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Best time to visit Spain

Spain holds a rich variety of landscapes which will no doubt have an effect on the best time to visit Spain where personal interests are concerned. Picos de Europa, Catalonia and Andalucia are all featured on our easy to use temperature & rainfall chart whereas the month by month guide delves a little deeper into cultural and seasonal events.

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Best time to visit Spain

Spain is huge and varied - its climate ranging from desert to tropical to downright British.

Year-round, there will be an ideal region for your Spanish holiday. Spring and autumn are generally the best time to visit Spain, with sunshine but not hellish heat, and you’ll miss the summer crowds. Parts of Andalucia are blissful in winter – you can ski mountain slopes and sunbathe on a beach in the same day. For midsummer activity holidays, avoid the ovenlike south and humid east – and head north, to Asturias, Galicia or the Pyrenees. Fiestas happen all year and every village has its own celebration – flamenco, (toy) goat-throwing or tomato tossing – so time your trip to see one.

Call us for the best time to go to Spain

Picos de Europa Weather Chart

MIN °C

MAX °C

RAIN (mm)

JAN

110

FEB

100

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

120

NOV

110

DEC

140

Our Spain Holidays

Spain, month by month

Although January and February can be extremely cold on higher grounds and in the north and centre of Spain, the south and Mediterranean coast experience temperatures that are a lot more bearable than the frightful heat of summer. The Three Wise Men - known locally as Los Reyes Magos - visit on the night of 5th January, with processions across the country featuring dancing 'Bedouins', floats and sweet-throwing. Children wake up on 6th to find their shoes filled with presents. Traditionally, this day was more important than Christmas; although things are changing, you will still find this is a public holiday and many places will close. So cosy up - and leave your shoes out... The Sierra Nevada and Spanish Pyrenees often have snow covering in March and April however, lower down the slopes, the rest of the country is starting to warm up with Andalucia particularly pleasant, and the fragrant orange blossom emerging. April, May and June are considered the best times to visit Spain if you’re looking for warmth and fewer crowds along the coast although northern regions around the Basque Country and Picos de Europa will still find changeable conditions so pack for every eventuality. Spring and early summer is also one of the best seasons for festivals and ferias - from Easter's semana santa to local flamenco fairs and the incredible castellers human towers of Catalonia. Ask your holiday company or accommodation about what's going on - and try and catch a fiesta or two! July and August bring the package holiday makers as well as all the Spaniards escaping the city heat, so avoid the Costa resorts if you can as well as the stifling heat of western Andalucía, particularly around Seville and Cordoba. The summer is actually the best time to visit the north of Spain as temperatures are warm without being too oppressive and you can be walking one moment and then at the beach the next. September temperatures are still up there although Catalonia and the north, including Galicia and Asturian, are starting to soften with the autumn generally thought of as the best time to visit Spain as an alternative to the spring. October finds typical British-style weather in the north of Spain with temperatures dipping across the country. Andalucia can still be in the 20s at this time of year - but do brig a brolly. Downpours can be sudden and fierce. November and December allows Spain to return to normal without the tourists and if you’re looking for a touch of summer sunshine then head to Andalucía, where sunshine is abundant and while temperatures can dip, you'll still get the odd, glorious, 20-degree day. Siesta time takes place from 2pm – 5pm every day, particularly down south, and many shops close on Saturday afternoons - reopening on Monday. During the height of the Andalucian summer, many smaller shops will only open in the mornings - even in cities. To be fair, shopping will be the last thing on your mind once it tops 40.

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Responsible Travel recommends

Paul Fellows, from our supplier Walk Andalucia, shares his best time to visit Spain – especially the south: “For walking in Andalucia, we’d recommend coming between September and May, this is when we run our tours as it’s too hot between May and September. December and January are the coldest months, but worst case scenario you’ll be down to seven or eight degrees. But if the sun is out during the day, it can get up to 20 or 25!”

Andrew Appleyard, from our supplier Exodus, shares his best time to visit Spain for bird lovers:
“The best part about going to southern Andalucia is sitting down and watch the bird migration. All the birds get up into the thermals above Africa or above Spain, then they just glide the seven miles across the Strait of Gibraltar in May on the inbound, and September to October on the outbound. You’ll see all the big birds of prey going up, then they just glide all the way across and land on the beach on the other side. It’s quite beautiful.”

Festivals & events in Spain

Easter Week

During Semana Santa (Holy Week), elaborate floats containing holy figures are paraded through towns across Spain. Some weigh over a ton; those carrying them train throughout the year. Penitentes bear crosses, and nazarenos wear robes with disturbing conical hoods. Seville has the most famous displays – but these result in horrendous crowds and its main attractions being closed off. Choose a smaller town with more intimate celebrations – people enjoy the processions for the spectacle as much as for the religious aspect.

More about Spain

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Things to do in Spain

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Unlock the secrets of Spain as you walk the country’s mountainous interior and wonderfully wild coastlines, discovering an authentic slice of Spanish life, with not a parasol in sight.

Things to see & do in Catalonia

Catalonia packs a world of landscapes into one region, from 3,000m snow-capped Pyrenean peaks, to the warm turquoise waters of the Mediterranean.

Things to see & do in Andalucia

Rich with influences from Moorish, Roman, Greek, Phoenician and Byzantine civilisations, Andalucía is one of the most diverse and fascinating regions of Spain.

Things to see & do in the Picos de Europa

You’ll have a wild and wonderful walking holiday in the Picos de Europa, where small group and tailor made trips get your adrenalin pumping against the most bucolic of backdrops.

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Cycling holidays in Spain

Leave the tourist trails on two wheels and see a side of the country far removed from the costas and the big smoke.

Winter holidays in Spain

Winter holidays in Spain don’t necessarily mean sun-seeking along the coast. Instead, look upwards, to the mountainous magnificence of the Sierra Nevada and the Spanish Pyrenees.

Top 6 small ship cruising holidays in Spain

Our best small ship cruising holidays in Spain unlock the Moorish heritage of the Iberian Peninsula, as well as providing safe passage to the ports of Portugal, Morocco, France and the Netherlands.

Tips for the first time traveller to Spain

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From the sites of spaghetti westerns to whitewater rafting, we know what to do with little ones so all you have to do is pack and go.

Spain travel advice

We value tips from our friends in Spain really highly so read on for recommendations from the experts and from travellers who have been there.

Responsible tourism in Spain

Travel right in Spain and you’ll quickly discover why the brain drain, dolphinaria, bull fighting and corruption in the construction industry are all worth researching.

All our Spain guides

Find all of our Spain guides in one place, from guides to Andalucia, Valencia or the Canary Islands to advice on activity holidays including walking and cycling.