When is The Best Time of The Year To Visit Spain?
Discover the land of flamengo, sunny beaches, fascinating culture and beautiful cities...
Spain
When is The Best Time of The Year To Visit Spain?
Discover the land of flamengo, sunny beaches, fascinating culture and beautiful cities...
Explore Spain
I have been travelling to Spain since I was 18 years old, and I never get tired of it, since than we have been in Spain eight times, I think it’s one of the most beautiful countries in Europe that can be visited in each season of the year. Whether you plan to enjoy a city break in the many charming cities/towns or you want to just relax in the sunshine, Spain is a great destination, and it’s not just the vibrant, colourful Barcelona or the royal Madrid that keep calling me back over and over again, but also the charm of Seville, all the stunning beaches of Mallorca and Ibiza, the volcanic landscapes of the Canary Islands. All this added to the warm culture and the excellent cuisine that you find all over the country.
Spain is one of those countries that’s totally incredible to explore also on a road trip, the landscapes are different and fantastic depending on what region you’re in, renting a car is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to take a road trip. The Spanish landscape is one of the most varied in Europe, it’s not just sun, sand and sea. You could be crossing arid deserts or drive along some gorgeous coastal roads, but let’s not forget the hundreds of mountains and National Parks that you can find even in the south of the country like the Sierra Nevada Park. The best time for a beach trip in Spain is between the months of June and mid-September, the beaches of Malaga, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Alicante, Barcelona are typically packed with locals and tourists during the summer. Daytime temperatures in cities on the south of Spain can get really high, especially in July and August, over 40 degrees Celsius. The best time to explore these cities without the risk of getting sunburned is in autumn and spring months from September to November and March to May when the average temperature is about 24°C and there are less tourists than the summer months. Visiting the Spanish cities from June to August can be difficult, as going around the cities with the hot wave that is typical in the country can be a challenge.
Barcelona
There are few cities in Europe where you can enjoy the culture and vibes of a city break with the fun and relaxation of a beach holiday, Barcelona is one of them, the city can offers the best of both worlds, thanks to its location right on the Mediterranean coastline next to the Costa Brava. Barcelona is an incredibly beautiful city by the sea, you have many things to see and do, the main attractions are la Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, la Rambla, the Gothic Quarter, la Pedrera and Casa Batlló, and of course the market La Boqueria. We’ve absolutely fallen in love with the city when we visited in 2009, we can’t wait to go back. Apart from the incredible food, its close proximity to the beach and nature also gives to this city the plus points! And the weather is perfect, you will find the good weather almost every months. If you are a football fan, you can’t missed a visit to the Camp Nou.
The beauty of the historic sites, along with the city’s many museums, galleries, music history (the Palau de la Musica is beautiful), and plenty of good places to eat in Barcelona, make the city an exceptional travel experience.
Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura is the second largest island of the Canary Islands and one of the top destinations in Spain almost all year round, especially in winter months when in most of European countries the temperatures are dropping, in the Canary Islands it’s rarely going below 15 degrees.
There is sunshine all year round, during the summer the temperatures are between 20 and 25 degrees, and never rains, we visited the island in November 2015 for a week, and the weather was perfect, the water wasn’t very warm, but it’s still ocean, so no complaint.
Holidays to Fuerteventura are pretty cheap, we booked the flights with Norwegian airline for 90£ each and food, drink and accommodation is all very reasonable while you’re out here. Due to the strong winds in Fuerteventura, watersports are really popular, you can choose from windsurfing, kite surfing, surfing, sailing and fishing. This is without a doubt the ideal destination for anyone looking to exercise while away on holiday. You can find all types of beaches in the island, miles and miles of deserted white and black sandy beaches and a clear sea.
Ibiza
One of the most famous, scenic, and popular Islands in the Mediterranean sea, the island’s size is relatively small, you can drive everywhere in less than 30-40 minutes. Ibiza is well known for its wild nightlife, but there are also plenty of other exciting things to do during the day, from exploring and relaxing in the gorgeous beaches, hiking to the top of Sant Josep de sa Talaia for an amazing view, to discovering and doing some shopping in the many hippie markets around the island. We visited Ibiza in June 2017 for five days, from London, you can fly into the Ibiza’s sun in just over two hours. Ibiza town-Eivissa, the capital of Ibiza, is a bubbling town and is one of the many surprises of the island, you will find many restaurants, bars, and terraces, and the harbour where luxury yachts come to dock.
