At A Glance
Porto in December is mild, festive and walkable: average highs of about 15°C, Christmas lights across the city, markets in the old town and the São Silvestre race on Avenida dos Aliados.
- December averages a high of 14.7°C and a low of 7.6°C, with rain on about 12 days of the month.
- Sunset is around 17:10 all month, so the Christmas lights are on by early evening.
- Public holidays fall on Tuesday 1 December, Tuesday 8 December and Friday 25 December 2026.
- The Christmas markets at Cordoaria and Praça da Batalha run from late November until just before New Year.
- Canto de Luz is on Rua do Almada, about five minutes on foot from Avenida dos Aliados.
December is one of the most rewarding months to visit Porto. The city switches on its Christmas lights at the end of November, the Christmas markets at Cordoaria and Praça da Batalha fill the old town with wooden chalets, and the port lodges across the river are at their most welcoming on a cool evening.
The weather is mild by northern European standards, with highs in the mid-teens and more dry days than wet ones, and it sits comfortably within Porto's weather through the year: cooler than autumn, but rarely cold. You will want a good coat and an umbrella, and you will be rewarded with bright, crisp afternoons on the river.
Below you will find the December weather in figures, the 2026 calendar of holidays and events, the best things to do in the city and the Douro Valley, what to eat, and where to stay within walking distance of it all.
Planning Porto in December? See December dates at Canto de Luz, our Boutique Maison five minutes from Avenida dos Aliados.
Is Porto Worth Visiting in December?
Yes. December gives you Porto at its most atmospheric. The old town is lit from end to end, the Christmas markets sell crafts, sweets and hot drinks, and the restaurants switch to winter menus of slow-cooked stews, roast chestnuts and bacalhau. Days are short but often bright, and a sunny December afternoon on the Ribeira is as good as any in the year.
It is also a month with a full calendar. Within a few weeks you can see the lights switched on, browse the markets, hear a Christmas concert at Casa da Música, cheer the São Silvestre runners on Aliados and finish with the free New Year's Eve party in the same avenue. Two long weekends, around 1 and 8 December, bring a lively mix of Portuguese and Spanish visitors.
What December does not have is the summer heat or the long queues. Livraria Lello, the Clérigos Tower and the port lodges are noticeably calmer, restaurant tables are easier to find outside the Christmas week, and hotels in the old town offer better value than in the peak months.
Why December Works for a Porto Break
- The whole old town is decorated, with lights on from late afternoon.
- Christmas markets, concerts and the São Silvestre race give every weekend something special.
- Port lodges, museums, cafés and food markets make rainy days a pleasure.
- Mild days in the mid-teens are ideal for walking the hills and the river.
- Better value and calmer sights than in the summer months.
The table below sets out the key dates for December 2026. Event dates follow the 2025 editions until the city and organisers publish the new programme in November.
| Date | What is happening in Porto |
|---|---|
| Late November | Christmas lights switched on across around 94 streets (29 November in 2025) |
| Late Nov to late Dec | Christmas markets at Cordoaria and Praça da Batalha |
| Tuesday 1 December | Public holiday: Restoration of Independence |
| 6 to 8 December | Serralves Christmas market (2025 dates) |
| Tuesday 8 December | Public holiday: Immaculate Conception |
| Mid December onwards | Christmas circus at the Coliseu Porto Ageas (12 December to 4 January in 2025) |
| A Sunday in late December | São Silvestre do Porto race, starting and finishing on Aliados (28 December in 2025) |
| Thursday 24 December | Christmas Eve: not a public holiday, but most businesses close early |
| Friday 25 December | Public holiday: Christmas Day, most shops and many restaurants closed |
| Thursday 31 December | Free New Year's Eve concert and midnight fireworks on Aliados |
Porto Weather in December
Porto weather in December is mild, changeable and rarely cold. Atlantic weather fronts bring rain on roughly 12 days of the month, usually in bands that pass through in a few hours, with clear, crisp days in between. When the sun comes out the light on the river and the tiled facades is beautiful, and you will often see locals having coffee outside in a coat.
November is actually slightly wetter than December on the long-term averages, and January is very similar. What makes December feel cosy rather than grey is the city itself: the lights come on before 17:30, the cafés are warm, and much of the best of Porto, from port lodges to museums and food markets, is indoors.
