This post is all about having the best time in Lisbon this November!

Portugal is a very trendy destination these days. There are many reasons for this: milder climate, very good food, great sights, and great prices! What is there not to like?

I must admit that the first time I went to Lisbon back in 2017, I was a bit worried about the food. Not that I don’t like cod fish, but I thought I was only going to eat it … a lot.

I had not really seen any Portuguese restaurants in Paris (nor did I seek them out). So I was unsure. Today I think it’s probably one of the best places to do a food tour in! That’s how impressed I am with the city.

The very cheap flights made it a great destination for a long weekend, especially during the colder months, as the weather is usually better in Lisbon.

I love my first trip so much that I could not wait to go back. Every time I went back I was never disappointed! It is even better when you can enjoy the city during the shoulder seasons!

Without further a do here are all the best tips to have a great time in Lisbon this November.

 

Lisbon in November

 

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Weather

Lisbon has on average more than 300 days of sunny weather per year with very pleasant temperatures.

During this time of year, the average temperature is around 14 degrees Celcius. The average highs can go all the way up to 18 degrees. The minimum temperatures would be around 12 degrees. The average seawater temperatures would be around 18 degrees.

In terms of rain, there are on average 9 to 14 rainy days during the month of November.

Lisbon is on the Tagus river and not very far from the Atlantic ocean. The consequence of that is that you might experience some wind during your trip.

To enjoy the longest day of November, go as early as possible during the month!

These are great conditions to enjoy the Portuguese capital during the low season! You can still enjoy the city and you have fewer tourists. This is a big thing nowadays!

With all this great weather, here is a list of all the best places you should go to during your trip to Lisbon in November.

 

What to do

Lisbon is a great city to visit on foot. So definitely take a good pair of walking shoes!

Lisbon is full of hills, so you spend a lot of time going up or downs the streets. My legs never walked as much as in Lisbon!

Lisbon is a very dynamic city. There are more and more international events in the city, like the International global tech conference that is Web Summit or the Vodafone Mexefest musical event.

Here is a list of the main highlights you should not miss whilst in Lisbon:

 

Saint George castle

This is probably the most famous landmark of the city of Lisbon.

First signs of human occupation go back to the 8th century BC and the fortifications you can admire today go back to the 1st century BC! The location of this castle was very strategic! You have a great view of the sea and any invasion would have been spotted quite early.

It was a royal castle then, and now it’s a national monument that you can visit. however, be prepared for what you’ll see! You’ll have the best view of Lisbon from up there that’s for sure.

There is not much left of the castle itself, mostly exterior walls. You’ll have to use your imagination to imagine how life would have been back then.

It’s best to avoid vising the castle on a rainy day because you’ll be very exposed to the elements.

 

Alfama

It is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Lisbon. It has a lot of little streets with great places to eat or listen to live music (typical Portuguese music – fado).

There are also lots of artists that have their shop in this part of town. It’s a great place to get lost in all the streets and it’s on the way to Saint George’s castle, so you cannot miss it!

It also has some terraces from which you’ll have a great view of the city.

 

Bairro Alto

Bairro Alto is another neighborhood you don’t want to miss during your trip. It is very lively and has a lot of restaurants and bars. Bairro Alto also has some of the best hotels.

You can also enjoy some beautiful houses with ceramic work on their facade.

Because it’s on another hill, you can also get a wonderful view of the city and Saint George’s castle.

This part of town gets very lively at night. You’ll find big crowds having a drink on the terrace of bars in the narrow streets. In certain streets, you have bar after bar after bar. Everything is at very affordable prices.

 

LX Factory

This place was previously an industrial complex that has been transformed into this is a very hip place with a lot of little shops and street vendors.

You can go there even during the fall or winter season. It has brick-and-mortar shops and restaurants that are perfect when you have days of rain. Terraces are also available for days of sunshine.

You can find many different things here: ceramics, textiles, gadgets, food, and drinks. This is the perfect place to get good ideas for souvenirs.

They even have a website you can check out if you are looking for further information.

To get there from the center of Lisbon, you could either rent a bike or an electric scooter or take the train at Corpo Santo station and get off at Calvário station on lines 714 or 760.

The only thing I regretted when visiting this place, was the number of tourists! I did not see many locals, which was a bit of a shame.

 

Belem tower

Continuing in that direction, and if you push your visit beyond LX Factory, you will arrive in the neighborhood of Belem. This is where the famous Tower of Belem sits.

This is the place from which many of the great Portuguese explorers departed. The most famous one was Vasco de Gama who departed for India in 1497.

The Belem tower was built to surveil the entrance of the Belem port.

Besides the tower and its explorers, there’s another thing Belem is famous for the Belem Pasteis de Nata!

It’s this delicate flaked pastry that holds a vanilla flan. It is best-eaten wame with some powdered sugar and cinnamon on top. This has become a world-famous dessert, and it was most likely invented in the next place.

It’s best to go to the Belem Tower on a non-rainy day because you’ll be mostly outside.

 

Jerónimos Monastery

Just opposite the Belem Tower, you’ll see a magnificent building: it’s the Jerónimos Monastery. This is the perfect visit during the fall and winter months and one of my favorite landmarks in Lisbon!

This monastery was built with all the revenues from the spice business Portugal had (thanks to Vasco de Gama) in the 16th century. This is also the place where Vasco de Gama was buried.

Since 1983 it’s been on the UNESCO World Heritage list!

 

Fronteira Palace

If this is not your first visit to Lisbon and you’re looking for something new, the Fronteira Palace might just be what you are looking for!

It’s very easily accessible from the Lisbon city center thanks to the Blue line.

This is a very beautiful palace dating back to the 17th century with some of the most wonderful ceramic (azulejo) tiles. It can only be visited with a guide, which is great that way you really get a better understanding of the details that make this place so great.

The descendent of the owners still live in this palace today.

The gardens with the blue ceramics are breathtaking!

This is less crowded than some other places in the center of Lisbon but very much worth the trip!

Even with the grey sky, this place is worth the trip to Lisbon in November. The ceramic tiles will just pop even more against it!

 

Pro tip

If there is one place I would not recommend, despite its popularity, it’s the Santa Justa elevator. The queues to get on can get quite long. You have to pay a ticket fee to enjoy a view that is not that spectacular. In fact, it is not even as tall as some of the buildings that surround the elevator.

There are many other viewpoints in the city that are free that offer a better sight than this elevator ever could. You definitely can avoid it during your trip to Lisbon in November (and all the other months as well!).

 

This post has been on all the best tips for your Lisbon trip this November

 

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