Early May 1 May
73°F
Typical afternoon high
13% historical wet-day frequency
Portugal · Beach
The Algarve
in May.
Is May a good time?
Warm days.
More overnight stays than April.
May averages 77°F afternoons and 64°F seas, with about 3 rain days. Later May is typically warmer.
- Afternoons
- 77°F
- Sea
- 64°F
- Visitor demand
- 59%of August peak
Historical Algarve regional averages, not a forecast or a measure of queues. Overnight demand compares average stays per day. Covers Lagos, Albufeira and Faro; conditions vary within the region.
Overall match
8.6/10 · scores & prioritiesWhat matters most?
Weather 50% · Crowds 30% · Cost 20%
#1 of 12 months here · Balanced mix
Weather9.6/10Excellent
CrowdsModerate seasonvs its own year; overnight stays do not measure queuesFor its size, one of Europe's busiest this month
CostCheapfor Europe
Overall combines weather, overnight demand and cost. It does not include sea temperature.
Plan your May
What to expect.
What should I pack?
Afternoons around 77°F (25°C): T-shirt weather; nights around 57°F (14°C): a sweater and a light jacket. About 14 hours of daylight. About 3 rain days in a typical May.
Can I swim in May?
The sea averages 64°F. Our swimming guide: fresh: fine once you are in. Your comfort will vary. This is open water near the coast, not a beach-specific reading.
Monthly coastal averages from NOAA, 2011–2025. Sea temperature is separate from the weather and Overall scores.
A typical day: temperatures & daylightAfternoons, nights, sea temperature & daylight Show detailsHide details
About 14 hours of daylight.
The sun rises about 06:24 and sets about 20:33 (local time, mid-month). Mornings start around 57°F (14°C); afternoons reach about 77°F (25°C). Expect rain on about 3 days in a typical May.
Typical afternoon
77°F (25°C)
average daily high, 15 recent Mays
Night low
57°F (14°C)
average daily minimum
Sea
64°F (18°C)
fresh; open water near the coast, NOAA satellite record 2011–2025
Daylight
14h 08m
on the 15th, computed from latitude
Early, middle or late?
Early or late May?
Late May is typically warmer. The afternoon high averages 73°F on the 1st, versus 80°F on the 31st. Historical wet-day frequency falls from 13% to 4% between those dates.
Mid May 15 May
77°F
Typical afternoon high
12% historical wet-day frequency
Late May 31 May
80°F
Typical afternoon high
4% historical wet-day frequency
Historical daily averages from 2011–2025, smoothed over two weeks. A seasonal pattern, not a forecast. This does not establish which week has the lowest prices or fewest visitors.
Public holidays · 2027: 1 May Labor Day; 27 May Corpus Christi.
Daily calendar & holiday datesMay 2027 · historical weather & dated holidays Show calendarHide calendar
May 2027 calendar
Weather shows historical patterns, not a forecast. Holidays and events use the dates shown for 2027.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 173° | 274° | |||||
| 374° | 474° | 575° | 675° | 776° | 876° | 976° |
| 1077° | 1177° | 1277° | 1377° | 1477° | 1577° | 1677° |
| 1778° | 1878° | 1978° | 2078° | 2178° | 2278° | 2378° |
| 2478° | 2579° | 2679° | 2779° | 2879° | 2980° | 3080° |
| 3180° |
Afternoon high rain likely (25%+) local school holidays public holiday event
Afternoons warm from about 74°F (24°C) in the first week to 79°F (26°C) in the last. The chance of a wet day runs 4–14%.
No school holidays here in May 2027. Public holidays: 1 May Labor Day; 27 May Corpus Christi. Elsewhere in May 2027, the share of people living where schools are out on a typical day: Germany 13%, Greece 29%. (School holidays: OpenHolidays, ODbL.)
Crowds and cost
Visitor season
Will it be busy?
Moderate season. May averages 59% of August's overnight stays per day. More overnight stays than April.
Overnight stays across Algarve do not measure queues, day visitors or congestion at individual sights. For its size, one of Europe's busiest this month.
Hotel price season
Will it be cheaper?
About usual. Historical regional hotel revenue (2024–2025 monthly average): €55 per guest-night. An average, not a booking quote.
