Spain in August

The word "sultry" in Spain can characterise temperament, appearance, and the weather at the end of summer. Starting from June, the Sun is the strongest — it shines brightly and heats the land.

Tourists and Spaniards understand it in the same way: going to the sea and diving into the refreshing (actually very warm!) water is necessary. But you must learn from the locals to arrange a siesta so that the hot summer does not turn from a gift to punishment.

The Kidpassage review will tell you where to holiday with children in Spain in August, what to add to the idleness at the beach and what to take with you on your trip.

It seems unnecessary to talk about why beach lovers go to Spain in August. But we will say it — it is enjoyable to go over the benefits of travelling in August:

• the weather is sunny and hot day after day;
• the sea is even warmer than in July;
• large water parks and amusement parks keep you entertained;
• botanical gardens and animal parks are great places for walking;
• there are museums and natural attractions in or near the resorts;
• August is heavenly for fruit lovers.

The cons are far fewer, but it's good to know about them to clarify the expectations of your trip:

• prices in the last month of summer are among the highest of the year;
• reviews about holidays in Spain in August often complain about the overcrowding of beaches;
• the heat is not conducive to travelling to major cities and unsuitable for sea holidays with babies.

So where to holiday in Spain in August to enjoy the sea and the sun but ignore the heat? Option #1 is the eternal spring island of Tenerife, but we'll suggest a few other good places for a family trip.

• Spain: Family Travel Guide
• Best Family-Friendly resorts in Spain

The last month of summer in the Mediterranean is dry and hot. Perhaps even too hot to go to Spain in August with a child. But the heat will not be so noticeable if you sunbathe in the morning and evening, take in the light sea breeze, and take a siesta when the sun is high.

The weather at the beginning of August is well evidenced by the fact that Spaniards like to holiday at this time.

The weather in August-September is a logical continuation of the July heat. The sea, already warm, becomes even warmer. It is a problem to refresh in it, but warm water is a blessing for children who cannot be lured to the shore. During the day, even in coastal resorts, you can feel the stuffiness; only in the evening you can breathe easier. The weather in Spain at the end of August does not take you by surprise, so you can safely shift the holiday even to the beginning of autumn.

How much tourists love Spain's Mediterranean climate! Thanks to it, they sunbathe here from May to September, and thanks to it, they swim in the sea until deep autumn. But August is a month only for those not afraid of extreme heat. We have collected data on the average air and water temperature in August in the most popular cities and resort regions of Spain:

Destination	Day t	Night t	Sea Water t
Madrid	+33,6°С	+22,7°С	-
Barcelona	+29,0°С	+22,8°С	+25,6°С
Valencia	+31,0°С	+23,3°С	+26,7°С
Malaga	+32,4°С	+23,3°С	+23,7°С
Mallorca	+31,1°С	+23,3°С	+26,8°С
Tenerife	+25,6°С	+19,8°С	+23,2°С
Lloret de Mar	+29,1°С	+21,5°С	+25,0°С

The average temperature in Spain in August is even higher than in July. There is no heat only in Tenerife, although even here, thermometers sometimes show +30°C. On the coast, the heat is smoothed by a breeze, but Madrid is deprived of such a blessing — in August, highs often reach +35-40 ° C.

The water temperatures in Spain in August are also increasing. Even in the resorts of Costa del Sol, where the sea is usually cold because of the Atlantic currents, the water in late summer is +23-25 ° C. And on the rest of the resort coasts, the summer bathing season opened in June, and in August, there is no reason to sit on the beach.

Spain's beaches look different. Some are hidden in rocky, pine-covered coves. Others stretch for many kilometres along several resort towns. Others resemble the surface of the moon, inhabited by enterprising earthlings. All beaches have in common only that they are well-maintained, safe and free of charge.

Every year hundreds of beaches in Spain receive the "Blue Flag" as evidence of the ecological well-being of the coast and good beach facilities. Many beaches are proud of the Q mark, which Spain awards for quality service.

