Spain beach holidays
Spain invites you to linger: over tapas in a busy square, along a seaside promenade or in a cove backed by pine trees. A beach holiday here can include Gaudí's Barcelona, the white villages of Andalusia and an island escape in the Balearics. The pleasure lies in choosing a coast that matches your pace, from lively Mediterranean resorts to the greener Atlantic north.
Where to go in Spain
Costa Brava combines rocky headlands and small bays with coastal walking paths. Costa Dorada's broad sandy beaches make it a natural starting point for family holidays in Spain, while Costa Blanca brings long promenades and established seaside towns. For a taste of this coast, Calpe pairs beaches with the striking outline of the Peñón de Ifach.
Costa del Sol offers beach days alongside Andalusian food, old towns and inland excursions. Majorca holidays can be as relaxed or active as you like: beaches, mountain villages and Palma's streets all belong to the same island. On Formentera, Ses Illetes offers a very different setting of low dunes and pale sand. The best beaches in Spain depend on whether you want an easy family base, a quiet cove or Atlantic surf.
When to visit
Summer is the main swimming season on the Mediterranean mainland and the Balearics. Early autumn can work well for combining the sea with sightseeing. The Canary Islands have a milder winter climate, making them worth considering outside the mainland season. Sea temperature in Spain varies between these coasts: choose your region before choosing your month.
Before you travel
- Currency
- Euro · EUR
- Language
- Spanish
- Sockets
- European
Catalan/Valencian, Galician and Basque are also used in their regions.
Two round pins · type C/F
Good to know
Dinner often starts between 9 and 10:30 pm, so plan for later meals outside tourist resorts.
Sea temperature by month (°C)
In October, the warmest sea is at Alcúdia (23.6 °C) and the coolest at Gijón (18.3 °C).
| Beach | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcúdia | 15.1 | 14.4 | 14.8 | 16.1 | 19.1 | 23.4 | 26.4 | 27.5 | 26.3 | 23.6 | 20.1 | 16.7 |
| Alicante | 14.3 | 13.9 | 14.3 | 15.8 | 18.8 | 22.9 | 26.1 | 27.0 | 25.4 | 22.3 | 18.5 | 15.8 |
| Amadores Beach | 19.8 | 19.3 | 19.1 | 19.7 | 20.4 | 21.3 | 21.8 | 22.7 | 23.2 | 22.9 | 22.0 | 20.6 |
| Barcelona | 14.2 | 13.5 | 13.7 | 14.8 | 17.9 | 22.6 | 25.9 | 27.0 | 25.5 | 22.6 | 18.4 | 15.7 |
| Benidorm | 15.3 | 14.8 | 15.0 | 16.5 | 19.4 | 23.4 | 26.6 | 27.4 | 26.0 | 23.1 | 19.5 | 16.8 |
| Cádiz | 16.0 | 15.7 | 16.0 | 17.3 | 19.1 | 21.4 | 22.8 | 23.3 | 21.8 | 20.8 | 18.8 | 16.8 |
| Cala d'Hort | 15.5 | 14.9 | 15.2 | 16.6 | 19.4 | 23.4 | 26.7 | 27.6 | 26.2 | 23.5 | 20.2 | 17.1 |
| Cala Macarella | 15.0 | 14.2 | 14.4 | 15.5 | 18.5 | 22.9 | 26.1 | 27.0 | 25.9 | 23.3 | 19.9 | 16.8 |