The practical approach is to plan each day loosely. Keep outdoor sightseeing, river walks and viewpoints for the dry spells, and hold a port tasting, a museum or a long lunch in reserve for the showers. Weather forecasts for Porto are reliable a day or two ahead, so it is easy to swap plans around.
Average Temperature in Porto in December
These are the official averages for Porto from the Portuguese weather service, IPMA, for 1991 to 2020, measured at the Porto airport station a short drive north of the city. The centre, sheltered by its hills and the river, often feels a degree or two milder.
| December in Porto | Average |
|---|---|
| Daytime high | 14.7°C |
| Night-time low | 7.6°C |
| Mean temperature | 11.1°C |
| Rainfall | 153mm |
| Days with rain | About 12 |
| Sunrise | About 07:40 to 07:58 |
| Sunset | About 17:08 to 17:17 |
| Daylight | About 9 hours 20 minutes |
The warmest December day on record at the station reached 22.2°C, and frosts are very rare, so the main thing to plan for is the rain rather than the cold. Evenings at the markets or on the river feel cooler with the wind, so bring a layer you can add after sunset.
Sunset stays at around 17:10 all month, which gives you a full day of sightseeing and an early start to the evening lights. The best sunset views are from the Jardim do Morro across the river, from the terrace beside the Cathedral, and from the Miradouro da Vitória above the Ribeira.
Does It Snow in Porto in December?
Snow in Porto itself is extremely rare. The city sits on the Atlantic coast, and night-time temperatures rarely fall below freezing, so even the coldest December mornings tend to bring frost on parked cars at most, rather than snow in the streets.
If you want snow, the nearest is in the Serra da Estrela mountains in central Portugal, home to the country's only ski area, which is a long day trip from Porto by car. In the city itself, plan for rain and wind, and expect plenty of blue-sky days like the one above.
What to Wear in Porto in December
Layers work best, because the temperature changes between a sunny riverside and a shaded granite street, and the cafés, shops and museums are warm inside. A jumper or fleece under a waterproof coat will see you through almost any December day.
Porto is also hilly, and the stone pavements become slippery in the rain, so good shoes matter more than anything else in your case. Leave smooth soles at home and choose trainers or boots with grip.
What to Pack for Porto in December
- A warm waterproof coat with a hood, rather than a large umbrella in the wind.
- Comfortable shoes with good grip for wet granite and cobbles.
- Light layers: a jumper or fleece you can remove indoors.
- A scarf and gloves for evenings at the markets and on the river.
- A smarter outfit for Christmas dinners and New Year's Eve.
- Swimwear, if your hotel has a heated pool.
Porto Christmas Lights and Christmas Markets in December
The Porto Christmas lights and markets are the backdrop to the whole month. From the last weekend of November, the avenues, shopping streets and squares of the old town are decorated, and the markets add the smell of roast chestnuts and mulled wine to an evening walk.
Across the river, Vila Nova de Gaia decorates its own riverside, and the lights under the Dom Luís I bridge, pictured above, make the walk back across the lower deck one of the prettiest in the city. Together, the two banks make December evenings in Porto genuinely special.
Porto Christmas Lights 2026
In 2025 the city switched its lights on at 18:00 on 29 November on Avenida dos Aliados, with a video-mapping show on the City Hall facade and a free concert. The lights covered around 94 streets and stayed on until 6 January, lit from 17:30 to 23:00 from Sunday to Thursday and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
The brightest streets are Avenida dos Aliados with its giant tree, Rua de Santa Catarina and the streets around the Mercado do Bolhão. The tree in front of City Hall is the centrepiece, and you can walk inside it for one of the best photographs of the season.
The 2026 switch-on date is announced in November, and the pattern of recent years points to the last weekend of the month. Aliados is five minutes on foot from Canto de Luz, so the lights are part of your evening walk to dinner.
Christmas Markets in Porto in December
The main Christmas markets are at Cordoaria, in the garden below the Clérigos Tower, and on Praça da Batalha in front of the tiled Igreja de Santo Ildefonso. Cordoaria is the larger, with crafts, food and an ice rink and carousel next door, while Batalha has the prettier setting and more than 20 wooden chalets.
