11 Facts about Summer Holidays in Spain

Are you first time in Spain or looking for some travel tips for traveling in Spain? Summer is the best time to travel Spain. Plan a trip to Spain as among the best places to travel in Europe, Spain is a country with many facets and multiple faces, consisting of many peculiarities and characteristics, with different identities.

Its coastline consists of sandy beaches. It has a Mediterranean climate that is pleasant throughout the year. It has a warm and welcoming population. Spain has a gastronomy to the taste of the sun. It has contrast between rest and fiesta of the Balearic Islands, and it has lunar landscapes of the Canary Islands.

Located in the Iberian Peninsula, Spain consists of 17 autonomous regions with diverse cultures, geography, and traditions. It's pretty, considering the view for the travellers and explorers alike who are interested in getting to know the country in a more peculiar way. Let's look into some major pros and cons of visiting Spain. Well, Spain is all wonderful and glorious with its best scenic views of beaches and natural perks but moving aside it has some of its not so popular moments as well.

Here are reasons why you should be travelling in Spain in summer:

1. Summer temperature in Spain

Spanish climate varies greatly according to altitude, location and proximity to the ocean. We have semi desert, Mediterranean (several degrees), Oceanic, continental and mountain climate. In inland Spain, temperatures can be extreme. Teruel is said to be the coldest province and apparently, the town of Calamocha in particular has got the lowest registered temperatures: -30C.

As an example, the average annual temperature is 10C in Soria (another so called cold province) and it is 10C in Cardiff. Nobody believes that the wettest town is in the south either! Curiously enough, the Sierra de Grazalema. The white town of Grazalema is located on the Atlantic area in the Southwest. The rainfall is 2,100 mm in dry years and over 4,000 mm in wet years in Grazalema. For a comparison, there is an annual rainfall of 621 mm in London or 867 mm in Manchester. It is lovely, worth a visit! Don't forget the wellies!

Blue skies and the warmth of sunshine. What more do you need to explore a gorgeous new place? Most people are attracted to European countries, and they have a strong opinion about it too. And why shouldn't they? It's a classic case of retro and holidays infused together. Spain is such an example, right?

Nothing beats the beauty of its iconic beach fronts and the city squares filled with authentic art style designs and performers making their moves know in the late night streets. It's pretty much an interesting way of getting into a holiday destination. Spain as a destination is a world-class holiday spot for all the sun lovers with just the right amount of heat and cosmic weather playing along with each other.

Pros: Sunshine is heaven isn't it? How many of you actually look forward to the sunny side of Spain? every European does. Even in October, the weather changes. there you have to switch from shorts and tank tops to a full jacket and pants and no one would be the wiser here. Each month is blessed with a different seasonal change and it can be quite appealing too.

Cons: Doesn't sound anything amiss? Well, Spain holidays in summer are supposed to be fun and equally amazing but it's too hot!!! You can be sweating as hard and could easily get skin burned instead of getting a good ol' golden tan on your body you will get skin toned for worse.

Besides staying during the summer holidays is no fun without the air conditioner working at your head properly. And that tends to be quite expensive for some who have a limited budget as the five-star hotels and resorts have the best cooling aids. The low budget hotels often face with failure of their cooling systems.

2. Landscape

Different weather creates different landscapes. Northern Spain is quite similar to France’s western coast, with verdant, lush forests, rolling hills and a thousand small rivers crisscrossing its land. Southern Spain has arid plains combined with actual deserts, some really tall snowy mountains and a few big rivers such as Guadalquivir creating a myriad of very fertile valleys among the dry landscape.

Both places have incredible beaches and outstanding natural parks though!

Enjoy carefree days, the sound of kids laughing, starry nights, cool sea breeze, sweet summer love and a sense of freedom like no other time of year. Spain holidays have always been an exciting part for tourists. People love to come here for food and views and what not but they are bound to have a bad experience as well. Many will argue with the facts but hey to each its own right?

3. Summer festivals & events

Festivals add fun to any holiday, and in summer, in particular, you’ll find a range of events to choose from, depending on your interest. While not the most touristic or known, Albarracin is historically very important, and also an impressive sight to see. It is a perfect place for a charming, wonderful day trip. With impressive medieval environments, nice natural surroundings (there are a few paths that are very worthy) you’ll eat like a king.

There are also guided visits that will explain to you the history of the town. While is not densely packed with culture, or big, is perfect for a middle day to rest a bit in a charming place, take a rest, and enjoy for the next point of your trip.

4. Food in Spain

The Spanish are extremely proud of their food - do not insult it or complain about it in front of them. Of course, in main cities, you will always find restaurants specialized in regional cuisine, but if you do not know their specialty, it will be up to you to find out, no guarantee. If you are a lover of stuffed aubergines, Berenjenas Rellenas are one of the most versatile dishes out there, if not the most.

