Are you planning a holiday to Spain and wondering when is the best time of year to visit? Spain is a fantastic year-round holiday destination and there really is no bad time to visit. However, the best time to visit Spain will be different for different types of holidaymakers, so you should think about what you plan to do in Spain before deciding on a month.
The weather is a big factor when considering when to travel. Whilst Spain’s summer sun can be perfect for beach holidays, the heat can be a bit unbearable for city sightseeing or countryside hiking. So, take a look at the best times to visit Spain, whatever your interests…
The best time to enjoy the beach
Whilst it’s true that you can even sunbathe in December in Spain, for the hottest beach weather you’ll want to travel in June, July or August. Try not to miss southern Spain, particularly the beautiful Canary Islands. Getting around there is quite easy as there are rental services like Riderly (check this out) for those who like traveling by motorbike.
The best time for city breaks
Spain has some fantastic cities to explore such as Madrid, Barcelona and Seville. In the school summer holidays, Spain’s cities can get very crowded. Long queues for attractions combined with stifling heat can make summer sightseeing a somewhat unpleasant experience. Instead, why not opt to visit in winter? If you plan to visit museums and art galleries, you’ll likely be spending most of the day indoors anyway.
The best time for music festivals
Spain is home to many music festivals such as Sónar, Bilbao BBK Live, Primavera Sound and the MadCool Festival. These all take place in June and July, when the weather is ideal for this type of activity.
The best time for Carnival
Spain enjoys a traditional festival known as ‘Carnival’ to mark the start of Lent, a Christian religious observance in February each year. This is similar to the Mardi Gras celebrations in the United States. If you’d like to experience Carnival, Tenerife has the most flamboyant of celebrations and also has warmer weather than mainland Spain in February, due to its location next to Africa.
The best time to take a cruise
Barcelona is one of the world’s most popular cruise ports and you’ll find lots of cruise ships departing between May and September to destinations across the Mediterranean. However, in October, a large number of these ships head transatlantic to the sunny Caribbean, returning the following April. So, for the widest choice of ships and itineraries, you’ll want to take a cruise from Spain departing in the late spring, summer or early autumn.
The best time for a cheap getaway
The prices of flights and accommodation in Spain are usually cheapest in January and February, due to a lower demand at this time of year. If you’re on a budget, times to avoid are the July and August school holiday period and Santa Semana, which is also known as ‘Holy Week’, at Easter time.
The best time for family holidays
Families with children are usually limited by the school holidays. But, that doesn’t mean that July and August are necessarily the best times to travel to Spain. Instead, consider October half term and May half term when the weather is still lovely and warm but the beaches are less crowded. Alternatively, you could consider enjoying Christmas in Spain and learning about the traditional celebrations with your children.
When do you plan to visit Spain?
Whenever you plan to visit Spain, you’re sure to have a great time. To really make the most of your time there, it’s a good idea to research what events and festivals are happening while you’re there.
This post was provided by Simon Hansen from Family Travel Planet.