Fewer overnight stays do not automatically mean cheaper rooms. Check actual quotes for your trip.
Historical hotel average
€55
2024–2025 monthly average; hotel revenue per guest-night; not a current booking quote. −1% vs this region's usual month.
Portugal as a whole
Well below EU average
2024 restaurants and hotels price level: 76 where the EU average is 100. A relative index, not a room rate.
The historical regional amount comes from INE Portugal, Inquérito à Permanência de Hóspedes: hotel room revenue per guest-night; the country price level is national. Hotel averages are not live booking quotes.
Year-to-year variation
How much does May vary?
Across the recorded years
In the 15 years from 2011 to 2025, the month's afternoons averaged between 73°F (23°C) and 81°F (27°C); in 10 of them they were within 3°F (1.5°C) of the typical 77°F (25°C). Rain days ranged from 0 to 9; half the years had 1–4.
Rain days in each May
Rain days
3
at least 1 mm, typical year; about 7 in a wet year
Mostly sunny days
15 of 31
cloud cover under 30%
Years with a 95°F+ day
4 of 15
of the last 15 Mays had at least one day at or above 95°F (35°C)
Good weather days
27 of 31
rated very good or better
See every recorded MayHistorical monthly averages, year by year Show detailsHide details
| Year | Afternoon high | Rain days |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 77°F | 9 |
| 2012 | 78°F | 4 |
| 2013 | 74°F | 1 |
| 2014 | 78°F | 2 |
| 2015 | 81°F | 0 |
| 2016 | 73°F | 8 |
| 2017 | 78°F | 4 |
| 2018 | 73°F | 3 |
| 2019 | 80°F | 0 |
| 2020 | 78°F | 6 |
| 2021 | 77°F | 1 |
| 2022 | 80°F | 1 |
| 2023 | 78°F | 3 |
| 2024 | 77°F | 0 |
| 2025 | 77°F | 3 |
Checked against official climate averages for Faro (Aeroporto) and Sagres (Quartel da Marinha). How we check
Compare dates
April, May
or June?
| Typical conditions | Apr | May | Jun |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 71°F | 77°F | 82°F |
| Sea | 62°F | 64°F | 66°F |
| Rain days | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Overnight demand | 52% | 59% | 70% |
April: Cooler afternoons, cooler sea and more rain days than May. Less overnight demand. April guide →
June: Warmer afternoons, warmer sea and fewer rain days than May. More overnight demand. June guide →
Overnight demand measures accommodation stays, not queues. Sea temperatures are monthly coastal averages.
Compare any of the 12 monthsChoose another month and compare it with May Show comparisonHide comparison
Yellow marks the top three months on the Balanced mix. May stays as your reference.
No other scored month has a Weather score at least 1.0 point higher than May.
Your comparison
May or April?
Overnight stays are 52% of the busiest month.
Historical regional hotel revenue (2024–2025 monthly average): €48 per guest-night. An average, not a booking quote.
Read the April guide →| Typical conditions | May | April |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 77°F | 71°F |
| Nights | 57°F | 53°F |
| Sea | 64°F | 62°F |
| Rain days | 3 | 5 |
| Visitor season | Moderate season | Moderate season |
| Overall / 10 | 8.6 | 8.0 |
| Month rank | #1 | #6 |
Every month, in detail Show detailsHide details
| Month | Overall | Rank | High | Low | Sea | Rain days | Weather | Visitor season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.8 | #11 | 62°F | 48°F | 61°F | 4 | 5.9 | Low season |
| February | 7.8 | #10 | 64°F | 49°F | 60°F | 4 | 6.2 | Low season |
| March | 7.8 | #9 | 67°F | 50°F | 60°F | 6 | 6.6 | Moderate season |
| April | 8.0 | #6 | 71°F | 53°F | 62°F | 5 | 7.9 | Moderate season |
| May | 8.6 | #1 | 77°F | 57°F | 64°F | 3 | 9.6 | Moderate season |
| June | 8.4 | #2 | 82°F | 60°F | 66°F | 0 | 10.0 | Busy season |
| July | 7.9 | #7 | 87°F | 63°F | 68°F | 0 | 10.0 | Peak season |
| August | 7.5 | #12 | 88°F | 64°F | 68°F | 0 | 10.0 | Peak season |
| September | 8.3 | #3 | 82°F | 63°F | 69°F | 2 | 10.0 | Busy season |
| October | 8.3 | #4 | 77°F | 60°F | 68°F | 5 | 9.0 | Moderate season |
| November | 8.2 | #5 | 68°F | 54°F | 66°F | 6 | 7.1 | Low season |
| December | 7.9 | #8 | 64°F | 50°F | 63°F | 5 | 6.3 | Low season |
Near here
Nearby places in May
Nearby regions, nearest first. Distances are centre to centre, as the crow flies; they are not road distances or journey times.
