Every December, Lisbon turns into one of my favourite places to photograph after dark. This will be my sixth Christmas in the city, and over the years I’ve learned where to find the best lights, which streets photograph beautifully at blue hour, and where to escape some of the busiest crowds.
If you’re visiting Lisbon this holiday and want to capture it with your own camera, you can join me for a private Lisbon Christmas lights photo walk. Whether you’re still getting to grips with your camera or you’re a more experienced photographer, I’ll tailor the walk to your ability, interests and the kind of photos you want to create.
During the session, I’ll help you with your settings, composition and photographing the city after dark while we explore some of Lisbon’s most festive streets. Below, I’ll show you what the experience includes, where we might photograph, what you’ll learn and how to book your photo walk.
Lisbon Christmas photo walk at a glance
| Duration | 3 or 6 hours: approx. 30-minute camera/settings session + 2.5 or 5.5-hour photo walk |
|---|---|
| Who it’s for | Beginners to intermediate photographers |
| Camera | DSLR, mirrorless or smartphone |
| Group size | Private experience for you and your group, up to 6 people. Please contact me for larger groups. |
| Walking | Approx. 4–5 kilometres (2.5–3.1 miles) on the 3-hour route; longer sessions vary depending on the route. |
| Start time | Usually around one hour before sunset, so we can photograph blue hour and the city after dark. |
| What we photograph | Christmas lights, streets, decorations and festive city scenes |
| Tripod needed? | Optional, but not necessary |
| What you’ll learn | Night photography, exposure, composition and photographing festive lights |
| Weather | Runs in light rain; rescheduled or refunded in severe weather |
| Price | From €190 for a private 3-hour workshop |
Why photograph Lisbon with me
Hi! I’m Marga, a local professional photographer and your guide for this Christmas walking tour.
I photograph Lisbon year-round and know how much the city changes once the lights come on. During your Lisbon trip, I’ll help you find the best festive locations, work with the light, and get more confident with your camera without making the evening feel overly technical.
Where we photograph Lisbon’s Christmas lights
The Lisbon Christmas photography tour is not a one-size-fits-all experience. I can personalize the route around what you enjoy photographing, and I always like to include a few less obvious spots so that even locals can discover something new.
That said, the most beautiful lights are in downtown Lisbon, and usually, I meet participants at Praça do Comércio. You will want to take your camera out of your bag straight away, as this is where you can find Lisbon's tallest Christmas tree!
We can spend some time in the Baixa area, as all streets are beautifully decorated. Some highlights are Rua Augusta Arch, Rua Augusta, the parallel streets, and Rossio Christmas market. The area between Praça do Comércio and Rossio Square is usually my favourite, and we can already spend a lot of time here as there is so much to see!
Depending on how much time we have we can venture out to Bairro Alto and Chiado. Some of my favourite stops are along Rua Garrett, while Armazéns do Chiado is decorated from top to bottom each year. From there we can visit Praça Luís de Camões and Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara. Praça Luís de Camões has some amazing vantage points with trams rattling by.
We can then make our way down towards Avenida da Liberdade and finish the walk near Wonderland Lisboa at Parque Eduardo VII, for example.
The Baixa-Chiado area is relatively flat, and where possible I will take escalators and shortcuts so we don't have to climb any hills. The route example I provided is approximately 4–5 kilometres (2.5–3.1 miles).
When are Lisbon’s Christmas lights best for photography?
The lights are installed from as early as the beginning of November, and from mid to late November, areas will slowly brighten up. Most decorations remain in the streets until the first week of January, but not all markets are open for this long.
That is why most of the Christmas photo walks in Lisbon take place from late November until the first week of January. Lisbon by night gets an incredible upgrade each Christmas season!
Inaugurations are the busiest days and I tend to avoid those for photoshoots and photo walks. Thousands of people want to witness this moment and venture throughout the city to see it all. Weekends are often busier too, so I prefer weekday evenings, ideally earlier in the week, when we have a better chance of avoiding the biggest crowds.
Did you know that the decorations are different each year? There is never a dull moment capturing the illuminated streets in Baixa and Chiado!
Want to photograph the lights with me?
If you’d rather explore Lisbon’s Christmas lights with some guidance, join me for a private photography workshop. We’ll capture Lisbon by night and work on composition and your camera settings while photographing the city’s festive streets together.
