Visiting Spain in October
Fall is my favorite time to visit Spain, and October might be my top month. With summer officially over and autumn setting in around the country, each day feels like a miniature transition to a different Spain.
A gorgeous golden light bathes much of the country and the people and places begin to fall back into their daily rhythms. With the tourists all but gone from everywhere but the big cities, you also won’t be competing for space at the sights. Welcome to authentic Spain!
Although the weather varies throughout the country, on the whole October is generally fairly dry and sunny. It’s also the last month before the rains really set in for November and December.
While October is a beautiful time to visit, you do have to accept some trade offs and you should carefully consider what types of activities you want to do and plan your itinerary accordingly. Spain is not an enormous country, but the weather can be surprisingly different from one region to another, especially in the fall.
Parts of southern Spain, like Valencia and Andalusia, may still provide you with a fair number of beach days, whereas up north in Galicia and around you’re all but certain to get rained on at least a little.
Daytime temperatures in the north are quite pleasant, but nights do start to get chilly (especially in the mountains). In southern cities like Granada, Sevilla, and Cordoba, the weather is mostly quite agreeable as the heavy summer heat has finally broken, and you have near-perfect conditions for hiking and sightseeing.
For those who like cooler temperatures and can accept a moderate threat of rain in exchange for shoulder season prices, few crowds, and an authentic atmosphere, October might just be the perfect month!
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Weather
October is solidly fall, but it’s a transitional month and temperatures and weather vary significantly throughout the country. In short, expect for the north to be cooler and wetter and for the south to retain more of the faded summer heat and dryness.
On a countrywide level, Spain’s weather in October is mild and pleasant, with average temperature ranges of about 55 to 75°F (12-23°C). The north is getting colder and rainier, while the south is still mostly warm and dry.
Northern Spain
The north of the country, which includes the regions of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, and the Basque Country as well as parts of Navarre, La Rioja, Catalonia, and even northern Castilla, starts to get quite a bit of rain in this period, especially by the coast. Those lush green fields you see didn’t get that color without a little rain!
Throughout the north, expect temperature ranges of about 50-70°F (10-20°C) and 10 to 13 days of rain in the month. You may get lucky, but you should definitely pack a raincoat. And perhaps waterproof shoes...
Barcelona and Catalonia
While Barcelona and Catalonia are geographically in northern Spain, the weather is rather different from the aforementioned region. Those regions are all on (or near in the case of Navarre) the Atlantic coast. Barcelona and Catalonia, while northern, lie on the Mediterranean.
As such, the climate is different. Barcelona’s October temperatures are about 5 degrees warmer than places like the Basque country, and the city only gets about 6 days of rain compared to 13. That’s a big difference.
Average daily highs in Barcelona usually get into the lows 70s (22°C) and nights rarely break below 60°F (15°C).
Madrid and central Spain
Madrid and central Spain have fairly similar temperatures to the northern regions (though a bit warmer), but the region gets considerably less rain. On average, you can expect on about 8 days of rain in the Madrid region. While October is technically one of the wettest months of the year in Madrid, that’s a bit of a useless statistic as the city and region is very dry in general.
October and November are our favorite two months to visit Madrid, so that statistic shouldn’t scare you off!
Southern Spain
Now, southern Spain, which includes all of Andalusia and parts of southern Castilla La Mancha, Extremadura, Murcia, and parts of the Valencia region, has almost perfect weather in October. Daily temperatures range from about 58 to 79°F (15-25°C), with the occasional break into the 80s.
Figure on typical daytime temperatures in southern Spain hovering between 70 and 75°F (20°C). As for rain, October is still dry in the south and Andalusia usually sees just a few days of rain; maybe 3 or 4 in the month.
One thing to bear in mind, inland southern Spain will be both cooler and rainier than along the coastline.
Canary Islands
And just a quick mention of the Canary Islands! We know that most visitors to Spain don’t have time to fit the Canaries into their mainland itineraries, but if you do, October is the ideal time to visit.
With daily temperatures ranging from 70 to 80°F, just 2 days of rain on average, and clear blue skies, there is simply no better time to visit this far-flung territory of Spain.
