In this guide
💡 The Short Version: The party is at Terreiro do Paço, free, and the fireworks go off at midnight; in 2025 it started at 21:30. The 2026 to 2027 programme is not published: 31 December 2026 is a Thursday and 1 January 2027 a Friday. On 31 December the São Jorge Castle and every Sintra palace are closed and the Oceanário shuts at 19:00; on 1 January the Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, the castle and Sintra are closed and the Oceanário opens at 11:00. Or book a place on the water: the New Year’s cruise with fireworksad is from £64.06 and the New Year’s Eve cruise with an open barad from £170.84 (GetYourGuide, 1 October 2026).
The fireworks at Terreiro do Paço
Terreiro do Paço · 31 December · free
The city’s New Year’s Eve party is held on Terreiro do Paço, the square on the Tagus at the foot of Baixa. In 2025 Visit Lisboa listed it as free entry, starting at 21:30, with DJ Mojo and MC Márcio Jesus first, the rapper Plutónio at 22:30 and, at midnight, a fireworks show to an original soundtrack with DJ Mojo and MC Helder Tavares; the party ran on into the early hours (visitlisboa.com, 1 October 2026). Terreiro do Paço is also the stop for the Metro’s Blue Line.
Praça do Comércio, the Terreiro do Paço, from the Tagus, with the Rua Augusta Arch on the left. Photo: Jakub Hałun, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
The 2026 to 2027 programme is not out. The pattern is Terreiro do Paço, free entry, fireworks at midnight, and the city’s Christmas lights stay on an extra hour that night; see Christmas in Lisbon. The Metro normally runs from 06:30 to 01:00 (Lisbon public transport), and the Metro de Lisboa announces any change for the night on metrolisboa.pt. A general strike has stopped the whole Metro before, on 11 December 2025 and 3 June 2026, so keep a taxi as the backup.
River cruises
Two operators sell a place on the Tagus for the fireworks. Prices are GetYourGuide’s lowest “from” price on 1 October 2026; check the 31 December 2026 date in the widget.
A river cruise boat on the Tagus, with the 25 de Abril Bridge and the Cristo Rei statue behind. Photo: A Guy Named Nyal, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
New Year’s cruise with fireworks
From £64.06 · 3.9 stars from 58 reviews · 3 hours
Lisbon: New Year’s Cruise with DJ and Fireworks Showad, run by Blue Cruises, boards at Gate B of the Sul e Sueste river station on Terreiro do Paço. The S. Jorge sails past Belém Tower and under the 25 de Abril Bridge, and the operator promises two fireworks shows, one on each bank, with sparkling wine and raisins at midnight. Food and drinks cannot be brought on board and the bar sells drinks. Free cancellation up to 3 days ahead, and the boat is wheelchair accessible.
New Year’s Eve cruise with an open bar
From £170.84 · 4.3 stars from 18 reviews · 2 hours
Lisbon: New Year’s Eve Tagus River Cruise with Open Barad, run by Marlin Tours, leaves from the Alcântara dock. The price includes an open bar of beer, white wine and sangria, and sparkling wine and raisins at midnight, with a position in front of Terreiro do Paço for the fireworks. Free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead; tours run unless the weather is very bad.
What is closed, 31 December and 1 January
From each operator’s own page, 1 October 2026.
| Date | Closed | Different hours |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 31 December | São Jorge Castle, every Parques de Sintra site | Oceanário 10:00 to 19:00; MAAT from 15:00 |
| Fri 1 January | Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, São Jorge Castle, every Parques de Sintra site, Gulbenkian Museum, MAAT | Oceanário 11:00 to 20:00 |
The Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, the castle and Sintra reopen on Saturday 2 January; Pena Palace is a timed slot, so book it. The Oceanário is open on both days, on the shorter hours above. Sources: mosteirojeronimos.torrebelem.gov.pt, castelodesaojorge.pt, parquesdesintra.pt, oceanario.pt, gulbenkian.pt and maat.pt.
Where to stay
The party is on Terreiro do Paço, and the Pousada de Lisboa, at Praça do Comércio 31-34, is on the square (Hotels.comad). Where to stay in Lisbon compares Baixa with the other areas, every hotel adds the €4 a night tourist tax for up to 7 nights, and the Metro stops at 01:00 on a normal night, so a hotel within walking distance of the square saves the trip home.
For the weeks before, see Christmas in Lisbon; for the weather in January, best time to visit Lisbon; and for the plan once the sights reopen, 3 days in Lisbon.
Common questions
Where are the fireworks in Lisbon on New Year's Eve?
At Terreiro do Paço, also called Praça do Comércio, the square on the river in Baixa. In 2025 the free party began at 21:30 with DJs and live acts and the fireworks went off at midnight, to an original soundtrack. The 2026 programme is not published yet.
Is New Year's Eve in Lisbon free?
The party at Terreiro do Paço is free to enter; in 2025 it was listed as free entry by Visit Lisboa. The river cruises that watch the fireworks from the water are priced: from £64.06 for a 3-hour cruise with sparkling wine, and from £170.84 for a 2-hour cruise with an open bar, on GetYourGuide on 1 October 2026.
What is closed in Lisbon on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day?
On 31 December, São Jorge Castle and every Parques de Sintra site, Pena Palace included, are closed, and the Oceanário closes at 19:00. On 1 January the Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, São Jorge Castle and the Sintra sites are closed and the Oceanário opens at 11:00.
What day of the week is New Year's Eve in 2026?
Thursday 31 December 2026, with New Year's Day on Friday 1 January 2027, a public holiday.
