Lisbon In July: 11 Amazing Things To Do (+Travel Tips)

Lisbon in July is where you’ll experience the most crowds, but if you follow my tips, you’ll still get an amazing vacation.

Even though Lisbon is packed with people, you’ll enjoy it as long as you go to the right places at the right times.

I’ve experienced Lisbon in July, and it’s the perfect weather for going to the beach and surfing if you’re into that.

On top of that, there are a lot of festivals, as the Portuguese love to celebrate, and you can feel that.

11 Things to Do in Lisbon in July

July is one of the best summer months in Lisbon, and even though there might be a lot of people, there are still tons of things to do, from going to the sandy beaches and exploring the city center.

1. Beach Day

Lisbon is surrounded by the most beautiful beaches in Europe, and I have two favorite beaches.

My absolute favorite beach is Costa da Caparica, which is only a 20-minute Uber ride from the center.

Here, you’ll be able to surf smaller waves, enjoy the stunning views of the ocean, and sunbathe. They also have beach restaurants along the 30+km coast, with such a nice vibe.

My second favorite beach is in Cascais; it’s just a 30-40 min train ride from the city center, and it’s gorgeous.

Just like Costa da Caparica, there are so many great beach restaurants, beautiful waves, and, of course, the amazing sun. Remember sun protection, though, and I got severely burned in Cascais once for forgetting sun protection.

2. Explore Central Lisbon

My favorite place in Lisbon is right in the center because there is always something new to find and experience.

I encourage you to walk around Baixa to experience the main shopping street: Rua Augusta, the beautiful Rossio Square, and Chiado, right next to Baixa and up the hill.

On Rua Augusta is my favorite pastel de nata spot: Manteigaria. If you choose to try it, don’t be scared by the long queue out the door; they expedite the queue extremely fast, and it’s delicious.

If your legs are feeling good, you can go opposite Chiado, and then you’ll end up in Alfama, a very hilly part of Lisbon with many cobbled streets.

If you go to Alfama, you should look for the beautiful street art you’ll see everywhere on the walls and floors.

3. Tagus River Boat Tour

The Tagus River is the river you can see from almost all viewpoints in Lisbon, and you can actually sail on it.

So many offer to take you out where you can have a picnic on the boat while getting some amazing views of Lisbon.

The boat trip starts in Belém, so you’ll get to see beautiful landmarks such as Belém Tower, the 25 de Abril Bridge, and many more.

4. Visit the CCB Market

On the first Sunday of each month, you can experience the CCB Market in Belém(Show, See, and Do).

It’s not a market in the sense of flea markets; for example, it’s more of an activity market where you have cooking classes and learn about gastronomy, dancing classes, and nature.

It’s a perfect activity if you’re traveling to Lisbon with your kids or you’re just looking for something unique you haven’t tried before.

5. NOS Alive

Just like Rock in Rio, NOS Alive is one of the biggest festivals of the year in Lisbon.

It usually occurs one week before Super Bock Super Rock, in mid-July.

In 2024, you could experience Dua Lipa, Arlo Parks, and many more. They do well in mixing international artists with local artists.

6. Super Bock Super Rock

Super Bock Super Rock is a music festival sponsored by Super Bock(Surprise, surprise), but it’s such a unique festival in many ways.

It usually happens in mid-July, and you get to experience a mix of international and local music artists.

The location of the festival changes often, so check the website to ensure you’re going to the right place.

Last time, it was at Herdade do Cabeço da Flauta in Sesimbra on the other side of the 25th April Bridge. They have a beautiful beach in Sesimbra, by the way.

7 Jardins do Marquês Festival

If you’re into music(Aren’t we all?) and you’re up for trying something new, then this festival is for you.

It’s in the Marquês de Pombal Palace in Oeiras, west of Lisbon. It takes about 25 min via Uber or 1 hour by train.

8. Festival ao Largo (Ballet)

If you’re into ballet and symphony, then during July you can experience the Millennium Festival ao Largo.

It happens over a couple of weeks, where you can see multiple performances in Largo de São Carlos in Chiado.

9. BaixAnima Festival

For two weeks each July, Lisbon’s Baixa district lights up with open-air entertainment during the BaixAnima festival.

You can experience international artists performing on outdoor stages and plazas to showcase circus acrobatics, illusions, dance, music, physical theater, and mime.

It’s a super cool vibe as you walk through the city to experience the festivities.

The festival runs from July through September and is completely free to experience.

10. Eat at Time Out Market (Inside)

Time Out Market is a massive food hall in Cais do Sodre close to the Tagus River. It’s inside.

While it doesn’t have air conditioning, it does feel a bit colder than being outside, so you can relax and enjoy it.

I love to eat lunch and dinner here, but in July, there are quite a lot of people for dinner, so I recommend it for lunch.

In the heat, you might not feel like eating anything heavy; I can recommend the croquettes or the bifana sandwiches.

Of course, you have to end your meal with a pastel de nata from Manteigaria.

11. Enjoy the Panoramic Views at the Viewpoints

Lisbon officially has seven hills, each with one or more viewpoints. The city is filled with viewpoints everywhere. It’s the bonus of being a hilly city.

You can either walk all seven hills or some of them and take some beautiful photos with the panoramic views for your Instagram or just save them as memories.

It’s a perfect time to visit these viewpoints in July because you have beautiful weather, and you get to experience the Portuguese cities at the same time.

I love these viewpoints, and a lot of them are in peaceful areas where you can enjoy a cup of coffee(Next to São Jorge Castle, for example) and just relax and enjoy the view.

Weather in Lisbon in July

Lisbon is hot in July, with average temperatures ranging from 20°C to 28°C (68°F to 82°F). It barely rains in July, but it can happen.

Often, you can ask your hotel for an umbrella or bring one from home. You can also buy them everywhere around the city.

The average sea temperature hovers around 18-22°C (64-72°F); it does feel super cold, though, just a heads up.

What to Pack For Lisbon in July

July is one of the hottest months in Lisbon, so you have to bring a lot of light clothing, summer dresses, shorts, and linen if you have it.

The last time I experienced July in Lisbon, I was lucky enough to have a ton of linen clothing, which helped me survive the heatwave in this beautiful city.

Here is what I recommend you pack for Lisbon in July:

• Short-sleeve t-shirts
• Linen shirts and clothing, in general
• Summer dresses
• Sunglasses + Sun hat + Sun protection (The sun gets hot)
• A reusable water bottle (If you don’t want to buy water all the time)
• A light sweater or jacket for evenings and air-conditioned interiors
• Comfortable walking shoes + sandals
• Swimwear if you plan to visit the stunning beaches or the pool
• A nice dress or shirt if you’re going out in the night

Here is my complete packing list for when I visit Lisbon.

Wrap-Up

Lisbon in July is a beautiful month to visit with a wide range of activities, and even though the accommodation prices are higher, you just have so many events to make up for it.

To compare July with other months, see my best time to visit Lisbon guide.

I recommend that you get outside as much as you can to experience the stunning views of the city, take some day trips if you’ve experienced everything already, and just enjoy your stay.

For lunch, try Time Out Market. It’s a nice time as you won’t experience big crowds like at dinnertime.

If you want a self-walking guide to Alfama with the romantic, narrow cobblestone streets, get it here.

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