Every year millions of northern Europeans enjoy their holidays in Spain, but as we have said before, Spain is not always hot and sunny, although in comparison to other European states, (My home country of England being a prime example), Spain has around 300 days of sunshine each year.
Most people I have met over the years soundly agree that they prefer the sun to the rain, however the sun in Spain can become quite fierce during the summer months, so if you are a sun seeker, why not consider coming to Spain in March?
March can be an ideal time to come to Spain, whether on business, or for a well deserved spring break and it’s definitely not too hot either. When on holiday most people try to see as much as they can, and do as many things as possible, including sight seeing, shopping and of course relaxing, but is that really possible in March without being freezing cold?
The Iberian Peninsula is a large and diverse place and the country has many distinct weather patterns, largely due to its position above Africa, and its coastal regions being very diverse, with the warm Mediterranean air from the eastern side of the country, meeting the colder, windier air from the western side, facing the Atlantic Ocean.
Climatic zones in Spain
Spain experiences three separate climatic zones and these are the Atlantic, the Continental and the Mediterranean climate. Not only that, it also has several micro climates which can be found on the Canary Islands (Gran Canaria, Tenerife etc), and also the Balearic Isles such as Ibiza etc.
With the large amount of Mountains Spain has, this also brings different micro climatic zones, a good example being the Ski resorts of the Sierra Nevada in Granada province where near zero conditions are found at the peaks, but an hours drive to the coast, sees sunshine and warmth good enough for the beach.
On some islands such as Majorca, rainfall varies from 300 to 400mm (12 to 16in) in the south to over 1,200mm (47in) in the north, and some areas experience strong winds in winter while others are sheltered.
Majorca Landscape
So in general, the weather in Spain’s North, being as it is further away from the Equator, is colder than the south, and in some cases, wetter too, so if you want a break in Spain in March, where is best to go, north or south?
Northern Spain in March
The Northern part of Spain, Namely Galicia, Navarra, The Basque country and Cantabria, all experience more rainfall than the south, earning the title of the Green coast (Costa verde) and if you have ever travelled from the Santander ferry, down to the south of Spain, you will have noted how green and pleasant the north is, compared to some of the drier, almost desert like regions of the south.
The north actually gets around 1,800 hours of sunshine a year and coastal temperatures in late spring and early summer can be anything between 18 and 25 degrees C and the seasons of spring and autumn in the north are quite mild although springtime nights can be chilly, especially on the coast.
It can be the ideal time to hop on the ferry and come over, especially as the fares are quite cheap at that time of the year, provided you avoid the Easter school holidays.
There is plenty to do and see in Northern Spain and the wonderful scenery and mountains can really take your breath away, but bring an umbrella just in case!
Southern Spain in March
As we found out earlier, the southernmost parts of Spain, such as Murcia, the Costa de la Luz, the Costa del sol etc, are generally warmer than the north, but without the intensity of the sun during summer time. It is still noticeably warmer than the UK at this time, and the suns rays are still very strong, despite the temperature, so northern Europeans visiting during this time should wear sun cream, especially if out walking or on the beach in the afternoon, however visitors to the North may not need to take these precautions.
The southern part of Spain has generally slightly higher temperatures than places in eastern Spain such as Valencia, and in winter and in summer, southern Spain enjoys on average 2,900 and 3,000 annual hours of sunshine. You probably will not need to bring waterproofs or an umbrella if you visit somewhere like Malaga in March because the annual rainfall is only 230 to 470mm and most days are bright and sunny.
It is worth noting that the Mediterranean part of southern Spain experiences very different weather patterns than the Atlantic coast which is much windier and can attract a bit more rainy weather from time to time than the Costa Del sol, or inland Spain such as Seville, which is a great place to visit in March and you can wander around and see the sights of this lovely city, with temperatures averaging around 20 degrees but with the chance of rain, which can surprise the unwary tourist.
If you enjoy the thought of visiting Spain, but not the baking heat of the summer then March is an ideal time to visit this wonderful and vibrant country.
For further reading here’s a topic that may be of interest to you about Spain