Wintering in Spain

Spanish winter

Spain is located on the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, further the country has several mountain ranges and is thirteen times larger than the Netherlands. Not surprisingly, the Spanish climate is very diverse by region. While the south of Spain is very pleasant in the winter, the northwest of Spain is "chilly" by Spanish standards.

Inland Spain has harsh winters versus dry warm summers. In winter there are pleasant temperatures and blue skies, a pleasant climate for getting out and about.

Due to the great diversity in the landscape, Spain has many different climates. In the northwest of Spain and on the Atlantic Ocean there is a maritime climate, which means that in winter it is around 6 degrees Celsius. With a maritime climate, there is a relatively high amount of precipitation throughout the year. The amount of precipitation in northwest Spain can be compared to that in the Netherlands.

In contrast, southern Spain, Andalusia has very mild winters and very warm summers with little precipitation. The average temperature in winter is around 15 degrees and in summer it is not exceptional if the temperature rises to 40 degrees.

Inland Spain has great differences in temperatures. For example, during the Spanish winter it can easily freeze in the higher elevations and in the summer the temperature can reach 30 degrees with little precipitation. In winter, one can ski in the Pyrenees and in southern Spain in the Sierra Nevada.

The Spanish Costas

The Spanish Costa's have mild but wet winters (the further south the drier) and pleasant summers. Summer temperatures are lower than in inland Spain which makes it more pleasant. Spain's Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol are pleasant winter destinations. This is because of the small amount of precipitation that falls and the pleasant temperatures of around 18 degrees. These temperatures make it pleasant to play golf, or to go out and explore the surroundings. For example, from the Southern Costas there are several cities to visit inland, the Alhambra in Granada and the Royal Palace in Seville are also well worth a visit. The Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol, like the Canary Islands, which is also a winter destination, have about 6 hours of sunshine per day during the winter. The Canary Islands have a constant annual temperature that averages between 22 degrees in winter and 27 degrees in summer.

The Balearic Islands also have mild winters and pleasant summers, just like the Spanish Costas. However, more precipitation falls on the Balearic Islands than on the southern Costa's. Typical of this archipelago is the amount of precipitation that falls all at once. The amount of precipitation makes this archipelago less interesting as a destination in winter.