighty Douro River, this is Douro close to the town of Régua

During the summer there is very high demand for accommodation in Porto and demand outstrips supply.

We strongly advise you to book your accommodation as far in advance as possible to secure the best hotels and prices.
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In general, Porto is cooler than Lisbon and the Algarve, and in the winter, Porto is much wetter.

Of the three, Porto is the best destination during the peak summer months. Lisbon gets too crowded with tourists in the summer, and the Algarve is overrun with package holiday tourists.

Porto and Lisbon are very similar, and both offer rich culture, fascinating tourist attractions, buzzing nightlife, and excellent beaches.

The Algarve is more focused on beaches and mass tourism, and the cities do not offer the same diversity as Porto or Lisbon. For a city break to Portugal; always plan to visit Lisbon or Porto

Insight: Porto is surrounded by many beautiful beaches, and in the summer there is no need to head to Algarve for a beach holiday.
Related articles: Porto’s beaches - Lisbon guide - The Algarve

The Porto coastline offers beautiful beaches, such as this beach near Espinho

The peak tourist season is July and August, and during this period there is a buzzing, vibrant atmosphere about Porto.

The summer weather in Porto is hot, but not unbearable, as temperatures are moderated by the close proximity of the Atlantic Ocean.

The only issue with visiting Porto during the summer is that the demand for accommodation and flights often outstrips supply.

This means that prices become over-inflated and if left too late, are completely sold out. If you are considering visiting Porto during the peak season, always book your flights and accommodation far in advance.
For a guide to the best hotels in Porto, please see this link.

The mid-season is a wonderful time of year to visit Porto. There are many fewer tourists, but the weather is still hot and glorious.

This is a great season for sightseeing around the city, taking day trips or a touring holiday of northern Portugal. The best day trips of the Porto region include Braga, Aveiro, Guimarães and Viana do Castelo.
Related articles: Porto Day trips - 1 week in Porto

The Bom Jesus do Monte church is one of the highlights of northern Portugal

The low season is between October to April, and this is when the weather gets cooler and wetter.

The issue with the winter season is that the weather is unpredictable, one week could be sunny and pleasant, while the next could be very wet.

As Porto is a major city, all tourist attractions, restaurants and bars stay open year-round, unlike in the Algarve where many of the smaller towns completely close for winter.

Suggestion: The low season is ideal for a last-minute weekend break – check the weather forecasts and if the weather is predicted to be dry book an inexpensive weekend away.

Our favourite time of year to visit Porto is during the Festas dos Santos Populares (Popular Saints Festival), which are the middle two weeks of June.

During these festivities, Porto is decorated with tinsel and streamers, while at night there are street parties with traditional music and dancing.

The culmination of the Festas dos Santos Populares in Porto is on the night of the 23rd of June, and the Festa de São João do Porto.

On this night there are huge celebrations, fireworks and, bizarrely, everyone hits each other over the head with plastic toy hammers (historically it was a leek).

The 24th of June is the feast day of Saint John, the patron saint of Porto, and there is a regatta where traditional boats sail down the Douro River.

It surprises many visitors to Porto’s beaches that the sea waters are so cold. They only reach 18C at the height of the summer and drop to 14C in the winter. The cool sea temperatures are due to the waters being fed from the Atlantic Ocean.