11 Things to do in Porto at Christmas

Porto has many tourist attractions throughout the year. But the Christmas festivities make it even more special at Christmas time.

For starters, the climate is cool and damp, but not as cold as other European cities, allowing for outdoor activities such as market strolling, ice skating and even a visit to a theme park. In addition, the Catholic devotion of the Portuguese and the Christmas events make Porto a great choice for a Christmas getaway.

You have probably already noticed the importance of the Christian faith in Portugal and Christmas is an ideal time to witness it. From the first days of December onwards you will see in all the churches the classic crib or nativity scene, which represents the birth of the baby Jesus.

It is also very common to see next to the crib between Christmas Eve and Epiphany the famous "fogueiras do menino", bonfires or bonfires that are lit to represent the victory of light against darkness. This tradition is very common in the north of Portugal due to the cultural influence of the Celtic peoples which is still alive today.

Admiring the beauty of the Nativity Scenes is a perfect activity to make a tour of the most important churches in Porto. While the most important of them is obviously the Cathedral of Porto, I also recommend you to visit the São José das Taipas Church and the São Nicolau Church, as they are very famous for the beauty of their nativity scenes. Book a tour of Porto and get to know the main ones, you will love it.

One of the most interesting features of Porto is that it has no large shopping centres for Christmas shopping. The custom is to visit the small Christmas markets scattered throughout the city that bring together the best artisans and entrepreneurs of the city.

Another advantage of these markets is that you can enjoy classic Christmas food and drinks, as you will often find gastronomic stalls, food carts and even stalls where the best wineries in the area offer their wines to tourists. Remember! Porto is known for its wines and a very interesting activity is to take a guided tour of a winery.

Facts about the best Christmas markets

• Artesanatus: Located in Praça D. João I and in the shape of a see-through, it is a beautiful market of handicrafts and souvenirs that is available from the first days of December until the 6th of January from 11am to 7pm.
• Arts and Crafts Market: Located on Avenida D. Afonso Henriques between the Sao Benito train station and Porto Cathedral, this Christmas market focuses on products made by artisans from all over northern Portugal. Here you'll find everything from wooden toys, handicrafts made from ceramics, linen, wool and leather to homemade liqueurs and skincare items. It is open from 1 December until 23 December from 11am to 7pm.
• Mercado da Alegria: With more than 40 stalls in this market you can find handmade toys, clothes, jewellery and regional food. In addition, this market is beautifully decorated with lights, garlands and Christmas trees to add to your Christmas spirit. It is located in Praça da Batalha and is open from 1 December to 31 December, from 10am to 8pm.

A very typical Christmas activity is to book tickets for a Fado concert, a musical genre characteristic of Portugal that is characterised by an explosion of emotions. Stories of love, pain and/or nostalgia are told, accompanied by the music of a Portuguese guitar.

The concert, which lasts about an hour and a half, will not leave you indifferent and you will be able to chat with the musicians who usually improvise in each performance, while enjoying a glass of the popular Port wine.

Live the most typical experience and get to know this musical genre recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The Avenida dos Aliados is one of the most important central points of Porto and with the arrival of the holidays, it is transformed into a beautiful place thanks to its incredible Christmas decorations. That's why every year from the 1st of December you will see the emblematic Christmas tree, as well as all the classic holiday decorations all along the avenue and Liberty Square.

This Christmas tree is 35 metres high and almost 15 metres wide. I recommend that to enjoy this place in its entirety, you should come when the sun goes down, as it is spectacularly illuminated. With more than 50,000 LED lights, it is a true work of art. In addition, the tree is synchronised with music and images that are born with the lights and reproduce a real Christmas show.

It is an ideal place to go with the whole family and enjoy the classic Christmas carols, the Christmas lights and all the excitement that this time of the year generates. You can get here comfortably if you book the Porto tourist bus.

Every year, the brotherhood of Los Clérigos organises free Christmas recitals playing the carillon or aerial organ in the tower of Los Clérigos. This tower is one of the most characteristic landmarks of the historic centre of the city.

The tower, which is over 75 metres high, was built in 1763 and its baroque architecture makes it stand out from the rest of the surrounding buildings. From the top of the tower every day in December you can listen to Christmas songs from 4pm.

I recommend that before or after the recital you climb the tower to admire the beauty that Porto has to offer. To find out where it is, you can book a bike tour of Porto beforehand.

Although the temperatures in Oporto are not cold enough to freeze lakes, for several years now the City Council has had the brilliant idea of installing ice skating rinks in different squares of the city.

Ice skating is ideal for young and old alike, as it spreads the Christmas spirit like few other activities. In addition, around these rinks there are craft stalls to buy gifts, as well as food carts to satisfy your hunger after hours of skating.

Due to its location, the most important square for skating is Batalha Square, located a few metres from Liberty Square and Allies Avenue. If you think it's too crowded you can head to Praça de D. Joao I or Praça de Mouzinho de Albuquerque. At the Boavista roundabout is Praça de Fantasia, which has an ice-skating rink, games, activities and events for the little ones.

Useful information

• Opening hours: Sunday to Thursday: 9am to 11pm, Friday and Saturday: 9.30am to midnight.
• Price: approximately €8 per hour.

