10 Things to Do in Lisbon in March

If you have decided to travel to Lisbon in March you probably already know that it is a great month to welcome spring, which in the Portuguese capital even comes a little early, being able to enjoy the rising temperatures from the beginning of the month. Beyond the good weather, March is a month where culture also flourishes in Lisbon.

I have compiled the activities in Lisbon that most catch my attention, so you can combine the spring nature of the city with its more cultural and modern side.

Every morning of March 28, as in the rest of Europe, Lisbon and Portugal change their time to adapt to the summer. What does this mean? That on the 28th the day will have an extra hour of daylight that you can take advantage of to extend your traditional boat ride on the Tagus River. Believe me, there is no better plan than being able to enjoy an extra hour watching the sunset over Lisbon.

In addition to watching the sunset while sailing along the river, you will visit the most emblematic places of the city. On board the cruise or sailboat you will be able to see the Belém Tower, the 25th of April Bridge or the Cristo Rei. In addition, these tours usually have a reduced capacity, perfect to listen well to the explanations of the guide and have more tranquility.

At other times of the year, when the night comes earlier, these cruises are not enjoyed the same, as it gets dark and when you disembark, it is too dark to do anything else. On the other hand, if you go after the time change, you can take advantage of the last hours of daylight in Lisbon and then immerse yourself in this cruise at sunset.

One of the great attractions of Lisbon is the art of its tiles. Have you never seen them? When you land in the city you will have no choice but to appreciate them, as they decorate every corner. With their colors, shapes and designs, they tell stories, which is why Lisbon has been recognized as the World Tile City. The spring sun that arrives in March gives a unique light that allows to contemplate its colors in a very beautiful and romantic way.

The tiles are always there, that is clear, but in March the light is different and makes the city is filled with a different brightness and energy, so it is a time that I love to make a route through the Alfama neighborhood. This area is one of the most traditional and, in my opinion, the one with the most beautiful tiled houses. However, the whole city is full of color in its facades, so take a tour all over it.

You don't have to wait until summer to take the first swim of the year, don't you think? If you go to Lisbon in March you can also do it in Sintra, a city declared World Heritage Site. Apart from the Pena Palace, its great tourist attraction, Sintra is a place where the good weather that arrives at the end of this month encourages you to take a dip in its natural beaches.

My advice is that if you are going to be more than one day in Lisbon, book an organized excursion to Sintra and escape to Sintra to know it, since it is only half an hour away. You won't regret it, I promise; its natural and architectural beauty have made it a unique holiday destination that can be enjoyed from the moment the temperatures start to rise.

Its beaches

Praia Grande is wild and has big and strong waves, so you may not feel like swimming, but you will want to rent a surfing equipment and practice a bit of surfing. However, there is a more protected and sheltered bathing area. What you might not have imagined is that in its sand there are remains of dinosaur footprints more than 110 million years old.

Much better for bathing, Praia da Adraga surprises with its crystal clear waters and a fine sandy promenade perfect for walking or lying down to soak up the first rays of spring sunshine. The good thing is that, since it is not high season, you will have almost the entire beach to yourself.

Pena Palace

Did you know that the Pena Palace is the most visited place in Portugal? That's right, and no wonder because its history and architecture are well worth a visit. The best thing is that it is on high ground, so from there you can see the coast and the town of Sintra at your feet.

The most impressive thing is the design of the building, which combines romantic, baroque and even Mudejar elements, with other much more traditional Portuguese elements, such as tiles. However, I think that what is really beautiful is its exterior, where in March you can see a flourishing botanical garden.

The months of January in Lisbon and February in Lisbon leave a lot of rain, so the hiking tra ils are somewhat relegated among the Lisbon plans. However, in March starts again the time to go out walking and get to know the most natural surroundings of Lisbon, such as Arrábida and the west coast.

The walk along the west coast of Lisbon is not short, especially if you want to know it in depth. I recommend you set aside at least half a day to go, but the route is fairly easy, as it is mostly flat and runs along the Lisbon coast. The best thing about this hiking tour is the beauty of the scenery.

You will be able to get close to Lisbon's wild beaches and also observe fossilized remains of the living creatures that once inhabited the area. You can also do a tour to Arrábida and Sesimbra from Lisbon with kayaking or even this private wine and food tour to Arrábida from Lisbon.

With the good weather comes the season of terraces in Lisbon, which until March tend to remain hidden because of the constant winter rains in Lisbon, which do not encourage its inhabitants to have a drink or a tapa outdoors. However, with the arrival of better weather, you can join the Lisbon life and spend the afternoon in one of the many terraces that fill the city and allow you to see it from the heights.

Do not think that all the terraces in Lisbon are at street level. In fact, you might be surprised that in March they are still a bit empty. It's normal, most people prefer to go to bars whose terraces are on the roofs of buildings. As I'm sure you can imagine, the views are much better and so is the atmosphere.

Although there is something special about the terraces and rooftops of traditional neighborhoods, you can also find some more modern and with a more alternative air. My advice is to embark on a gastronomic tour of Lisbon to get to know the most historic locations.

There is an event not to be missed if you go to Lisbon in March: the Monstra or, in other words, its animation film festival. Since 2000, this film festival has been highlighting animation through premieres, workshops and lectures. It is a national reference!

