May in Lisbon averages highs of 23 °C (73 °F) and lows of 14 °C (58 °F), with about 3 rainy days and 14 h 16 min of daylight. The sea is cold, around 16 °C (62 °F).
May weather in Lisbon at a glance
average high to low each dot ≈ 3 rainy days
Is May a good time to visit Lisbon?
Great time to go: comfortably warm and fairly dry. May is usually shoulder season in Lisbon: fewer crowds than peak months, with prices often a little lower.
Our rule: a month scores 2 points for comfortable average highs of 18–28 °C (1 point for 14–18 or 28–32 °C) and 2 points for 5 or fewer rainy days (1 point for 6–10). Average highs above 35 °C or below 8 °C make it a tough month whatever the rain. A rainy day here means 2 mm of rain or more. 4 points = great, 3 = good, 2 = mixed, 0–1 = tough.
Holidays and events in May 2026
- Fri 1 May: Labour Day (Dia do Trabalhador) public holiday
Banks and many shops close on public holidays, and museums may change their hours, so check before you go.
Things to do in Lisbon in May
May's weather suits a mix of outdoor sights and museums, so the open-air ones come first.
- Alfama and São Jorge Castle — lanes, viewpoints and the castle walls outdoors
- Belém: Jerónimos Monastery and the tower — plus pastéis de nata at the source outdoors
- Tram 28 and the miradouros — Senhora do Monte and Graça for sunset outdoors
- Sintra day trip — Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira, 40 min by train outdoors
- Gulbenkian Museum — one of Europe's best small collections indoors
- National Tile Museum (Azulejo) — five centuries of Portuguese tiles indoors
Where to stay: Baixa and Chiado for first-timers; Alfama for character; Príncipe Real for quiet streets.
What to pack for Lisbon in May
- Light layers for the day and a jumper for evenings, which cool to 14 °C (58 °F).
- Comfortable walking shoes.
What a day in Lisbon costs
| Budget traveller | Mid-range | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical total per person, per day | €55–120 | €150–300 |
Excluding flights. May is usually shoulder season in Lisbon: fewer crowds than peak months, with prices often a little lower.
May in nearby cities
| City | High / low | Rainy days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porto | 20° / 13° | 8 | Good time to go |
| Seville | 28° / 15° | 4 | Good time to go |
| Madrid | 24° / 12° | 4 | Great time to go |
Plan your Lisbon trip
- Best Time to Visit Portugal: Month-by-Month Guide 2026
- How to Plan a Trip on a Budget With AI (So the Total Actually Adds Up)
- 3 Days in Lisbon on a Budget — A Day-by-Day Itinerary
- Sintra Day Trip from Lisbon: Easy 2026 Plan + Real Costs
Want the whole trip planned? Join the Journey waitlist: tell it where, when and your budget, and it plans every day hour by hour.
FAQ
Is May a good time to visit Lisbon?
By the numbers, May is a great time to go: comfortably warm and fairly dry, with average highs of 23 °C (73 °F) and about 3 rainy days. May is usually shoulder season in Lisbon: fewer crowds than peak months, with prices often a little lower. The best months for weather are May, June, July, September.
How warm is Lisbon in May?
Average highs are 23 °C (73 °F) and lows 14 °C (58 °F) (2015–2024 averages). The sea is cold, around 16 °C (62 °F).
Does it rain a lot in Lisbon in May?
Expect about 3 days with 2 mm of rain or more, about 38 mm in total. It is the 5th driest month of the year in Lisbon.
Sources: climate averages from Open-Meteo historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis, 2015–2024); sea temperatures from the Open-Meteo marine API (2023–2024); public holidays from Nager.Date. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of the month. Averages are a guide, not a forecast. Costs are typical ranges per person per day, excluding flights.