Portugal in August: A Summer Bonanza

If you find rain a daunting factor in your holiday planning, Portugal in August is your answer. The month is completely dry with hardly any rain. Porto, otherwise the wettest city in Southern Europe, will be a delight to explore this month. Compared to the rest of Portugal, the weather is warm here now, with the mercury hovering around 25°C. Evenings are pleasant, with the temperature dipping to 16°C.

Lisbon does not shy away when it comes to unleashing heat in August. Pack light clothes, swimwear, and lots of UV protection as the average day temperature here is 28°C, and the average low hardly goes below 18°C. Sea temperatures around Lisbon are in the range of 19°C, which is enjoyable for a cool, refreshing dip. To swim for long hours in warm waters with uninterrupted sunshine, Algarve is best in August. The average high sea temperature is around 23°C, and lows never dip below 21°C. Days here are super sultry at about 29°C and evenings are balmy at around 21°C. The Azores also enjoys a warm August with an average daily high of 22°C and an average low of 13°C. But be advised that August is also the starting of the hurricane season in the Azores. So do a thorough weather check in advance.

For seasonal overviews, check out our travel guide on the best time to visit Portugal.

By August, the busy summer season is already on a romp. That being said, there are plenty of advantages to traveling to Portugal in August. Here are a few of them:

• Summer bonanza: August is a month with virtually no rainfall. A dry month also means wet places like Porto and the Douro Valley can be visited without rain spoiling your sightseeing. Long summer days also affect the opening hours of museums and other attractions that close late, giving you more hours to pack your day with a lot of activities or enjoy one activity at a leisurely pace.
• Swimming season: The North Atlantic is otherwise deemed too cool to swim during the rest of the year, but with the arrival of August, it heats up to a comfy temperature. The warmest waters are found off the east coast of the Algarve. As you travel west, the water starts to cool down. The archipelagos of Azores and Madeira are also great for swimming in high summer.
• Festivals: August is abuzz with all kinds of summer fairs and festivals. Venture to the quaint, fortified town of Viseu which is located on the Portugal-Spanish border, where they hold a 49-day long festival called Feira de São Mateus in honor of Saint Matthew. Besides the month-long procession, you can enjoy their fairground rides, stalls selling handicrafts and local eateries, folk music, and fireworks display. Foodies can troop to one of the biggest fishing ports of the Algarve, Olhão, to sample some scrumptious fresh seafood cooked in various local ways at their Festival do Marisco. Chomp on some grilled goodies or tuck in some stews as you enjoy the party atmosphere of the festival.

Instead of jostling with crowds in larger cities, steal some solitude walking through the maze-like alleys as you explore Braga and its medieval buildings, monasteries, and baroque gardens. Discovering north Portugal should top your priority list in August as all the crowds congregate in beach towns leaving you to discover Porto freely. If you are visiting Madeira in the last week of August, attending the Madeira Wine Harvest Festival in Funchal is a must. Do booth-hopping and sample some incredible wine from this region.

For a much less busy option to the capital city, head to Camara de Lobos. If you wish to visit Algarve is where you want to go, choose calmer beach towns like Alvor and Carvoeiro than hectic places like Albufeira and Lagos. You can rent a car and go for long drives in these calm and beautiful towns of Portugal. The Portuguese love their music and dance and as summer heats up, so does the party scene. The Algarve erupts with lively nightlife venues in popular places like Faro, Lagos, Vilamoura, and Albufeira. Upscale resorts, luxury hotels, romantic bars, and beach clubs — there is a party spot to suit every mood. Clubs here often open at around 11:00 pm and remain so till 7:00 am.

Take the pleasure of going off the grid during your trip to Portugal in August. Since this is the last month of the high summer season, no corner of the country is off the menu. Check out our travel guide on how many days to spend in Portugal if you need ideas for your trip to Portugal tour. A 10-day trip would give you the opportunity to explore all the must-see highlights. If you have lesser time on your hands, a 7-day trip would give you a good taste of the country, though not as extensive. Still, if you feel confused to pick your options, let our team of local experts come to your rescue with a customized trip to Portugal.

So, start planning your trip to Portugal in August right away!

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Portugal in July
Portugal in September
Summer in Portugal