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5 Delightful Reasons to Visit Lisbon in March

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When I was planning a trip from Bulgaria this spring, Lisbon pretty immediately came to mind.

I had visited Lisbon for the first time in August 2018 and promptly fell in love with the city. But the heat and tourist crowds definitely was a strike against it!

When I returned to Lisbon in March this year, I was doubly enamored with the city.

Far from being cold and gloomy as I feared, Lisbon was delightfully warm and sunny, reminding me exactly of spring days back in California.

In fact, I think March in Lisbon may just be the best time of year to visit (though the rest of winter isn’t bad, either!)

Why You Should Visit Lisbon in March

Lisbon in March has almost no crowds

There’s no denying that Lisbon has been a major victim of overtourism.

Cheap flights, generally low prices in Portugal, and tons of “Instagrammability” make Lisbon one of the most impacted European cities in terms of overtourism.

I get a bit annoyed when I hear travel influencers declaring that they don’t promote traveling to destinations suffering overtourism.

Not because I don’t believe overtourism is an issue, but because it has a gate-keeping feel to it.

Basically: I went, but you can’t. A similar phenomenon occurs in discussions of the merits of geotagging.

However, I do think that being cognizant of how you affect the destination that you’re visiting is key when it comes to visiting places that are suffering from overtourism.

Visiting Barcelona in February is much, much different than visiting Barcelona in July.

I recognize that not everyone has the liberty to decide when to visit a place, especially teachers (which I used to be for five years) and families with school-age kids.

But for those who can, I recommend visiting the more touristic places in the off-season and saving your peak-season travel for emerging destinations which could use more tourism, like Albania or Azerbaijan.

And since Lisbon is such a delightful place to visit in March, it’s hardly a sacrifice.

Yet Lisbon isn’t that cold in March

Lisbon’s March average temperatures are definitely on the warm side. Your average daytime high is 65 °F / 18 °F, while nights dip to around 51 °F / 10 °C.

That said, it can get even warmer than that. During my 2 week stay in Lisbon, I had some days that were in the low 70s °F / low 20s °C.

The reason for this is that Lisbon is quite far south in Europe but also because it benefits from the jet stream which blows warm air across the Atlantic.

This has a moderating effect on the climate, so that summers aren’t quite as scorching as they could be and winters aren’t nearly as cold.

In fact, there are tons of sunny days in Lisbon in March

I was pleasantly surprised, and definitely a little lucky, that I didn’t experience a single day of rain over my two weeks in Lisbon.

While that’s not always going to be the case – my friends previously visited Lisbon in March and said it rained for three days straight – my experience isn’t totally unusual.

According to WeatherSpark, the chance of a rainy day in March in Lisbon is about 17%, less than 1 day in every 5.

So while you won’t exactly want to go swimming, you likely won’t be rained out of your trip.

On the other hand, Porto is very rainy this time of year, so it’s not a good time to visit Porto.

But there are plenty of indoor things to do if it rains

However, even though I was blessed with abnormally good weather in Lisbon this March, there would have been a lot to do anyway.

In fact, because I was enjoying visiting the more offbeat side of Lisbon, I was spending a lot of time in its quirky museums and delicious African restaurants.

That was a fun way to explore a different side of the city, rather than bouncing around from tourist-clogged miradouro after miradouro.

Some of my favorite unique and quirky museums are as follows: National Coach Museum, the Museum of Fado, the Geographic Society of Lisbon’s Museum, and the Doll Hospital.

And if it gets cold, you can warm up with some delicious spice and flavor

We also really enjoyed exploring Lisbon’s delicious culinary scene, which is far more diverse than you’d imagine from first glance.

Portugal’s colonial legacy, while bringing plenty of violence and displacement to those lands it pillaged and claimed, has a more palatable taste today – literally.

Many people from Portugal’s former colonies (spread across Africa, the Americas, and Asia) have immigrated to Portugal for various reasons, many of them bringing their food culture to Lisbon with them.

And let me tell you, while I like Portuguese food, it’s not something I could eat every day.

Truthfully, Lisbon’s culinary map is all the richer for the diversity of the people who call this city home!

While I definitely gorged on traditional Portuguese foods like bacalhau and pastel de nata, we also explored an alternative side to the Lisbon culinary scene.

We really enjoyed supporting immigrant-owned businesses like Cantinho do Aziz (Mozambican food), Anastacia’s (Cape Verdean food), and Chongqing Hot Pot (Sichuan food).

Where to Stay in Lisbon in March

yellow tram in front of a cathedral in lisbon

If you’re visiting Lisbon in March, you’ll find a lot of great deals on accommodations. Here are a few of the hotels I recommend for each budget category.

Budget: For a central option that won’t break the budget, I recommend NOMAD 64. Given high marks for cleanliness and their great breakfast spread and bonus points for friendly staff, it’s a great, affordable option in Lisbon.

With a variety of room options, from dorms to private rooms, there’s something for every budget and travel style.

Check prices and availability here.

Mid-Range: For a cute guesthouse that will welcome you warmly without costing an arm and a leg, and a variety of room configurations for every group size and budget, I recommend Rainbow Guesthouse 56.

It’s adorable, packed with personality, and has a great location near the metro.

Check prices and availability here.

Luxury: If you want to stay where the stars stay (literally, Madonna stayed here for a month!) in a former palace converted into one of the leading hotels of the world, you can’t miss Pestana Palace.

I actually got to spend two nights here on a family trip and can vouch that it lives up to the reviews. A stay here is truly an incredible experience!

Check prices and availability here.

5 Off the Beaten Path Lisbon Experiences

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Lisbon has become a bit of a poster child for mass tourism these days.

Everyone seems to come to the city just to do the exact same thing as everyone else… and suffers in the crowds for it.

