February is Portugal’s carnival month and the point at which winter starts to let go. Lisbon lifts to about 17°C by day and dries out noticeably, the Algarve almond blossom opens, and Carnival peaks in the week to Tuesday 9 February 2027, with Ash Wednesday on the 10th. It is still low season, still cheap, and still one of the quietest times to have Lisbon and Porto to yourself.
Carnaval 2027
Portuguese carnival is smaller than Brazil’s and stranger than Spain’s, and the regional versions are genuinely different from each other:
- Torres Vedras, north of Lisbon, calls itself the most Portuguese carnival in Portugal – satirical floats, matrafonas (men in women’s clothing) and a determinedly unpolished tone. It is the biggest.
- Loulé in the Algarve runs the oldest continuous carnival parade in the country, with Rio-style floats along the avenue.
- Ovar, near Aveiro, is the most elaborate, with costumes prepared all year.
- Podence in Trás-os-Montes is the outlier and the most interesting: the caretos, masked figures in fringed wool suits with brass masks and cowbells, running through the village. It is UNESCO-listed intangible heritage and has nothing to do with Rio at all.
Carnival Tuesday is not a guaranteed national public holiday in Portugal – it is granted by government decision or declared municipally, and practice varies year to year. Many businesses close anyway. Check locally rather than assuming.
Weather by region
- Lisbon – about 17°C by day and 9°C at night, with roughly 78 mm of rain – noticeably drier than January, and the light returns.
- Porto and the north – around 16°C with about 98 mm; still wet, still green.
- The Algarve – 17–18°C with real sunshine, and the almond blossom out across the interior around Loulé, Tavira and the Serra de Monchique. It is the earliest sign of spring in Europe.
- Madeira – around 19°C, and the island holds its own carnival with a large parade in Funchal.
- The Azores – mild, wet and windy; still off-season.
Almond blossom in the Algarve
Continue planning your Portugal trip
From late January through February the almond trees flower across the Algarve’s interior – the hills behind Loulé, around Tavira and São Brás de Alportel, and up towards Monchique. There is a legend attached, about a northern princess who missed the snow, which is told at every opportunity and is still worth hearing.
It is free, it is brief, and it is the best reason to rent a car and drive the inland Algarve rather than the coast.
What February is good for
- Cities at their emptiest. Lisbon, Porto and Sintra with no queues and low rates.
- Carnival, in four very different versions.
- The Algarve on foot – the Rota Vicentina and the Via Algarviana are at their best in February, before the heat.
- Nazaré, still inside the big-wave season.
- Port lodges and Douro, indoor and quiet.
Prices and crowds
Still low season, and among the cheapest weeks of the year outside the carnival towns. Rates begin lifting at the very end of the month as Easter approaches – and in 2027 Easter falls early, on 28 March, so the spring build-up starts sooner than usual.
See how much a trip to Portugal costs.
What to pack
A hooded waterproof and layers, plus shoes with grip for the polished limestone calçada that paves Lisbon and Porto and becomes slippery in rain. Add sunglasses for the Algarve, where February afternoons in the sun are genuinely pleasant. See what to do in Portugal.
The February 2027 calendar
- Late January into February – almond blossom across the inland Algarve.
- The week to Tuesday 9 February – Carnival at Torres Vedras, Loulé, Ovar, Podence and Funchal.
- Tuesday 9 February – Carnival Tuesday; not a guaranteed national holiday, so check locally.
- Wednesday 10 February – Ash Wednesday; the season ends.
- Through February – Nazaré big-wave season continues.
- Through February – the best hiking month on the Rota Vicentina and the Via Algarviana.
- Late February – rates begin lifting towards an unusually early Easter on 28 March.
Read alongside
- Portugal in January – the cheapest and wettest month.
- Portugal in March – an early Easter and the start of the season.
- Best time to visit Portugal – all twelve months compared.
- How much a trip to Portugal costs – low-season numbers.
- Best beaches in Portugal – for walking rather than swimming now.
- Portugal travel guide – regions and how to combine them.
- Hidden gems in Portugal – Podence among them.
Frequently asked
When is Carnival in Portugal in 2027?
It peaks in the week to Tuesday 9 February 2027, with Ash Wednesday on the 10th. The biggest celebrations are at Torres Vedras, Loulé, Ovar, Podence and Funchal.
Is Carnival Tuesday a public holiday in Portugal?
Not automatically. It is granted by government decision or declared municipally and practice varies year to year, though many businesses close regardless. Check locally rather than assuming.
What is the Podence carnival?
The caretos of Podence in Trás-os-Montes – masked figures in fringed wool suits with brass masks and cowbells who run through the village. It is UNESCO-listed intangible cultural heritage and bears no resemblance to a Rio-style carnival.
When is the almond blossom in the Algarve?
From late January through February, across the interior around Loulé, Tavira, São Brás de Alportel and up towards Monchique. It is brief, free, and the best reason to drive the inland Algarve.
How warm is Portugal in February?
Lisbon averages about 17°C by day and 9°C at night with roughly 78 mm of rain, Porto is around 16°C and wetter, the Algarve reaches 17–18°C with real sun, and Madeira sits near 19°C.
Is Portugal still cheap in February?
Yes, among the cheapest weeks of the year outside the carnival towns. Rates begin lifting only at the very end of the month, and in 2027 that comes earlier than usual because Easter falls on 28 March.
Is February good for hiking in Portugal?
It is one of the best months. The Rota Vicentina along the south-west coast and the Via Algarviana across the Algarve interior are green, cool and empty, and the summer heat makes both hard from June.
Can you swim in Portugal in February?
No. Atlantic sea temperatures are at their annual low along the whole coast, including the Algarve. Madeira is warmer but still cool for swimming.
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.
