Lisbon on a Rainy Day: 20 Things to Do Indoors

Lisbon gets over 2,800 hours of sunshine a year, but when it rains, it really rains, usually between November and March. The good news: the city has world-class museums, a huge aquarium, cosy cafes and food halls to fill a wet day. Here are the best things to do in Lisbon when it rains, with 2026 prices and what’s currently closed.

Quick answer: head to the Oceanário (from about €25), the newly reopened Gulbenkian Museum, the MAAT (€16 for visitors from abroad) or the Time Out Market. With kids, the Pavilhão do Conhecimento science centre. Take a cooking class or a fado show. Note: the National Tile Museum and the National Museum of Ancient Art are closed for renovation in 2026.

Museums

Calouste Gulbenkian Museum

One of Europe’s great private art collections, from ancient Egypt to Lalique jewellery, which reopened on 18 July 2026 after a renovation of about 16 months, with a new coin gallery among the additions. Next door, the CAM (Modern Art Centre, €12) reopened in 2024 in a stunning new building. Free for everyone on Sundays from 2pm, and for under-18s; closed Tuesdays. If the rain stops, the gardens are free and lovely.

Allow two to three hours for both buildings and the café. The nearest metro stations are São Sebastião (blue and red lines) and Praça de Espanha (blue line), both a few minutes’ walk away, so you barely get wet. See our Gulbenkian Museum guide.

MAAT

The wave-shaped art, architecture and technology museum by the river in Belém, plus the old power station next door. €16 for visitors from abroad (€12 for residents of Portugal), free for under-13s, closed Tuesdays. See our MAAT guide.

Museum of the Coaches

The world’s finest collection of royal carriages, gilded and spectacular. €15. The old Royal Riding School is closed for renovation, and its coaches are shown in the main building.

Jerónimos Monastery

The church is free and the cloister (€18) is covered, so it works on a wet day.

The MAAT, the Coach Museum and Jerónimos are all in Belém, so you can fill a whole wet day there. Take tram 15 or the train from Cais do Sodré, and run between them with a pastel de Belém stop in the middle.

Museu do Fado

The story of fado, with lots of recordings to listen to, in Alfama. €5, free for under-12s, Tuesday to Sunday.

MUDE

The design and fashion museum in a former bank on Rua Augusta, reopened in 2024 after a long renovation, with a great rooftop.

Palácio Nacional da Ajuda

A grand royal palace with lavish rooms, much quieter than the city-centre sights. €15.

Closed in 2026

The National Tile Museum and the National Museum of Ancient Art are closed for major renovation works, with reopening expected sometime in 2026 or later. Check their websites before you go.

The Tile Museum closed in November 2025 and the Museum of Ancient Art on 29 September 2025; neither had a confirmed reopening date as of October 2026, so check before you go. Until then, you can still see fine tiles inside many churches and in the Battle Hall of the Fronteira Palace (on a guided tour). For the full list, see our Lisbon museums guide.

With kids

• Oceanário de Lisboa: one of Europe’s best aquariums, with a giant central tank, sea otters and penguins. Adult tickets cost about €25.50–29.90 depending on the time slot (late afternoon is cheapest), children about €15.50–17.70. The penguin habitat reopened in August 2025 after a ten-month rebuild, with a new sub-Antarctic setting. Open daily 10am to 8pm (last entry 7pm); buy online to skip the queue. See tickets.
• Pavilhão do Conhecimento: a hands-on science centre next door. About €11 adults; closed Mondays.
• Shopping centres: Vasco da Gama (next to the Oceanário), Colombo and Amoreiras have play areas and food courts.

The Oceanário, the science centre and Vasco da Gama are all in Parque das Nações, a short walk from Oriente station at the end of the red metro line. That makes it the easiest rainy day out with children: one metro ride, then everything is close together. Allow two to three hours for the aquarium alone.

More in Lisbon with kids.

Food and drink

• Time Out Market: dozens of stalls under one roof. See Lisbon food markets.
• Cooking class: learn to make pastel de nata or a Portuguese feast. See cooking classes.
• Food tour: most go ahead in the rain, with plenty of time indoors. See food tours.
• A long lunch in a traditional tasca, or coffee and cake in a historic café like A Brasileira in Chiado.
• Port tasting at a wine bar. Perfect on a grey afternoon.
• Warming dishes: wet days are made for caldo verde (kale and potato soup), bacalhau dishes and a bifana (pork sandwich) with a beer. Finish with a hot galão (milky coffee) and a pastel de nata.

The Time Out Market is right next to Cais do Sodré station, so you can arrive by metro, train or ferry without much of a walk. It gets very busy at lunch and dinner, so go a little before noon or mid-afternoon to find a seat.

Other indoor ideas

• LX Factory: covered shops, cafes and the Ler Devagar bookshop.
• Fado: early evening shows or a fado dinner. See fado in Lisbon.
• Amoreiras 360: a panoramic viewpoint on top of a shopping centre (about €5), good when the rain clears.
• Cinema: films are shown in their original language with Portuguese subtitles (except most children’s films, which are dubbed).
• A spa afternoon at one of the city’s hotels.
• Churches: São Roque in Bairro Alto, with its gold-covered side chapels, and the roofless Carmo Convent (bring the umbrella for that one).
• A tile-painting or pastry workshop: a couple of hours indoors, and you take home what you make.

A rainy day plan

• Morning: the Gulbenkian Museum and CAM (metro to São Sebastião).
• Lunch: metro to Cais do Sodré for the Time Out Market.
• Afternoon: tram 15 or the train to Belém for the MAAT and the Jerónimos cloister, or the red line to the Oceanário if you have kids.
• Evening: a fado dinner in Alfama or Mouraria, then a taxi or ride app home.

Rainy day tips

• The cobbles get very slippery when wet. Wear shoes with grip.
• Umbrellas struggle in the wind near the river; a hooded raincoat is better.
• Use the metro and Uber or Bolt (prices rise in the rain). See Lisbon public transport.
• Weather moves fast: mornings of rain often clear by afternoon, so keep a viewpoint on standby.
• Check closing days: many museums close on Mondays, and the Gulbenkian and MAAT close on Tuesdays, so plan your wet day around them.
• The lifts won’t help: the Glória, Bica and Lavra funiculars and the Santa Justa lift are closed, so use the metro, buses or a ride app to get up the hills.

FAQ

Which is the rainiest month in Lisbon?

November and December are usually the wettest, with about 127mm of rain each and rain on 12 to 15 days. Showers often clear within hours, so even a wet day can end with sunshine.

Is the National Tile Museum open?

No. It has been closed for restoration since November 2025, and there was no confirmed reopening date as of October 2026. Check its website before you go.

Which Lisbon museums are free on Sundays?

The Gulbenkian Museum is free for everyone on Sundays from 2pm. The MAAT is free on the first Sunday of the month from 10am to 1pm, but only for residents of Portugal.

Is Belém worth it on a rainy day?

Yes. The MAAT, the Coach Museum and the covered Jerónimos cloister are all close together, and a warm pastel de Belém helps. Take tram 15 or the train from Cais do Sodré.

Visiting in the cooler months? Read Portugal in winter and see the best tours in Lisbon.

Tickets: you can book official entry tickets for Lisbon’s museums and sights in advance on Tiqets, with mobile tickets and free cancellation on many.

See also: the Museu do Oriente.

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