What's the Weather Like in Porto in June
Summer rolls into Porto with grace and splendid temperatures, plenty of sunshine and only an occasional shower to keep the atmosphere fresh and humidified.
Temperature
The average temperature in June is a lovely 18°C (64°F), but it's known to go well over that, particularly in the third and fourth week towards July. In fact, the expected high average swings around 22°C, so it's definitely time to whip out the short sleeves and tank tops! The nights stay cool and breezy, with low averages of 13°C. It's not yet a good time for a midnight swim, but it certainly won't hinder you from a walk under the moonlight on the riverbank, for example.
Humidity and Rainfall
Humidity goes down a notch to 72%, slightly less than May, and it discourages rain altogether. You're most likely to still encounter sudden onsets of rainfall, but the volume will not exceed 40mm, spread over a total of 8 days in the entire month of June. In fact, chances of rain drop to 24% on average, and chances of cloudy days stay low at 14%. This is a definite improvement on previous months.
Sunshine Hours
There's a lot more sunlight to enjoy this time of the year, with up to 11 glorious hours of sunshine and warmth, and chances of sunny days go up to a beautiful 30% on average. Expect clear blue skies, white fluffy clouds and plenty of natural vitamin D to keep you going and going.
Wind
Chances of windy days also remain low at 6% on average, with a majority of southern winds blowing over northern Portugal and particularly over Porto, counteracting the remnants of cool northern breezes still chilling the Atlantic coast during the early summer nights. Wind speeds drop to 4m/s, with enough presence to make sailing extremely pleasant and surfing an absolute thrill.
Sea Temperature
Speaking of which, the North Atlantic Ocean temperature rises to 17°C (63°F), with slightly warmer currents flowing freely from the south and south-west. However these warm currents are not enough to give this side of the ocean the tepid waters generally encountered on the other side of the peninsula, where the Mediterranean Sea lies, but it's good enough to make any summer holiday most enjoyable, and it certainly helps you cool off during the hotter days of July or August.
If you're looking for a weather forecast for Porto, you are advised to visit this page.
Hotels for Porto in June
Descoubertas Boutique Hotel
For June, when the cherry tree blossoms are bursting all over Porto and everyone is looking to get pampered and bask in some Portuguese sun, we thought it would be a good time to recommend the Descoubertas Boutique Hotel, a 4-star delight on Rua Fonte Taurina in the central Ribeira District. This is a modern and comfortable accommodation with free Wi-Fi, and it's only 900 yards from the famous Avenida dos Aliados and Sao Bento Station.
Its rooms are decorated with the Portuguese Discoveries theme, and feature a flat screen TV, minibar and en suite bathroom. Breakfast is served every morning here, but you are also within walking distance of some of Porto's best cafes and gourmet shops. There's a 24 hour front desk reception, laundry and even ironing services.
Hotel Carris Porto Ribeira
The splendid Hotel Carris Porto Ribeira is another 4-star accommodation option in the heart of the Ribeira District, its suites going from £62 per night for couples. It's housed in a beautiful renovated building overlooking Douro River, and all of its rooms are fitted with air conditioning, free Wi-Fi and flat screen TV. Their modern décor incorporates antique tiles, and wooden floors in a mix of dark and light, and also feature lovely private bathrooms. There is a buffet-style breakfast available every morning, as well as room service. The hotel also includes a fully functional gym and bike rental facilities.
Cosme Guesthouse
One place you really shouldn't miss out on this month is the Cosme Guesthouse, a wonderful guesthouse near the Arts Academy in central Porto. Its suites go for prices as low as £51 per night, and they're set inside a 19th century renovated manor, a stylish accommodation with contemporary design which often hosts exhibitions of Portuguese artists. Its rooms combine the elegant architecture of the building with modern furnishings. There's free Wi-Fi, a comfy sitting area, cable TV and even a little library available for guests to browse through, filled with books about Portuguese culture and history.
Beaches for June for Porto
Now is definitely a good time to visit a beach, bask in the sun and even take a quick and cooling bath. The water may not be perfect for hours of splashing around and swimming, but it's certainly good for a dip if you get too hot from your sunbathing sessions. Make sure you pack some SPF protection though, as there is always a risk of ultraviolet damage if you don't protect your skin.