AlentejoPortugal · about 80 miles
Balanced Overall 8.7 · Excellent weather, 79°F (26°C) · Moderate season · Cost moderate
Setúbal PeninsulaPortugal · about 100 miles
Balanced Overall 8.5 · Very good weather, 74°F (23°C) · Moderate season · Cost cheap
LisbonPortugal · about 130 miles
Balanced Overall 8.2 · Excellent weather, 72°F (22°C) · Steady all year · Cost pricey
Óbidos, Nazaré & the Tagus ValleyPortugal · about 140 miles
Balanced Overall 8.3 · Very good weather, 76°F (24°C) · Moderate season · Cost cheap
ExtremaduraSpain · about 170 miles
Balanced Overall 8.4 · Excellent weather, 80°F (26°C) · Busy season · Cost cheap
Elsewhere in Europe
As good as The Algarve in May, but quieter
The Algarve's weather ranks 12 of 77 beach regions this month. The Algarve already has excellent weather in May; these beach regions outside Portugal are about as good and quieter for their season, nearest first.
PugliaItaly · about 1350 miles
Excellent weather (9.1): about as warm, 2 more rain days, quieter for its season (low season), pricier
Corfu & the Ionian IslandsGreece · about 1550 miles
Excellent weather (9.4): 5°F cooler afternoons, quieter for its season (moderate season), pricier
Western Greeceabout 1620 miles
Excellent weather (9.5): about as warm, 2 more rain days, quieter for its season (moderate season), pricier
Meteora, Pelion & the SporadesThessaly · Greece · about 1640 miles
Excellent weather (9.3): about as warm, 3 more rain days, quieter for its season (low season), pricier
PeloponneseGreece · about 1670 miles
Excellent weather (10.0): about as warm, quieter for its season (moderate season), pricier
How we knowSources, regional scope & scoring method Show detailsHide details
It's moderate season, 59% of the busiest month and 12% above its average month. That means about 71,000 overnight visitors on a typical May night across the region, 15% of them from Portugal itself. Rentals booked through Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor add up to 33,000 more: 47 for every 100 counted above. Some are the same properties counted twice.
| Climate suitability (HCI:Beach, 0–100) | 83 |
| How our weather was checked | Official climate averages for Faro (Aeroporto) and Sagres (Quartel da Marinha) from the national weather service, every month: afternoon highs typically within 1°F (0.5°C), night lows within 2°F (0.9°C). |
| Tourist nights per 1,000 residents per day | 144 |
| Busiest month here | August · 246 |
| Visitors as share of people present | 12.6% |
| Rank among Europe's regions this month | 98th percentile |
| Domestic share of nights | 15% |
| Platform rental nights per 100 counted nights | 47 |
| Visitor share if every platform night were extra | 17.5% |
| Population used | 493,000 |
| Statistical region | PT15 · Algarve |
Crowds: Eurostat nights spent at tourist accommodation, by month and NUTS 2 region, 2024–2025 average. Overnight visitors per night is the month's nights divided by its days; the per-1,000 figure is Eurostat's, against each year's population. Platform rentals: Eurostat nights booked via Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor, 2024–2025 average, shown separately because some properties are in both counts. Weather: Holiday Climate Index computed from ERA5 reanalysis with daily highs, night lows and rain days corrected from open national weather-service station records, 2011–2025, population-weighted to the region; day-by-day figures are the same data averaged by date. Heat and rain odds are counted across those years. Sunrise and sunset: NOAA solar equations, local time. Prices: Eurostat price level index and HICP, national; the first figure is regional (INE Portugal, Inquérito à Permanência de Hóspedes: hotel room revenue per guest-night). Full method · this region's data.