Christmas in Portugal: What to Expect
Christmas in Portugal: traditions and food, the 2026 Christmas markets and lights, what is open on December 24 and 25, and Lisbon, Porto or Madeira.
January 6, 2026 • 6 min read
Christmas in Portugal: What to Expect
Christmas 2026 in Portugal at a Glance
Dates were announced in November 2026 and can change, so check the official program before you go.
Portuguese Christmas Traditions
Consoada: Christmas Eve Dinner
The main celebration in Portugal is the Consoada, the family dinner on December 24. The classic dish is bacalhau da Consoada: boiled salt cod with potatoes, cabbage and hard-boiled eggs, drizzled with olive oil. In the north, leftovers become roupa velha ("old clothes") the next day, fried with the potatoes and eggs.
Midnight Mass and Gifts
Many Catholic families go to the Missa do Galo, the midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Presents are traditionally opened at midnight on December 24, not on the morning of the 25th.
Christmas Day
December 25 is a quieter day with a long family lunch, often roast turkey, lamb or cabrito assado (roast kid goat).
Dia de Reis: January 6
Kings' Day, on January 6, traditionally marks the end of the Christmas season. In Madeira, groups go from door to door singing, a tradition called Cantar os Reis.
Madeira's Own Traditions
In Madeira, the season starts with the Missas do Parto, nine early-morning masses before Christmas. On December 23, the Noite do Mercado fills Funchal's Mercado dos Lavradores with last-minute shoppers, street stalls, poncha and carols.
Christmas Food and Sweets
- Bolo-rei: a ring-shaped cake with candied fruit and nuts, eaten from Christmas to Kings' Day. Bolo-rainha is the version without candied fruit.
- Rabanadas: thick bread soaked in milk and egg, fried and dusted with cinnamon and sugar, Portugal's version of French toast.
- Sonhos: light fried dough balls, whose name means "dreams".
- Filhoses: fried sweets coated in cinnamon and sugar, with shapes that change from region to region.
- Arroz doce: creamy rice pudding with cinnamon.
Bakeries sell bolo-rei and other Christmas sweets throughout December, so you can try them even if you do not spend Christmas with a Portuguese family.
Christmas Markets and Lights
Lisbon
Lisbon switches on its Christmas lights in late November, with a giant tree in Praça do Comércio and lights along Rua Augusta and the Baixa. In 2025, the lights went on on November 22 and stayed until early January. Wonderland Lisboa, in Parque Eduardo VII, is the city's biggest Christmas market, with free entry and some paid attractions, and was ranked fourth in the European Best Destinations vote for the best Christmas market in Europe.
Óbidos
The walled town of Óbidos becomes Óbidos Vila Natal, a Christmas village with a different theme every year. In 2026, the theme is Pinocchio, and tickets are sold in advance online.
Porto and the North
Porto lights a large Christmas tree on Avenida dos Aliados, with lights across the city center and Christmas concerts. South of the city, Perlim, in Santa Maria da Feira, is a Christmas theme park with an ice rink, a circus and a carousel, popular with families. Braga and Guimarães both hold Christmas markets in their historic centers.
Madeira
Funchal's Christmas lights go up in the first week of December, and a Christmas market runs along Avenida Arriaga. The season ends with New Year's Eve, when the fireworks over Funchal Bay, were recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's biggest fireworks display in 2006.
What Is Open Over Christmas
- December 24: many shops close early, and in 2025 the national museums and monuments, including the Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower, closed for the day.
- December 25: a public holiday. National museums and monuments are closed, and many shops and restaurants close too.
- December 31 and January 1: in 2025, national museums and monuments closed on both days.
- Restaurants: many close on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and those that open often serve special menus, so book ahead.
Closures change each year, so check opening hours for your dates. December 1 and December 8 are also national holidays.
Lisbon, Porto or Madeira for Christmas?
For a winter-sun Christmas, Madeira is the best choice. For markets and a city break, Lisbon is the most central, with Óbidos about an hour away.
