10 Things to Do in Lisbon in February

Lisbon in February is full of celebration and love. The arrival of Valentine's Day and Carnival come together with the arrival of slightly warmer temperatures than in December and January.

Also, as it is considered a low season month, you will be able to enjoy yourself without so many tourists. Just pack a warm jacket and come and enjoy all there is to do in the bohemian city of Lisbon.

Lisbon has a charm that mesmerises all its visitors. You can imagine then that, during the day of love, February 14th, there are many panoramas that you can offer to your partner to make them fall in love.

Many restaurants offer romantic dinners and on every corner they will sell flowers and boxes of sweets. However, despite the typical, there are three tourist plans that, on this special day, take on an extra meaning for all couples who come to Lisbon for a date:

• Miradouro da Graça: this imposing viewpoint, also called Miradouro Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen, is one of the best places from where to see the whole city, having a privileged view of the Alfama neighbourhood. Taking your partner to watch the sunset on Valentine's Day is one of the most romantic plans in Lisbon at night.
• Rua Garrett. The famous Rua Garrett gets dressed up for Valentine's Day as it is home to one of the oldest flower shops in the city, Pequeño Jardim. This is the ideal place to buy your partner a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
• Cruises along the Tagus. The Tagus River flows into Lisbon in a spectacular way, which crosses the entire peninsula. This makes it a city with a deep-rooted river tradition and, of course, it has some beautiful walks and river cruises that, during February 14th, take on a much more romantic air.

If the February cold in Lisbon doesn't allow you to continue touring and walking around this beautiful city, you can always book one of the many tourist buses that are available in the city of Lisbon and that will take you around two hours to visit some of the main places in Lisbon. That way you will be able to take shelter from the cold and see all the most emblematic places. That way, you can take shelter from the cold and see at a good pace all the most emblematic places.

Besides, this kind of tours are quite cheap and there are several tickets during the day so, either because the weather is not good or because you have little time to visit the city, this can always be a good alternative for sightseeing in Lisbon in February.

Even though Lisbon is full of sights whenever you go, don't forget that in February, despite being the end of winter, it's still quite cold, so it's never a bad idea to make a stop to get to know one of its most famous liquors and warm up a bit.

Port is a wine that has been in the fermentation process and has a high alcohol content, so you should drink it in moderation. There are many places in Lisbon where you can order a glass and take shelter from the cold at a fairly cheap price, such as the famous Arcaz Velho bar in Santa Apolonia.

Wine tasting

If port is too strong for you but you don't want to give up tasting the typical drinks, don't forget that you are in an area with a wine with a designation of origin. It won't be hard for you to find a wine tasting on your trip to Lisbon in February, which will let you taste the essence of this land and, while you're at it, warm you up a bit with the joy of wine.

Fado is the most characteristic folk music of Portuguese culture and whenever you come to Lisbon, you can't miss it. However, in February with the cold and the short days, it is one of the best plans as you will be able to enjoy the different live Fado shows that take place all over the city while you take shelter from the cold. Sometimes you also have the opportunity to have dinner while watching a Fado concert.

Some of **Lisbon'**s most beautiful and touristic neighbourhoods, such as Chiado, have different venues that offer from around 20€ an incredible show where Portuguese guitars accompany the wonderful and sad voices of this world famous song.

If you've come to spend a few days in Lisbon in February, you can't miss the opportunity to take one of the city's most popular excursions in the low season, without the crowds and with the city seeming like it's all to yourself. Sintra is located just 25 kilometres from Lisbon and getting to Sintra from Lisbon is much easier than you might think.

For less than 5€ you can take a train or a bus that will take you to this stunning town in no more than 40 minutes and explore it at your leisure with the peace of mind of being one of the few tourists who have taken a few days off in February to visit.

Sintra is a place that looks like something out of a fairytale. It has long since been declared a World Heritage Site and just strolling through its streets is worthwhile. However, its highlight is the Da Pena Palace, which has become a symbol of the city. Entrance to the interior costs less than 15€ but I can assure you that seeing this architectural marvel up close will be well worth it, especially if you can see it without so many people in high season.

During February, Lisbon, like many other cities around the world, celebrates the arrival of Carnival, a colourful and joyful festival where people celebrate the end of winter and take to the streets to party and have fun.