The typical one day in Lisbon itinerary goes something like this: snap some photos on Pink Street, ride the iconic 28 tram, and wait in line for fresh pastel de nata (OK, the last one is entirely worth it).

And that’s great to get an introduction to Lisbon…. but what about when you want to see a little more of the city?

Visiting Lisbon off the beaten path means getting away from the crowds (what’s that Sartre quote? Hell is other tourists?) and seeing a side of the city that is a bit protected from mass tourism.

view of an old tiled street in alfama, the oldest neighborhood of lisbon that was not destroyed during the earthquake

For example, if you’ve ever been to the ruins of a castle before, you can safely skip the Castelo de San Jorge: the most interesting part of which is its view.

You can get basically the same view at the nearby and far less touristy Miradouro da Nossa Senhora do Monte.

The famous elevators are also worth passing over — I only took one when I had a sprained ankle and was trying to hobble my way through the city in spite of it.

Instead, I sought out some alternative Lisbon hidden gems, things that wouldn’t necessarily make it on most guides to the city. Here are 5 of my favorite off the beaten path Lisbon activities!

SIP, SHOP, & EAT AT LX FACTORY

LX Factory is Lisbon’s hipster utopia, a converted fabric factory that’s been turned into an urban playground for the city’s young crowd.

In this multi-functional space, you’ll find everything from coffee shops to art galleries to delicious restaurants to funky bookstores.

A few restaurants worth noting in LX factory are Sushi Factory, which serves up atypical sushi creations (not for Japanese food purists!) and Cantina LX, which serves up Portuguese food with a fancy, contemporary twist – and delicious local craft beers and wines to match.

I wanted to check out Rio Maravilha, which has a 4th-floor location serving up Brazilian food (mmm, coxinhas) with stunning views over the Tejo River and Lisbon’s Golden Gate Bridge lookalike… but it was closed for a private event when I was there.

My favorite place in LX Factory, though, is the excellent bookstore Ler Devagar, which means “read slowly” in Portuguese. It’s an incredibly photogenic bookstore with an excellent selection of books in both English and Portuguese.

STROLL THROUGH THE PEACEFUL CEMITERIO DO ALTO DO SAO JOAO

Lisbon’s cemeteries are quite beautiful, and visiting one is definitely among one of the more unique off the beaten path Lisbon experiences.

There are two large cemeteries in the city that were built in the 1830s, during an epidemic of cholera that decimated Lisbon.

The Cemiterio do Alto do Sao Joao served the eastern part of Lisbon, whereas Prazeres was reserved for the western part.

Both cemeteries are still in use, with beautiful funerary architecture that is quite unique.

Rather than having gravestones under the ground, the cemeteries feature a number of mausoleums and tombs that house an entire family of coffins.

The cemetery almost works as if a city: the “houses” are numbered and the “streets” are all given names. It’s beautifully landscaped, with jacarandas and cypress trees and other beautiful flora.

EAT DELICIOUS AFRICAN FOOD

Portugal had one of the longest-lasting empires in the world, spanning nearly six centuries from the establishment of its first colony in Ceuta in 1415 up until 1999, when Portugal ceded Macao back to China.

Of course, six centuries of colonial rule don’t go by without brutality, and the War of Liberation fought in Portugal’s African colonies was no exception.

It lasted nearly 15 years, only culminating in 1974, long after most English and French colonies had won their independence.

Since independence, there has still been a lot of cultural interchange between Portugal and its former colonies, particularly in the form of food.

If you’re a fan of trying hard-to-find ethnic cuisines, Lisbon is a gastronomic goldmine!

I got to try two different cuisines that were brand-new to me (a rarity when you spend nine years in New York eating your way through the city’s food scene) in just a matter of two weeks in Portugal: Mozambican and Cape Verdean.

I had a memorable Mozambican meal at Cantinho do Aziz and can recommend their matapa, vegetable curry, and makoufe.

But even better was the Cape Verdean food I tried at Anastacia – the cachupa was absolutely incredible and hands-down one of the best meals I ate in Lisbon.

There are also Angolan restaurants worth seeking out, but unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to try any on my last visit to Lisbon!

GAWK AT TILES AT THE MUSEO DOS AZULEJOS

While Porto is the best-known city in Portugal for its intricate tilework, you can get a taste of this beautiful and distinctly Portuguese art form in Lisbon at the Museo Dos Azulejos.

As it’s located a bit outside of the historical center, it’s often skipped by tourists, which is why I rate this as one of the true Lisbon hidden gems.

The museum traces the history of tile work in Portugal back to Moorish influence and the beautiful Islamic tiles that were common in mosques from this region.

It explored the evolution of Portuguese tiles over the centuries, from the transition from the Islamic calligraphy tiles to the blue-and-white tiles that come together to form large-scale murals that you see all over Portugal today.

They also showcased new takes on Portuguese tilework from contemporary artists, who continue the legacy with their own unique modern spin.

Don’t miss the beautiful “Panorama of Lisbon” on the top floor, where an entire room is dedicated to an azulejo reproduction of Lisbon’s skyline with its most important features all identified.

CHECK OUT THE BEAUTIFUL (AND FREE) FILM MUSEUM

One of my favorite Lisbon hidden gems is the Portuguese Cinemateca located near Marquês de Pombal.

There’s a free film museum with rotating exhibits and old cinematography equipment, as well as an excellent bookstore that features a huge selection of film-related literature.

The building itself is beautiful and the interior architecture is worth a visit alone: I loved the Moorish detailing inside the townhouse.

There are some theaters on the ground floor if you’re in the mood to catch a movie, or you can simply explore the 2nd-floor museum and bookstore and have a drink at the café there.