Lights that bring magic to the city

Starting November 29, 2025, more than 100 streets in Porto will shine in golden and silver tones. The main star is the Aliados Christmas Tree, 30 meters high and 15 meters wide, a symbol of Porto’s Christmas and a meeting point for thousands of people.

The Avenida dos Aliados and the streets Santa Catarina, Clérigos, Cedofeita, and Mouzinho da Silveira become stages of pure magic, perfect for walking, taking photos, and feeling the city’s vibrant pulse.

Tip: At dusk, between 5:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., watch the moment the lights turn on. It’s a silent, magical instant, worth the visit on its own.

Porto Christmas Markets 2025

No Christmas in Porto would be complete without its markets, true beating hearts of the city during the festive season. Across gardens, squares, and avenues, you’ll find stalls selling crafts, traditional sweets, local wines, and handmade gifts. It’s impossible not to be enchanted: children laughing on carousels, the soft sound of a guitar in the distance, the steam of hot chocolate warming your hands.

Among the most iconic markets are:

• Cordoaria Christmas Market, by Jardim de João Chagas, famous for its local crafts, delicacies, and cozy atmosphere among centenary trees.
• Bolhão Christmas Market, a tribute to Porto’s culinary tradition, where typical flavors and conviviality blend in a historic setting.
• Praça da Batalha Christmas Market, one of the most charming downtown, illuminated by history and the nearby São João National Theatre, a true Christmas postcard scene, filled with music, lights, and the unmistakable Porto spirit.

Each of these markets offers a different perspective of Christmas in Port, from traditional to contemporary, from popular to artistic, inviting you to walk, taste, and discover.

Tip: Explore more than one. Each market has its own unique charm, and together they reveal the true spirit of Magical Porto, a city where the cold invites sharing and Christmas is lived with all the senses.

Music, sharing, and the Christmas spirit

Throughout December, Porto comes alive with free concerts, street performances, videomapping shows, and activities for children. The city squares become meeting points where visitors and locals mingle in simple, genuine celebrations. The cold invites an embrace, and the city shines with a special glow that is felt more than seen.

A Porto to feel, taste, and remember

There are many beautiful cities in winter, but few have the soul that Porto has. Between the reflection of the lights on the Douro and the scent of sweet rabanadas, every moment is an invitation to pause and contemplate. Christmas here is made of emotions, encounters, and memories that linger.

When the day ends and the lights begin to fade, it’s good to return to a place that also has a soul. Almada234, a local accommodation in the heart of the city, is that refuge, discreet, cozy, and close to everything.

Just a few steps from the Aliados and the main illuminated streets, it allows you to experience the city on foot, at your own pace. Here, comfort meets Porto’s tradition, and every stay is a way to feel the true spirit of Christmas.