February carries much of January's quiet, with the first hints of the coming spring. It is a practical month for travellers who want low crowds without the full chill of midwinter.
Lisbon typically warms slightly to the mid-teens by day. The Alentejo remains cool and can be wet, while the Serra da Estrela and Belmonte still see cold, occasionally frosty mornings, with snow possible in the higher villages early in the month. The Douro valley is cool but generally drier than in January.
Daylight extends noticeably through February, with sunset moving past 18:00 by the end of the month. Carnival (Carnaval), a movable date usually falling in February or early March, brings local festivities to several towns and can affect opening hours in smaller municipalities for a day or two; it is worth checking the specific dates when planning travel around this period. Otherwise, visitor numbers remain low nationwide.
Carnival season brings traditional sweets such as filhós and malasadas to bakeries across the country, and hearty stews remain the norm in the interior. Coastal seafood is at its usual excellent standard in Lisbon.
As in January, shorter itineraries or a 6-day journey with weather flexibility work well. Travellers keen to see the mountain villages under a wintry, uncrowded light often find late February an appealing compromise before the spring crowds begin.
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It can cause short, local disruptions to opening hours in some towns for a day or two around the movable Carnival date; we account for this when scheduling a February itinerary.
Marginally, particularly in Lisbon, though the interior and mountain areas remain cold through most of the month.
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