Lisbon Chronicles | Autumn in Lisbon

Is not without a good reason that Momondo has chosen Lisbon as one of the best fall destinations of 2016. The city is beautiful all over the year, but there are lots of reasons to support a visit in the autumn.

For one, the milder climate of Fall can make walking up and down the seven hills much easier. Nevertheless, you must beware that if it rains, the polished cobblestone streets could get very slippery and you must be wise with the kind of shoes you choose. But if its sun, the black and withe stones in the floor get even prettier with the yellow leafs falling from the trees.

In fact, the temperatures will be around 20º C (68ºF) with occasional days of mild precipitation.  In the middle of autumn, is usual to have a period of warm, dry weather, with sunny and clear skies that is called St. Martin's Summer (Verão de São Martinho). This year, Portugal's Indian summer came in the end of October and this last few days have been magnificent!

Although the weather is usually good, when visiting Portugal in autumn, you should be prepared for colder mornings and nights and for occasional periods of rain. Therefore, a light coat, closed shoes and an umbrella should make part of your packing list.

Other advantage of visiting Lisbon in fall is that you will find it less crowded. The high season for tourism has ended, and you'll get to see more locals then visitors in the streets. The access to museums and monuments will be easier and the prices will be more attractive.

You won't probably find grilled sardines but you'll have roasted chestnuts if the temperatures start to dip and you want to warm up your hands. You can easily find it on the streets, just have to follow the smell and the signs of smoke. A paper cone with 12 smoking hot chestnuts will cost you around 2,5 € and will warm up your soul (and stain your hands, also!). If you are Downtown Lisbon and need to get a little warmer, why not to try a Ginjinha ( a liquor made with cherries), is sweet and brings a guarantee of immediate comfort.

The end of the summer brings also the restart of the cultural season, with more concerts and shows. For those who love Pop and Rock music, summer is the top season for music festivals, but fall has always great names of the music business in solo shows. The Opera season (Teatro São Carlos) and the classical music concerts (Fundação Gulbenkian, CCB) are in full season and with interesting programs. An easy way to plan and guarantee that you'll experience this cultural aspect of the city is to, beforehand, visit and buy your tickets at Ticketline (an on-line site for selling tickets to shows, concerts, tours and exhibitions).