Events
While Spain has a modern economy, Spanish identity is still strongly linked to its agrarian past. So, it should come as no surprise that the fall, a traditional time of harvest and agricultural activity, is a period full of festivals and events.
You will find many food and crop-focused festivities all over the country, many of which highlight a specific local specialty. In the fall, it’s always a good idea to search what might be happening wherever you’re headed. There are too many festivals to list, so I’ve just covered a few of the main ones.
Las Fiestas del Pilar
The “Pilar Festival” is one of the biggest festivals in Spain and certainly the biggest in the state of Aragon, which hosts them. Based in the regional capital of Zaragoza, the festivities honor the city’s patron saint “La Virgen del Pilar” (Our Lady of the Pillar) and last 10 days, starting on around the 12th of October.
Over a week and a half, there are over 500 events; shows, performances, parades, classes, activities, workshops, markets, and more. The entire region is on display throughout the period and, in true popular fashion, over 90% of the events are free.
If you’re thinking about visiting northern Spain, a detour to Zaragoza to partake in the festival is a must.
Fiesta Nacional de España
The National Day of Spain, known interchangeably as Fiesta Nacional de España and Día de la Hispanidad takes place every year on October 12th and is a celebration of Spanish history, heritage, and national achievements.
One component of the festivity is related to Spain’s activity in the Americas throughout history and Spaniard Christopher Columbus’ “discovery” of the New World.
An interesting side note, celebrations across Latin America are held on our around this date, though they typically distinctly do not celebrate Spain’s history in the Americas.
That aside, the festivities are very neat to witness and the whole country will be out on the streets.
Día de la Comunidad Valenciana
Day of the Valencia Community, also translated as Valencia Day, is a public holiday in the semi-autonomous region of Valencia. One of the most interesting holidays to witness in Spain, it’s held to commemorate the day in 1238 that Catholic King James I entered the city of Valencia and officially overturned Moorish control of the area.
There are all sorts of events throughout the city and region, but the main components are a parade, a procession of religious significance, and fireworks.
Sitges Film Festival
The Sitges Film Festival has been held every year since 1968 and celebrates genres like Fantasy, Sci-Fi and Terror (I’ll skip that last category thank you very much!).
It takes place in early October and lasts 10 days. Sitges, the town that hosts the festival, is a cute seaside town about 40 minutes south of Barcelona on the Costa Brava, so you can even just stop by for a quick visit to the festival on a day trip from the Catalonian capital.
Vendimia/Wine harvest festivals
All over Spain, the fall is grape harvest time, called vendimia in Spanish. You’ll find festivals and events related to the production of wine all throughout the country, but the most famous are probably in the regions of La Rioja and Ribera del Duero.
Ferias in Andalusia
Ferias are local festivities that celebrate towns patron saints. In Andalusia, there are 800 local communities and each of them has their own feria throughout the year.
The festivities start in Sevilla in April and most major towns and cities have theirs in the spring and summer, but the festivities continue through the end of October. A host of owns have their local ferias in October, but a few of the main ones are in Nerja, Fuengirola, Torrox, and San Pedro de Alcántara. Perhaps the biggest of the bunch is that in the city of Jaén.
You can usually catch performances, flamenco dancing, bull fights, parades, concerts, and almost always some sort of a procession/mini pilgrimage.
Where to visit in October
I’ve just covered October weather throughout most of Spain, so hopefully that will have you already thinking about where you’ll want to visit during an October trip. But, if you’re still unsure, here are some of my favorite destinations in Spain during October.
The Pyrenees Mountains
The towering peaks of the Pyrenees, the highest of which exceeds 3,400 meters (11,000 feet), form the border between Spain and France and are an absolute paradise for adventure sport enthusiasts and those after outdoor activities like hiking and biking.
For less adventurous pursuits, the mountains are also home to hundreds of species of animals, diverse flora, and many charming towns and villages. This pristine wilderness is just a few hours away from Barcelona or San Sebastian, so it can be easily included in a northern Spain itinerary.
