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The best time to visit Andalucía
Whether you prefer hot days at the beach or cooling off in the mountains, here are some tips for figuring out your best time to visit Andalucía.
When is the best time to go to Andalucía? The short answer is whenever you want. Andalucía is a year-round destination.
Long daylight hours, plenty of sun and sand, and year-round sunshine are just some of the reasons to come to Andalucía. Water sports dominate all year, with kayakers, snorkelers, swimmers and kitesurfers flocking to the beaches of the Costa de la Luz and Costa del Sol. City breaks are ideal anytime – apart from scorching July and August.
Andalucía is also a superb trekking destination, with mountains to explore and long-distance trails to hike. For this, shoulder seasons are best. You might consider olive- and grape-harvest season (autumn) if you wish to visit bodegas and olive-oil producers at the liveliest time of year. Factor in the altitude when packing, as there’s a world of difference between the Sierra Nevada and coastal resorts.
No matter what you’re hoping to experience during your trip, here are some tips on how to determine your best time to go to Andalucía.
Winter (December to February) is best for snow play and holidays
Though Andalucía is primarily seen as a prime destination for beach vacations, this region of southern Spain also has some 112 km (70 miles) of prime ski slopes at the Sierra Nevada ski resort near Granada. Ski season typically lasts from December to April, and January is usually the month when Sierra Nevada gets the most snow. If you’re traveling with anyone not keen on skiing, Sierra Nevada also offers snowmobile tours, sleigh rides, and snowshoe hiking tours.
Heading down from the mountains, winter is also the time to catch Andalucía’s holiday lights and festivities. Throughout December, Andalucía celebrates Christmas, and the Christmas season actually culminates in early January with festivals commemorating the arrival of the Three Kings, or los Reyes Magos. And as Andalucía’s coldest month, January is the quietest time at the beaches.
Late in the season, Andalucía lights up again for Carnaval in February. All eyes turn to the city of Cádiz in February, as this city throws Spain’s largest Carnaval (which is the Spanish equivalent of Mardi Gras) that spans 10 whole days. It’s famous for its wit and best embodied by scathingly humorous chirigotas (satirical folk songs). Also, look out for parades, fancy dress and local band competitions.
Though the weather at the lower elevations tends to stay much warmer than the rest of continental Europe, nights can get a bit chilly, so pack some sweaters and jackets if you’re planning to enjoy the nighttime festivities. Also, you may want to pack an umbrella and raincoat, as winter tends to be Andalucía’s rainiest season (December is the wettest month).
Spring (March to May) is best for vibrant festivals
Even as winter chills give way to spring flowers, Andalucía keeps up the festive spirit. Around late February and early March, Festival de Jerez celebrates its homegrown dance of flamenco, so much so that Jerez gets taken over by fiery flamenco performances held all over town for two weeks.
In April, Andalucía’s biggest fair kicks into gear with Seville’s legendary week-long Feria de Abril: Sevillanos dress up in traditional gear, drink sherry, parade on horseback and dance sevillanas (flamenco-influenced folk dances). In May, you can check out the Fiesta de los Patios de Córdoba, when Córdoba’s homeowners deck out private courtyards with flowers to compete for prizes awarded for the best-looking patio. And throughout the region, look out for Semana Santa (or Holy Week) festivities in late March or April.
When it comes to weather, springtime in Andalucía is highly conducive to plenty of excursions outside. Though some rain continues to fall in March, the days gradually get drier as they also get longer and warmer. By early May, ski season usually wraps up in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and summer fair season starts to heat up with ferias in towns throughout Andalucía. Throughout the season, expect prime conditions for hiking, biking, golfing and most other outdoor activities.
One exception to this nice weather is Calima, a phenomenon that occurs in spring, when the hot southeasterly wind brings sand and dust from the Sahara. Visibility becomes very low, the sky acquires a red, Martian tinge, and air quality is extremely poor for three to five days.
Summer (June to August) is best for hitting Andalucía’s beaches
Summer is the peak tourist season in Andalucía. Seville and Córdoba can be especially hot, with temperatures sometimes soaring past 104°F (40°C) in July and August, but temperatures can occasionally even top 100°F (37°C) in coastal cities like Málaga and Cádiz. Yet with the average water temperature of the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean off Andalucía’s coast hovering around 77°F (22°C) during the summer months, summer is the high season for an Andalucía beach vacation. While it’s perfectly acceptable to enjoy a lazy day on the sand, summertime is also a great time for kayakers, snorkelers, swimmers and kite surfers to play at the beaches of the Costa de la Luz and Costa del Sol.
July typically gets very busy at Andalucía’s beaches, and tourist crowds are at their absolute biggest across Andalucía in August (when most of Europe takes the month off for summer vacation). Along the Costa del Sol and Costa de la Luz, accommodation is priciest from early July until late August.
Andalucía’s second-biggest party is in August. Feria de Málaga features dancing, parades, dressing up to the nines, fairground rides and a massive fireworks show over the harbor. For a quirkier festival in August, look to Festival de Cascamorras. This three-day event in Guadix centers on an age-old dispute about the image of the Virgen de la Piedad. Participants smear themselves in oil and fight over the virgin.
Autumn (September to November) is best for savoring the fresh flavors of harvest season
While temperatures can remain hot in September, the heat usually starts to let up in October. If you’re traveling on a budget, autumn is a good time to score better deals on hotels and airfare. Temperatures in September and October tend to remain warm enough to enjoy pleasant days at the beach.
Otherwise, autumn is the best time to catch the harvest season at Andalucía’s farms. While some vineyards begin harvesting grapes as early as August, September and October typically mark the high season for grape harvests. The towns and cities usually celebrate with major festivals, including the famed Jerez Harvest Festival that features the iconic pisá (where grapes are squashed with the feet), as well as flamenco dances, bullfighting, horse shows, and plenty of delectable local food. Of course, this is also a great time to see harvesting in action at local vineyards and olive oil farms.
For a different experience, check out the Moros y Cristianos festival in Válor (in Granada’s Alpujarras), which features a four-day reenactment of the Moorish rebellion against Christian rule that’s played out with gusto on the main square. And on November 11, villages throughout southern Spain celebrate the Día de San Martín (or Saint Martin’s Day), when pigs are slaughtered for the preparation of ham and sausages.
This article was adapted from the Andalucía guidebook published in February 2025.
