Lisbon in July – delightfully warm with ocean breezes cooling the city down at night. Temperatures average around 28°C (around 82.4°F), but, with heat waves in Europe over the last few years, we should really be prepared for anything. Lisbon in July can get very hot during the day, especially on less windy days.
Whether it’s a beautiful day playing in the waves or playing volleyball on the beach or sipping a chilled glass of vinho verde, there are plenty of things to do in Lisbon during July. We’ve prepared an article that will help you make the most of the first full month of summer in Lisbon. Just don’t forget to wear sunscreen whenever you step outside.
1. ONE, The Ocean As You Never Felt It
Location: Oceanário de Lisboa, Esplanada Dom Carlos I s/nº, 1990-005 Lisboa, Portugal
Tickets: From 25 EUR
Duration: Every day in July
Every day in July, from 10 am to 8 pm, you can head towards the Lisbon Oceanarium for a truly immersive experience! ONE is an artistic installation that puts together the results of roughly eight months of filming in Madeira, the Azores, and many other spots in Portugal.
The goal of the exhibition is to showcase the deep bond between man and ocean, a strong, almost unstoppable force.
2. The CCB Market
Location: Centro Cultural de Belem, Praça do Império, 1449-003 Lisboa, Portugal
Tickets: Free entry
Duration: July 7, from 10 am to 6 pm
Every first Sunday of the month, throughout the year, various artisanal and vintage markets pop up in multiple regions in Portugal. In Lisbon, the most popular is the CCB Market, a place where you can find collectibles, clothing, and vintage decorations.
If you like your holidays to have an authentic touch, you should definitely consider visiting the CCB Market on July 7th. Who knows, you may even find a rare, collectible book you’ve been looking for or even a freshly cooked Portuguese delight that you’ve always wanted to try!
3. Almada e Pessoa: Conversa Entre Bibliotecas
Location: Casa Fernando Pessoa, R. Coelho da Rocha 18, 1250-088 Lisboa, Portugal
Tickets: 2.50 – 5 EUR
Duration: Every day from 4 pm to 6 pm
Almada e Pessoa: a conversation between libraries showcases the relationship between Almada Negreiros and the famous Fernando Pessoa. More specifically, their personal collections will be displayed at Casa Fernando Pessoa.
You’ll have the opportunity to delight in rare book editions, carefully tended manuscripts, as well as personalized dedications signed by the two. Although it’s focused particularly on Almada Negreiros and Fernando Pessoa, you’ll learn about other Portuguese artists and the relationship between them. In short, whether you’re a bookworm or an art enthusiast, make sure to visit the exhibition if you can add it to your schedule!
4. Visiting Artwork, Portrait of Philip IV
Location: Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Av. de Berna 45A, 1067-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Tickets: From 10 EUR
Duration: Every day
Throughout the month of July, you and every other person in Lisbon will have the honor to see what’s called a visiting artwork. The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum will welcome a visitor, which it will proudly display on its walls – the Portrait of Philip IV signed by Diego Velazquez, one of the most famous Spanish painters. The painting traveled all the way from New York and will enjoy its stay in the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum until September 9th. In fact, the portrait is already there, waiting for you to visit and see it!
5. Out Jazz Festival
Location: Parque Urbano de Miraflores
Tickets: Free entry
Duration: Every Sunday (July 7, 14, 21, 28).
Do you enjoy the improvisation of jazz? Or would you like to discover your musical spirit in some soul and funk music? Or how about hip-hop? It’s all happening at the one and only Out Jazz Festival. What’s the best part? The fact that you can experience all of it in Lisbon’s most beautiful public gardens!
To be more specific, the festival takes place from May to September on Sundays only, but each time the location changes. In July, the jazz rhythms will take you to Parque Urbano de Miraflores!
6. SIZA
Location: Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Av. de Berna 45A, 1067-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Tickets: From 6 EUR
Duration: Every day from 10 am to 6 pm (10 am to 9 pm on Saturdays)
Alvaro Siza Vieira – His work has been called “poetic modernism.” He has five prestigious awards in the field. A book about him, specifically a monograph, appears in the John Wick movie. He has almost 70 total works and is, as some may have guessed, one of the greatest representatives in global architecture and urbanism.
