Best Time to Visit Spain: Month by Month for 8 Cities
Go from April to June or in September and October. In July and August, average highs reach 36°C in Seville and about 33–35°C in Madrid and Granada, while Bilbao and San Sebastián stay around 25–26°C but get rain all year. Winter is mild on the Mediterranean coast, with January highs of about 17°C in Málaga and Valencia. In 2027, Easter week runs from 21 to 28 March and Las Fallas in Valencia from 15 to 19 March.
On this page
Month by month
| Months | What to expect | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| January–February | Cool in Madrid and Granada (highs 10–15°C, frosty nights in Granada); mild on the coast (Málaga and Valencia about 17°C) | Quiet and cheaper; good for Málaga, Valencia, Seville |
| March | Las Fallas in Valencia, 15–19 March; Easter week 21–28 March in 2027 | Good, but book Valencia and Seville early |
| April | Seville’s April Fair, two weeks after Holy Week; highs of 18–24°C | Very good, busy in Seville |
| May–June | Warm everywhere; highs about 28–33°C in Seville | Best months for most of Spain |
| July–August | Hot inland: average highs 32–36°C in Seville, Madrid and Granada; mild on the Basque coast | Go north, or plan early starts |
| September | Still warm; San Sebastián Film Festival | Very good |
| October | Highs of 23–26°C in Seville, Granada and Málaga; rain returns | Very good |
| November–December | Wettest months in the north; mild in Málaga | Quiet; good for the Mediterranean cities |
Temperatures are AEMET averages, 1991–2020, from the climate tables in each city’s Wikipedia article. Details below.
Weather in each city
Average daily high in °C, and rainy days a year:
| City | Jan | Apr | Jul | Oct | Rainy days a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madrid | 10.0 | 18.9 | 32.8 | 19.7 | 59 |
| Barcelona | 14.0 | 18.5 | 28.3 | 22.3 | 53 |
| Seville | 16.3 | 24.0 | 36.3 | 26.3 | 50 |
| Granada | 13.0 | 20.6 | 34.8 | 23.2 | 51 |
| Valencia | 16.8 | 21.2 | 29.9 | 24.6 | 44 |
| Málaga | 17.2 | 21.8 | 31.0 | 24.3 | 42 |
| San Sebastián | 13.2 | 17.8 | 25.1 | 20.9 | 143 |
| Bilbao | 13.5 | 18.1 | 25.4 | 21.5 | 124 |
Sources: 1991–2020 normals from AEMET, Spain’s state weather agency, as published in the climate tables of the Wikipedia articles for Madrid (Retiro Park, city centre), Barcelona (airport), Seville (airport), Granada (airport), Valencia, Málaga (airport) and Bilbao (airport). San Sebastián uses Hondarribia airport, 15 km east of the city, from Météo Climat via Wikipedia. Checked 14 October 2026.
The south: hot summers, mild winters
Seville, Granada and Málaga are in Andalusia.
- Seville is the hottest: average highs of 36.3°C in July and 36.2°C in August. It’s also one of the mildest in winter (16.3°C in January). It barely rains in summer (0.1 rainy days in July).
- Granada sits inland and high: the airport weather station is at 567 m. Summers are hotter than Madrid’s (34.8°C in July), and winter nights are cold: the average January low there is 0.3°C. In summer, an early Alhambra slot avoids the afternoon heat.
- Málaga is on the coast. It has the warmest winter of the eight (17.2°C in January) and a hot, dry summer (31.0°C in July).
Madrid and the centre
Madrid is at 667 m. It has the biggest gap between seasons: 10.0°C average high in January, 32.8°C in July. October is the rainiest month (7.2 rainy days). Spring and autumn are the best times.
The Mediterranean coast
Barcelona and Valencia have mild winters and warm, humid summers. Highs in July are 28.3°C in Barcelona and 29.9°C in Valencia, lower than inland. September and October bring the year’s heaviest rain in both cities (86 mm in September at Barcelona airport, 70 mm in Valencia).
The Basque coast: green and wet
San Sebastián and Bilbao are the coolest and wettest of the eight. July highs are about 25°C, which makes them a good summer escape. But it rains often in every month: about 10 rainy days even in July in San Sebastián, and 14 in November. Pack a rain jacket whatever the season.
Festivals and events
- Las Fallas, Valencia: 15–19 March every year. Giant figures go up across the city and are burned on the last night. The mascletà firecracker shows run daily from 1 to 19 March (Wikipedia). UNESCO added it to its intangible heritage list in 2016.
- Semana Santa (Easter week): 21–28 March 2027. Easter Sunday 2027 falls on 28 March. Seville’s processions are the best known, with nearly 70 brotherhoods (Wikipedia).
- Feria de Abril, Seville. The April Fair generally begins two weeks after Holy Week and runs six days, Monday to Sunday (Wikipedia). We couldn’t find official 2027 dates from Seville’s city council when we checked on 14 October 2026.
- San Sebastián International Film Festival: generally in September (Wikipedia). Check the festival’s site for exact dates.
Which cities to pair by season
| Season | Good pairing | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (April–June) | Madrid, Seville, Granada | Warm, before the summer heat |
| Summer (July–August) | San Sebastián, Bilbao, Barcelona | Coolest highs of the eight (25–28°C) |
| Autumn (September–October) | Any; Andalusia is at its best | Highs of 23–26°C in Seville, Granada and Málaga in October |
| Winter (November–February) | Málaga, Seville, Valencia | Mildest January highs (16–17°C) |
For train times between the cities, see getting around Spain. For plans, see our itineraries.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to visit Spain?
May or October for a trip that mixes the south and the centre. Average highs in May are about 23°C in Madrid, 28°C in Seville and 25°C in Granada; in October about 20°C, 26°C and 23°C (AEMET 1991–2020 averages, via Wikipedia). Both months avoid the peak summer heat in Andalusia.
Is Seville too hot in summer?
It's the hottest city on this list. At Seville Airport, the average high is 36.3°C in July and 36.2°C in August (AEMET 1991–2020). Plan sightseeing for the morning and evening, or go north in summer instead: Bilbao averages 25.4°C in July.
When does it rain most in Spain?
In the north, all year. San Sebastián (Hondarribia airport) records about 143 rainy days a year and Bilbao about 124, against about 42 in Málaga and 44 in Valencia. In the south and centre, most rain falls from October to April; July and August are almost dry in Seville, Granada and Málaga.
When is Easter week (Semana Santa) in 2027?
Easter Sunday is 28 March 2027, so Holy Week runs from Palm Sunday, 21 March, to 28 March. It's the main event of the year in Seville, with processions by nearly 70 brotherhoods (Wikipedia).