All this means that there will be changing cabins, showers with fresh water, toilets, kiosks and cafes, a rescue and medical service, and the hire of sun loungers and sun umbrellas. The municipality monitors the cleanliness of the beaches, and it is difficult to criticise its work.

In some major cities, the condition of beaches is not very good. That is why you should not go to Barcelona for beach holidays — the architecture and museums there are much more attractive than the coast. And here is where to go in Spain in August to enjoy the sun and sea, let's analyse in more detail.

The name "Wild Coast" does not suit the region, whose seaside resorts have been awarded the "Family Tourism Destination" certificate. And in August, the coast does not look wild any more — the resort towns are filled with crowds of holidaymakers, whom respectable hotels, well-maintained beaches and excellent weather attract.

Thermometers in Costa Brava show about +30°C during the day and +20°C at night; cloudy days are rare, and if it rains, it happens only once a month. The water in the Mediterranean Sea warms up to +24-26°C in such weather.

The region's impeccable beaches are not always suitable for holidays with children, just because rocky bays or stony shores are inconvenient for little bathers.

The best option will be the sandy beaches of Lloret de Mar, Blanes, L'Estartita, and Playa de Aro — these resorts even have beach children's clubs.

The Costa Brava is also an advantage for family holidays, with many museums, water parks and attractions. There is a large windsurfing centre in Roses, where wind speeds reach 4.4 m/s.

• Costa Brava Family Holiday
• THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Costa Brava

The weather on the "Gold Coast": is perfect from every point of view: air temperature +30°C during the day and +23°C at night, plenty of sunshine, a light breeze of 3.3 metres per second, two refreshing short rains per month, and most importantly — the sea is +26-27°C. Very rarely, there are sweltering days, and you should not be afraid of a sudden cold snap.

The beaches of Costa Dorada in August are full. However, you can always find a spot on the long beaches of Tarragona and Salou, and in La Pineda, there are children's clubs. There are also good beaches for family holidays in Cambrils, although people do not come there in search of peace but to go diving, windsurfing or sailing.

What else beckons tourists to this famous resort? Of course, one of Spain's most popular amusement parks is PortAventura. In August, it is enjoyable to visit the part of the park where water rides are equipped.

• Costa Dorada Family Holiday
• THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Costa Dorada

The further south a holiday destination in Spain is, the hotter it gets in August. The Costa Blanca feels the heat more strongly than the Costa Brava and Costa Dorada. With an average daily air temperature of +30°C, the thermometer reads +35°C — this often happens in early or mid-August.

The sun rarely hides behind clouds, and only the wind blowing at a speed of 3.4 metres per second saves from the heat.

When the coast is so hot, the water in the sea also warms up to +26-28°C. High temperatures are slightly easier to bear in Alicante and Benidorm, where there is a lot of greenery. In steppe Torrevieja, August weather may seem uncomfortable. But if the heat does not scare you, you can choose any resort you like — the beaches everywhere are very well-maintained, with a gentle entrance to the water and flat bottom.

Choosing a holiday destination in August, during the peak season, look out for Calpe — a quiet resort 20 km from Benidorm. In addition to magnificent beaches, the town offers many secluded coves ideal for holidays with children.

• Costa Blanca Family Holiday
• THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Costa Blanca

The last month of summer in Andalusia is sweltering. But while far from the sea, in Seville, the temperature can rise to +42°C; on the coast, it ranges between +30-35°C, and by evening the air freshens to +22-24°C. Rain and clouds are almost impossible to see, and wind speeds of 2.3 metres per second are also hardly noticeable.

The positive impact of the heatwave is that the sea in the Costa del Sol resorts is finally getting warm.

The water is still relatively cool in early August, around +22-23°C, but then the temperature rises to +24-25°C. However, cold currents from the Atlantic Ocean can cool the sea off Sunny Beach in summer.

Each resort in the region has convenient beaches for holidays with children. In Málaga, it is Pedregalejo, where the sea is always calm thanks to the breakwaters. In Torremolinos, we recommend the shallow beach Montemar. Las Gaviotas Beach in Fuengirola has a children's playground, while the maximum water activities can be found at Puerto Banus Beach in Marbella.