With more than 20 editions behind it, through films, master classes and conferences, the organizers have managed year after year to highlight the power that this cinema has to convey emotions.

If you travel with children to Lisbon, you should know that they will really enjoy this festival. Not all the films are suitable for them, but in general it is always very interesting for them to see the advances in digital animation, attend the exhibitions or try to find out which films will win in the different categories of the contest they organize.

When you arrive in Lisbon you will realize that it has become a modern, inclusive and young city. In fact, in March there is the LGTBI Film Festival. I highly recommend you to attend, as it will allow you to open your eyes and mind even more. Since its first edition in 2004, this festival has tried to make visible the realities of the people of the collective.

The festival was born with the aim of opening debates, and that is something they do after the screening of each film. The truth is that it is a fantastic opportunity to come back from your trip to Lisbon with many ideas and having met other points of view.

In addition, the films are often directed by fairly young Portuguese artists, so you have no excuse to get to know better the most current culture of Lisbon while opening your horizons and helping to give voice to their realities.

Do you like festivals? I'm sure you'd like to go to one, but I propose something much more interesting and unique: go to a festival about festivals. Yes, this is what the International Music Festivals Forum of Lisbon is all about, which every March brings together experts in the field, organizes film sessions and brings together lovers of this world. Are you going to miss it?

Lisbon is a city where music is important and, in fact, when summer arrives in Lisbon there are several festivals around the city. Perhaps for this reason there is no better place to organize the Talkfest, where you can learn a lot about them, from the scientific part (although it sounds strange) to the most creative.

The truth is that it is a luxury to learn more about how a festival works inside listening to industry professionals, attending exhibitions and even watching a documentary. Of course, there will be more than one concert and you will also have the opportunity to get to know the best festivals, since during the forum the most outstanding ones are awarded in different categories.

What happens on March 20? If, like me, you don't like the cold too much, I'm sure you know the answer: spring begins! And with it come the flowers and lushness in the gardens and parks of Lisbon. How can you miss them? If you travel to the Portuguese capital at the end of March, get ready to see its green spaces in full splendor.

Having a spring picnic is one of my favorite plans wherever I am, but if the setting is also one of Lisbon's parks, I have it even more clear. Like you, you will see that many families and groups of friends have been encouraged to organize a picnic or simply to visit one of the gardens. I'll tell you which are my favorites!

Edward VII Park

There will be no one who will not recommend you to go to Parque Eduardo VII. I particularly like it for its immensity; it seems that the green grass never ends. In addition, there you will find the Estufa Fría, a greenhouse of more than one hectare that does not use any modern system for air conditioning, just a wooden framework. Inside you will be able to closely observe plants from tropical climates such as mangoes or camellias.

On the other hand, in this Park is also located one of the best viewpoints over Lisbon. From there you can see the Arrábida mountain range in the distance if the day is clear. In any case, you will have incredible panoramic views of the hills of the city and the gardens.

Near Graça

When spring comes to this esplanade, green floods everything. In addition, 180 trees have been planted here for the past few years, so if you're looking for shade on a sunny day in March, you'll find it here.

In the heart of Lisbon's historic center, this park has a large picnic area. I encourage you to grab some food and go there one afternoon to rest after a day of walking around Lisbon.

Monsanto Forest Park

The largest in the city and so impressive that it is a protected forest. This means that it is the ideal place to understand the importance of ecology and the environment around us. I recommend spending at least an entire afternoon touring its ecosystems and, although not all, part of its 900 hectares.

Do not be surprised to see squirrels or rabbits jumping around you, as there are many living species in the park and, like you, as soon as spring arrives, they come out to celebrate.

I know that St. Patrick's Day is an Irish holiday, but did you know that the Portuguese also have Celtic origins? These and the sharing of the Atlantic Ocean (and good diplomatic relations) have caused Lisbon to be full of green and beer on March 17, the day of St. Patrick's Day. Of course, if you're going to be there on that date, be prepared to have a good time and a lot of toasting.

St. Patrick's Day is a special day for the Irish all over the world, so cities like Lisbon also turn green. In fact, in recent years the most important monuments of the city have literally done so, since the institutions have wanted to support this holiday by projecting green light on the Cristo Rei, for example.

Beyond the lights, the Lisbon night, always lively, celebrates St. Patrick's Day with the best pints of beer. If you don't want to wait until dark, you can find out about the activities organized during the day, such as Irish poetry recitals or concerts.

Spring may arrive on March 20, but in Lisbon the rise in temperatures begins to be felt from the beginning of the month. The thermometer averages 18ºC and the rain forecast is quite good (only 10 days a month of rain), so it is common for more and more Lisboners to enjoy the outdoor areas of the city.

For me March is one of the best months to go to Lisbon because of the good weather and that, little by little, the daylight hours start to increase, so you can take more advantage of the days.

As the high season has not yet begun, March is quite quiet. However, with the mild temperatures of the month and the arrival of spring, you will find many more people on the streets.

The lower tourist influx means that flight and accommodation prices have not yet reached the peak that they do from April onwards, when the Easter and then the summer vacations attract many travelers to Lisbon. So if you are looking to save money during your trip but don't want to give up the good weather, March is a great month to go to Lisbon.

What are your plans for your trip to Lisbon in March? I hope I have given you some ideas, let me know when you get back!