by If you’ve seen those pictures of people in bathing suits lounging on the beaches around the coast of southern Spain last week, with temperatures up to 28C, you might be hoping for a little bit of winter to Andalusia. Looking out on a grey, cold day, this looks very tempting, and perhaps even better than a summer visit, when the temperature is gradually getting too hot to handle. So hop on a plane to Malaga or Seville for an instant mood booster (other Andalusian airports have few or no flights until Easter).
While it’s usually warm enough along the coast to have lunch on a beachside terrace, it gets a bit chilly inland and there are also a few rainy days a month. You shouldn’t let that put you off an inspired break in Seville or Cordoba, though, because you won’t have to contend with tour groups and you’ll feel like you’re in a glorious Andalusian city rather than a theme park.
Don’t be surprised to see snow on the mountains, especially in the Sierra Nevada in the province of Granada, where the ski season runs from the end of November to the end of April.
While many on the Costa del Sol operate year-round to keep visitors entertained – golfers love this quieter time of year – many of the big hotels on the Costa de la Luz on the Atlantic close in during the winter and many bars and restaurants. in resorts they close up shop for a few months, too.
There is still plenty of self-catering accommodation available, however, and you won’t have to look too hard for somewhere to have a coffee or a meal in Andalusia. Package holidays aside, this is a great time of year on the Costa de la Luz with the best conditions for kitesurfing and windsurfing around Tarifa.
A road trip around the region is not a bad idea although the white villages are not full of tourists either. You could plot a stay at half a dozen paradors (paradores.es) – there are 16 to choose from in Andalusia, in hilltop castles, city center palaces and modern beachside buildings. Some close in winter but reopen in February or March. Book 15 days in advance to receive a 15 percent discount.
Winter savings
If you want to find a bargain holiday in Andalusia, whether in a city, near the beach or in the mountains, the winter months are the quietest and cheapest time to go. Remember that Easter is early this year, at the end of March, and the Spanish often take the whole week off, so avoid traveling from March 22 when fees and hotel rates go up – unless you’re desperate experience the religious processions.
28 February is Andalusia Day and a bank holiday, when entry to many museums is free. If you’re looking forward to next winter, December 6 and 8 are public holidays and people often take a few extra days off for a Christmas shopping trip, so expect higher rates and less availability in the city’s hotels on those dates.
Double rooms at the gorgeous Casa 1800 Sevilla hotel in Seville are available for £98 a room in February, but in July rates start from £197.
Tui (tui.co.uk) is offering a week’s B&B at the Plaza Cavana hotel on the beach in Nerja, where you can look out over the Med from your balcony, for £643 per person (based on two sharing), leaving on February 22 from Gatwick – almost half the cost of the same package in August.
For a quick burst of Mediterranean bliss, book a cheap flight to Malaga (from as little as £50 return from the UK in February) to stroll by the sea, eat tapas and poke around the shops.
What to do
You may have tried and failed to get tickets to visit the magnificent Alhambra in Granada (tickets.alhambra-patronato.es) during the summer but there is usually no problem in the winter (although it is still advisable to book in advance). Wandering through the halls, courtyards and sensuous gardens can be very powerful on a bright but cold day.
The Picasso as seen at Otero exhibition, with photographs of the artist’s everyday life, will run until August. At the Picasso Museum in Malaga ( museopicassomalaga.org ), The Echo of Picasso exhibition, which runs until March 31, explores the influence the great painter and sculptor had on other artists over the years.
Join the locals
Not surprisingly, many Spaniards are living a little more frugally in the first few months of the year. People who live on the coast in Andalucia wisely take advantage of the lack of crowds, making the most of warm days with big family picnics on one of their local beaches – without the hassle of parking either if they need to drive.
Or they might fancy heading into the hills for a walk or bike ride (or just a long lunch in a traditional restaurant on the village square, which is good value at this time of year), perhaps in the Sierra de las Nieves national. park above Marbella, the Sierra de Aracena in Huelva or the Sierra de Cazorla in Jaén.
This story was first published in December 2022 and has been revised and updated.
