Lifestyle in Portugal

Lisbon’s festive season returns with scale and pageantry across the city centre.

As Portugal gears up for Christmas 2025, the travel picture is tilting towards compact breaks, city lights and island escapes, with cars setting the pace.

December in Portugal has a lovely winter rhythm: crisp mornings in the mountains, cosy evenings by the fire, and cities that glow once the lights go on.

The term neurodivergence is increasingly entering everyday conversation, yet it is still often misunderstood or reduced to stereotypes.

Portugal is famous for its stunning landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture—but did you know it’s also home to some of Europe’s best hot springs and thermal spas?

Netflix’s crime drama Turn of the Tide is back with Season 2, revisiting the Azorean fishing town of Rabo de Peixe on São Miguel.

Beyond pastéis de nata, Portugal hides a world of convent sweets and regional bakes shaped by egg yolks, cinnamon, almonds, and even carob.

If you’re hunting for things to do this Halloween in Portugal, think candlelit traditions and cheeky night-outs side by side.

Portugal increasingly embraces Halloween with costumes, parties and themed attractions—especially in Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve—while traditional observances like All Saints’ Day and Pão‑por‑Deus remain central to the season.

Getting some winter sun in Portugal comes down to picking the right pocket of coast and timing your day around the light. The Atlantic can whip through, yet you still get calm afternoons for coffee on a terrace, sheltered coves out of the wind, and heated pools for a dip when the sea’s a bit nippy.

Lisbon is friendly and largely low‑risk, thanks to it being the capital of one of the safest countries in the world.

Portugal has climbed into the world’s top ten for clean electricity.

A quieter season suits Portugal’s smaller places: medieval walls without tour groups, fog lifting over terraced vineyards, and cosy taverns serving bowls of caldo verde.

Autumn is one of the most magical times to discover Portugal’s natural beauty. As the warmth of summer fades and the air becomes crisp, Portugal’s forests transform into stunning landscapes of red, gold, and orange.

There’s a first‑of‑its‑kind surf spot taking shape inland near Lisbon, trading tides and guesswork for a more controlled kind of session.

October in Portugal has that first-hint-of-autumn feel. Grape juice on your trainers in the Douro, chestnut smoke in the lanes, soft light on the castles, and a steady run of food and film events in the cities.

As summer comes to an end, it’s the perfect time to start planning your next holiday.

With National Castle Day on the horizon, picture Portugal’s hilltop fortresses and coastal bastions opening up with special goings‑on behind the gates.

Commemorating the 1910 revolution that ended the monarchy, Portugal’s Republic Day sits at the heart of the national calendar.

As summer draws to a close, the lure of a weekend getaway is still strong, but instead of heading to the coast, why not explore Portugal’s medieval towns?