Portugal in February

I have - there were ripe oranges on the trees, and all the museums, etc. I wanted to see were open. I recall one drizzly day, but mostly it was sunny.

The Algarve is very ideal too to be based there during that time of year.

By the way, I think Valetta, Malta is way up there as well (probably even warmer because much further south and not far from Tunisia)

Ssshhhhhh! Don’t let the secret out! This past January, I did a solo trip to Lisbon and Aviero. It was phenomenal to enjoy Portugal without the crowds and at super discounted rates. Daytime temps were around 65 degrees which is perfect to me for hiking up steep hills. Don’t forget your sunglasses. Most days were bright and sunny. The sun slightly lower on the horizon made everything sparkle extra bright. Though there was one day in Lisbon when the skies opened up and the streets quickly flooded but it was more like a quick tropical rain you might experience in Florida. Not at all cold but very memorable. It only added to the experience remembering how I rang my jacket out back at the hotel. I was drenched but not cold. The sun was back out the next morning in all its glory. Everything was open though on slightly shorter winter hours. I enjoyed the Lisbon street scenes and dance parties in the evenings without the throng of tourists found in the summer months albeit with long pants and a zip up hoodie. Yes things were still hopping but in manageable numbers. I found a seat on the trams easily. Shared an entire Moliciero boat with couple in the canals of Aviero. Felt I found the buried treasure of bygone years of European travel when you could skate into a town late in the afternoon and have your pick of hotel rooms, never have to worry about getting an advanced ticket or making a train reservation. It was like finding the halcyon days of travel without the crowds. A quick, cheap flight to Nice on the Cote D’azur found me in equally warm climes deliciously without crowds there too and rounded out my mid winter blues be gone tour at close to half the prices for airfare and accommodations that I usually pay in September, my normal go to travel month. Example, I stayed at Hotel Splendid in Nice in a room with a ocean view from my private terrace that has a normal rate of 295 euro a night for 65 euro a night. My airfare from Portland, Oregon into Lisbon out of Nice was $650 RT. You get the idea. Yes, I wasn’t swimming in the ocean but relieve me the press of humanity to catch a moment to myself in an ancient street or taking in a vista without a drone or selfy stick and I’ve found bliss. Book your tickets for Portugal in February. I’ve booked mine for late January again. This time with a friend to share the good times with. You won’t regret off season travel in Portugal.

I’ve lived right outside of Lisbon for four years and really love the winters here. Of course, there are rainy and foggy days, but the sunny ones are glorious. The tourist hordes are gone and we eat lunch outside many days during the winter.
Lisbon is a city of half a million so, of course, the sites and museums are open. Some things in the smaller Algarve towns close down, but that is an area that has been very touristy for many years. Lisbon has only recently arrived on the main tourist radar. It would be much more pleasant in the winter than the summer these days!

I have spent March in the Algarve a couple of times. Many resorts are dead, so you need to pick your location carefully. The weather has been ok, but not beach weather. I would head to Lisbon, not the Algarve. Of course museums are open, as many people live there.

Lisbon is a thoroughly delightful and fascinating city, whatever time of year.

When I'm wondering about weather, I go to timeanddate.com. There's a link "Weather", then to "Yesterday/PastWeather" where you can get historical day by day weather conditions for most European cities for any month for the last 10 years. There's more useful info on the site, including daily sunrise/sunset times by city. I don't find averages helpful.

I was in Portugal this year in May/June. There is a lot to discover and enjoy and the main cities are linked by good rail service.

I've been to much of Italy, from Venice to the Amalfi Coast, Madrid and Barcelona in February and had mild weather and lots of sunny days. Andalucia is the warmest, driest part of Europe.

I'd expect most sights to be open, though winter hours are often shorter. Some small B&B's may close for a month around then, and there will be fewer walking tours and organized day trips. There will also be many fewer tourists and low season prices!

I didn't visit the Algarve, I've read that much of it shuts down for the winter and may be pretty dull, with few restaurants and lodgings. I'd expect Lisbon, Porto, Sintra, Evora, Coimbra and more to be very enjoyable.