Spain
can be stifling hot in summer in cities
in Andalucia and in Madrid but temperate
in northern hillier regions. In winter the
north can be incredibly cold and wet but
quite mild in the south. Pack according
to the area you are travelling. Spaniards
measure temperature in Celsius, not Fahrenheit.
Spain lies along the
Iberian Peninsula with Portugal. Over half
the country is vast, elevated tablelands
or mesetas. There are five major mountain
ranges and the average altitude is the highest
in Europe after Switzerland. Having said
that there is a range of landscapes from
the deserts of Andalucía to the green
wetlands of Galicia; the hot dry plains
of Castilla-La Mancha to the snowcaps of
Picos de Europa and Pyrenees. The Canary
Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Morocco,
belong to Spain but Gibaltar remains a Brittish
territory.
The
best time to visit Spain is May, June
and September. Consider also April
and October in the south.
In July and August European and Spanish
tourists are holidaying and the heat
can be extreme, up to 45 degrees celsius
in Andalucia and Madrid. A lot of
the big cities also close services
down over this time and can be virtually
deserted. In the north, and on the
Balearic Islands, summer temperatures
of around 30°C are standard.
In winter the north is wet with constant
rain or snow. Galicia and the Pyrenees
are snowy. Madrid suffers extremes
of heat in summer and cold in winter
and freezes in December, January and
February. The north is best in summer,
Andalucia in spring, the centre in
autumn and the south in winter.
Lightweight cottons
and linens are worn during the summer,
except in the mountains. Lightweight
to mediumweights are worn in the south
during winter, while warmer clothes
are worn elsewhere. Alpine wear is
advised for winter mountain resorts. TOP
