What's the Weather Like in Porto in May
And so, the last month of spring gently unravels all over northern Portugal, making its presence well felt in Porto and quietly announcing the upcoming onset of June, and summer.
Temperature
The average temperature goes up to 15°C (59°F), accompanied by encouraging high averages of up to 19°C on a cloudless day. The lower end reaches a significantly warmer 11°C, particularly during the nights towards the third and fourth week of May, when the thermometer begins to look more like summer, rather than the variable spring.
Sunshine Hours
Chances of sunny days jump to 30% on average, with up to 9 hours of glorious sunshine in the day. While this means that Porto begins to truly shake off the last wintery chills, we recommend packing an umbrella, as rain is still present in this climate.
Rainfall
However, rainfall volume drops to 70mm on average, spread over a total of 15 days in the month, with only 37% chances of full on rainy days. This means that while there will still be showers pouring over Porto in May, they are consistently lighter than previous months, such as March or April, and barely a nuisance to anyone. Humidity stays pleasant at 75% on average, in conjunction with favorable southern and south-eastern winds blowing from the North-African territories below.
Clouds
Chances of gloomy and cloudy days are also encouragingly low at 15% on average, while chances of windy days drop to a mere 7%, with wind speeds constant at 5m/s, best felt along the ocean coastline rather than in the city. The breeze can also be felt down by the riverside, particularly in the afternoons of the first and second week of May, and they will certainly feel slightly warmer towards the third and fourth week.
Sea Temperature
The ocean temperature jumps to 17°C (62°F), as the North Atlantic begins to welcome amateur and professional surfers from across the entire peninsula and beyond. The warmer tropical currents begin to shift towards this side of the coast, along with foamy waves that only get better towards the summer.
If you're looking for a weather forecast for Porto, you are advised to visit this page.
Hotels for Porto in May
Flores Village Hotel & Spa
The wonderful Flores Village Hotel & Spa offers stunning double suites for just £146 per night, which is quite the treat for a 4-star accommodation in Portugal's second largest city as summer approaches, particularly for that Labor Day weekend. It's set in an 18th century historic building in the heart of the city, and it features a complete spa center with a sauna and indoor pool. The Flores
Village mixes contemporary and antique decor, and offers a variety of rooms and apartments, all fitted with air conditioning, soundproofing, phone and flat screen TV, minibar and en suite bathroom with a tub and bidet; the apartments are self catering and spacious, with a fully equipped kitchenette, room service and even the option of having breakfast served to your room.
HL Fenix Porto
The beautiful HF Fenix Porto offers gorgeous suites for £61 per night for couples. This 4-star delight stands tall in the commercial area of the Boavista District, just 450 yards away from the Casa da Musica Concert Hall. All of its rooms come with free Wi-Fi and cable TV, air conditioning, and en suite bathroom. The upper floor rooms offer stunning views of the river and the hotel's dining room serves a scrumptious breakfast with freshly baked pastries and breads.
This is where you can enjoy your morning coffee and admire the decorative stained glass elements in the ceiling. The Fenix also boasts the illustrious Kyodai Sushi Bar, a ritzy cocktail bar and an outdoor terrace with sun umbrellas.
12 Short Term
For prices starting from £49 per night, you can grab a self-catering apartment at the 12 Short Term apartment complex, half a mile from the city center and just 700 yards from the Douro riverbank. Its bright suites sport a unique and modern decor and a fully equipped kitchen, air conditioning and a seating area complete with free Wi-Fi and flat screen TV. Some of the apartments offer a lovely view of the garden from their balcony or patio, and the complex also offers laundry and luggage storage facilities from the front desk reception.
Beaches for May for Porto
Madalena Beach
Now that the sun is out more often and the temperatures are slightly friendlier than in previous months, you can actually go and enjoy a beach somewhere near Porto, even though it's still not a perfect time for swimming. You can still catch a little bit of sun on the beautiful Madalena beach in Villa Nova de Gaia, just across the river from Porto.
Leca da Palmeira
For all you eager surfers out there, the Leca da Palmeira is a good beach if you want to hone your skills at bodyboarding and proper surfing. The waters and cool and quite choppy over here, giving way to curly and even tubular waves when the tides are good. Many young ones prefer the summer waves, which are slightly mellower than the winter ones, but the water temperatures are far friendlier, allowing for longer and more pleasant surf sessions.
