When is the best time to visit Spain?

Quick answer by priority

• Best weather overall: May and late September to mid-October.

• Fewest crowds: November to February, outside Christmas and the Three Kings holiday on 6 January.

• Cheapest: January and February for flights and city hotels, except in the Canary Islands, which peak in winter.

• Festivals: Las Fallas in Valencia (15 to 19 March), Semana Santa (21 to 28 March 2027), Seville's Feria in April, San Fermín in Pamplona (6 to 14 July).

• Avoid: inland Andalusia from late June to August, when Seville averages about 36°C (97°F) highs.

Spain month by month

Figures are typical averages (1991 to 2020 normals) for Madrid and Seville; the north coast is cooler and wetter, and the Mediterranean coast sits between the two.

• January and February: Madrid about 10 to 12°C (50 to 54°F) highs with frosty nights, Seville 16 to 18°C (61 to 64°F). The cheapest time for cities; orange trees in Seville are in fruit.

• March: Madrid 16°C (61°F), Seville 22°C (72°F). Las Fallas fills Valencia from 15 to 19 March, and Semana Santa 2027 runs 21 to 28 March.

• April: Madrid 19°C (66°F), Seville 24°C (75°F), rain on about 6 days. Seville's Feria is expected in mid-April 2027; hotel prices there double that week.

• May: Madrid 23°C (73°F), Seville 28°C (82°F). Our pick for a first trip: patios in Córdoba, green hills in the north, the sea warming in the south.

• June: Madrid 29°C (84°F), Seville 33°C (91°F), very little rain. Long evenings; the heat in Andalusia starts to bite by late June.

• July and August: Madrid about 32 to 33°C (90 to 91°F) highs, Seville and Córdoba about 36°C (97°F) and regularly hotter on heatwave days, with almost no rain. Beaches are packed and prices peak. We were in Madrid at the end of June, the north coast in July and Andalusia in August.

• September: Madrid 27°C (81°F), Seville 32°C (90°F). The best beach month: warm sea, schools back, prices falling after the first week.

• October: Madrid 20°C (68°F), Seville 26°C (79°F); rain returns on about 6 to 7 days. Excellent for Andalusia and La Rioja's harvest.

• November and December: Madrid 13 to 10°C (55 to 50°F), Seville 20 to 17°C (68 to 63°F). Quiet and cheap until the Christmas lights go up in early December.

Region by region

Andalusia (Seville, Granada, Córdoba, Cádiz). Best from March to May and from late September to November. Summer inland is the hottest in Western Europe; sightseeing works only early morning and after 20:00. Granada is a little cooler because of its altitude, and the Sierra Nevada has snow into spring. See our Andalusia itinerary.

Madrid and the interior (Toledo, Salamanca, Segovia). Spring and autumn are ideal. Summers are hot and dry, winters are cold and sunny; Madrid is one of the few Spanish cities that works well in January. Our how many days in Madrid and day trips from Madrid cover the region.

The north coast (Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country). This is the exception to the rule: July and August are the best months here, with highs typically in the mid 20s °C and green hills, while the rest of the year is mild but rainy. It is where we spent July 2022, from Oviedo and Gijón to Poncebos in the Picos de Europa, Santander, Bilbao and San Sebastián. See our guides to the Basque Country and Gijón, and the Basque tourist tax.

The Mediterranean coast (Barcelona, Valencia, Murcia). Beach season runs June to September, with September the best month. Barcelona is a year-round city break, humid in August. Our Mediterranean coast guide covers the stretch from Barcelona to Cartagena.

Festivals and holidays in 2027

• Three Kings (Reyes): 6 January, a national holiday with parades the evening before.

• Las Fallas, Valencia: 15 to 19 March, ending with the burning of the monuments on the night of the 19th.

• Semana Santa: Palm Sunday 21 March to Easter Sunday 28 March 2027. Processions are biggest in Seville, Málaga and Valladolid.

• Feria de Abril, Seville: expected 13 to 18 April 2027 by most listings; the city has not confirmed it yet, so check before you book.

• San Fermín, Pamplona: 6 to 14 July every year.

• La Tomatina, Buñol: the last Wednesday of August, which is 25 August 2027.

• National Day: 12 October; many Spaniards take the long weekend.

Prices and crowds

Domestic demand drives prices. Spanish school holidays run from late June to early September, and August is the month most Spaniards take off, so the coasts are full and some family-run restaurants in Madrid close for part of the month. Semana Santa and the long weekends around 1 May, 12 October, 1 November and 6 December (puentes) push up hotel prices and train fares.

Shoulder sweet spots: the second half of May, the second half of September and October. For the lowest prices, travel from mid-January to the start of Fallas, when city hotels in Madrid, Seville and Barcelona are at their cheapest. Tipping customs do not change with the season; see tipping in Spain.

When not to go, honestly

Seville, Córdoba and inland Andalusia in July and August. Average highs around 36°C (97°F) are only the average; heatwaves push well above 40°C (104°F). It is survivable, and we were in Granada, Córdoba and Sevilla in August 2022, but plan indoor middays, late dinners and accommodation with air conditioning.

The north coast from November to March is green but wet, and the Mediterranean resorts in winter are quiet, with some hotels closed. Semana Santa in Seville is unforgettable but books out months ahead. For a full plan, start with our 60-day Spain route, the 2-week itinerary, Spain eSIM for tourists and our Spain guide.

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