at large in January (Furadouro Beach – photo by Paulo)
There’s definitely a change of season in Portugal; it’s generally chillier at night but so far still in the 20s (Celsius) during the day. I’ll take it. In a couple of months I’ll be in my third Portuguese winter and I know what to expect. If you haven’t experienced Portuguese winter yet and are wondering what to pack, here’s my two cents.
Winter in Coastal Portugal
While there can be snow in the interior, coastal Portugal winter involves a mix of wind, rain, and sun. You can even have all three at once, but bet on dealing with any combination of those three elements. Even on a warm day, you’ll need a windbreaker of some kind and a pair of sunglasses not just to block the sun but to protect eyes from wind debris. Since the daytime sun can be strong enough to give you a sunburn (seriously!), on certain days it’s worth wearing sunblock that will also act as a moisturizer against all that wind. Weather and temperatures can be variable all day long, so layer your clothes, otherwise it’s too easy to overheat when the sun’s out and shiver in the shade. For rain, invest in a rain jacket as part of your outer layer, preferably one with a hood because umbrellas are pretty useless most of the time and completely useless on a windy day. I would also recommend a pair of quality rubber boots that will keep your feet dry — and sand out — when you wear them on the beach. Lastly but not leastly, you’ll need a pair of slippers for indoors.
So, to sum up, here’s the basic winter clothing list:
- windbreaker and/or rain jacket with hood
- sunglasses
- sunblock
- layers
- boots
- slippers (the more coverage, the better)
Depending on where you’re from and your own personal preferences, you may want to add gloves or a hat (the wind may steal it!) to that list.
Winter in Interior Portugal will be another post!
at large in January (Furadouro Beach – photo by Paulo)
January 24, 2015
Album: Beaches From Ovar to Aveiro [January 2015]
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