Fortunately, while much of northern Spain is starting to get wet this time of year, October in the Pyrenees is still mostly dry, so you shouldn’t run into too much rain.
Picos de Europa
The Picos de Europa mountains are a stretch of 20km at the western tail of the Pyrenees. They extend into Cantabria and Asturias and, while lesser known than the Pyrenees, offer similarly fantastic scenery and outdoor adventure.
The Canary Islands
Most visitors to Spain barely even register that the Canary Islands, off the coast of North Africa, are actually part of Spain. But they are! And Spain is very luck to have them as they are a literal paradise.
The Canaries are an archipelago of 7 principal islands located about 650 miles off the coast of mainland Spain. To put that in perspective, they’re only about 60 miles from the coast of Morocco. The islands are at their most glorious in October; the crowds are mostly gone, temperatures hover between 70 and 80°F, it rarely rains, and days are clear and sunny.
If you’re looking for October beach days, don’t sleep on the Canary Islands!
Ribera del Duero & La Rioja
Two of Spain’s most famous wine-producing regions, both the Ribera del Duero and La Rioja are great areas in which to spend a few days in October. As both regions are harvesting wine throughout the month, it’s an ideal period of year for wine drinkers and enthusiasts.
Additionally, the vines and countryside are in their full fall attire by October, so the colors are striking and beautiful.
Madrid
Madrid in October is like Goldilocks; it’s just right. Mild and pleasant temperatures, no summer crowds, and only a few days of rain. Madrileños (local residents) are also back to their normal routines which lets you catch a glimpse of authentic local life in the Spanish capital.
Also, the stress and rush of the summer tourist season is over, so people are typically a little friendlier and a bit more patient, which is nice if you’re hoping to make some local connections and mingle.
Andalusia
It bears saying, Andalusia will be on our Spain list for at least 8 months. Why? Because it’s wonderful. We just recommend to avoid visiting in June, July, August, and the first half of September. In October, temperatures are perfect and you’ll still be able to hit the beach some days while also being able to sightsee, wander, and hike without sweating through your clothes.
Places like Sevilla, Cordoba, Malaga, Granada, Jerez de la Frontera, Jaen, and Ronda (the list goes on and on), which become unbearable to visit from June to mid September, are all fine places to explore come October. If you get tired of cities, the nearby mountains of the Sierra Nevada offer all sorts of hikes and bike rides into the backcountry.
And equally important, with the crowds gone you won’t have to elbow your way into sites like the Mezquita de Cordoba or the Alhambra. Take our word for it - Andalusia in October is a little slice of heaven!
What to do in October
Go mushroom hunting in Catalonia
In the fall, the Catalan go mad for mushrooms. You should too! Throughout the region you’ll find local residents out foraging in the hills, fields, and forests for prized local mushrooms. Come night time, those hard-earned trophies find their way to dinner tables all around the region where lucky diners get to feast on some of the freshest and tastiest mushrooms you’ll find in Europe.
If you’ll be in Barcelona, see if you can’t find a foraging tour or course. If you don’t see anything online (you will though), ask around; someone you meet will have an idea.
Take part in the Basque and Asturian cider harvest
The rainy climate and hilly geography of the regions of Asturias and the Basque Country make them ideal for growing apples. A natural extension of that, these two regions produce the vast majority of all cider in Spain.
Sidra (in Spanish) or sagardoa (in Basque/Euskera) is widely drunk and the Spanish variety is crisp, dry, and has very little sugar. So, head up the north, pick some apples, and treat yourself to some of last year’s finished product as reward for your hard work!
Explore Moorish history in Andalusia
More than 60 million people visit Spain every year and the vast majority of them come over the summer. Andalusia sees many of those visitors. Sites like the Mezquita and the Alhambra, absolute wonders of the world, become overrun.
Combine this with the stifling heat and you have a mix that is less than ideal. Not in October though. So come and explore!
Hike in the Sierra Nevada or the Pyrenees
With pleasant temperatures and little rain in both regions, October is the perfect month for hiking, biking, and rafting in Spain’s mountains.
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