What camera equipment should you bring?
You don’t need loads of expensive gear for this photo walk. The most important thing is to bring a camera or phone you’re comfortable using, because we’ll focus much more on available light, composition and getting confident photographing after dark.
Camera
A DSLR or mirrorless camera is perfect if you have one, but you don’t need a professional setup.
Bring the lens you already use most often. A standard zoom is especially useful because we’ll photograph everything from wider street scenes and Christmas decorations to smaller details.
If you have a fast prime lens, you can bring that too, as the wider aperture can be helpful in low light. But don’t worry if you don’t own one! Part of the workshop is learning how to get the most out of the equipment you already have.
Make sure your battery is charged and bring a spare if you have one. Night photography and colder weather can drain batteries faster than expected.
Film cameras are welcome too. I don’t shoot film as often as I’d like, but Christmas in Lisbon is a great excuse to bring one along.
Smartphone
You can absolutely join the photo walk and use a smartphone. Modern phones are surprisingly good at night photography, and we can work on composition, exposure, reflections, movement and using the Christmas lights creatively. Can you guess which images on this page were taken with my phone?
If your phone has different settings, such as a dedicated night mode, I can also show you when those are useful and when they can actually make an image look worse.
The experience is certainly not about having the “right” camera! It’s about learning how to see and photograph the scene in front of you.
Do you need a tripod?
No, you don’t need to bring a tripod.
Most of the walk is through busy central Lisbon, so carrying and setting up a large tripod can sometimes be more trouble than it’s worth. We can focus mainly on photography techniques that don't require a tripod.
If you already own a small travel tripod and enjoy using it, you’re welcome to bring it. It can be useful for experimenting with long exposures, light trails or more creative techniques and nighttime shots.
But if you don’t have one, don’t buy one just for the tour.
What do I usually bring?
For a photo walk, I usually bring either my Canon 5D or Sony Alpha 7, depending on what I feel like shooting with that day. I like using a tripod so I can get a bit creative along the route. If you don't have a tripod, you're welcome to try mine during the walk.
For lenses, I normally keep it simple with a 35mm and a 28–70mm zoom. The 35mm is great for street scenes and working in tighter spaces, while the zoom gives me more flexibility when I want to quickly change the composition.
I prefer travelling light, especially when we’re walking through busy streets after dark. A spare battery and lens cloth are always useful too, and if rain is possible, I’ll bring something to keep the camera protected.
What you’ll learn on the Christmas photography workshop
We usually meet in a café, where the first 30 minutes of the workshop are spent going through your camera settings and anything you’re unsure about before we head outside. That leaves around 2.5 hours for photographing the city lights together.
If you already know your settings well, we can spend less time on the basics and tailor the session more towards the areas you actually want help with.
You’ll learn how to:
- Photograph Christmas lights without losing detail
- Adjust your settings as daylight turns into night
- Take sharper handheld photos in low-light conditions
- Manual settings or long exposures
- Framing and composition in busy Lisbon streets
- Use reflections, movement and festive details creatively
- Work with the equipment you already own
- Choose your own angles and settings with more confidence
A big part of the workshop is helping you understand why you're changing a setting rather than simply telling you which settings to use.
You might arrive unsure how to expose Christmas lights without blowing them out, struggling to get sharp photographs after dark, or wondering what to include in a busy Lisbon street scene.
By the end of the walk, my aim is for you to feel much more confident adjusting your settings as the light changes, photographing bright decorations against dark streets, and composing busy city scenes on your own.
You will go home not only with photographs that capture what Christmas in Lisbon actually felt like, but with night-photography skills, you can use long after your trip.
You’ll also receive a digital copy of my photography guide, full of practical tips you can keep as a reference after the experience.
Who is this Lisbon Christmas photo walk for?
This photo walk is designed for beginners and photography enthusiasts, but you don’t need particular photography skills to join. Most beginners settle in surprisingly quickly once we've spent a little time on settings at the start, so don't worry if manual mode still feels confusing when you arrive.
If you’re still learning your camera, I can help with settings, low-light photography and composition as we go. If you’re more experienced, we can spend less time on the basics and focus more on finding interesting locations, angles and festive scenes around Lisbon.
