Best time to visit Sintra
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart on the page recolours live for your heat limit 27°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in Sintra
8 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on Sintra).
- 1
Sintra Highlights: Private Tour of Palaces & Coast in Classic 4x4 - 2
Private Tour Sintra from Lisbon Palaces of Pena and Regaleira - 3
Private day in Sintra skip-line Flexible Tour DiscoverWonderland - 4
Private Sintra Tour from Lisbon: Pena Palace, Cabo Roca & Cascais - 5
Sintra & Cascais: Private Full-Day Adventure in a Classic 4x4 - 6
Sintra, Pena Palace & Regaleira Private Tour from Lisbon - 7
Sintra Historical Jeep Adventure - Palaces & Secret Routes - 8
Sintra Walking Tour - The Portuguese Fairytale
Last refreshed 2026-06-06.
Similar climatesPorto91% · Assisi89% · Cuenca89%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Sintra (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Sintra's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8–14 | 12 | 10 | 134 | 13.4 | 74% | 20 | 175 | 2 | Quiet | 6 |
| Feb | 9–16 | 14 | 9 | 118 | 13.1 | 70% | 21 | 174 | 3 | Quiet | 7 |
| Mar | 10–17 | 14 | 12 | 151 | 12.6 | 68% | 23 | 219 | 4 | Quiet | 6 |
| Apr | 11–18 | 17 | 11 | 150 | 13.6 | 68% | 21 | 239 | 6 | Quiet | 7 |
| May | 13–21 | 19 | 8 | 92 | 11.5 | 64% | 23 | 282 | 7 | Quiet | 8 |
| Jun | 15–22 | 21 | 9 | 97 | 10.8 | 66% | 23 | 289 | 8 | Quiet | 8 |
| Jul | 16–25 | 25 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 | 59% | 24 | 302 | 9 | Quiet | 10 |
| Aug | 17–25 | 24 | 1 | 21 | 21.0 | 62% | 24 | 276 | 8 | Peak | 9 |
| Sep | 16–24 | 24 | 8 | 103 | 12.9 | 64% | 21 | 236 | 6 | Moderate | 8 |
| Oct | 15–22 | 21 | 12 | 164 | 13.7 | 69% | 21 | 195 | 4 | Quiet | 7 |
| Nov | 12–18 | 16 | 11 | 141 | 12.8 | 75% | 20 | 166 | 2 | Busy | 7 |
| Dec | 10–15 | 13 | 13 | 178 | 13.7 | 78% | 22 | 165 | 2 | Quiet | 5 |
UV Index in Sintra by Month
UV index in Sintra peaks at 9 (very high) in July, dropping to 2 (low) in January. July, August reach very high or extreme levels — apply SPF 50+, wear a hat and protective clothing, and limit direct sun between 11:00 and 17:00.
Best months in detail
July
10/1016–25°C · 1 rain days (18h) · 302 sun hours · 59% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 9 (very high)
August
9/1017–25°C · 1 rain days (21h) · 276 sun hours · 62% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 8 (very high)
May
8/1013–21°C (feels 19°C) · 8 rain days (92h) · 282 sun hours · 64% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 7 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 9 (very high)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
6/108–14°C (feels 12°C) · 10 rain days (134h) · 175 sun hours · 74% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low)
February
7/109–16°C (feels 14°C) · 9 rain days (118h) · 174 sun hours · 70% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 4 (moderate)
March
6/1010–17°C (feels 14°C) · 12 rain days (151h) · 219 sun hours · 68% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 4 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 6 (high)
April
7/1011–18°C (feels 17°C) · 11 rain days (150h) · 239 sun hours · 68% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 6 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (very high)
June
8/1015–22°C (feels 21°C) · 9 rain days (97h) · 289 sun hours · 66% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 8 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 9 (very high)
September
8/1016–24°C · 8 rain days (103h) · 236 sun hours · 64% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 6 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 7 (high)
October
7/1015–22°C · 12 rain days (164h) · 195 sun hours · 69% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 4 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 6 (moderate)
November
7/1012–18°C (feels 16°C) · 11 rain days (141h) · 166 sun hours · 75% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 2 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 3 (moderate)
December
5/1010–15°C (feels 13°C) · 13 rain days (178h) · 165 sun hours · 78% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low)
Frequently asked questions about visiting Sintra
When is the best time to visit Sintra?
July is the highest-scoring month (10/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 16–25°C (1 rainy day). The top three months by score are July, August, May.
What is the worst time to visit Sintra?
December is the lowest-scoring month (5/10). Typical conditions: 10–15°C (13 rainy days).
When are crowds lowest in Sintra?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in January and peaks in August. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in Sintra have good weather but fewer tourists?
July (climate 10/10, crowd index 30) and May (climate 8/10, crowd index 17) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Sintra by month?
UV peaks at 9 (very high) in July and is lowest in January at 2 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan 2, Feb 3, Mar 4, Apr 6, May 7, Jun 8, Jul 9, Aug 8, Sep 6, Oct 4, Nov 2, Dec 2. July, August reach very high or extreme levels — apply SPF 50+, wear a hat and protective clothing, and limit direct sun between 11:00 and 17:00.
What is the UV index in Sintra in July?
July is the peak UV month in Sintra, with a daily-peak UV index of 9 (very high). At this level, sunburn can occur in under 20 minutes on unprotected fair skin. Apply SPF 50+, wear protective clothing and a hat, and avoid direct midday sun (11:00–17:00).
How high can UV get in Sintra on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. June is the worst case: typical days average UV 8 (high), but the top 10% of days reach UV 9 (very high) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: February, March, April, May, June, September, October, November. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.
Is air quality in Sintra bad for travelers?
PM2.5 (fine-particle pollution) exceeds the WHO sensitive-group guideline (15 µg/m³) in 3 months: January, February, December. The worst month is February with a typical-day mean of 10 µg/m³ (fair); on the worst 10% of days PM2.5 reaches 17 µg/m³ (unhealthy for sensitive) and higher. People with asthma, heart conditions, or sensitive children may want to avoid these months or limit outdoor activity. Source: CAMS via Open-Meteo.