When to go
Madrid
enjoys (or suffers, depending on your point of view) a continental climate. This means
that, despite Spain's image as a "warm" country, Madrid and other areas on the
high Castillian plains are battered by fierce extremes: stifling heat in summer and
freezing cold in winter, especially during the night.
Tip: Go Madrid recommends Spring (April-June) and
early Autumn (September-October) as the best times of year to visit Madrid,
particularly if you are the sort of person who literally can't stand the heat.
Easter is another good time.
Winters
in Madrid tend to be cold and dry. With little cloud cover and sweeping northerly winds,
the temperatures may drop as low as -10ºC (14ºF) during the night, although the sun's
rays soon warm up the city in the day hours, making it not uncommon to experience a 20ºC
change in temperature in less than 24 hours.
After
Spring makes it's entrance and the clocks go forward in March, the whole
city seems to become a much more joyous place. More daylight hours and flowering parks
make Madrid the ideal city to visit and wander through. Bring waterproofs when coming in
April, though, since what rain there is tends to fall in this month and early May. As the
Spanish saying goes, "En Abril, aguas mil" (In April, a thousand
waters).
Summer
in Madrid means blistering heat, reaching its zenith in late July and the month of August.
Madrid virtually closes in August, the "Madrileños" escaping from the concrete
to Spain's coastal areas and many bars,
restaurants and some smaller
museums shutting shop
for the month.
Autumn
is a particularly attractive season, bringing golden colours to
Madrid's parks. The warm
temperatures normally continue through to late October, making this time of year one of
the most recommendable for visiting the city.
Please use the
links to the left to find out all you need to know for your visit to Madrid.
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