Although the food of every country is enjoyable once you are tasting it for the first time but thrice a meal and you are done with it. It's not easy to get accustomed to the new flavours that easily and you are bound to find it more unappealing the more days pass by. Not all international products are available and you may find it inconvenient in the middle of your visit to Spain.

While some cafes or eateries are just the right prices many would seem to be unreasonably overpriced.

5. Beaches in Spain

Pros: Spain is popular for its nudist beaches and over the year's private beach spots had gained popularity. Tourists all over the world enjoy the sunny set of palm induces beaches at Costa Del Sol, Majorca, Fuerteventura, and several other places.

The temperature on the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca, is at about 20 degrees in March, while Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria is a few degrees warmer. Perfect heat to hurricane walking tours, sightseeing and excursions. It is no coincidence that the 200 km long coastline Costa Blanca is called the "white coast". Here you will find lots of perfectly white sandy beaches - and lots of lovely warm autumn sun.

Some beaches are even hidden and hard to find making it more fun and thrilling for the tourists to seek the ways for the cool vibrant underwater reservoir as well. Bars and restaurants are available and you can get yourself a cool drink to enjoy.

Cons: Beach sides are fun but unfortunately overcrowded as well. Summer holidays are prime time for the tourists to come visit Spain and beach is the prime spot that easily filled up. If in need of peaceful shorelines than visiting summer holidays in Spain can cost, you the so-called peace you came for.

You will get bumped into, crazy kids shouting and parents yelling and each of the good spots are easily covered by others so that you can't even find a place to lie down on the cozy sand. That much crowd on the beach is bound to get polluted easily. Trash is everywhere in after hours and it's not such a pretty sight either.

6. People don’t speak English generally

They are often embarrassed to use it even if they do have some (the under 50s are more likely to speak it than the older generation). Learn a few phrases to get you by like thank you (gracias) and please (por favor) and I would like (Quiero). Survival Spanish, basically.

They can be quick to anger in public places sometimes (though it rarely gets physical), relatively speaking. The Spanish don’t care about you liking them - they’re very confident, outspoken, passionate, friendly, civil, sociable, quite moody and extremely chatty people and sometimes this heady combination can be misconstrued as rudeness but it’s not.

Their idea of manners differs from those of other countries and they simply don’t waste time on (what they view as) pointless niceties (would you mind if I could possibly get a glass of water if that’s not too much trouble for example).

7. Don’t get very drunk

People don’t get plastered like Northern Europeans and Americans and it’s really not seen very well at all. Don’t do anything there that you wouldn’t do in your own country. Yes, the alcohol is cheap and it’s a fun country but have respect for the local people and their customs. Don’t treat it like your own personal playground where you can do what you like.

In the south, people favor beer over wine in an OVERWHELMING manner, but it is true that there are other areas where wine is favored over beer, like some areas of Castilla y León (wine producing regions par excellence) and even others where cider is preferred. Kalimotxo (mostly in the north), also known as calimocho, is a cocktail drink consisting of equal parts red wine and cola-based soft drink.

Tinto de verano (literally red wine of summer) is a cold, wine-based drink. The drink is normally made up of 1 part of table red wine and 1 part gaseosa (a general term for sodas and carbonated drinks).

8. Don’t mention politics

Unless you’re acquainted with someone and you know their political views and they’re open to talking about it. Franco still has a lot of support from a substantial percentage of the population. Keep your mouth shut about any of this - the Civil War and the dictatorship are extremely delicate subjects there.

9. Heritage & architecture

Northern Spain was able to better preserve some of its original local Iberian cultures. Being the starting point of the Reconquista also left a strong Visigothic and Celtic influence on it. And by the virtue of being some of the first places to industrialize in the entire country, you can also see lots of modernist houses and industrial buildings.

Southern Spain, however, was influenced by the Arab occupation, and its cultural and artistic legacy became its main sign of identity. While our South wasn’t as heavily industrialized as the North, Southern Spain has a great trove of Roman ruins, and lived its golden age during the Age of Discovery, and thus, is filled to the brim with the Baroque architecture of that time as well.

10. Always have cash with you

In many bars and cafes you can’t pay with card for a bill less than 10 Euro.

11. Accommodation

The other option in Spain is to stay in government owned chain called Paradores. They are public places all over the country, most of them they are old castles, churches, and convents over centuries old. These hotels will guarantee you not the most luxurious stays but a pretty high standard, 4 start at least, and amazing regional gastronomy.

As they are public places, if you cannot afford to stay or eat there you can just go and walk around and also have a coffee. If you are going to travel to Spain from outside the Schengen space you need an insurance with mandatory health coverage and repatriation. Here you can read on how to get your cheap travel insurance to Spain with good coverage.

Make your choices in the right direction and keep an open mind, then you are good to go on a vacay in Spain!