Across the river, Gaia Vila Natal at the Centro Cívico adds a free ice rink, a carousel and a little Christmas train, and World of Wine lights its squares with a 13 metre tree. Serralves holds a three day market in early December, and smaller craft fairs appear around the old town through the month.
| Market | Where | 2025 dates |
|---|---|---|
| Cordoaria Christmas market | Jardim de João Chagas | 29 November to 30 December |
| Mercado da Alegria, Natal | Praça da Batalha | 29 November to 28 December |
| Gaia Vila Natal | Centro Cívico, Gaia | 29 November to 28 December |
| Serralves Christmas market | Serralves Park | 6 to 8 December |
Christmas in Porto: Concerts, Shows and Traditions
Christmas in Porto is as much about music and family traditions as it is about lights. The city's concert halls and theatres put on a seasonal programme every year, the churches hold Christmas services that visitors are welcome to attend, and the food shops fill with the ingredients of the Portuguese Christmas table.
Booking ahead is worthwhile for the most popular concerts and shows, which sell out in the weeks before Christmas, especially family performances at weekends.
Christmas Concerts at Casa da Música
Casa da Música, the striking concert hall at Boavista designed by Rem Koolhaas, programmes a series of Christmas concerts each December. In 2025 the season included family concerts, choir performances and a festive symphony concert by the Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Música on 19 and 20 December, featuring music from The Nutcracker.
The building is worth seeing in its own right, with guided tours most days and a café and restaurant on the upper floors. It is a short metro ride from the old town, on the lines that stop at Casa da Música station.
The Christmas Circus at the Coliseu Porto
The Coliseu Porto Ageas, the grand Art Deco theatre on Rua de Passos Manuel, hosts a Christmas circus every year. In 2025 it ran from 12 December to 4 January with tickets from €10, and it is one of the most popular family outings of the season.
The Coliseu is a ten minute walk from Canto de Luz, past the shops of Rua de Santa Catarina, so a matinee can easily be combined with an afternoon at the Majestic Café and the Bolhão.
Portuguese Christmas Traditions on Christmas Eve
In Portugal the main celebration is on the night of 24 December, the Consoada. Families sit down to boiled bacalhau with potatoes, greens and egg, dressed generously with olive oil, and in the north of the country octopus often joins the cod.
Many then go to the midnight Mass, the Missa do Galo, and presents are opened late that night or on Christmas morning. Nativity scenes, like the one set up around the fountain inside the Mercado do Bolhão, are at the heart of the decorations.
The table is finished with Christmas sweets: rabanadas, filhoses, sonhos and the ring-shaped Bolo-Rei, which stays on the table until Three Kings on 6 January. On Christmas Day the leftover cod and greens are fried together as roupa velha, served before a long family lunch.
São Silvestre Porto: The December Race on Aliados
The São Silvestre do Porto is the city's big end-of-year run, a 10km race with a 5km walk that starts and finishes on Avenida dos Aliados. The 2025 edition, the 31st, took place on Sunday 28 December with around 18,000 entries, and the atmosphere along the route is festive, with families lining the streets and many runners in Christmas costumes.
The race is usually held on a Sunday in the second half of December, and entries open months ahead through the organiser, Runporto. Roads around Aliados and the route close for most of race day, so if you are arriving by car or taxi on that Sunday, plan your arrival around the closures.
Canto de Luz is a five minute walk from the start line, which makes it an easy base for runners. Collect your race pack, rest at the Maison and walk down to Aliados without worrying about transport, then come back for a hot shower, a swim in the heated pool and a well-earned lunch.
São Silvestre do Porto at a Glance
- Distances: a 10km race and a 5km walk.
- Start and finish: Avenida dos Aliados, in front of City Hall.
- 2025 edition: Sunday 28 December, with around 18,000 entries.
- Entries: through the organiser, Runporto, usually open months ahead.
- Race day: expect road closures around Aliados for most of the day.
Portugal Public Holidays in December 2026
Portugal has three national public holidays in December, and in 2026 two of them fall on Tuesdays, creating long weekends for many Portuguese and Spanish visitors. Museums, shops and restaurants generally open as usual on 1 and 8 December, with a few reduced hours, while Christmas Day is the quietest day of the year.
Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are not official holidays, but both change the rhythm of the city, so they are worth planning around.
| Date | Day | Holiday | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 December | Tuesday | Restoration of Independence | Most sights and restaurants open |
| 8 December | Tuesday | Immaculate Conception | Most sights open, busy long weekend |
| 24 December | Thursday | Christmas Eve (not a holiday) | Early closing from mid-afternoon |
| 25 December | Friday | Christmas Day | Most shops and many restaurants closed |
| 31 December | Thursday | New Year's Eve (not a holiday) | Free party on Aliados, roads closed |
| 1 January | Friday | New Year's Day | Holiday timetable, many shops closed |
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Opening Hours in Porto
On Christmas Eve the city winds down from mid-afternoon as families head home for the Consoada, and many restaurants close for the evening. Cafés such as the Majestic on Rua de Santa Catarina are lovely in the morning, but expect earlier closing times than usual.
On Christmas Day most shops are closed, as are many museums and attractions, including Livraria Lello, which also closes on 1 January. The metro and buses run a holiday service.
Book Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals well in advance, ideally when you book your trip, and check opening times for anything high on your list. Our team shares a list of restaurants that open over Christmas with guests before they arrive.
New Year's Eve in Porto
The month ends with the free New Year's Eve party on Avenida dos Aliados, with live concerts from 22:00 and midnight fireworks launched from City Hall, pictured above. The city announces the line-up and transport plan in the last days of December.
On the afternoon of 1 January a free New Year concert returns to the same avenue, a relaxed way to start the year. From our door on Rua do Almada you can walk to both in about five minutes.
Things to Do in Porto in December
Beyond the lights and markets, December is a lovely month for Porto's indoor treasures and riverside walks. These are the experiences we recommend most to guests at this time of year, all within walking distance or a short metro ride of the old town.
Book timed tickets for the busiest sights, such as Livraria Lello and the Clérigos Tower, for the morning, and leave afternoons free for the river, a port lodge and the markets as the lights come on.
Livraria Lello in December
The neo-Gothic bookshop on Rua das Carmelitas, with its red staircase and stained-glass ceiling, is one of the most visited places in Porto. December mornings are a good time to go, before the afternoon queues, and tickets are booked online for a timed entry, with the ticket price deductible from a book purchase.
Lello is closed on 25 December and 1 January. It is a ten minute walk from Canto de Luz, past the Clérigos Tower, so it fits easily into a morning in the old town.
Port Wine Tasting in Vila Nova de Gaia
Across the Dom Luís I bridge, the port lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia offer port cellar tours and tastings all year, and a cellar full of oak casks is the perfect place to spend a wet afternoon. You learn how port is made in the Douro and aged in Gaia, then taste the difference between ruby, tawny and white styles.
Most lodges recommend booking ahead in December, especially at weekends and in the week before Christmas. A tasting is also the best way to choose a bottle to take home as a Christmas present.
Serralves Museum and Park
The Serralves Foundation combines a contemporary art museum, an Art Deco villa and a large park with a treetop walk. In winter the gardens are peaceful and the museum is a calm escape on a rainy day.
Serralves also hosts a three day Christmas market in early December, held from 6 to 8 December in 2025, with design, crafts and food producers. Check opening hours before you go, as they change over the holidays.
Ribeira and the Douro River in December
The Ribeira is at its best on a clear December afternoon, when low sun lights the colourful houses and the river is calm. Walk along the quay, cross the lower deck of the bridge to Gaia, and climb up to the Jardim do Morro viewpoint for sunset at around 17:10.
After dark the riverside glows, with the lights of the old town reflected in the Douro. River cruises under the six bridges run through the winter, weather permitting, and are a relaxed way to see the city from the water.
Douro Valley in December
The Douro Valley in December is quiet, beautiful and very different from the busy harvest months. The last autumn colour lingers on the terraces into early December before the vines are pruned back for winter, and mist often fills the valley in the morning before clearing to bright, cool days.
It is the most peaceful time of year to visit the valley, with fewer visitors at the viewpoints and more time with the winemakers at the quintas that welcome guests.
The Douro Line Train from São Bento
The regular CP train on the Douro line runs all year from São Bento station to Peso da Régua and Pinhão, and the journey along the river is one of the great rail trips in Europe. Sit on the right-hand side heading upstream for the best views, and allow a full day for the return trip. The options for getting from Porto to the Douro Valley also include driving and guided tours.
