At a Glance
Compared to this destination's peak season Quiet outside two weekends: Republic Day, Tuesday 5 October 2027, and the marathon weekend early in the month. DocLisboa and Amadora BD run in the second half. Web Summit in November lifts hotel rates if your trip runs into it.
Lisbon in October — Travel Guide
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Lisbon in October offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for golden light, film & value. Expect temperatures of 15–23°C, around 11 days of rain, and low-medium crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around €70–400+ for mid-range travellers. Rooms are easy to find last-minute and hotel prices stay noticeably softer through the season.
Contents14 sections
#Weather in Lisbon in October
Lisbon in October averages 15–23°C (59–73°F) with around 11 days of rain, and crowds are low-medium.
| Measure | October in Lisbon |
|---|---|
| Daytime high | About 22.5°C / 72.5°F, warmer in the first half |
| Overnight low | About 15°C / 59°F |
| Rain | About 100mm over 11 wet days, most of it from Atlantic fronts later in the month |
| Sea at Cascais | Still swimmable for the brave in the first half of the month |
| Sunset | 7:20pm on the 1st, 6:39pm on the 30th |
| Clocks | Back an hour on Sunday 31 October 2027, when sunset jumps to 5:38pm |
Figures are IPMA 1991–2020 normals for Lisbon (Geofísico); sunset times are for the Baixa.
What that actually means for your trip:
- The first half is usually the better half. The Atlantic fronts that bring October's rain tend to arrive in the second half, a day or two of heavy rain followed by washed-clean, bright days.
- The light is the reason to come. The sun is lower and softer than in summer, and the tiled facades and the river take on a colour photographers travel for.
- The beach season has a fortnight left, for a swim at Cascais or Carcavelos on a warm afternoon.
- The clock change comes on the last day. All month the evenings stay light until after seven; from 31 October it is dark by six.
Should you come in October? Lisbon has a good case for being the best-value city in Western Europe this month: summer warmth in the first fortnight, hotel rates well below summer, and a calendar of film, comics and sport. The second half trades some of the warmth for rain and cheaper rooms. Book the first half for the weather, the second for the festivals and the price.
#What to Do in Lisbon in October
Republic Day, Tuesday 5 October
5 October marks the 1910 revolution that founded the Portuguese Republic, and it is a national holiday.
In 2027 it falls on a Tuesday, so many Portuguese take the Monday off as well and make a long weekend of it. Banks and government offices close; museums, restaurants and the main sights stay open, and there is a ceremony at the city hall on Praça do Município.
The EDP Lisbon Marathon
One of Europe's most scenic marathons runs from the coast west of the city along the sea and the river to Praça do Comércio, usually on a weekend in the first half of October; in 2026 it was Saturday 10 October, with a half marathon the next day. The 2027 date comes from the organiser. On race morning the coast road and the riverfront close, so leave any trip west towards Cascais until the afternoon.
DocLisboa and Amadora BD
DocLisboa, Portugal's leading documentary festival, takes over the Cinema São Jorge, Culturgest and the Cinemateca in the second half of October; in 2026 it ran from 15 to 25 October. Tickets cost a few euros, and most films carry English subtitles.
Amadora BD, one of Europe's big comics festivals, runs over the same period in Amadora, 20 minutes from Rossio on the Sintra line, with exhibitions of original artwork and much of it free.
World-class surf at Peniche
The World Surf League's Championship Tour came to Supertubos in Peniche, an hour and a half north of Lisbon, in October 2026. Whether it returns in October 2027 depends on the WSL's schedule, which is published in the winter. Either way, October is the start of the big-wave season on this coast; Ericeira, a World Surfing Reserve 40 minutes north of the city, is the easier day out for watching surf or taking a lesson.
Sintra in the autumn mist
Sintra's palaces are at their most atmospheric in October, when mist rolls in from the Atlantic and the summer coaches have gone.
Pena Palace costs €20 for the palace and park, with timed entry booked in advance; the €14 ticket in older guides is now the park only.
Quinta da Regaleira, with its initiation well, does not use rigid time slots and is the better choice on a busy day.