Matosinhos Beach
An excellent beach to enjoy in June is the splendid Matosinhos Beach, Porto's main beach. It's a long stretch of fine and golden sand, flanked by tall apartment blocks, a beautiful esplanade and an impressive number of cafes and terraces for your every gourmand need, from coffees to frappes, from light pastry and snack to some delicious grilled meat and fresh cod. The ocean water is very friendly on this side, and quite comfortable around its shallow entry. Obviously, the deeper you go, the cooler it will get.
Piscinas das Mares
You can also enjoy the "Tidal" swimming pools or "piscinas das mares" of Leca, right next to its beach promenade. These pools are filled with salt water from the ocean and were designed by the famous Portuguese architect, Alvaro Siza Vieira. They fit beautifully into the rocky surrounding landscape, framed by occasional waves breaking against the coastline.
Restaurants and Bars for Porto in June
Belos Aires Restaurante
Porto is renowned not only for its exceptional traditional flavors, but also for its excellence in pursuing the preparation of international cuisine. For example, if you're looking to get a slice of authentic Argentinian meat and empanadas, you can easily find a table at the Belos Aires Restaurante, which loves mixing Portuguese and Argentinian cuisine on their menu. The wine list is equally impressive and the atmosphere is always welcoming and with subtle hints of tango flowing out of the speakers.
TidBit Ristorante Pizzeria
For what is probably considered the very best pizza in all of Porto, make your way down to TidBit Ristorante Pizzeria, which specializes in Italy's greatest export: pizza. With menu prices ranging from £4 to £11 per person on average, and a selection of other popular Italian, European and some Portuguese dishes, TidBit certainly manages to please many tummies on a daily basis.
Restaurante Cafeina
Just inches of the Douro river mouth, you will find the popular Restaurante Cafeina, permanently buzzing with local artists and what is known as the hip crowd, yet always happy to welcome the suddenly peckish passers-by as well. Their overall Portuguese menu presents some strong Italian and French influences, its cuisine mainly focused on a variety of meats and fresh fish. Its stylish interior is the result of a carefully hand-picked selection of neutral and smooth colors, lending the place a very chic feel, complete with a pleasant Atlantic breeze.
OPO Club & Lounge
The superb OPO Club & Lounge is where you want to go for both relaxing drinks and dancing, as it caters to a wide variety of crowds thanks to its day and night infrastructure. Its bold design chairs face the Douro River on the outdoor and indoor terrace, which can be a lounge or a club, depending on the time of day. In fact, it's perfect for a meal and a fizzy drink during the day, and it's perfect for cocktails and wine in the evening, while socializing and enjoying some cool tunes, and it is most certainly perfect for dancing under the stars on Fridays and Saturdays, when guest DJs come along to get that party started.
Things to Do in Porto in June
Grande Premio do Porto
This is quite an eventful month, starting with June 1st, when the Grande Premio do Porto takes place, with a Vintage Formula One Race celebrating the history of the Boavista circuit, which hosted the Formula One races until the 1960's.
Festival de Sao Joao
June 23rd is a highly anticipated day in Porto, as it celebrates the year's biggest festival, Festival de Sao Joao, where people from all over the country travel to the historic center of the city to participate in live music and dance events, street barbecues and a spectacular fireworks display; the funniest part is people literally banging each other over the head with plastic hammers. This event spreads throughout the Ribeira District, the Villa Nova de Gaia and Douro riverbanks.
Ponte Dom Luis
It's also a great time to go sightseeing around Porto, with so much sun and warmth making every day better than the one before! Make sure you visit and take plenty of photographs of the majestic Ponte Dom Luis, Eiffel's masterpiece prior to the creation of the Tour Eiffel, created in collaboration with Seyrig. This is an iron showcase of architectural prowess and design skills which well exceeded their time and place, leaving Porto with its most iconic landmark ever.
Casa da Musica
You should also go see the amazing Casa da Musica, the design masterpiece of Rem Koolhaas, one of the world's greatest architects. And if you haven't had enough of Porto's unique blend of antique splendor and contemporary designs, you might as well pack a lunch and go on one of those wicked train tours that are so popular during the summer. There is a train line running from Porto to Pocinho deep in the Portugal's hinterland, and it is by far one of the most scenic train rides you will ever take in your life, easily competing with the beauty of train rides through Scotland or the American Mid-West.
