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Photo locations · Lisbon · Portugal

Lisbon Portas do Sol Viewpoint: sunrise photography forecast

Portas do Sol looks over Alfama’s rooftops toward the Tagus, with church towers and pale walls giving the city view its structure. The outlook is broadly eastward: morning light and an evening glow over the rooftops are different pictures, so choose the session around the result you want.

Sunset tomorrowSunset TuesdaySunset Wednesday

Will tomorrow's sunrise be worth it?

Simplified forecast from the open model run. The full forecast — a second model, your exact viewpoint, the hourly cloud timeline — is in the app.

Global model, about 13 km: less certain than in Europe.

in 9h 10m

Blocked grey lid

Ends

in 9h 48m

Diffused muted light · even light for details & forests

Sky colors

Golden hour
Sunrise

Light corridor: blocked

Why: Thick cloud along the sun's path is likely to stop the low light.

  • Light path: blocked (65% blocking cloud at the ray's height)
  • Sun: likely hidden. Low cloud fills the horizon (71%); the sun will probably stay behind it.
Viewer's line of sight, tangent to the Earth at your locationNear-ground relative humidity15% cover — too thin to draw as cloud20% cover — too thin to draw as cloud6% cover — too thin to draw as cloud11% cover — too thin to draw as cloudConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 10–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 10–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 45–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 37–64% cover · 10–25% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 45–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 10–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 45–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 64–64% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 11–100% cover · 45–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 10–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 11–100% cover · 45–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 100–100% cover · 10–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 11–100% cover · 45–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 100–100% cover · 10–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 100–100% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 86–86% cover · 10–10% visual uncertainty-5 km · 2.0 km of air with no pressure level in it — the decks above and below are measured, this span is not0 km · 2.0 km of air with no pressure level in it — the decks above and below are measured, this span is notlow cloud · 56% reported, 37% resolved on a pressure surface — 19% is somewhere between 0.06 and 3 kmlow cloud · 60% reported, 42% resolved on a pressure surface — 18% is somewhere between 0 and 3 kmlow cloud · 57% reported, 37% resolved on a pressure surface — 20% is somewhere between 0.04 and 3 kmlow cloud · 52% reported, 32% resolved on a pressure surface — 20% is somewhere between 0.08 and 3 kmmid cloud · 22% reported, 0% resolved on a pressure surface — 22% is somewhere between 3 and 8 kmlow cloud · 71% reported, 49% resolved on a pressure surface — 22% is somewhere between 0.17 and 3 km-5 km · the model says the lowest depicted cloud underside may catch red light · lit on one reading: the strongest cloud toward the sun was set aside, and counting it would have darkened this deck0 km · the model says the lowest depicted cloud underside may catch red light · lit on one reading: the strongest cloud toward the sun was set aside, and counting it would have darkened this deck5 km · the model says the lowest depicted cloud underside may catch red light20 km · the model says the lowest depicted cloud underside may catch red light · lit on one reading: the strongest cloud toward the sun was set aside, and counting it would have darkened this deck50 km · the model says the lowest depicted cloud underside may catch red light

Terrain is drawn for illustration only — it is not used to calculate underlight or obstruction.

cloud-cover fieldinterpolation uncertaintysun directionnear-ground humiditycloud at unresolved heightmodelled underlightunderlight · height uncertainunderlight · lit on one readinglit but hidden behind nearer cloud

Forecast refreshed a few hours before sunrise.

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For photographers: shooting Lisbon Portas do Sol Viewpoint

Best months

March to June and September to November for comfortable walks through the old town. Summer brings long evenings and busy terraces; winter offers shorter sessions with more changeable weather.

Suggested focal lengths

24–70 mm for the rooftops and river; 70–135 mm for church towers and layers of houses.

Composition

Use a church tower or a clear line of rooftops to hold the frame together and keep a strip of river visible. Work from the public viewpoint rather than assuming café tables are freely available tripod space.

Recommended arrival

Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise for a morning session, or 45–60 minutes before sunset to follow the evening colour into blue hour.

Access planning

The viewpoint is reached through Alfama’s hilly streets. Use public transport or walk, watch for trams and keep tripods out of the pedestrian flow. Nearby Santa Luzia is a separate terrace with different foregrounds.

Parking: Use a city car park outside the tightest old-town streets and continue on foot or by public transport.

Approach: An urban approach with sloping lanes and, on some routes, steps. Choose the route according to your equipment and mobility needs.

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