Best Time to Visit Spain

Spring and autumn suit most of Spain

If you only want one rule, here it is: go in April to June or September to October. Barcelona, Madrid, Granada and Marbella all list those months as their best. Seville and Valencia lean slightly earlier in spring and later in autumn, so March and November work well there too.

Spring is the season for Seville's Semana Santa (Holy Week, with huge processions) and the Feria de Abril, which follows after Easter. Both are wonderful, but rooms fill up and prices rise. Valencia's Fallas in March is loud, smoky and fun. Book those trips early.

Summer: pick the coast, skip the inland cities

July is the hottest month in Madrid and Valencia at 35°C, and Seville hits 39°C. Afternoons there feel like an oven, and locals disappear indoors until evening. Sightseeing in the Alhambra in Granada or the Alcázar in Seville is hard work in that heat.

The coast and islands are a better bet. Malaga, Palma and Ibiza peak at 28 to 29°C in August, which is warm but easy. Beaches are lovely, but August is also when Spanish families take their holidays, so expect crowds and top prices. Ibiza's party season runs roughly May to October. Palma is calmer in late spring or September.

Winter and the Canary Islands

Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife are the exceptions. Both are best from November to July, and their hottest month is September at only 24 to 25°C. December is their wettest month, but the rain is light. If you want winter sun, this is where you go.

Elsewhere, winter is low season. Cities are quieter and cheaper, though Madrid feels properly cold. Christmas and New Year are busy with Spanish travellers, and 6 January (Three Kings Day) is a national holiday.

Autumn brings rain to the mainland and islands. October is the wettest month in Barcelona, Seville and Madrid, with Seville just ahead at 69 mm against 68 mm in the other two. Malaga, Palma and Ibiza get their wettest weather in November.