Faro & Lisbon in January

Only you can answer if Portugal is the country you want to visit.

I would switch to spending more time in Lisbon and less in the Algarve. But, I’m admittedly not the Algarve’s biggest fan. It won’t be beach weather so there will be much more to do in the Lisbon area.

I would stick to the Lisbon area. December isn’t the best time for the Algarve, which is mainly about beaches and golf - not December activities. If you do opt for the Algarve, I wouldn’t use Faro as my base - it’s a functional working city, but apart from the small, charming old town that can be seen in a few hours, there’s not much appeal. Use Tavira as a base.

There are few places in mainland Europe that are sunny and not raining in December/January. You may get lucky with southern Spain or Portugal, but as these are usually the coldest, wettest months, you could also experience torrential rain (as I have there for days on end).

I head to the Canary Islands in the winter for more reliable weather.

I agree with the above posts and would forgo the Algarve because it’s a summer destination. I would take Rick Steves self-guided walks in Lisbon, so you see it all and sleep in the Alfama district, priceless, especially at night. You can take day trips to Belém, Sintra and Évora instead.

Great advice! Thank you all very much!