Hottest of the Spanish Costas
January 30th, 2009
Spain’s enduring appeal to holidaymakers and property buyers is largely thanks to its weather and long, long coastline. With almost 5,000 km of coastline to choose from on the mainland alone, which of the Costas offers the best weather in Spain?
A new range of Costa property guides from Kyero.com helps answer that question using historical weather data from the Spanish Institute of Meteorology.
Average temperature (°C) and rainfall (mm) by costa in January and July
| Costa | length | min/max temp °C |
max/min rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Spain | |||
| Costa Verde (Asturias) | 401 km | 8 / 18 | 59 / 19 |
| Costa Verde (Cantabria) | 284 km | 10 / 19 | 61 / 16 |
| Rias Altas (A Coruña) | 956 km | 10 / 19 | 194 / 25 |
| Rias Altas (Lugo) | 144 km | 10 / 17 | 42 / 11 |
| Rias Bajas | 398 km | 10 / 19 | 147 / 36 |
| Costa Vasca (Vizcaya) | 154 km | 9 / 19 | 134 / 33 |
| Costa Vasca (Guipuzcoa) | 92 km | 9 / 20 | 153 / 49 |
| South Coast | |||
| Costa Almeria | 249 km | 13 /26 | 17 / 0 |
| Costa de la Luz (Cadiz) | 285 km | 13 / 25 | 49 / 0 |
| Costa de la Luz (Huelva) | 122 km | 11 / 25 | 85 / 21 |
| Costa del Sol | 208 km | 12 / 27 | 44 / 0 |
| Costa Tropical | 81 km | 14 / 26 | 67 / 1 |
| East Coast | |||
| Costa Azahar | 139 km | 11 / 25 | 31 / 22 |
| Costa Blanca | 244 km | 11 / 26 | 22 / 3 |
| Costa Brava | 260 km | 8 / 24 | 71 / 23 |
| Costa Calida | 274 km | 11 / 27 | 26 / 0 |
| Costa Dorada | 278 km | 10 / 25 | 32 / 29 |
| Costas Garraf / Maresme | 161 km | 9 / 25 | 116 / 40 |
| Costa Valencia | 135 km | 11 / 25 | 47 / 6 |
| England (for comparison) | |||
| 4 / 18 | 95 / 57 | ||
Green Spain: There’s good reason for the northern coast of Spain being so called. Summer sun worshippers will take their chances here, but the flip-side is a wealth of lush green scenery, hard to find elsewhere. Even so, summer temperatures are respectable and even the low temperatures in January are not that cold – thanks to Atlantic breezes blowing bad weather further inland.
For dramatic scenery (and weather), head for the Rias Altas of Coruña. Home to almost 20% of the entire coastline of Spain and chart-topping rainfall of 194mm, this part of Spain’s coast will blow the cobwebs away – literally.
For a south-west England experience of rolling green hills and fingers-crossed summer sunshine, head for the Costa Verde which spans Asturias and Cantabria provinces.
South Coast: If it’s guaranteed sunshine you’re after, head for any of the southern Costas in the Summer months. Top of the scorchers is the ever-popular Costa del Sol with the Costa Tropical and Costa Almeria not far behind. The section of the Costa de la Luz in Huelva is the one most likely to rain on your summer parade – thanks again to that unpredictable Atlantic influence.
Snow birds should head to the Costa Tropical in the winter months. Due to the sheltering influence of the Sierra Nevada mountains, it enjoys the warmest winter weather of any of the Costas.
East Coast: Unsurprisingly, the southern-most Costas offer the most predictable combination of hot & dry summers and mild winters. However, even the most northern Costa Brava, offers spectacular summers – and equally spectacular scenery. If guaranteed sunshine is your main aim, head for the Costa Calida in Murcia province.
The Costa Blanca and Costa Valencia also offer reliably sizzling summers and mild winters – which is why so many fleeing the colder climes of Northern Europe make their home there.
Spain’s 5,000 km of coastline is distributed across 19 costas and spans 1,000 km from top to bottom. The variety of scenery and weather available in Spain is just one reason for the country’s perennial popularity with holidaymakers and property buyers alike.
Martin Dell, Kyero.com
