What's On 9 November 2026

Porto's Christmas lights go on on 28 November (with €65,000 more behind them than last year)

Christmas in Porto starts on Saturday 28 November at 6pm, when the tree in Praça General Humberto Delgado is switched on with a concert still to be announced. The council puts up to €765,000 into the lights, up from €700,000 in 2025. Ice rink in Praça D. João I, a 'Praça da Fantasia' at Boavista and the São Silvestre run on 20 December.

When: 28 November 2026
Where: Avenida dos Aliados and Praça General Humberto Delgado, Porto
Price: Free
Organizer: Porto City Council and Associação dos Comerciantes do Porto

It is nearly three weeks away, but the date is set. Christmas in Porto officially begins on Saturday 28 November at 6pm, when the tree in Praça General Humberto Delgado, right in front of City Hall, is switched on and the city’s lights with it. Porto City Council has confirmed the date and promises a concert for the switch-on, with the line-up still to come.

How much is Porto spending on its Christmas lights in 2026?

Up to €765,000, the council’s maximum contribution to lights run in partnership with the Porto traders’ association. Last year it was €700,000, so that is €65,000 more, a rise of about 9%. Installation starts on 13 November, in phases.

Where is everything at Christmas in Porto?

Avenida dos Aliados: the heart of it, with concerts and light shows.
Praça General Humberto Delgado: the Christmas tree.
Largo Amor de Perdição: family programme with workshops and shows.
Praça Mouzinho de Albuquerque (the Boavista roundabout): becomes the “Praça da Fantasia”.
Praça D. João I: the usual ice rink.

Through December there is music, theatre and dance in every parish, with more for children and teenagers. Porto’s São Silvestre run is on Sunday 20 December. The council also promises concerts with Portuguese Sign Language interpretation, reserved areas for people with reduced mobility and a quiet welcome space for neurodivergent visitors. The full programme, with times, is due in the coming days.

Can you pair it with anything else nearby?

If you are coming from elsewhere, the weekend of 28 and 29 November lets you combine the switch-on with another northern Christmas stop. Perlim in Santa Maria da Feira opens that same Saturday, from 1:30pm to 7pm, about half an hour’s drive away. Spend the early afternoon there and you can still be on the Aliados by six.

By Leonor Sampaio

Image: Acfmagalhaes / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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