If you happen to be an architecture student or simply passionate about it, you shouldn’t miss this exhibition! It will cover everything there is to know about the architect’s career.
7. Jardins do Marquês Festival
Location: Marquês de Pombal Palace, Largo Marquês Pombal 21, 2780-289 Oeiras, Portugal
Tickets: From 25 to 70 EUR
Duration: July 4-10
National and international artists will perform at the Jardins do Marquês festival between July 4 and July 7. You’ll see names such as Stacey Kent, Adriana Calcanhotto, Kriol Kings, Patti Smith, and Djavan, among many others.
The festival is described as sophisticated, showcasing pure musical talents who will take the stage in the Palace of the Marquês de Pombal. It’s not something you’d want to miss, especially if you’re a fan of music with lyrics that are full of meaning!
8. Aznavour
Location: MEO Arena, Rossio dos Olivais
Tickets: From 40 to 90 EUR
Duration: July 20
People with a passion for music and strong voices will have one name on their lips toward the end of the month – Aznavour. Charles Aznavour was a French singer, lyricist, actor, and diplomat. Some of you may know him as the voice behind Tous les visages de l’amour, What Wakes a Man, La Boheme, and Emmenez-moi.
This year marks the 100th birthday of the famous composer who unfortunately passed away in 2018. Locals and tourists will be able to listen to a symphonic concert of Aznavour’s most iconic songs performed by Jules Grison, the Symphony Orchestra, and Nobuyuki Nakajima at the MEO Arena in Lisbon on July 20th.
9. Free Walking Tours
Location: Lisbon
Tickets: Free entry
Duration: Whenever you want!
Of course, Lisbon is not all about festivals, concerts, and events. There are plenty of other ways to relax while you visit the beautiful capital. The best part of exploring Lisbon, according to many tourists, is the fact that you’re able to join free walking tours whenever you want – before they start and even while they’re happening.
If you do plan to join one, some locations that you shouldn’t miss out on exploring are – Alfama, Belem, Praça do Comércio, Bairro Alto, Praça do Martim Moniz, as well as the street art in Mouraria and the LX Factory.
10. Music Festival or a Concert of Your Choice
You thought we were through with music festivals? Think again! This part of the country is home to music festivals. In July, Lisbon will host both the Sumol Summer Fest (July 5-6) and the NOS Alive Festival (July 11-13). The latter was showcased in NME, a UK-based magazine, and deemed among the best festivals in Europe!
Besides music festivals, there are plenty of other concerts to enjoy in Lisbon. Artists such as Andrea Bocelli (July 1), Lionel Richie (July 8), Rod Stewart (July 16), and Harry Styles (July 18) will perform in Lisbon, so hurry up and see if you can still snag some tickets!
11. BaixAnima
Location: Baixa area of Lisbon
Tickets: Free entry
Duration: Weekends
During the weekends in July, the Baixa area of Lisbon will host BaixAnima – a street festival with free theater performances and live music that anyone can watch. There are no entry requirements or fees to attend. We just recommend that you bring a bottle of water and wear sunscreen.
12. A Complete Tour of Lisbon’s Miradouros
There are over 30 miradouros – or viewpoints – in Lisbon, and every single one of them deserves to be discovered. Of course, more impressive than the miradouros will be the memorable views that will take your breath away!
Among the most famous viewpoints in Lisbon are the Rua Augusta Arch Viewpoint, Miradouro Terraços do Carmo, Miradouro das Portas Sol, Miradouro de Santa Luzia, and Castelo de São Jorge Miradouro. However, given that there are over 30 of them scattered throughout the city, we cannot recommend enough a tour that explores all of them.
Of course, the tour might take a couple of days, as you’ll end up at certain miradouros while exploring the city and maybe some of the events mentioned above, but it’s 100% worth it. Nothing compares to a sip of iced tea or a glass of vinho verde while overseeing the entire city, the port, the bridges, and Lisbon’s amazing rooftops!
So, are you ready to spend July in Lisbon? The pleasant summer heat is already here, the music can be heard in most of the areas in the city, and the people, be they locals or visitors, have already started to party!
