Alright, so you’re wondering about Lisbon in October, eh? Good timing to ask, because I actually went down a bit of a rabbit hole on this exact topic not too long ago. Wasn’t for a holiday this time, more like a friend was pestering me, and you know me, once I get a question stuck in my head, I gotta find the real answers, not just some generic stuff you find floating around.
My Digging Process – More Than Just a Quick Search
So, my first instinct, like anyone’s, was just to punch “Lisbon weather October” into the search bar. And yeah, you get a flood of results. But honestly, a lot of it felt a bit… superficial? Like they just copy-paste the same old lines. “Mild temperatures,” “chance of rain.” Thanks, Captain Obvious.
I wanted something more solid. So, I started properly looking into it. I pulled up some of those big, fancy weather sites, the ones with all the charts and graphs. They’re okay for a general idea, sure. They’ll give you averages, historical highs and lows. But an average doesn’t tell you if you’re going to be caught in a downpour on your first day or basking in sunshine.
Then I remembered a few travel forums I used to frequent. You know, the kind where actual people share their actual experiences. I spent a good hour or two sifting through threads, reading what folks who’d actually been there in October had to say. Some said it was glorious, others mentioned a few wet days. See? Already more nuanced.
I even tried to find some local Portuguese weather resources, though my Portuguese is, well, not exactly fluent. Google Translate got a workout that day, let me tell you. I was comparing forecasts from different sources, checking out climate data going back a few years. I was looking for patterns, not just isolated numbers.
So, What Did I Actually Figure Out?
After all that poking around, here’s the gist of what I reckon Lisbon in October is usually like. It’s definitely what I’d call a “shoulder season” month, and that comes with its own quirks.
- Temperatures: Generally, it’s pretty darn pleasant. Think warm days, but not scorching hot like mid-summer. You’re probably looking at daytime highs somewhere in the low to mid-20s Celsius (that’s like, high 60s to mid-70s Fahrenheit for my American mates). Evenings get cooler, obviously. You’ll want a jumper or a light jacket for sure.
- Sunshine: You should still get a good amount of sunshine. It’s not the endless sun of July, but it’s definitely not dreary. Plenty of good hours for sightseeing.
- Rain: Ah, yes, the rain. This is where it gets a bit tricky. October is when the chances of rain start to creep up after the dry summer. You might get lucky and have none. Or you might get a few showery days. It’s usually not constant, all-day rain, more like passing showers. But you’d be daft not to pack a small umbrella or a light waterproof jacket. I learned this the hard way on a trip to Rome once – “chance of showers” turned into a three-day monsoon. Never again.
- What to Pack: Based on all this, layers are your best friend. T-shirts, a couple of warmer long-sleeved tops, a comfortable jumper or fleece, and definitely that light jacket. Comfortable shoes are a must for all those hills in Lisbon, rain or shine. And yeah, maybe some trousers as well as shorts, just in case.
My final take? October in Lisbon seems like a pretty decent bet. You miss the crazy summer crowds and the worst of the heat. The trade-off is a slightly higher chance of a bit of wet weather. But if you go prepared, it sounds like you can have a fantastic time. It’s all about managing expectations and packing smart. That’s my experience from actually bothering to dig into it, anyway. Hope that helps!
