Portugal itinerary — March 2027
For the Portugal trip (Lisbon & Porto), March 2027 is mixed for weather comfort. Across Lisbon and Porto, daytime highs run from about 17°C / 63°F to 19°C / 66°F. Plan around 7–9 days for the full Lisbon & Porto loop.
In this order — about 7–9 days:
- Lisbon4 nights
- Porto3 nights
- Route noteReserve the longest intercity leg first and keep transfer days free of timed sights.
By TripSapien · Updated November 4, 2026
Lisbon
Lisbon in March
TempTemperature
65°F / 52°F
18.6°C / 11.1°C
RainPrecipitation
8d
3in · 75mm
LightDaylight
11.7h
Sea
58.8°F
14.9°C
March turns springlike, with Sintra and Belém better on clear mornings before Atlantic wind builds.
City overview
Lisbon is a Tagus River capital built across seven hills, with Alfama lanes, Baixa Pombalina grids, Bairro Alto climbs, and Belém monuments showing how the 1755 earthquake and Atlantic navigation shaped the city. Baixa and Chiado make the central walking spine, Alfama and Graça hold the older Moorish street pattern, and Parque das Nações adds the Expo 98 riverfront east of the center.
Food & drink
Lisbon food centers on pastéis de nata, bacalhau à brás, grilled sardines, caldo verde, bifana sandwiches, amêijoas à Bulhão Pato, ginjinha, and seafood rice. Time Out Market in Mercado da Ribeira, Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, Belém pastry shops, Alfama fado restaurants, and Cais do Sodré counters give the most useful first eating route.
Events & festivals
- Mar 11 – Mar 21
Holidays & observances
- Mar 26Good FridayPublic holiday
- Mar 28Easter SundayPublic holiday
Top sights
Ranked for March suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1Praça do Comércio
- 2Padrão dos Descobrimentos
- 3Torre de Belém
- 4Santa Justa Lift
- 5Oceanário de Lisboa
- 6Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
- 7Castelo de São Jorge
- 8Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
- 9Sé de Lisboa
1Praça do Comércio
4.7★ · 135,365outdoorOpen dailyThis riverfront square replaced the royal palace area after the 1755 earthquake and opens Baixa toward the Tagus. The Arco da Rua Augusta frames the grid of Rua Augusta behind the equestrian statue of King José I.
Wikipedia
2Padrão dos Descobrimentos
4.6★ · 66,679outdoorOpen dailyThe Monument to the Discoveries faces the Tagus near Belém, with sculpted figures connected to Portuguese navigation. The riverside position explains Lisbon as an Atlantic port rather than only a hill city.
Wikipedia
3Torre de Belém
4.5★ · 118,260outdoorBelém Tower stands at the Tagus mouth area as a Manueline river fortress and ceremonial landmark. It pairs naturally with the Monument to the Discoveries and Jerónimos Monastery along the western waterfront.
Wikipedia
Show 6 more sights
4Santa Justa Lift
Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard designed the cast-iron lift, which opened in 1902 between Baixa and the higher Chiado-Carmo area. The platform gives a compact view of Rossio, Carmo ruins, and the castle hill.
Wikipedia5Oceanário de Lisboa
The Oceanarium opened for Expo 98 in Parque das Nações and remains the eastern waterfront district highlight. Its central tank and marine exhibits work well with the cable car and Oriente station area.
6Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
The Gulbenkian complex north of Baixa holds an art collection, modern center, gardens, and performance spaces. It gives Lisbon a museum day outside the older riverfront loop.
Wikipedia7Castelo de São Jorge
The hilltop castle above Alfama preserves medieval walls, towers, archaeological layers, and some of the clearest views over Baixa and the Tagus. The site crowns the rock that helped Alfama survive the 1755 earthquake better than the lower town.
Wikipedia8Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
The Manueline monastery in Belém is tied to Portugal maritime expansion and Vasco da Gama memory. Its church, cloisters, carved stonework, and proximity to the Belém riverfront make it the anchor sight west of the center.
Reserve timed entry in peak months; lines at the monastery and Belém Tower build quickly after late morning.
9Sé de Lisboa
Lisbon Cathedral began after the 1147 Christian conquest and stands at the edge of Alfama near tram 28. Its fortress-like Romanesque front, cloister archaeology, and uphill lanes make it a practical start for the old city.