Ibiza is known as a party island, but yet we went clubbing only once in 5 days, in the Circoloco-DC10 (amazing), what many people might not know, and we didn’t expect it as well, is that it also has a relaxed and peaceful side to it. You can visit Ibiza just to enjoy the many beautiful beaches everywhere in the island, it is suited for everyone, the younger generation, the families with kids and the older generation.
One stop that you can’t missed while in Ibiza, is a daily visit to Formentera. From Ibiza, you have the opportunity to visit another incredible island just with a 30 min ferry boat. Once you are in Formentera port, you can hire a scooter so will be much easier to go around and explore the many places this little island can offer you.
Mallorca
Mallorca is the largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands, it’s a very stunning island home of beautiful coves and beaches, limestone Mountains and its Moorish and Roman remains, the capital of the island is Palma which is home to the 13th century Santa Maria Cathedral. The gothic cathedral is built on the site of a former Arab mosque, it is one of the tallest gothic cathedrals in the world.
We visited Mallorca in 2008, we were a group of 10 friends, our first holiday abroad, we were based just outside Magaluf as we planned to have a “party” week, if you’re into clubbing you can’t do better than staying in Magaluf area in Mallorca.
The Island is packed with beautiful coves, our favourite one is La Cala del Moro, a cove of sand and rocks, located on the southeast of the island. Cala Formentor is also one of the most beautiful natural beaches in Mallorca, it’s surrounded by the Tramuntana mountains. Visiting Mallorca is like exploring a paradise island, because there are plenty of breath-taking views, attractions and untouched beaches around the island. There are not many islands in Europe where you can have it all, beautiful beaches, party, hike in the mountains and explore beautiful old towns.
Galicia
Located in north western Spain, above Portugal, the coast of Galicia is the largest one in Spain with almost 1500 km of coastline. The area of the Rías Bajas stands out for the beauty of its landscapes, all the Galician coastline is full of beautiful, unspoilt, sandy beaches from the spectacular Playa de Las Catedrales on the Costa Lucence to the magnificent Playa Lanzada. We visited the Galicia region in November 2019, we combined two days in Porto and three amazing days in this region. Travelling around by car is the best option, from Porto we drove just more than one hour and we were in Vigo, from there you can start your Galician trip, we were based in the little town of Raxó.
Galicia may not be as popular for a beach holiday as Spain’s Costa del Sol, Costa Dorado or the Costa Brava, but it’s actually home to many spectacular and wild beaches and if you are a seafood lover, Galicia is a top gastronomic destination. The region is famous for the best tasting and freshest seafood anywhere in Spain, you can find cockles, clams, shrimps, crabs, mussels, lobsters, and oysters and all pretty reasonably priced. In the Rías Bajas you will find a small paradise, with just 45 min sailing from Vigo, you will arrive in Cíes Islands, an amazing national marine park, one of the country’s most beautiful places, perfect for a day trip if you are staying around Vigo, there are no cars in the islands, no hotels and visitor numbers are strictly limited.
Madrid
The capital of Spain is one of the best city breaks to do in Europe, Madrid is a city that’s predominantly sunny and the weather is good year round. The weather is pretty dry, so it can get quite fresh in the winter and extremely hot in the summer, can go easily over 40 degrees Celsius.
Spain is all about food, and where else than the capital will you find some of the best tapas?! I suggest going to the Mercado San Miguel for some gourmet local specialties, and I highly recommend the tapas restaurant Juana La Loca, next to the La Latina metro station. We spent 3 days in Madrid, in January 2017, enough time to visit the main attractions of the city and the weather was quite good as well, around 15 degrees Celsius. Really easy to go around the city thanks to the metro service, really good service. My favourite part of the city is the Retiro Park, the main park of the city where everyone goes for a picnic on the hot summer days. It’s a lovely park to walk around in, and you also have the central pond where you can rent a little rowing boat, and it is also home to the beautiful Palacio de Cristal.
