Where to Go in Spain (And When to Go There)

Why "Spring and Autumn Are Nice" Is Terrible Travel Advice

Everyone Googles “where to go in Spain” and gets the same answer: Barcelona, Madrid, Seville. And sure, they’re all brilliant. But here’s the real deal: Spain is a country that doesn’t fit into neat little boxes. Its regions are wildly different—geographically, culturally, and climatically. Which means there is always somewhere amazing to visit, no matter the time of year.

Oh, and here’s a fun fact most guides don’t tell you: in Spain, the seasons officially start on the 21st of the month. So while the rest of the world says June 1 is summer, Spaniards are still technically sipping spring until the 21st.

So let’s wander through Spain, season by season, and I’ll share where I’d go, what I’d do.

Where to Go in Spain in Spring: Shoulder Season at Its Best

21 March - 20 June

Spring in Spain feels like the world is stretching and waking up. Wildflowers spill across the countryside—fields of bright red poppies in Castilla-La Mancha, cherry blossoms in Extremadura, and Menorca turning into a carpet of blooms. It’s the kind of landscape that makes you want to pull over every five minutes just to stand in the middle of it all. The days are long, the air smells like orange blossom, and everything hums with a “summer is coming” vibe. It’s the perfect time for active holidays—hiking in Mallorca, biking in Menorca, or wandering Andalucia without breaking into a sweat.

A few of my favourite things to do in Spring in Spain:

Semana Santa in Sevilla or Málaga: it’s intense, crowded, and emotional in the best way. Streets packed with candlelit processions, the smell of incense in the air, and drums echoing through the city. Totally worth it — just be ready for the chaos.
Córdoba Patios Festival: ordinary doors open into courtyards bursting with flowers and fountains. You can wander freely and honestly, it feels like stumbling into a secret garden.
Small-town ferias: my favourites aren’t the big famous ones, but the local June fairs. Someone hands you a rebujito (sherry + lemonade) and before you know it, you’re dancing sevillanas with complete strangers at 3am.
By June, summer heat creeps into the south. I’d head north if you want to stay outdoors all day—but until then, spring is shoulder-season perfection.

Spring is perfect for: flower-lovers, active travellers, culture seekers.

Where to go in Spring: Anywhere!

Where to Go in Spain in Summer: Fiestas, Heat, and Good Times

21 June - 20 September

Let’s be honest: Spanish summer is not for the faint-hearted. In July and August, much of the country feels like someone left the oven door open. Interior cities like Córdoba, Madrid, and Sevilla regularly top way over 40°C (and feel muuuuch hotter). When I lived in Spain, I used to escape home mid-July to mid-August because stepping outside literally felt like walking into a pizza oven. But if you lean into the chaos, summer in Spain can be magic. Kids stay out till 4am. Town squares turn into outdoor living rooms. Beaches heave with umbrellas and chatter. Festivals flare up for everything—from saints to sardines.

A few of my favourite things to do in Summer in Spain:

San Juan (June 23): bonfires on the beach, fireworks, and midnight swims to cleanse your soul (or just to scream in icy water). Everyone’s in it together — messy, chaotic, fun.
Galicia & Asturias: my escape hatch. Wild cliffs, cool breezes, secret coves, seafood so fresh you swear it’s still moving. (Hello, pulpo a la gallega.) This is where savvy Spaniards flee for their own holidays.
Impromptu fiestas: in August, every town seems to spontaneously throw a party. Music, food stalls, dancing in the street — you never know when it’ll hit, but it always does.
Summer is perfect for: night owls, fiesta-lovers, families who love the action, seafood obsessives

Where to go in Summer: North, always north. Galicia and Asturias are my personal picks.

workers picking grapes in spain at a wine harvest

Where to Go in Spain in Autumn: Why It's the Best-Kept Secret

21 September - 20 December

If I had to choose a single season to visit Spain, this is it. September in Spain is pure joy. The tourists thin out. Kids shuffle back to school (after three months of holiday—yes, three!!). Everyone has that sun-drunk, life-is-good energy after August, but the streets (and beaches!) feel calmer. The skies are clear, the water still warm, the evenings golden. And autumn brings harvest season—Spain at its most delicious.

A few of my favourite things to do in Autumn in Spain:

Wine harvests in La Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and the Priorat. The San Mateo Festival in Logroño is basically wine-soaked revelry. My personal pick? The Priorat—intimate, rugged, and breathtaking.
Sherry Triangle (Jerez, Sanlúcar, El Puerto de Santa María) during harvest—watch the process from vine to glass.
Walking Trails: This is when I would do the Camí de Cavalls (a Camino de Santiago-esque walk in Menorca)—with ideal temperatures, fewer crowds, and landscapes that glow in autumn light.

Oh, and saffron season arrives late October into November—best savoured in Castilla-La Mancha, fields purpled with crocus flowers.

Autumn is perfect for: wine lovers, foodies, walkers, and anyone who likes a slower pace.

Where to go in Autumn: Hit the beach – my personal picks are the Costa de la Luz or Menorca.

bright christmas decorations on a street in malaga spain

Where to Go in Spain in Winter: The Season Most Travellers Overlook

21 June - 20 September

Spain in winter is one of its best-kept secrets. Fewer tourists, lower prices, and an atmosphere that feels deeply local. Christmas here is magical—streets draped in lights (the displays in Madrid are mind-blowing), nativity scenes (belenes) everywhere, and little traditions like the “pooping figurine” hidden in Catalan manger scenes (don’t ask, just look for it—it’s hilarious). Restaurants are relaxed, hospitality is at its friendliest, and you can actually get a table without booking weeks in advance.

A few of my favourite things to do in Winter in Spain:

Christmas lights: every main street turns into a light show. It’s busy, totally over the top, magical and super fun, especially if you’re a kid. Don’t miss the ‘Cabalgata’ on the evening of the 5th of January, when lollies are thrown at the kids from fire trucks like their life depends on it.
Olive harvests in Andalucía and Catalunya: I love wandering through olive groves in Jaén, watching families knock fruit from the trees and pour them into nets. The best bit is tasting the season’s first oil straight off the press — fresh oil tastes nothing like the stuff from a bottle.
Skiing in the Sierra Nevada: ski in the morning, tapas by the beach in the afternoon. Only in Spain.
Almond blossom in Mallorca: hillsides turn pink and white, like spring decided to sneak in early. Walk through it, and you’ll see what I mean.

Winter is perfect for: families, romantics, skiers, culture lovers, foodies

Where to go in Winter: Madrid, Extremadura, The Ski Fields, and towards the end, rural Mallorca.

bright christmas lights on the streets of madrid in spain

So … When Should You Go? The truth?

Spain is always worth it. But if you pressed me:

Winter for olive oil, Christmas lights, and secret local magic.
Spring for wildflowers and local ferias.
Summer for fiestas and northern escapes.
Autumn for wine, food, beaches and golden evenings.

And if I had to be really picky? Mid-September to October. That sweet spot where Spain exhales, the heat softens, and everything feels just right. My favourite time of year!