here’s a complete list of the christmas markets and decorations around porto and gaia for 2025: everything you need to dive into the season, wander through cozy streets, and soak up all the sparkly magic the city has to offer.
christmas lights program
✨ official christmas lights in porto
porto officially lights up the city on 29 november 2025 at avenida dos aliados. the ceremony starts at 18:00, with a concert by mariza and other artists.
a giant 30-metre tree stands at praça general humberto delgado, and around 94 streets and squares will be illuminated with 2.4 million led lights.
daily lighting schedule:
– 17:30–23:00 (sun–thu)
– 17:30–00:00 (fri–sat)
lights remain until 6 january 2026, with free concerts throughout december at aliados.
📍main location with christmas lights
rua dos clérigos
rua das flores
rua de santa catarina
area near santo ildefonso church
🎁 christmas markets in porto
mercado da alegria
one of porto’s most traditional christmas markets, with wooden stalls selling crafts, regional sweets, toys, and nativity pieces.
dates: 29 nov – 29 dec (some sources mention 28 nov – 28 dec)
hours: sun–thu 10:00–20:00; fri & sat until 21:00; 24 dec until 17:00; closed 25 dec
location: praça da batalha, porto
cordoaria christmas market
set in one of porto’s prettiest gardens, featuring a market, ice rink, parisian carousel, workshops, theatre, and dance.
dates: 29 nov – 30 dec
hours: mon–thu 11:00–20:00; fri/holidays 11:00–21:00; sat 10:00–21:00; sun 10:00–20:00; closed 24–25 dec
location: jardim joão chagas (campo dos mártires da pátria)
christmas design market at palácio de cristal
dates: 29 nov – 29 dec
hours: wed–sun 11:00–20:00
location: rosa mota pavilion / palácio de cristal
artes & ofícios do porto
a sustainable crafts fair with ceramics, woodwork, cork products, and textiles.
dates: 1–23 dec
hours: 11:00–19:30; fri & sat open until 23:00
location: av. d. afonso henriques, next to são bento station
mercado do sol
dates: 1–31 dec
hours: mon–wed 10:00–18:00
location: praça de parada leitão / praça carlos alberto
serralves christmas market
dates: 6–8 dec
hours: 6 dec 10:00–22:00; 7–8 dec 10:00–19:00
location: serralves museum
bolhão christmas market
dates: 19–21 dec
hours: 11:00–22:00
location: mercado do bolhão
ferreira borges market
dates: 15 nov – 6 jan
hours: 10:00–20:00
location: mercado ferreira borges
urban market x-mas edition / time out market porto
a brand-new christmas edition with portuguese designers and artisans inside the future time out market at são bento.
dates: 29 nov 2025 – 5 jan 2026
hours: mon–thu 10:00–19:00; fri–sun 10:00–23:00
location: south wing of são bento station (praça almeida garrett)
renaissance christmas market
date: 15 dec (one day only)
hours: 15:00–19:00
location: renaissance porto lapa hotel
🎁 christmas markets in gaia
wow é natal
dates: 22 nov 2025 – 6 jan 2026
highlights: lights-on ceremony on 22 nov at 18:30, 13-metre tree, carousel, craft market, concerts
location: world of wine (wow)
el corte inglês christmas market
dates: 15 nov – 24 dec
hours: according to store schedule
location: av. da república, gaia (near joão de deus metro)
gaia vila natal
dates: 29 nov – 28 dec
hours:
mon–thu 13:00–20:00
fri 13:00–22:00
sat–sun 11:00–22:00
24 dec 11:00–16:00
closed 25 dec
location: civic centre behind gaia city hall
boeira wonderland
dates: 30 nov 2025 – 5 jan 2026
hours:
mon–fri: sessions at 15:00, 18:00, 21:00
sat–sun: 09:00, 12:00, 15:00, 18:00, 21:00
closed 24, 25, 27, 31 dec
location: boeira garden hotel
extra: 3-hour sessions; kids under 2 enter free; tickets from €11.90
🎄other fun christmas themed events
zoo santo inácio – “wild lights” lightshow (nov 1–feb 28, from 12€)
estás duendo da cabeça theatre at teatro sá da bandeira (9€)
roubaram o natal! – musical (from 12,50€)
the little mermaid on ice show at mar shopping (from 16€)
daily pipe organ concert at clérigos church at 12pm
spiritus immersive light show at igreja dos clérigos (10€)
candlelight concerts (including the nutcracker from 19€)
ballet of lights: sleeping beauty (from 19€)
christmas concerts at casa da música
“in the christmas mood” at coliseu (from 20€)
christmas concert at igreja da trindade (dec 13, from 13€)
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