Things to do during the Christmas season in Lisbon

Being one of Europe’s sunniest cities, you may not have necessarily associated Lisbon with anything particularly Christmassy but as we cover in our latest student advice guide to the city, this could be somewhat of an oversight.

Having chosen to study in this great city, you will have no doubt been attracted by its excellent universities, rich heritage and culture and of course, the food. However, this ancient city transforms into an enchanting mix of markets and festive cheer during the winter months, leading many students to stay in Portugal for Christmas.

Read on to find out what you should be getting up to in the Portuguese capital in the coming months.

Lisbon Christmas Market

Essential to any city’s Christmas celebrations is of course the Christmas Market and Lisbon’s comes with a bit of a twist. Its most prominent festive market is at Campo Pequeno and this former bullfighting arena looks simply outstanding when it is decked out with Christmas decorations and of course, a suitably impressive tree. There are regular concerts and performances at this venue throughout the year, but things get turned up a notch at Christmas and the results have to be seen to be believed.

Whether you’re looking to do some Christmas shopping, enjoy some local delicacies or just chill with your friends and take in the atmosphere, Campo Pequeno is absolutely jam packed with Christmas spirit.

Praça de D. Pedro IV

This Lisbon attraction is worth visiting at any time of year, but at Christmas it really comes into its own and looks quite beautiful. Praça de D. Pedro IV is known by the locals simply as Rossio and once the festive lighting has been installed and goes live, the area is transformed into one of the most enchanting winter wonderlands you are likely to find anywhere in the world. Here you can soak in the atmosphere whilst enjoying freshly baked pastries at one of the oldest bakeries in the city, the Confeitaria Nacional.

São Roque Church

São Roque Church is also ideal should you be looking to enjoy some music in Lisbon over the Christmas period. These take place at most of the churches around the city but nowhere is likely to be as magical as São Roque due to its amazing architecture and location. You could combine a visit here with some coffee from such popular cafes as Brasileira where as you may have deduced from the name, you can get traditional Brazilian coffee, which is worth the journey alone.

Outstanding student accommodation in Lisbon

This Christmas attractions in Lisbon should whet your appetite nicely and after a hard day’s shopping, eating and drinking you can of course retire to your luxury Collegiate accommodation in the city. If you are looking for luxurious digs in the capital, find out more about our available properties today. We have a dedicated Lisbon section right here at our site where you can find out more about all our facilities and even enquire online!