What's on in Porto (Oporto), Portugal through the year

Peak crowds — Christmas and New Year, Christmas holidays in Portugal

Nothing new starts in January.

Still on: Christmas and New Year (1 Dec – 1 Jan)

Busy — Carnival holidays in Portugal, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Fantasporto

  18 Feb – 10 Mar · usuallyFilm festival

  One of Europe's older fantasy and horror film festivals, ten days at the Rivoli in the wettest, cheapest part of the year. A reason to be indoors in Porto in late February. Source ↗

Busy — Easter holidays in Portugal, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Fantasporto (18 Feb – 10 Mar (usually))

Busy — Easter holidays in Portugal, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in April.

Busy — Queima das Fitas, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Queima das Fitas

  1–12 May · usuallyMajor festivalCrowded

  The students' week: a serenade on the cathedral steps at midnight to open it, then a costumed cart parade through the middle of town and a week of concerts by the Queimodromo. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Primavera Sound Porto, Festa de Sao Joao

• Festival

  Primavera Sound Porto

  1–15 Jun · usuallyMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  Three days in the Parque da Cidade beside the sea in early June, with the city's rooms priced accordingly. Considerably easier to move around than its Barcelona parent. Source ↗

• Season

  The nortada

  15 Jun – 15 Sep · usuallyWind seasonRisk

  The Atlantic north wind gets up most summer afternoons, which is why Foz and Matosinhos feel ten degrees colder than the Ribeira and why the surf schools are where they are.

• Festival

  Festa de Sao Joao

  22–25 JunMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  The best street party in Portugal and the strangest: the whole city out all night on 23 June hitting strangers on the head with squeaky plastic hammers, grilled sardines, fireworks over the Douro at midnight. Source ↗

Busy — Summer holidays in Portugal, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: The nortada (15 Jun – 15 Sep (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Portugal, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: The nortada (15 Jun – 15 Sep (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Portugal, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Nature

  Douro vintage

  1 Sep – 15 Oct · usuallyHarvest

  The picking happens up the valley rather than in the city, but this is when the quintas take visitors into the lagares and the train up the Douro is worth the whole trip.

Still on: The nortada (15 Jun – 15 Sep (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Douro vintage (1 Sep – 15 Oct (usually))

Quiet — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in November.

Peak crowds — Christmas and New Year, Christmas holidays in Portugal

• Holiday

  Christmas and New Year

  1 Dec – 1 JanChristmas & New YearCrowded

  Lights on the Aliados, markets in the Palacio de Cristal gardens, and a New Year's Eve concert and fireworks on the same avenue. Wet, mild, and busier than the weather suggests. Source ↗