The historic steam train only runs between June and October, and many multi-day river cruises pause in winter, so check with operators before booking a cruise.
Quinta Visits and Wine Tastings in December
Many quintas welcome visitors all year, but in December tastings are usually by appointment and a few smaller estates close for part of the month, so book ahead. A guided day tour is the easiest way to see two or three estates with lunch, without worrying about driving after a tasting.
Our team is happy to recommend tours and quintas that run in December, and to arrange an early breakfast to take with you on the day.
Spend December in Porto's Old Town
Canto de Luz is a restored Boutique Maison on Rua do Almada, five minutes from Avenida dos Aliados, with a heated outdoor saltwater pool open all year and a homemade breakfast that changes every day. From €99 a night.
What to Eat in Porto in December
December food in Porto is warming and generous. Street sellers roast chestnuts over charcoal on corners across the city, cafés serve hot chocolate thick enough to stand a spoon in, and restaurant menus turn to bacalhau, roast kid, tripas à moda do Porto and steaming bowls of caldo verde.
The Mercado do Bolhão is the place to see what the city is cooking for Christmas, with stalls of salt cod, cheeses, dried fruit, nuts and sweets. It is ten minutes on foot from our door, and our breakfast ingredients come from there every morning.
Porto Dishes to Try in December
- Bacalhau: salt cod, the star of the Christmas Eve table.
- Polvo à lagareiro: roast octopus with potatoes and olive oil.
- Tripas à moda do Porto: the city's famous tripe and bean stew.
- Caldo verde: kale and potato soup with chouriço.
- Francesinha: Porto's layered sandwich in a rich beer sauce.
- Roast chestnuts: sold hot in paper cones on the street.
Bolo-Rei and Portuguese Christmas Sweets
The Bolo-Rei is the king of Portuguese Christmas cakes: a ring of soft sweet bread crowned with crystallised fruit, nuts and sugar, eaten from early December until Three Kings on 6 January. Its sister, the Bolo-Rainha, swaps the fruit for nuts.
Every pastry shop in Porto sells both, alongside rabanadas, filhoses and sonhos dusted with sugar and cinnamon. A slice of Bolo-Rei with a coffee is the perfect mid-morning stop on a December walk.
A Porto Cooking Class and Port Tasting at Canto Cooking
To understand the Portuguese Christmas table, cook it. Canto Cooking, our culinary school inside Canto de Luz, runs market tours through the Bolhão and hands-on cooking classes where you prepare Portuguese dishes with our chef before sitting down to eat them.
Every day we also hold wine and port tastings with tapas, a lovely way to choose a bottle to take home. Classes are small, so book ahead in December. You can see the dates and reserve on the Canto Cooking website.
Cook Portuguese Christmas Food with Canto Cooking
Market tours through the Bolhão, hands-on cooking classes and daily wine and port tastings with tapas, all at our culinary school inside Canto de Luz.
Where to Stay in Porto in December
In December, location matters more than at any other time of year. The best of the month happens in the old town, around Avenida dos Aliados, the markets and the river, and staying within walking distance means you can enjoy the lights in the evening and walk home without waiting for a taxi.
Look for a base in the centre, with somewhere warm to come back to between outings, and a breakfast that sets you up for a day of walking.
A Boutique Hotel in Porto Old Town: Canto de Luz
Canto de Luz is a ruin we restored into a Boutique Maison on Rua do Almada, opened with French hospitality. We are open right through Christmas and New Year, and our team shares restaurant tips and holiday opening times before you arrive.
Our suites have air conditioning, a Samsung Art TV with Netflix and Disney, an Echo, a Nespresso machine and Rituals amenities, and Villa Almada and our two Duplex Garden Villas suit families and groups.
Breakfast is homemade every morning with ingredients from the Bolhão, served in the Orangerie and on the garden terrace. Check December availability.
In the evenings, the Maison is a calm place to come back to after the markets, with a board game in the living room and the lights of the old town a few minutes away.
Where to Stay in Porto for the Christmas Lights and Aliados
From our door it is about five minutes to Aliados, where the tree, the concerts, the São Silvestre start line and the New Year's Eve party all are, ten minutes to São Bento and the Clérigos Tower, and fifteen minutes to the Ribeira.
