Your decision on when to visit Spain will probably be based on the weather and the events going on. On this page you'll find a month by month guide to help you make your choice.
Once you've decided when to visit Spain, you should think about where to go and where to stay:
The Most Popular Times to Visit Spain
There are some obvious hotspots when it comes to visiting Spain - the summer and Easter are the biggest.Read more about The Best (and Worst) Times to Visit Spain.
Read on for details of what is going on throughout the year in Spain.
January &February
- Why Visit Spain in January/February?
January begins with Three Kings Day celebrations on the 6th, followed by a number of interesting celebrations in the Balearic Islands. The Tamborrada drumming festival in San Sebastian is the biggest event of the month.February is carnival month, with the biggest events appearing in Cadiz and the Canary Islands.
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- Weather:
Cold in the north (Basque country and Cantabria) and in central areas like Madrid and Salamanca, wet in the north-west (Galicia and Asturias) but reasonably mild on the south coast. The Costa del Sol should see quite a bit of sun, but it won't be warm enough to sunbathe. If you're lucky, you might get enough sun in Madrid to be able to sup your wine on an outdoor terraza, but you'll probably still need a jacket.
March & April
- Why Visit Spain in March/April?
Las Fallas, one of the biggest events in Spain, takes place in March in Valencia.Then comes Semana Santa, the drawn-out Spanish version of Easter that lasts a week to ten days in the lead up to Easter Sunday. Almost immediately afterwards comes the Feria de Sevilla, Seville's festival of bullfighting and flamenco.
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- Weather:
You might get some warm weather in Andalusia, you might not, but it's worth packing sunblock and something to keep the chill out, just in case. The whole country is slowly warming up, but the weather could be quite changeable wherever you are. April should see some quite warm weather in Andalusia and sunbathing might be possible, but nothing is guaranteed at this time of year.
May & June
- Why Visit Spain in May/June?
There are a number of local festivals in Spain in May: the Festival de San Isidro in Madrid and the Feria de Patios and Feria de las Cruces in Cordoba and the horse festival in Jerez being the main ones.More:
- Weather:
Hot in the south and warm in much of the rest of the country, though Madrid can remain changeable throughout May and the north and north-west can still expect some cool days. June is much more reliable, with glorious sunshine and warm weather in most of the country.More:
July & August
- Why Visit Spain in July/August?
The Pamplona Running of the Bulls at the San Fermin Festival kicks off the month (though there are a number of other bull runs around this time too). There is also horse racing at Sanlucar this month.August sees the Feria de Malaga, perhaps Andalusia's biggest summer festival. The month ends with the Tomatina Tomato Fight
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- Weather:
Hot, hot, hot! Central locations like Seville and Madrid are ghost towns as the locals migrate to the coast to cool off in the sea.
September & October
- Why Visit Spain in September & October?
Plenty going on in Catalonia in September, with the Festa de Santa Tecla in Tarragona and the Festa de Mercé in Barcelona.In October, catch the Bienal de Flamenco, Spain's biggest flamenco festival, every two years (2008, 2010, etc) as well as a whole host of film festivals
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- Weather:
The weather gets steadily cooler during September and October. It can still be quite warm in September (and far more bearable than in August) but the later you get the more unreliable the weather is likely to be. Weather-wise, this is one of the best time to visit central cities such as Madrid and Salamanca.
November & December
- Why Visit Spain in November/December?
Matters wind down in November as the country gets ready for Christmas, though jazz fans will enjoy the events in Madrid and Granada this month. There's also a number of film festivals going on too.December is dominated by Christmas and the many events associated with it. Read about Christmas Calendar of Events in Spain
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- Weather:
This is when fall turns to winter and the weather will change accordingly. Sunny and chilly in the south; just chilly in the rest of the country. You might see some snow in December, but this is more likely in January or February.More:
