One of the most common questions we hear is precisely this: “what is the best time to visit Andalusia“? The great advantage of Andalusia is that it is a region suited to almost every season: summer is the ideal time to visit the whole coast, from Cabo de Gata to Cadiz, passing through the Costa del Sol; autumn finally sees temperatures drop and is a very suitable time to visit much of the region. Spring is perhaps the best period for almost the same reasons… but winter?
The tours in Andalusia in November and December have a major advantage: they give you the chance to travel far and wide around the inland cities, which in summer are virtually off-limits because of the insane heat. We’re talking about Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Ronda, Jerez, Almería and all those little towns which, during the busy summer months, can only really be visited until late morning, before retreating under the shady awning of a bar until evening, drinking sangria to cool down a bit…
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Andalusia in November and December: the climate
I’ve already told the story of my November experience in Cordoba and Seville more than once: it was the All Saints’ holiday weekend, I was queuing to visit the rather anonymous (to be honest) Alcázar of Cordoba, and I desperately wished I had put on my shorts, at least until the early afternoon.
Of course, you can’t expect it to be this warm throughout November and December, but it gives you an idea of how pleasant it is to stroll around these two cities for much of the day (the sun generally sets after 6 pm). Granada calls for a different discussion, as we should remember that it is to be considered a mountain city.
As regards the average temperatures, here are a few figures:
Seville: November min: 10° – max: 20°; December min: 7° – max 16°
Cordoba: November min: 8° – max: 19°; December min 5° – max 15°
Granada: November min: 5° – max: 16°; December min: 3° – maxi 13°
Almería: November min: 12° – max: 21°; December: min: 10° – max 18°.
Let’s analyse these figures city by city:
Seville and Córdoba
Seville and Cordoba have temperatures that are more than acceptable, given the season. As you can read in our article dedicated to temperatures in Seville, the days are sunny and never too cold or rainy, except in rare cases.
Cordoba, while in summer it is even hotter than Seville(!), between November and December has slightly cooler temperatures, with a greater chance of experiencing spells of bad weather and rain. If you are lucky and do not run into rain, with a few warm clothes you will visit Cordoba, which is a wonder, as happened to me.
Granada
As anticipated, Granada has somewhat colder temperatures, and there can be a significant temperature difference between day and night: it is not uncommon, even in December, to find lovely, mild sunny days and cold nights, with temperatures close to zero.
Among the cities mentioned above, Granada is also the rainiest, and frost and snowfall can occur, albeit rarely: let us not forget that the city of the Alhambra is 738 metres above sea level, not far from the Sierra Nevada, the renowned Andalusian ski resort we discussed in the article on what to see in the Sierra Nevada. To find out more, read our article on the climate of Granada.
Almería
Finally, we mentioned Almería, the easternmost province of Andalusia, and also the driest, thanks to its sub-desert climate (we might think, among other things, of the nearby Desert of Tabernas). In summer, this province is mainly visited for its splendid beaches and its lovely Mediterranean climate, but few people have the courage needed to venture out in the scorching heat through the streets of the city, which is nevertheless well worth visiting, if only for the splendid Alcazaba. In winter, all this is possible: on the evidence, we could say that Almería hardly knows winter at all, and so – despite being a coastal city – it could make sense to include it in a winter tour.
The seaside cities: Cadiz and Malaga
Since we’re at it, let’s also give a couple of climate pointers for the other two cities, Cádiz and Málaga. As we’ve said, these are more coastal/summery cities, and it can make less sense to head there in winter, unless you have plenty of days available – for instance, a Christmas trip stretching into January could actually include them, since there is no shortage of things to see in these cities!
Malaga: November min: 11° – max: 20°; December min: 8° – max: 17°
Cadiz: November min: 13° – max: 20°; December min: 11° – max: 17°
As you can see, even in these two cities, during the November and December days, a light jumper, or almost, might be enough. Rain is not frequent, and snow and frost are only the stuff of Christmas fairy tales. Do bear in mind, however, that Cadiz faces the Atlantic: the wind, especially on the beaches, can blow a bit more persistently, and humidity levels are generally higher. As for Malaga, you can find some further information in our article on the climate in Malaga.
Andalusia in November-December: possible tours
If you have a fair bit of time on your hands – something rare at this time of year – Andalusia in the low season can be toured in its entirety: at least until the end of November, we are in a good period for every kind of itinerary, including those along the coast (bathing excepted), if you are a romantic lover of the sea in winter. As anticipated, November and December are excellent months to visit the famous Seville-Cordoba-Granada triangle, an itinerary in the heart of Andalusia.
Click here to read the 7-day tour
In the link above you will find a do-it-yourself itinerary template: just follow it to the letter to plan your winter itinerary in the inland cities of the region; you will also find some suggestions for excursions to the surrounding villages to do during the on-the-road travelling with your hire car. Speaking of small towns, at these times of year it may also be interesting to take a tour of the charming, typical Pueblos Blancos in inland Malaga province.
If, on the other hand, you have less time and want to include a coastal city in your itinerary too, I’d suggest a 5-day “Moorish” tour of Andalusia. The itinerary covers Seville, Ronda and, of course, Cadiz.
Click here to read the 5-day tour