After a day outdoors, our heated outdoor saltwater pool is open all year from 09:30 to 19:30, a wonderful place to warm up before dinner.
In the evening, our wine machine pours Douro wines by the tasting glass or the full glass with a small plates menu, and our private chef can cook for you at the Maison when booked in advance.
We are open right through Christmas and New Year, and our team is on hand to book restaurants, tours and tastings for you.
A Note from Susan
“December is my favourite month in Porto. The lights go on, the Bolhão fills with salt cod and Bolo-Rei, and on a clear afternoon the river is as beautiful as in summer. My advice is to walk everywhere, book your Christmas dinners early, and keep one rainy afternoon free for a port tasting. Then come home, warm up in the pool and let us plan the evening with you.”
Google review
★★★★★
“It exceeded all our expectations. A beautiful little hotel! The staff is very friendly, helpful and attentive. We were most looking forward to breakfast, it was simply perfect, divinely tasty everything, wonderful presentation, fantastic service, met every need. The location couldn't be better, everything is 10-15 minutes away.”
Petra, stayed as a couple
Porto in December: Frequently Asked Questions
Tap a question to see the answer.
Is Porto Worth Visiting in December?
Yes. December brings the Christmas lights, markets in the old town, Christmas concerts, the São Silvestre race and the free New Year's Eve party on Aliados, with mild weather and highs of around 15°C.
What is the Weather Like in Porto in December?
Mild and changeable. The official 1991 to 2020 averages give a high of 14.7°C and a low of 7.6°C, with about 153mm of rain spread over roughly 12 days. Clear, sunny days are common between the weather fronts.
What is the Average Temperature in Porto in December?
The average daytime high is 14.7°C and the average night-time low is 7.6°C, giving a mean temperature of about 11°C. Frosts are very rare in the city.
Does it Snow in Porto?
Snow in Porto is extremely rare because the city sits on the Atlantic coast and night-time temperatures rarely fall below freezing. The nearest regular snow is in the Serra da Estrela mountains in central Portugal.
Is There a Christmas Market in Porto in December?
Yes. The main Christmas markets are at Cordoaria and on Praça da Batalha in the old town, with a Christmas village and free ice rink in Vila Nova de Gaia. They run from late November until just before New Year.
When is the São Silvestre Race in Porto?
The São Silvestre do Porto is usually held on a Sunday in the second half of December, starting and finishing on Avenida dos Aliados. The 2025 edition took place on Sunday 28 December, with a 10km race and a 5km walk.
Is 8 December a Public Holiday in Portugal?
Yes. 8 December, the Immaculate Conception, is a national public holiday, as are 1 December and 25 December. In 2026, 1 and 8 December both fall on a Tuesday. Christmas Eve is not a public holiday.
Is the Douro Valley Worth Visiting in December?
Yes, if you like quiet landscapes. The valley is peaceful, often misty in the morning, and the regular Douro line train runs all year from São Bento. Book quinta visits ahead, as many tastings are by appointment in winter.
Spend December Five Minutes from Aliados
Canto de Luz is open through Christmas and New Year on Rua do Almada, close to the lights, the markets and the river. Homemade breakfast every morning, a heated saltwater pool open year round, and Canto Cooking under the same roof. From €99 a night.
Check December AvailabilityImage credits: Aleksandr Zykov (CC BY-SA 2.0), Paulo Gomes (CC BY 2.0), Reiner Ehlers (CC BY 2.0), Michael Gaylard (CC BY 4.0), Sergei Gussev (CC BY 2.0), Joseolgon (CC BY 4.0), Dale Cruse (CC BY 4.0), António Amen (CC BY-SA 3.0), Krzysztof Golik (CC BY-SA 4.0), Acfmagalhaes (CC BY-SA 4.0), Jakub Hałun (CC BY 4.0), John Samuel (CC BY-SA 4.0), Ray in Manila (CC BY 2.0), Joseolgon (CC BY-SA 3.0), Acediscovery (CC BY 4.0), bvi4092 (CC BY 2.0), Feliciano Guimarães (CC BY 2.0) and José Conçalves (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons.