More experienced and professional photographers are welcome too. We can skip the technical basics and focus instead on locations, angles and finding more interesting ways to photograph the Christmas decorations.
Children are also welcome. I don’t set a strict minimum age, but they should be old enough to follow the photography guidance and enjoy a walk of around three hours without getting bored.
Book your Christmas photo walk
All of my photography workshops are private. When you book, the session is reserved for you and whoever you're travelling with rather than joining a larger public tour.
Groups are kept small, with a maximum of six people, so I can give everyone individual photography guidance. If you'd like to book for a larger group, contact me and we can discuss the options.
from €190
We'll usually start around blue hour and continue into the evening, giving you time to photograph the changing light as well as Lisbon after dark.
Price: €190 for one person
Additional guests: €35 per person
Maximum group size: 6 people
Best for: Visitors and local photographers who want a focused evening of hands-on photography guidance while exploring Lisbon during the holidays.
from €320
For a more complete experience, we can start during the day and photograph Lisbon as the light changes through golden hour, blue hour and into the night.
The longer session gives us more time to explore different areas, experiment with your photography and work at a slower pace.
Price: €320 for one person
Additional guests: €50 per person
Maximum group size: 6 people
Best for: Photographers who want more time to practise, explore different locations and get deeper one-to-one guidance throughout the changing light.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a professional camera?
No. You’re welcome to join with a DSLR, mirrorless camera or smartphone. We’ll work with the equipment you already have rather than focusing on buying more gear.
What is included in the photo walk?
Your booking includes a private photography experience, personalized guidance throughout the session, a route tailored to your interests and experience level, and a digital copy of my photography guide.
The 3-hour experience usually includes around 30 minutes of camera guidance followed by 2.5 hours photographing Lisbon. The 6-hour experience gives us more time to explore photo opportunities, practise different techniques and photograph the city as the light changes from day into night.
Is the photo walk suitable for beginners?
Yes! If you have no idea what all the buttons do, you are very welcome. We usually start with around 30 minutes in a café to go through your settings and any questions before heading out.
If you already know your camera well, we can keep this part shorter and spend more time photographing.
Can experienced or professional photographers join?
Absolutely. If you already understand your camera and night photography, there may be less technical teaching involved, but I can guide you through the Christmas displays and photography locations I think are most worth visiting.
What happens if it rains?
In the winter, there is a higher chance of rain. That doesn’t necessarily stop the photo walk! Wet streets can create beautiful reflections from the Christmas lights and give us some fun photography opportunities. We do need to keep our cameras and other gear protected, so come prepared if light rain is forecast. Also, good shoes are a must as the streets can get slippery when wet.
If heavy rain makes the walk impractical, we’ll first look at rescheduling to another suitable time. If rescheduling isn’t possible, you’ll receive a refund.
What should I wear/bring?
Bring your camera or smartphone, a fully charged battery, comfortable walking shoes and clothing suitable for a December evening in Lisbon.
If you use a camera and have a spare battery, it’s worth bringing that too.
When do the Christmas lights usually switch on?
The Christmas lights are usually switched on from mid to late November or early December and stay up until early January.
During the festive season, the lights generally come on around dusk. Usually from 17:30 onwards you can expect the city to brighten up.
Photograph Lisbon at Christmas with me
If you’d like to put these tips into practice, join me for a private photography walk through Lisbon. We’ll photograph the lights together, work on your night photography, and adjust the route and teaching to your experience level.
Prefer to be in the photos? I also offer Lisbon Christmas photoshoots.
from €190
We'll usually start around blue hour and continue into the evening, giving you time to photograph the changing light as well as Lisbon after dark.
Price: €190 for one person
Additional guests: €35 per person
Maximum group size: 6 people
Best for: Visitors and local photographers who want a focused evening of hands-on photography guidance while exploring Lisbon during the holidays.
from €320
For a more complete experience, we can start during the day and photograph Lisbon as the light changes through golden hour, blue hour and into the night.
The longer session gives us more time to explore different areas, experiment with your photography and work at a slower pace.
Price: €320 for one person
Additional guests: €50 per person
Maximum group size: 6 people
Best for: Photographers who want more time to practise, explore different locations and get deeper one-to-one guidance throughout the changing light.
