Season guide · Algarve · Portugal
Algarve in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Shapiro1983, Public domain
Quick answer
Mild and often sunny but quiet, with many beach restaurants closed; popular for golf and long stays. Expect highs up to 17°C (63°F) and lows around 8°C (46°F), with about 17 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 8°C (46°F) to 17°C (63°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 17
- Sea
- 15°C (59°F) to 17°C (63°F)
- Crowds
- Very quiet
- Hotel prices
- Lowest
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16°C (61°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 6 | 9.9 h | 1/5 |
| February | 17°C (63°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 5 | 10.8 h | 1/5 |
| December | 17°C (63°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 6 | 9.6 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 17°C (63°F) against a yearly 22°C (72°F), and 17 of the year's roughly 39 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 1/5 and hotel prices 1/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Almond blossom in the inland hills (usually late January to February)
- February: Loulé Carnival — parades with floats (February or March, depending on Easter)
- December: New Year's Eve celebrations in Albufeira and other resorts (31 December)
Good choices for winter
Religious site · Faro
Capela dos Ossos, Igreja do Carmo
Visit the gilded church first, then the chapel, which is small and takes only a few minutes.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Rainy day
Market · Loulé
Loulé Market
Loulé's red-domed, Moorish-revival market hall sells fish, cheese, honey, figs, almonds and local crafts daily except Sundays, and on Saturday mornings a large open-air market spreads across the surrounding streets.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- Rainy day
Day trips in winter
- Ayamonte and the Guadiana (About 45 minutes by car plus a short ferry) — From Vila Real de Santo António, a 1774 grid-planned town rebuilt after the great earthquake, a small ferry crosses the Guadiana to Ayamonte in Spain for tapas.
- Aljezur and the Costa Vicentina (About 35 minutes by car from Lagos) — On the wild Atlantic west coast, Aljezur has a ruined Moorish castle and is near surf beaches such as Amoreira and Monte Clérigo, with Odeceixe's river-mouth beach further north.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Algarve?
It is a trade-off: Mild and often sunny but quiet, with many beach restaurants closed; popular for golf and long stays. The best months overall are May–June and September.
+What is the weather like in Algarve in winter?
Highs of up to 17°C (63°F) and lows around 8°C (46°F), with about 17 rainy days over the season.