| Cala Sa Forcanera | 13.9 | 13.3 | 13.5 | 14.6 | 17.6 | 22.3 | 25.3 | 26.5 | 25.1 | 22.0 | 17.9 | 15.5 |
| Calpe | 15.3 | 14.8 | 15.0 | 16.5 | 19.4 | 23.4 | 26.6 | 27.4 | 26.0 | 23.1 | 19.5 | 16.8 |
| Gijón | 13.6 | 13.0 | 13.0 | 13.5 | 15.2 | 17.8 | 20.0 | 21.0 | 20.0 | 18.3 | 16.1 | 14.5 |
| Málaga | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.8 | 16.0 | 17.8 | 19.9 | 22.5 | 24.1 | 21.9 | 19.6 | 16.7 | 15.3 |
| Marbella | 14.9 | 14.7 | 14.9 | 15.8 | 16.9 | 18.4 | 19.9 | 21.6 | 20.2 | 18.7 | 17.0 | 15.6 |
| Morro Jable | 19.7 | 19.0 | 19.0 | 19.7 | 20.4 | 21.3 | 21.8 | 22.7 | 23.1 | 22.9 | 22.2 | 20.9 |
| Nerja | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.9 | 16.1 | 17.9 | 20.3 | 23.0 | 24.5 | 22.3 | 19.9 | 16.9 | 15.5 |
| Palma | 14.9 | 14.4 | 14.8 | 16.1 | 19.1 | 23.4 | 26.6 | 27.5 | 26.2 | 23.4 | 19.8 | 16.5 |
| San Sebastián | 13.1 | 12.7 | 12.8 | 13.8 | 16.2 | 20.2 | 22.2 | 22.9 | 21.4 | 19.0 | 16.6 | 14.5 |
| Ses Illetes | 15.5 | 14.9 | 15.2 | 16.6 | 19.4 | 23.4 | 26.7 | 27.6 | 26.2 | 23.5 | 20.2 | 17.1 |
| Tarragona | 14.3 | 13.7 | 14.0 | 15.1 | 18.6 | 23.4 | 26.2 | 27.2 | 25.6 | 22.8 | 18.8 | 15.9 |
| Tenerife | 19.5 | 18.9 | 18.8 | 19.2 | 19.8 | 20.8 | 21.4 | 22.3 | 23.0 | 22.7 | 21.9 | 20.6 |
| Valencia | 14.8 | 14.2 | 14.4 | 15.8 | 19.0 | 23.5 | 26.5 | 27.5 | 26.0 | 23.0 | 19.2 | 16.4 |
Average sea temperature in each month, 2021–2025 (Copernicus ERA5), at each beach. Not a forecast.
Spain – Sea temperature today
Current estimates for the selected beaches, not a countrywide average. Sea: NASA MUR with an hourly adjustment; air: Apple Weather. The update time refers to this page, not a measurement taken in the water.
Last updated:
| All beaches | Sea (°C) | Air (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Alcúdia, Mallorca | 24.0 °C | 20 °C |
| Alicante, Mediterranean | 24.0 °C | 23 °C |
| Amadores Beach, Canary Islands | 24.4 °C | 23 °C |
| Barcelona, Mediterranean | 22.1 °C | 19 °C |
| Benidorm, Mediterranean | 24.0 °C | 22 °C |
| Cádiz, Atlantic Europe | 21.7 °C | 21 °C |
| Cala d'Hort, Ibiza | 24.4 °C | 21 °C |
| Cala Macarella, Menorca | 24.6 °C | 20 °C |
| Cala Sa Forcanera, Blanes | 20.9 °C | 18 °C |
| Calpe, Mediterranean | 23.9 °C | 22 °C |
| Gijón, Atlantic Europe | 19.1 °C | 15 °C |
| Málaga, Mediterranean | 22.8 °C | 21 °C |
| Marbella, Mediterranean | 22.2 °C | 21 °C |
| Morro Jable, Canary Islands | 23.3 °C | 23 °C |
| Nerja, Mediterranean | 23.1 °C | 21 °C |
| Palma, Mallorca | 24.3 °C | 20 °C |
| San Sebastián, Atlantic Europe | 20.1 °C | 15 °C |
| Ses Illetes, Formentera | 24.5 °C | 21 °C |
| Tarragona, Mediterranean | 23.8 °C | 19 °C |
| Tenerife, Canary Islands | 24.0 °C | 23 °C |
| Valencia, Mediterranean | 23.2 °C | 23 °C |