Seville
Seville is one of Spain’s most beautiful cities in my opinion, visiting Seville means discovering a very rich architectural and historical legacy, but also diving into the Spanish culture, with tapas, sangria and flamenco. In November 2017 we spent 3 fantastic days in this city, we stayed in a Airbnb just 10 min walking from the city centre, the weather was perfect, around 20 degrees every day. The best time to visit Seville is from March to May or after September, during these months the temperatures are mild, the rush of tourist traffic hasn’t reached summer volume and the hotels tend to offer lower rates. In Summer time the temperature are extremely hot. Seville is the birthplace of Flamenco, so one night we experienced a dinner with show in “El Palacio Andaluz”, really cool thing to do.
The most famous attraction of the city are La Giralda, the bell tower of Seville Cathedral, there is a magnificent panoramic view over the whole city of Seville. Just next to the cathedral there is another beautiful monument, The Alcázar of Seville, really worth a visit. My favourite place to visit in the city is the famous Plaza de España, this is simply the most beautiful square I have ever seen.
Valencia
I really love the vibes and the lifestyle of Valencia, even being the third-largest city in Spain, it is considered to be more a slow traveller city than just a quick holiday destination. It is the perfect combination of art, culture, fun nightlife, and amazing beach. Plan to spend at least 3 nights in the city, I was here with few friends in June 2018 for 4 days, really loved it, Valencia is one of those destinations that never disappoints. Is a city that offers 300 days of sun per year with an average temperature of almost 18 degrees, so it’s a destination to visit every month of the year. Hire a bike to go around the city or to go to Playa de la Malvarrosa, is the best way to explore every little corner of the city.
If you are a paella lover, Valencia is the perfect city, you can’t leave the city without having a real Valencian paella. I highly recommend a visit to the ‘City of Arts and Sciences’ and the ‘Oceanografic Valencia’, as they are a must see for any first time visitor in the city and one of the most popular things to do in Valencia.
Some cool tips you should know about Spain
01.
Spanish summers are very hot
If you are planning a road trip, try to avoid the months of July and August, especially in the heart of Spain where temperature can get over 40 °C. If you want to enjoy the Spanish beaches from May until October the weather is perfect.
02.
Don’t expect to eat dinner before 8 pm
Meal times in Spain go a lot later than other countries. Most people in Spain eat a small breakfast – if anything at all, usually just a small cup of coffee – and then eat their biggest meal of the day, lunch, between 2 and 4 pm. Then they eat dinner around 9 pm or later!
03.
"Siesta" is a real thing in Spain
The siesta is one of the most notable aspects of Spanish life - that dead period in the late afternoon when everything shuts down in Spain, in theory, so people can rest and take a nap. Apart from the biggest stores and restaurants, most shops close down around 2 pm for 2 or 3 hours.
Explore more about Spain
sierra nevada national park
The Sierra Nevada National Park is a paradise for hikers, with an incredible range of scenery. As you climb up from Granada, you will have spectacular mountain views over the surrounding countryside and of Granada. On a clear day, you can even see right across the Mediterranean to Morocco.
San Sebastián
Located in the Basque Country on the north coast of Spain, just 20 km away from the French border, San Sebastian, famous for two different areas of the culinary world: Pinchos (the Basque word for tapas) and Michelin star restaurants. San Sebastian's Old Town or Parte Vieja is surrounded by beautiful narrow pedestrian streets and amazing architecture. La Concha Beach next to the Old Town is the best beach near the city.
Toledo
Just 30 minutes from Madrid by train, Toledo is one of the best options for a day trip from the capital. It's one of the oldest and most unique cities in Spain, you'll find mosques opposite Catholic chapels, and beautiful synagogues.
Córdoba
A perfect day trip if your are based in Seville, Córdoba is one of Andalusia’s most fascinating cities. The Roman Bridge is one of the main attractions of the city, it allows access to the city centre. Is the main legacy of the Roman period, while another of Córdoba's most well known symbols is La Mezquita, an incredible architectural complex and the largest temple to be built in Muslim Spain.