If you're looking for somewhere to take the little ones to enjoy Christmas, then consider a visit to Perlim, a Christmas theme park. Just 20 kilometres outside the city of Porto, in the village of Santa Maria da Feira, the park is located next to a Medieval Castle and is a village straight out of a cartoon film.

This Christmas theme park has lots of rides, attractions and activities for children. There is a carousel or a train that runs through the park, as well as farm animals. The best restaurants in the city offer Christmas menus to suit all tastes and to end the day you can enjoy a beautiful fireworks display.

Perlim is also open from 1 December to 30 December, from 1pm to 7pm. However, please note that it is closed on 24 and 25 December for the festive season. The entrance fee is approximately €20, and includes admission to all rides in the park except the train, which costs €2 per person.

How to get to Santa Maria da Feira from Porto

• By car or taxi: This is the most comfortable option, as it takes about 25 minutes to get there.
• By bus: Buses run every 30 minutes from the Porto terminal to the Santa Maria da Feira terminal, and from there you can walk or take a taxi to Perlim, which is about 1 km from the terminal.

Another must-see museum for the little ones is the World of Discoveries, a place to learn about the history of Portugal and its discoverers with numerous interactive exhibits. You have all the information in this post on how to get tickets for the World of Discoveries in Porto.

Christmas in Portugal is a very important time and food plays a central role. According to tradition, on 24 December the family gathers around the Christmas tree and waits for Father Christmas by fasting, what the Portuguese call "consoada". A curiosity is that besides being a moment to spend with the family, it also includes the tradition of remembering the relatives who are no longer there, leaving an extra piece of cutlery on the table. The famous consoada ends at midnight when Christmas dinner begins.

The typical Christmas dish is cod with potatoes, cabbage and vegetables, seasoned with lots of olive oil. For dessert, "rabanadas", which are very similar to Spanish "torrijas", are served along with the traditional "broas de mel".

To celebrate Christmas dinner I recommend that you book a place in the beautiful restaurants in the Ribeira district. This area is full of restaurants, bars and terraces on the banks of the Douro that are ideal for a traditional Christmas table.

According to Portuguese tradition, after the "consoada" and once the Christmas dinner is over, the faithful usually attend the traditional midnight mass. This event is also known as Missa do Galo or in Spanish as Misa de Gallo.

The name comes from an ancient Christian tradition, which says that at 12 midnight a rooster crowed to announce the birth of the baby Jesus. It is also said that the name comes from the tradition that existed in the Iberian Peninsula where a rooster was offered at Christmas Eve mass to share with the less fortunate.

Regardless of whether you are a believer or not, the Misa de Gallo is a unique opportunity to walk to a nearby church and observe first-hand a very important moment in Portuguese tradition. It is also a perfect occasion to listen to the lovely carols in Portuguese.

Porto is a very child-friendly city to visit with children, due to the large number of events and activities designed for the whole family. Every year, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Serralves Foundation organise educational games and Christmas workshops focused on three themes: environment, science and art. These activities are aimed at children from 4 to 12 years old, and are designed to be interactive, as well as helping children to do home-made experiments.

These workshops take place in the gardens of the Serralves Museum, a perfect setting where children will not only learn about the environment, but also how to work as a team while learning about natural sciences and art.

I recommend that you bring a warm coat, as the workshops are outdoors and if the day is not sunny it can be a bit chilly. It is an ideal opportunity to visit the museum, which has some very interesting contemporary works of art. In addition, the museum's foundation organises small flea markets during this time of year where you can look for the perfect Christmas present. You can find more cultural information in our guide to the 10 best museums in Porto.

Useful facts

• Where: Porto Museum of Contemporary Art Address: R. Dom João de Castro 210.
• When: Every Tuesday to Friday in December from 10am to 5pm. Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 10am to 8pm. Closed every Monday.

If you are travelling to Porto with children or want to treat your inner child, Christmas is not complete without a visit to St. Nicholas. Every year the World of Wine in Porto organises a Christmas market, the main star of which is undoubtedly St. Nicholas.

The World of Wine is a modern shopping complex with museums, restaurants and shops inside so you can buy Christmas presents. Another plus point of this complex is that it has an incredible view of the Ribeira, and spectacular Christmas decorations.

For children to have their photos taken with Saint Nicholas and ask for their Christmas wishes, you should go any weekend in December between 11am and 7pm.

Useful information

• Where: Rua do Choupelo, 39 4400-088 Vila Nova de Gaia (Across the Douro River).
• When: 1 December to 24 December.
• Opening times: Midweek, 10am-7pm; weekends, 10am-7pm.

December is one of the coolest months of the winter in Porto, where the maximum temperature is usually no higher than 16 degrees, and minimum temperatures rarely fall below 0.

It is also a month where there is a lot of cloud cover, but the winds coming from the coast mean that they are constantly moving, so you will have the chance to see the sun. But this amount of cloud is related to rainfall, so you are more likely to encounter sporadic showers.

Porto has plenty of outdoor and indoor activities and tourist attractions, so your plans will not be cancelled by the weather. Note that although December in Porto is one of the months with the most rainfall, it doesn't exceed eight days per month. However, I recommend that you bring a coat and something for the rain, as these are cool and wet months.