Hey everyone, today I want to talk about something that’s been on my mind a lot lately – planning a trip to Portugal! I’ve been doing a deep dive into the weather there, month by month, to figure out the best time to go. Let me walk you through what I’ve been up to.
First off, I started by hitting up the usual spots online, you know, the big travel websites and some weather forums. I wanted to get a general feel for what to expect throughout the year. Gathered a bunch of info, but it was all pretty broad strokes, nothing too detailed.
So, I decided to get more organized. I grabbed a notebook and made a section for each month. Then I started digging deeper. I found some cool personal blogs from people who had actually been to Portugal during different months. This was gold! They shared their real experiences, not just the usual touristy stuff.
My Notes
- January: I jotted down that it’s pretty chilly, especially in the north. Not many people, but some good deals on hotels.
- February: Still cold, but started to see some mentions of Carnival celebrations. Sounds fun, but maybe crowded.
- March: Things started to warm up a bit. Saw some posts about hiking in the Algarve region, looks beautiful.
- April: Noted that this is a great shoulder season month. Decent weather and fewer tourists than summer.
- May: This is where it got interesting. Lots of folks raved about the weather in May. Sunny, warm, but not too hot.
- June: Definitely getting into peak season. Beaches started to get busy.
- July and August: Super hot, especially inland. Also, very crowded. Maybe not the best time if you don’t like big crowds and scorching heat.
- September: Read that this is another great month. Still warm, but the crowds started to thin out.
- October: Back to shoulder season. Saw some mixed reviews about the weather, but generally mild.
- November: Getting cooler again, but still pleasant. Found a blog post about a food festival that happens this month.
- December: Chilly, but festive with Christmas markets and such. Could be a cozy time to visit.
After filling up my notebook, I took a step back to look at the big picture. I realized that May and September might be the sweet spots for me. Good weather, fewer crowds, and probably decent prices.
Next, I started looking at flight prices for those months. Played around with different dates and airports to see what kind of deals I could find. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m feeling pretty good about my research so far.
So, that’s where I’m at with my Portugal planning. It’s been a fun process of digging through information and piecing it all together. I hope this little breakdown of my process is helpful for anyone else thinking about a trip to Portugal. Feel free to share your own experiences or tips in the comments! I’m all ears.