The miradouros and the museums
October is for walking Lisbon's hills: Alfama in the morning, Castelo de São Jorge for the widest view, and the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in the afternoon, with a garden that turns in the second half of the month.
The Museu Nacional do Azulejo, in a convent at the eastern edge of the city, tells the story of the tiles you will have been looking at all week.
#Getting Around
The airport is about 20 minutes from the centre on the red metro line; a single fare is €1.90 in 2026, on a reusable Viva Viagem card.
The Lisboa Card, €31 for 24 hours, €51 for 48 and €62 for 72, covers the metro, buses, trams, the trains to Cascais and Sintra, and entry to many museums.
Tram 28 is calmer than in summer, though still full at weekends.
#Budget & Costs
| Travel style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | €70–110 | Hostel, tascas and bifanas, the Viva Viagem card |
| Mid-range | €130–200 | Three-star hotel, restaurants, Sintra |
| Luxury | €300+ | Boutique hotels and fine dining |
What things cost:
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Lisboa Card, 24 / 48 / 72 hours | €31 / €51 / €62 |
| Pena Palace, palace and park | €20 |
| Metro single | €1.90 |
| City tourist tax, per person per night | €4 |
Where the money actually goes:
- The tourist tax is added at check-out: €4 per person per night, for up to seven nights, with under-13s exempt.
- Two weekends cost more. The Republic Day weekend and the marathon weekend lift hotel rates; the rest of the month is good value.
- Web Summit is the November trap. The tech conference fills the city's hotels for a week in early-to-mid November; if your trip runs into it, check its dates before you book.
- The Lisboa Card pays off if you are taking the trains to Sintra or Cascais as well as visiting museums.
October gives you Lisbon's best light at its fairest prices. Avoid the two busy weekends and the Web Summit week if your trip strays into November, and the rest of the month is some of the best value in Europe.
#Food & Dining
Autumn cooking returns with the month: castanhas assadas, roasted chestnuts sold from smoking carts, appear in the last weeks of the month; game, partridge and wild boar, returns to traditional menus; and the comfort dishes, cozido à portuguesa and arroz de pato, come back after the summer.
For seafood, Cervejaria Ramiro near Intendente is worth the queue, or an early arrival.
Time Out Market at Cais do Sodré is pleasant again at lunch now the summer crowds have gone.
For a special night, Belcanto, José Avillez's two-Michelin-star restaurant in Chiado, needs booking weeks ahead.
And for pastel de nata, Pastéis de Belém has the 1837 recipe and a shorter October queue, and Manteigaria in Chiado has hot trays all day.
#Nightlife
Bairro Alto still fills its lanes on Friday and Saturday nights, with drinks in plastic cups in the street; Cais do Sodré, around Pink Street, is the slightly older crowd.
Lux Frágil, by the river at Santa Apolónia, is the club.
For fado, the small houses of Alfama and Mouraria are best on a weeknight, and the rooftop bars close for the season once the fronts arrive.
#Shopping
A Vida Portuguesa sells beautifully packaged Portuguese goods, from soap to tinned fish; Embaixada, in a palace in Príncipe Real, gathers local designers under one roof.
The Feira da Ladra flea market runs on Tuesday and Saturday mornings at Campo de Santa Clara.
For wine, Garrafeira Nacional in Baixa has the new vintages arriving in October.
#Culture & Etiquette
- Speak Portuguese, or English, rather than Spanish.
- Lunch is the main meal, from about 1pm; dinner from 8pm.
- Tipping is rounding up, or 5–10% for good service.
- Republic Day is a civic holiday, not a party; expect flags and a ceremony rather than crowds.
- The clocks go back on 31 October; check the time of any train or tour booked for that day.
