Best Time of Summer to Visit Spain

We’ve found that there’s a lot of misconceptions about Spain, which can lead to travel planning that is less than ideal. If you like to find that great time for when to visit a place, there are factors to consider, like weather, crowds, and travel budget. They’re just a few of the factors that we’re going to delve into here and would like to give you some insider information on. Whether it’s for a last-minute trip or an early-bird planned vacation, here’s what to know about the best time of summer to visit Spain. 

What do you think is the best time of summer to visit Spain?

Above Image – With family in Denia’s Marina Portet.

We’ll get right to the point – we think that the last weeks of June and first weeks of July are the best time of summer to visit Spain. But the ‘why’ and ‘how’ is what to read on for so that you really enjoy your time visiting Spain. For being a ‘smaller’ country, Spain is actually quite diverse in terrain and climates. The area of Spain where we’ve been living for the past several years, encompasses the Mediterranean coastal areas know as the Costa Blanca and the Costa del Azahar. They extend from the wonderful port city of Valencia, south to Alicante and further.

READ MORE: Discover Spain’s Costa del Azahar via 3 Places

Above Image – The entrance to Castle of Denia.

Our recommendations here also apply to other coastal areas of the Med and even for cities inland, like Madrid, Zaragoza, and Barcelona. These parts of Spain tend to get quite warm in later summer and yet cold in the winter. The regions further north, like Asturias and Galicia for example, are more ideal to visit during later July and August.

READ MORE: What We Love About Visiting Asturias, and Think You Will Too

Best Time of Summer to Visit Spain for Great Weather

Above Image – One of many views from the Castle Santa Barbara in Alicante city.

We’ve experienced that most of Spain actually gets pretty cold, even along the southern coastal regions. The Mediterranean Sea itself is actually very deep, which keeps the water quite cold, even in summer. Now, in our area of Denia, it doesn’t get cold enough to snow. But the breeze and air stays chilly even into spring and early summer weeks of June. In the winter, there are occasional freezes every handful of years and inland in the mountains it can snow lightly.

Above Image – At the cathedral in Valencia with friends and family.

The air is very humid, especially from the Sea, so the cold is wet. You can feel it down to your bones. Many of the areas here along the Sea are quite windy too. Especially our charming town of Denia. It’s become very popular for kite surfing because of the intense wind and consistent frequency of them practically every afternoon.

Above Image – The impressive Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar in Zaragoza.

In the past, we’ve noticed that going into the first week of July, the wind tends to not coming up as frequently and the air and breeze are warmer. The waters of the Med are finally warming up so you can stay in longer and the temperatures are perfect – not too blistering hot, but just right, with a pleasant soft breeze and warm sunshine. The average high in the last week of June has been 26 – 27 degrees celsius (80 – 82 degrees fahrenheit). At night it can cool down some, but overall is so pleasant.

Yet keep in mind that in the last couple of years, the temperatures have been increasing. Even in the spring, Spain has been experiencing record-breaking temperatures. It seems that we’re truly seeing the effects of Global Warming. 

Best Time of Summer to Visit Spain for Less Crowds

Above Image – The view of Denia’s castle and the mountain Montgo from the Las Marinas Beach.

We love our beaches in Denia! There’s the sandy beaches of Las Marinas and the perfectly curved bay of Beach La Marineta Casiana next to the Marina de Denia. Then there’s our favorite, the gorgeous rocky shores of Las Rotas.

The biggest reason we love these beaches, aside from how pristine and beautiful they are, is that none of them get very crowded… that is, they don’t get crowded like we know how beaches can get crowded in places like L.A., Miami, San Diego, and Valencia. But then, you also have to know when to come.

READ MORE: Denia Beaches – The Jewels of Spain’s Costa Blanca – Guide & Video

Above Image – Sunset on the Las Marinas Beach in Denia.

In August, the beaches in Denia will be crowded. Still, not as crowded as other popular beaches in Spain and other parts of the world. But let’s all remember that August is when most of Europe takes vacation. And most take off the whole month! They really know how to enjoy vacation over here.

Thus why we love the last weeks of June and early weeks of July. We notice more people of course as the days get closer to August, but it’s a pleasant amount of people. Everyone is relaxed and easy-going. There’s room on the beach to be close to the water and have room to spread out your beach blankets, towels and chairs. And the water is never too crowded either.

Even when certain areas get an influx of people, it’s easy to find another part of the beach close-by or in the water to enjoy with less people. Overall, we do find that further down Las Marinas can be less crowded than the portion called El Raset right next to the Marina Portet in town.

Best Time of Summer to Visit Spain for Travel Budget

Above Image – Riding bikes along Denia’s Las Rotas beaches is great in June and July.

It’s probably no surprise, since Europeans take off the month of August to vacation, that August can be the most expensive month to travel in Spain. This applies to transportation, accommodations and food, just to name a few.

While June and July won’t be as inexpensive as official ‘off-season’ months, it will be relatively more affordable and travel-budget-friendly than vacationing in Spain in August. Since moving to Spain, we’ve found that the cost of living and quality of life are fantastic and far less expensive than what foreigners, especially from the US, believe it to be here. 

Along with choosing dates in the end of June and beginning of July, keep in mind basic travel-tips for being on a budget.

Best Time of Summer to Visit Spain for Festivals

Above Image – Enjoying the Denia beach of Las Marinas with family.

Who wants to visit Spain and not experience their famed festivals? During the end of June, on the evening of the 23rd, are the bonfires of San Juan. This commemorates the Day of San Juan which is on the 24th. All along the beach, people set up picnic tables and many grill. In the past, they used to have bonfires as well, but just a year ago Denia and most of this area prohibited bonfires because of the pollution and threat of fires spreading. It goes from around 20:00 till the wee hours of the morning.

The Denia Festival, Bous a la Mar, takes place in early July. This year it starts on July 9th and goes until July 17th. It celebrates week of the Holy Blood, not to be confused with Holy Week which is in the Spring. We were surprised by the main event they hold for this festival – they let loose bulls that run through the town! And yep, you guessed right…tons of people run with them, chasing them into the sea at the marina’s edge.

Then there’s also the Moors and Christians Festival in Denia in the middle of August, if you decide to brave Spain during it’s busiest tourist month.

Ultimately, we adore Spain and if you find that the only time you can visit is during August, don’t hesitate – still come! When it comes down to it, you can enjoy Spain during any time of year.