Travel expert claims you should never visit Spain in summer
TRAVEL experts have advised holidaymakers to avoid Spain during the summer and, instead, visit at other times in the year.
Every year Brits flock to Spain in their millions, with most going between June and September.
However, that could be making their trips less enjoyable, according to travel experts Lonely Planet, who say that it is much better to go either between April and May or September and October.
They say this is the best time to visit for “perfect weather“.
They said: “In central Spain and on the Mediterranean coast, the spring and autumn seasons are marked by sunlit days and pleasant weather perfect for strolling and outdoor dining in terrazas, with temperatures cooling down by nightfall.
“Conversely, the summer months of July to August are scorching, with temperatures in central and southern Spain reaching the mid-to-high 40sC.”
A lot of locals choose to leave the country for cooler climates during the summer months, with the weather simply too warm to enjoy.
Lonely Planet continued: “Madrid empties out in August, as locals go on summer holidays and many establishments close to avoid the oppressive heat.”
However, there are places in Spain that are bearable in the summer months.
According to Lonely Planet, they include the northern regions, such as Asturias, País Vasco (Basque Country), Galicia and Cantabria.
All of those have milder temperatures than holiday hotspots to the south.
Another reason not to visit Spain in the summer is an increase in both costs and demand.
Numbers published by the Spanish National Institute of Statistics reveal that holidays in Spain cost around 20 percent more than they did last year.
Meanwhile, hostel and campsite prices have also risen by 5.7 percent, making things tougher for holidaymakers.
However, along with prices, demand is also on the rise, with hotels selling 52 percent of their available rooms for summer by June, according to The Local.
They say that number is two per cent higher than in 2022 and 17 per cent higher than in 2019 for the same dates.
This is partly because more locals are opting to stay in Spain for their holidays than going abroad.
The Local said: “The price rises, which are not only tourism related but linked to the ongoing inflationary cost of living crisis, do seem to be changing the plans of many Spaniards.
“The main consequence is that more will forego foreign trips and stay at home the summer.
Meanwhile, more than half of Brits are planning staycations this summer.
And here are some of the cheapest seaside breaks you can book right now.