The Lisbon Carnival is usually held in mid-February between the 10th and 20th and is commonly known as the "Carnival of the Villains". Its main focal point is in the Parque das Nações area, where parades, concerts and costume contests are organised.

Also, during this week you won't stop hearing all kinds of rhythms in the streets and you won't be short of plans and special events that are organised around this energising party. Check the dates and come and enjoy the Lisbon Carnival!

February is an ideal month to come and visit Lisbon as many people are reluctant to come thinking that it will be too cold and unpleasant. However, the temperatures are a little warmer and more bearable than in previous months.

Precisely because of this idea, the city is usually quite empty and it can be a perfect time to take a tour of the most famous museums without having to wait in long queues and without having to book well in advance.

Lisbon is a cultural capital in the European panorama and there are many museums that you can't miss if you come during the low season in February. Here is a list of the main ones so you can choose the one that best suits your tastes:

• Calouste Gulbenkian Museum: it has a huge collection of pieces and works of all ages and paintings by artists such as Rembrandt, Renoir or Rubens. The entrance fee is approximately €10.
• National Museum of Ancient Art: it brings together paintings and decorative arts, mostly by Portuguese artists from several centuries of history. Admission is around €5 although on Sundays it is free until 2pm.
• Fado Museum: has a permanent exhibition and several temporary exhibitions on the history and cultural legacy of Fado in the history of Portugal. Admission is approximately €5.
• Berardo Collection Museum: one of the best museums in Lisbon to appreciate contemporary art with works by Portuguese artists and others such as Dalí. Admission is approximately €5 although it is free every Saturday.

Despite the city's tourist plans, if you're passionate about music and want to get to know the latest trends in urban and electronic beats, don't miss the ID NoLimits Festival, an event that takes place every year for two days at the end of February and has become a platform for the newest and most experimental bands.

Normally, this festival takes place at the Estoril Congress Centre, just an hour by public transport from the centre of Lisbon. This festival is not only about music, but also about art and a mix of styles.

The Sao Carlos Theatre is a must-see in Lisbon if you are a lover of culture and art as it is considered one of the most beautiful in the city. Throughout the year, they offer a wide range of theatre, dance and music performances.

However, during February there are several opera cycles that you cannot miss if you are coming to Lisbon during this month. Whether you come with your partner in the month of love and want to offer them a special plan or you want to do more indoor winter tourism.

This theatre opened its doors in 1793 to replace the old theatre that was destroyed in the Lisbon earthquake and, since then, it has not ceased to be a cultural reference for the whole city. You can't miss its curtain fall!

Antena 2 is one of the most famous radio stations in Portugal. It has been broadcasting Portuguese popular music for many years and is a reference point for its people.

If you come to Lisbon in February, you'll be in luck, as this is the month in which the station's annual festival is held, with live concerts of the best national groups of the year. A great way to get a better insight into Portuguese culture and understand the rhythms and customs of the neighbouring country.

This festival usually takes place over two or three days in the first week of February and different events are organised in different locations both in Lisbon and in the other big city, Porto. Tickets to the concerts usually cost around €5 per person, so if you are interested in this plan, find out more about this year's dates and the concerts you are most interested in.

February is a generous month for Portugal and more specifically for Lisbon because, being in a central part of the country, it has fairly stable temperatures. Despite being winter, the average daily temperature is around 10ºC, with highs of 13ºC and lows of around 9ºC.

Being a river city, the temperature ends up being warmer and more humid. So with a good coat you can be comfortable in the street without having to take shelter.

However, you should keep in mind that at the end of February the rainy season begins and it can be frequent that some days may be a little cloudy or sparkling. In this case, I recommend you to look for indoor plans such as museums, theatres or exhibitions, which will not be crowded with tourists.

Portugal is our neighbouring country and has all kinds of basic necessities available in supermarkets, shops and pharmacies. I recommend you to travel as light as possible, have good waterproof shoes in case it rains one day and, above all, comfortable and light clothes so you can move from one place to another and not regret the temperature changes.

Always carry a folding umbrella in your bag in case it starts to rain and don't forget your camera to immortalize this beautiful city.

February is a great month if you want to come to Lisbon. Don't think about it too much because this city will make it easy for you to have a great time and have a beautiful experience full of joy, love, culture and gastronomy.