Restaurants and Bars for Porto in May
Porto never ceases to amaze when it comes to good food. This international and award-winning gastronomical center sports a multitude of bars, cafes and restaurants covering so many types of food, that you would probably need at least four stomachs and a few months to fully enjoy them all...
Dama Pe de Cabra
That being said, we'd definitely recommend Dama Pe de Cabra, a fabulous little spot which made its name off the excellent quality of its sandwiches, delicatessen and European style dishes, as well as its super friendly price range of £3 to £15.
Elebe Restaurant
For some authentic Portuguese and Mediterranean food, a noteworthy option is the lovely Elebe Restaurant. Its price range hangs easily between £10 and £35 and it's certainly worth every penny, especially when you get to the wine that is so well paired with your food. This is one Baixa's best spots, particularly when it comes to codfish. Trust us when we say that the Portuguese certainly know their codfish!
Rua - Tapas & Music Bar
For a light snack and smooth drinks, an excellent choice would be Rua - Tapas & Music Bar. Just as its name suggests, you'll find a delightful variety of Portuguese and Spanish tapas here, with aperitif menus ranging from £10 to £14 on average, and a rich selection of drink to fit your choice of finger food.
ODE Porto Winehouse
Genuine gourmands will get a kick out of the phenomenal ODE Porto Winehouse. Its traditional dishes are lined by a very impressive selection of wines, and all of the ingredients used are sourced from local farmers and markets, ensuring the authenticity of Portuguese taste down to the very last dash of sea salt or pepper! The venue itself is a sight to behold, situated on a small and rustic alley in the city, its interior freckled with wine barrels and crates, slate tabletops and a multitude of candle lights to further engage you in a romantic atmosphere - encouraging love for Portuguese traditions and love for one another.
Aniki Bobo
For drinks and a long night's worth of dancing, you can easily head down to the Douro riverfront in the ancient Ribeira District, where you will find Aniki Bobo - a bar and club inside a 17th century historical building. Its interior is split into three different areas, each with its own decor and ambient. Its name derives from a famous 1930s Portuguese film, and it represents the hip and counterculture of Porto, adored by locals and tourists alike for its authenticity and dedication to providing a great time out.
Casa do Livro
If you want to enjoy a drink or two in a more relaxed atmosphere, you might as well make your way down to Rua Galeria de Paris 46, where Casa do Livro stands proud and open to lovers of booze, music and books. Yes, books! This place actually used to be a bookstore, hence its highly literary decor which makes you feel like you've stumbled into someone's personal library. This venue sits on the hip nightlife side of Porto, and offers tea, coffee, wine and so many spirits to accompany you into casual conversation or the simple enjoyment of jazz music played live on the piano.
Things to Do in Porto in May
Oporto Wine Tour
If spending most of the day in the many nooks and crannies of the stupendous Ribeira District, Porto's UNESCO Heritage city center, with its many shops, boutiques, cafes and terraces framed by antique facades and art nouveau window frames, then you might as well go and experience a veritable Oporto Wine tour.
Here's the thing: there are over 50 wine factories in this city, most of which also specialize in the production of the world famous Port wine; and so each of these factories organizes tasting tours, complete with historical facts and physical tours of the actual winery, where you get to see how the wine is made, from grape to its first drop into the glass.
Igreja de Sao Francisco
For a glimpse of Portuguese artistic and religious history, best manifested in its architectural prowess, you should go and gape at the irreplaceable Igreja de Sao Francisco, a 14th century Gothic-style church whose stunning, gilded interiors make the whole trip to Porto worth your while. Its baroque decorations make this iconic building into one of Porto's postcard images, and for good reason too - the level of intricate detail of every single sculpture and frame is just mind-boggling.
And since you're on this particular side of your cultural voyage through the streets of Porto, you might as well stop and admire Mosteiro Leca do Balio, riddled with niches and tombs of famous monks and priests of the Portuguese church, including Father Christopher Cernache, Fra Lopo Pereira de Lima and Friar Diogo Pereira de Melo.
Palacio de Cristal
On another note, a good way to celebrate Labor Day in these parts of Europe is by enjoying a nice long picnic in a manicured garden somewhere in Porto. One good place to see and thoroughly enjoy is the Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace), a splendid little garden spreading around the sports pavilion. There is a balcony over the Douro River, with enough perfect space to simply relax over a good meal or even a book when the sun is out.
