# When is the best time to visit Spain? > Best time to visit Spain: April to early June and mid-September to October. Month-by-month weather for Madrid and Seville, the north coast, Semana Santa 2027, heat. - Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/best-time-to-visit-spain - Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from years of travel across 20 countries) - Published: 2026-08-27 **The best time to visit Spain is April to early June and mid-September to October:** Madrid and Andalusia sit in the low to high 20s °C instead of the high 30s, the beaches are still swimmable in September, and you avoid the August price peak. The honest trade-off is that spring in the south carries Semana Santa and Seville's Feria, the two most crowded and expensive weeks of the year there. We travelled Spain from 27 June to 26 August 2022: Madrid, then the north coast from Oviedo and Gijón through Santander, Bilbao, Logroño and San Sebastián, then Barcelona, Valencia and the Andalusian cities of Granada, Córdoba, Sevilla and Cádiz in August. That route is why this guide splits the answer by region. ## 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](https://clevertourists.com/resources/andalusia-itinerary-granada-cordoba-seville-cadiz-by-train). **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](https://clevertourists.com/resources/how-many-days-in-madrid) and [day trips from Madrid](https://clevertourists.com/resources/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](https://clevertourists.com/guides/the-basque-country) and [Gijón](https://clevertourists.com/guides/gijon), and the [Basque tourist tax](https://clevertourists.com/resources/basque-country-tourist-tax-2027-san-sebastian-bilbao). **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](https://clevertourists.com/guides/the-mediterranean-coast) 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](https://clevertourists.com/resources/tipping-in-spain-restaurants-bars-propina-guide). ## 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](https://clevertourists.com/resources/spain-itinerary-our-60-day-route-madrid-north-coast-andalusia), the [2-week itinerary](https://clevertourists.com/resources/spain-itinerary-2-weeks), [Spain eSIM for tourists](https://clevertourists.com/resources/spain-esim-for-tourists) and our [Spain guide](https://clevertourists.com/guides/spain). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the cheapest month to visit Spain? January and February, outside the 6 January holiday, are the cheapest months for mainland city hotels and flights. ### Is August a good time to visit Spain? For the north coast, yes: it is the best month there. For Seville and inland Andalusia, no: average highs are about 36°C (97°F), prices peak on the coasts and many locals are on holiday. ### When is Semana Santa in 2027? Palm Sunday 21 March to Easter Sunday 28 March 2027. ### What is the rainy season in Spain? Spain has no single rainy season. The north coast is wet from autumn to spring, while Madrid and Andalusia get most of their rain from October to April and almost none in July and August.