A Guide to Visiting Lisbon in Winter – Our Top 5 Experiences

Looking to escape the cold and grey of the northern winter? With its mild temperatures and high probability of sunshine, Lisbon is one of the best destinations in Europe for a winter escape, solo, with a loved one or with the family in tow. Lisbon is best explored on foot – from the warren of steep, narrow lanes lined with whitewashed houses in Alfama, to the hilly, winding streets lined with bars in Bairro Alto, and the marvellous miradouros, terraced viewpoints that reveal ever-new perspectives on the city from above. If you visit in the cooler months, you'll find curious wandering much more pleasant without the summer crowds and the often-oppressive heat. And the Portuguese capital's entrancing wistfulness, given voice in the melancholy strains of its Fado music, is somehow more tangible in winter.

It may not be the first European city that springs to mind when you think of Christmas markets – that might be Salzburg or Strasbourg – but the festival of Advent in Lisbon has a charm all its own. Streets like pedestrian promenade Rua Augusta or the broad, regal boulevard Avenida da Liberdade are strung with glimmering lights – the elegant Sofitel Lisbon Liberdade places you in the heart of the magic – while the majestic riverside square Praça do Comércio hosts a stunningly illuminated (artificial) Christmas tree, reputedly Europe's tallest. 

Christmas in a bullring? The red-brick 1892 Campo Pequeno arena is now a cultural centre and its Mercado de Natal, which usually runs for about 10 days in early December, has a focus on artisan crafts, furnishings and fashion, as well as gourmet foodstuffs and wines. You're bound to pick up some unique gifts (if only for yourself).

Browsing the food and crafts stalls at the market on buzzing Praça do Rossio, in the heart of city-centre Baixa, is also a perfect opportunity to sample the delectably sour cherry liqueur Ginjinha – sometimes served in a shot glass made of chocolate – at A Ginjinha. It will certainly warm you from the inside.

• Wonderland Lisboa: Parque Eduardo VII. Metro: Marquês de Pombal or Parque
  
• Open through December until 1 January. Admission free

One experience that's definitely more fun in winter is a ride on Tram 28. It's the most iconic of Lisbon's elétricos, the cute yellow trams that have been navigating the city's winding, steep streets for well over a hundred years. Whereas in summer, when you'll probably have to queue – and then be packed in like Lisbon's much-loved sardines – things are usually much more relaxed in winter. You should be able to enjoy the ride amid the timber and brass of the vintage carriage in comfort as it rattles past historic bairros, grand squares and lavish palaces.

Line 28 starts from Praça Martim Moniz in the city centre and runs to the Prazeres neighbourhood. You can buy a ticket from the driver (€3), but we recommend investing in a 24-hour ticket (€6.80), available at any metro station, which lets you travel as much as you like all over the city.

Our tip: Take the ride "backwards", from the last stop Campo de Ourique to Baixa; there are usually far fewer passengers.

• Museu Nacional do Azulejo: Rua da Madre de Deus 4. Bus 759 from Praça dos Restauradores
• Open: Tues–Sun 10am–6pm

Local cuisine is traditionally rich and hearty, and you'll find many dishes more suited to cool winter days than the heat of summer. Guaranteed to satisfy is cozido à portuguesa, a stew with various varieties of meat and smoked sausage cooked with cabbage, beans and potatoes. Similarly hearty is feijoada, a bean stew with beef and pork. Among seafood, cod is omnipresent in the Portuguese kitchen, cooked with chickpeas and potatoes as meia desfeita de bacalhau, or as croquette-like pastéis de bacalhau, crispy on the outside and lusciously creamy inside.

Our tip: We love the variation with melted Serra cheese, accompanied by a glass of Port wine, at Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau on Rua Augusta, where you can also watch the pastéis being made.

• Pastéis de Belém: Rua de Belém 84–92. Tram 15E
• Open daily 8am–8pm (10pm Jun–Sep)

Our tip: Coffee and pastéis make a great pick-me-up after you've marvelled at the magnificent Manueline architecture of the awe-inspiring Jerónimos Monastery nearby.

• Cafe Luso: Travessa da Queimada 10. Tram 24E
• Open daily 7:30pm–2am

December and January are Lisbon's coldest months, but highs still average a comfortable 15°C (59°F), with lows at 8°C (46°F). Autumn and winter are also the wettest period, but the influence of the nearby Atlantic means the weather is changeable – you may well have both rain and sun on the same day. Nevertheless, the average sunshine is around five hours even in mid-winter, so your chances of soaking up some vitamin D are good.

When you're packing, think layers! When the sun's out and you're climbing steep streets you may well find a t-shirt is enough. But take a stroll along the banks of the Tagus in Belém and the biting wind from the Atlantic can slice though you! A light quilted down jacket is a good option. And be prepared for rain – an umbrella or a waterproof jacket with a hood are a must.

Our tip: Lisbon's pavements, ornate mosaics of small flat stones, are so iconic that they have their own name: calçada portuguesa. They're beautiful – but centuries of footfall mean they can be extremely slippery when wet , so we recommend footwear with plenty of grip.