#Essential Local Phrases
| English | Portuguese | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning | Bom dia | Bom DEE-ah |
| Thank you | Obrigado / Obrigada | Oh-bree-GAH-doo / -dah |
| Please | Por favor | Poor fah-VOR |
| Excuse me | Com licença | Kong lee-SEN-sah |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa? | KWAN-too KOOSH-tah |
| It's raining | Está a chover | Shtah ah shoo-VER |
| No couvert, thank you | Sem couvert, obrigado | Seng koo-VER, oh-bree-GAH-doo |
| The bill, please | A conta, por favor | Ah KON-tah, poor fah-VOR |
#Packing List
- Layers: a t-shirt for the afternoons and a jacket for the evenings
- A light waterproof for the fronts later in the month
- Shoes with real grip: the polished limestone pavements are slippery when wet
- Sunglasses for the low autumn sun
- Swimwear if you come in the first half of the month
- A compact umbrella
- A refillable bottle for Lisbon's safe tap water
#Backup Plans
If an Atlantic front sets in: the Gulbenkian, the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga and the MAAT in Belém are the best indoor afternoons, and a DocLisboa screening costs less than lunch.
If Sintra is clouded in: go anyway for the gardens of Monserrate, which are lovely in the mist, or stay in the city and go on a clear day.
If the marathon closes the riverfront: spend the morning in Alfama or the Graça viewpoints, uphill from the course.
If the beach is too cold: take the train to Cascais for a walk along the coast to Boca do Inferno instead.
#Safety & Health
Violent crime against visitors is rare, but pickpockets work Tram 28, Rossio and the airport metro; keep bags in front. Ignore the men offering "hashish" or sunglasses on the Baixa streets, and the "friendship bracelet" approach at the viewpoints.
The real hazard is underfoot: the calçada pavements are slippery after rain, especially downhill.
Check IPMA for weather warnings before a beach or Sintra day. Tap water is safe, and the emergency number is 112.
#What's New for October 2027
- Republic Day falls on Tuesday 5 October 2027
- Sunset moves an hour earlier on Sunday 31 October, when the clocks go back
- Most of Carris's historic lifts have been closed since the Glória derailment of September 2025; check before relying on one
- Pena Palace costs €20, with timed entry booked ahead
- The Lisboa Card is €31, €51 or €62, trains to Sintra and Cascais included
#About This Guide
By Harry Nara (founder of WhenToWander), first written in July 2026 and rewritten in October 2026 for October 2027. Climate figures are IPMA 1991–2020 normals for Lisbon. Facts verified against:
- IPMA for climate and weather warnings
- EDP Lisbon Marathon for the race
- DocLisboa for the documentary festival
- Parques de Sintra for Pena Palace tickets
- Carris for trams, buses and the historic lifts
For the season as a whole, see Lisbon in autumn, and for the month that follows, Lisbon in November.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is on in Lisbon in October 2027?
Republic Day on Tuesday 5 October, the EDP Lisbon Marathon on a weekend early in the month, and in the second half DocLisboa, the documentary festival, and Amadora BD, the comics festival. The clocks go back on Sunday 31 October. If your trip runs into November, check the dates of Web Summit, which fills the city’s hotels.
Is October a good time to visit Lisbon?
Yes, one of the best-value months. IPMA normals give about 22.5°C by day and 15°C at night; the first half is usually dry and bright, and Atlantic fronts bring most of the month’s rain later on. Hotel rates are well below summer, and the light is the best of the year.
Can I still go to the beach in Lisbon in October?
In the first half of the month, yes, on a warm afternoon at Cascais or Carcavelos, though the Atlantic is cool. For surf, Ericeira, a World Surfing Reserve 40 minutes north, is the easy day out; the World Surf League’s Peniche contest was held in October in 2026, and its 2027 dates follow the WSL schedule.
What prices and holidays should I know about for October?
Republic Day, 5 October, is a national holiday; banks and offices close but museums and restaurants stay open. Pena Palace costs €20 with timed entry, the Lisboa Card €31, €51 or €62, and the city tourist tax is €4 per person per night for up to seven nights. Most of the historic lifts have been closed since September 2025.
What’s the weather like in Lisbon in October?
Lisbon in October typically sees temperatures of 15–23°C with around 11 days of rain across the period. Pack lightweight layers that suit both cooler mornings and warmer afternoons.