Wikipedia
Neighborhoods
1Alfama and Graça
Alfama and Graça are steep, irregular, and old, with São Jorge Castle, Lisbon Cathedral, fado rooms, miradouros, tile walls, and tram 28 passing tight corners.
2Baixa and Rossio
Baixa is the 1755 earthquake rebuild, with Rua Augusta, Praça do Comércio, Rossio, Praça da Figueira, and flat streets that make the easiest first-day walk.
3Chiado and Bairro Alto
Chiado and Bairro Alto sit above Baixa with Carmo ruins, theatres, bookstores, Rua Garrett shops, tiny bars, fado rooms, and elevators or funiculars for the climb.
4Belém and Ajuda
Belém and Ajuda face the Tagus with Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, the Monument to the Discoveries, the coach museum, gardens, and pastéis de nata queues.
5Cais do Sodré and Santos
Cais do Sodré and Santos link ferry piers, the Time Out Market, Pink Street bars, design shops, and train access to Cascais and Estoril.
6Parque das Nações
Parque das Nações is Expo 98 Lisbon, with Oriente station, the Oceanarium, river promenades, cable cars, modern hotels, and broad bike paths.
Getting around
Use Navegante cards for Lisbon Metro, Carris buses, trams, funiculars, suburban trains, and ferries; metro lines are strongest for airport, Baixa-Chiado, Santa Apolónia, and Oriente. Tram 15E reaches Belém from the center, tram 28E crosses Alfama and Bairro Alto hills, and walking works best inside Baixa, Chiado, and Alfama if cobblestones and slopes are manageable.
Porto
Porto in March
TempTemperature
63°F / 47°F
17.1°C / 8.1°C
RainPrecipitation
10d
3.5in · 90mm
LightDaylight
11.7h
Sea
57.4°F
14.1°C
March starts easing, good for Clérigos climbs and Bolhão market if rain breaks.
City overview
Porto is Northern Portugal's Douro River city, a steep granite-and-tile port where medieval lanes, baroque churches, steel bridges, and Gaia wine lodges face each other across the water. Ribeira and Baixa give the compact historic core, Vila Nova de Gaia holds the port-wine cellars, and Cedofeita and Foz do Douro show the art, boutique, and Atlantic edges.
Food & drink
Porto eating is hearty: francesinha, tripas à moda do Porto, bacalhau, caldo verde, bifanas, octopus rice, and pastéis de nata all matter. Mercado do Bolhão, Cais da Ribeira restaurants, Conga bifanas, and Gaia port lodges make a useful first food route.
Holidays & observances
- Mar 26Good FridayPublic holiday
- Mar 28Easter SundayPublic holiday
Top sights
Ranked for March suitability using weather, setting, ratings, and review volume.
- 1Dom Luís I Bridge
- 2São Bento Station
- 3Serralves Museum and Park
- 4Clérigos Tower and Church
- 5Porto Cathedral
- 6Casa da Música
- 7Palácio da Bolsa
- 8Igreja de São Francisco
- 9Livraria Lello
- 10Ribeira
1Dom Luís I Bridge
4.8★ · 98,430outdoorThéophile Seyrig, a former Eiffel associate, designed the double-deck iron bridge that opened in 1886 between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. The upper deck carries metro trains and pedestrians above Ribeira.
Wikipedia
2São Bento Station
4.7★ · 6,521outdoorThe station opened in 1916 inside a former Benedictine convent site, with Jorge Colaço azulejo panels showing battles, rural scenes, and transport history. It is a short walk from Avenida dos Aliados and the cathedral.
3Serralves Museum and Park
4.7★ · 12,451outdoorOpen dailyÁlvaro Siza designed the contemporary-art museum that opened in 1999 inside the Serralves Foundation estate. The pink Art Deco villa, gardens, and treetop walk sit west of the center near Boavista.
Show 7 more sights
4Clérigos Tower and Church
Italian architect Nicolau Nasoni completed the baroque church and 75-metre tower in the 18th century, with the tower finished in 1763. The climb gives a tight view over Baixa, Ribeira, and the Douro.
