First of all, I always advise traveling to cities that experience extreme heat in the summer rather than the spring. Your experience can be ruined by being in a city where the summer heat can be oppressive, like Madrid, Rome, or Granada. It should be noted that despite the extreme heat in some of these cities, a large number of stores and eateries lack air conditioning. During my time in Madrid, I experienced a number of disappointing situations where I was sweating profusely and dying of the heat. I rushed to a cafe in the hopes of getting a quick break, only to be confronted by a small fan swirling the hot air around in a poorly ventilated room.
Second, for many people worldwide, summer is a PRIME time of year to travel. Your destination cities will never be more crowded than during the summer. A number of relatives paid me a visit, and we organized all of their travels for April. The crowds on the streets were completely controllable, and the museum lines were extremely short. You can enjoy your trip to the fullest when you’re not constantly running into people and battling to get a spot on the next tour. Traveling does not have to be stressful.
VISITING CITIES IN SPAIN IN SPRING:
1. POMEGRANATE
- Season for semi-low tourism
- The weather is ideal (the sun is shining, but there is still a cool breeze during the day).
- The Alhambra is open to visitors without any obstructions.
First off, since La Alhambra is essentially an outdoor tour, standing in the intense summer heat can detract from the amazing experience that this tour is meant to provide.
Aside from the heat, there are crowds of people everywhere in the summer, so in addition to walking for three hours in the heat, you also have to avoid running into the other thousand sweaty, irate tourists and battling for a coveted spot in the shade. - Beautiful orange fruits are hanging everywhere as the orange trees are in full bloom.
Since every flower is in bloom, you can anticipate seeing vibrant gardens at La Alhambra, with flower pots and vines adorning the walls of the homes and streets.
2. MADRID
- Season for semi-low tourism
The streets are not congested, tickets are readily available, and wait times for tours, restaurants, and entrance lines are significantly reduced. - Lovely weather
Sunny and cool, with the possibility of occasional rain, this is the ideal weather for travel. - There are some incredible gardens in Madrid.
Retiro Park, the Royal Botanical Garden, and the Palace Gardens are all a riot of color in the spring.
3. TOLEDO
Visit if you’re in Madrid for a few days.
A half-day or even full-day trip to Toledo is a great idea in the spring. I bought a Coke to try to cool off, but it was literally hot in three minutes.
I had the bad luck to visit Toledo during the hottest part of the summer, and it’s possibly even hotter than Madrid.
Since my train to return to Madrid wasn’t leaving for another six hours, I was aimlessly wandering the streets in search of some cool water to help me feel better.
I managed to find my way to Toledo Cathedral, and as soon as I entered, the immense building’s coolness enveloped me.
Normally, I wouldn’t have taken the time to see every aspect of the enormous Spanish Cathedral, but I did so in order to avoid having to brave the intense heat outside.
SPEECH CITIES TO VISIT IN THE SUMMER:
1. MARBELLA
- Gorgeous beaches
I enjoyed walking along lounge chair-lined beaches, dining at sandside restaurants, and drinking martinis at bars where patrons were relaxing on couches ten feet from the water. - Summertime in this very diverse city
Although I didn’t see many Americans, it seems like a lot of other Europeans visit this place in the summer. Beyond the Americans, I had a great time meeting so many other foreigners! - A lovely beach walk that runs along the coast for nearly ten miles
You can go for a morning run, go cycling with the family, or just take a leisurely evening walk around all the cafes, restaurants, and beach bars.
2. The Saint Sebastian
- Gorgeous beaches as well
- Traveling here is worthwhile just for the food.
- Fantastic, with Basque and Spanish influences. Locals in Madrid even told me how much they enjoyed San Sebastian’s cuisine.
- Gorgeous hikes with breathtaking views of the ocean through the nearby peaks
- If you want a different experience, you can cross the border during the day because France is only a taxi ride away!
NOTE* I regret to inform you that I was unable to locate any pictures from my trip to San Sebastian when I was searching through my old ones! Were these among my most cherished pictures? I really make an effort to only use my own photographs, but in this instance, I wanted to give you all at least a sneak peek at how stunning this city is. The source of these images is fully credited in the caption!
Lastly, some thoughts:
Valencia, Barcelona, Girona, and of course, Ibiza and Mallorca are just a few of Spain’s breathtaking beach towns. Since I visited Marbella and San Sebastian in the summer, I’ve included them even though the bigger coastal towns tend to overshadow them. They are unquestionably worth a visit, even though they might not be as well-known as other popular tourist spots. And to be honest, the reason they are so fun to visit is because they receive less attention from tourists!
Choose at least one city with a lake or beach if you’re going somewhere in the summer. I can assure you that having a sizable body of cool water to splash in will make you very happy. It’s true that there will be a lot of people everywhere you go in the summer, so you might as well choose a location that offers both a lot of people and a way to escape the heat.
In order to go into greater detail about each of these cities—their advantages and disadvantages, cuisine, etc.—I’m considering adding distinct posts for each of them. In the meantime, please feel free to ask any questions you may have in the comments section below regarding any of these places! I would adore hearing from you.