5Porto Cathedral
The Sé began in the 12th century as a fortress-like Romanesque cathedral and later gained Gothic cloisters and baroque additions. Its terrace looks down toward São Bento, Ribeira, and the Dom Luís I Bridge.
Wikipedia6Casa da Música
Rem Koolhaas and OMA designed the faceted concert hall that opened in 2005 for Porto's European Capital of Culture legacy. It anchors Boavista roundabout, about 10 minutes by metro from Trindade.
Wikipedia7Palácio da Bolsa
Porto merchants began the stock-exchange palace in 1842 on the former Franciscan convent site, and its Arab Room became the showpiece for visiting dignitaries. Guided tours leave from Infante Dom Henrique Square above Ribeira.
Wikipedia8Igreja de São Francisco
The Gothic church began in the 14th century and later received an extravagant gilded baroque interior. It stands beside the Palácio da Bolsa and includes catacombs beneath the church complex.
9Livraria Lello
Xavier Esteves designed the neo-Gothic bookshop that opened in 1906 with a stained-glass ceiling and red central staircase. It stands near Clérigos Tower and requires timed entry during busy periods.
Buy the voucher online; queues form early even outside summer.
Wikipedia10Ribeira
The UNESCO riverfront district keeps stacked houses, arcades, stair lanes, and restaurant terraces at the foot of the old city. It faces the Gaia cellars across the Douro and sits below the cathedral and Palácio da Bolsa.
Neighborhoods
1Ribeira and Sé
Ribeira and Sé are steep, old, and scenic, with river terraces, the cathedral, medieval lanes, São Bento, and bridge views packed into short climbs.
2Baixa and Aliados
Baixa is central Porto, with Avenida dos Aliados, Clérigos, Livraria Lello, Bolhão, cafes, tiled churches, and the busiest metro links.
3Miragaia and Massarelos
Miragaia and Massarelos follow the river west with old warehouses, tram tracks, customs buildings, university museums, and quieter Douro views.
4Cedofeita and Miguel Bombarda
Cedofeita is the art-and-boutique quarter, anchored by Rua Miguel Bombarda galleries, concept shops, brunch spots, and lower-key nightlife.
5Foz do Douro
Foz is Porto's Atlantic edge, with beach promenades, old forts, seafood, tram Line 1, and sunset views where the Douro meets the ocean.
6Vila Nova de Gaia
Gaia is technically a separate city but essential for visitors, with port lodges, tasting rooms, WOW cultural district, Gaia cable car, and the best views back to Ribeira.
Getting around
Metro do Porto and the Andante card cover the airport, Campanhã, São Bento, Trindade, Boavista, and Gaia, but Ribeira and Baixa still require steep walking. Tram Line 1 is scenic to Foz, the Funicular dos Guindais saves one climb from Ribeira, and trains from São Bento handle Braga and Guimarães.
Planning the Portugal route?
Add your dates and we'll pace all 2 cities — every place checked for closures, limited hours, and booking needs in March.
Weather by month for the Portugal trip
In March, climate averages for Lisbon and Porto show daytime highs from 17°C / 63°F to 19°C / 66°F, with nights down to about 8°C / 46°F in the coolest of those cities. The rainiest of those cities averages about 10 rainy days. Based on climate averages for Lisbon and Porto, March is mixed for weather comfort.
The most comfortable months for this route are July, June and August, based on average daytime temperatures and rainfall in Lisbon and Porto. March 2027 is mixed for weather comfort.
Common questions about the Portugal trip
- When is the best time to do the Portugal trip?
- The most comfortable months across Lisbon and Porto are July, June and August, based on average daytime temperatures and rainfall for those cities. March is mixed for weather comfort — see the city climate sections below for the averages in March 2027.
- How many days do you need for the Portugal trip?
- A comfortable Portugal trip runs about 7–9 days, allowing roughly Lisbon 4, Porto 3 nights plus travel between stops. Add a day if you want a slower pace or extra day trips.
- What's the route for the Portugal trip?
- The classic order is Lisbon & Porto. The detailed month sections below cover Lisbon and Porto.
Ready to plan the Portugal trip?
Turn this route into a day-by-day plan for March 2027, every stop checked for closures and booking needs on your exact dates.