• Costa del Sol Family Holiday
• THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Costa del Sol

August weather in Roquetas de Mar, Mojacar and other Almeria resort towns is very similar to that of the Costa del Sol, except the sea water gets warm much better.

The daily forecast for the local resort towns is as follows: daytime air temperature +30-35°C, night temperature +20-24°C, sea surface temperature +25°C, wind speed 4.1 metres per second, and probability of rain is close to zero.

While Costa de Almeria is not among the most popular resorts in Spain, so there are not so many people on its beaches. On the multi-kilometre sandy beaches of Roquetas de Mar and Mojacar, you can sit comfortably, and the rest of the towns are pleased with the landscaped coastline.

• Costa de Almeria Family Holiday
• THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Costa de Almeria

Mallorca

August in the Balearic Islands is a time of temperature records. The month can get temperatures of +33-35°C, although the heat can be less intense. In the evenings, fortunately, the air cools down to +20-24°C, and a breeze of about 3 metres per second helps to cope with the heat. Rains are unlikely; one short-term rain may fall at the end of August.

But whether the sea can be called refreshing is a question. It is possible as long as the water temperature stays at +26°C, but when it rises to +27-28°C, the sea no longer gives freshness.

The main destination — Palma de Mallorca — is crowded with tourists in August. A little calmer on the sandy beaches of Magaluf, Palma Nova and Santa Ponsa. If you want to relax away from the capital, pay attention to the resort of Cala d'Or.

• Mallorca Family Holiday
• THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Mallorca

In August, the eternal spring of the Canary Islands finally looks like summer. The weather is invariably sunny, and the wind, although noticeable, up to 5 metres per second, does not interfere with your holiday. During the day, the temperature ranges from +25°C to +30°C, and in some years, it stays between +30°C and +35°C. At night thermometers show +20-25°C. The water in the Atlantic Ocean hits +22-24°C — of course, the Mediterranean Sea is noticeably warmer, but diving in the ocean is much more enjoyable.

Exotic beaches with black volcanic sand will enhance the exoticism. One of them, El Medano, is favoured by wind and kite surfers, as there is always a good wind here.

And for holidays with children, parents usually choose the beaches of Costa Adeje and Los Cristianos, covered with light African sand. The Playa La Pinta beach in Las Americas is famous for the most entertainment.

• Tenerife Family Holiday
• THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Tenerife

It is better not to joke with the August heat, so all excursions should be preferable to those without being under the open sun. You may not see the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona or the Alcazar in Seville, but Spain already has many fascinating museums.

Barcelona, for example, boasts two museums that interest schoolchildren in learning. At the CosmoCaixa Interactive Centre and the Blau Museum, children explore the laws of physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics, take on the role of a Neanderthal or try their hand at being a grasshopper.

More serious but exciting excursions await you in the Maritime Museum and the Egyptian Museum. And football connoisseurs will hardly resist the temptation to visit the museum and Barça's official stadium.

Spend at least a day in the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia. It should be enough to take a trip through the waters of the Earth at the Oceanarium and make a few discoveries at the Prince Philip Science Museum.

In addition, in Valencia, we recommend showing your children the collection of dolls made for the Fallas holiday and walking around the Biopark, where you can see giant termites up close and pet a lemur.

To complement your holiday with excursions, you don't have to go far from the sea. For example, in Costa Blanca, children will enjoy animal shows in the park "Terra Natura", a walk through Africa in the safari park "Aitana", and a dolphin show in the centre "Mundomar".

Curious children will love the Turron Museum and the Microgiant Museum (its exhibits can only be seen through a magnifying glass).

The museums of the Costa Brava are small — you can spend the morning on the beach and then go on a tour. Children will be interested in the Maritime Museum (Lloret de Mar) and the Toy History Museum (Sant Feliu de Guixols).

Visiting Butterfly Park and the wonderful Marimurtra Botanical Garden is no less enjoyable.

One of the best museums on the Costa Daurada is the Archaeological Museum of Tarragona, where the foundations of the ancient city of Tarraco can be seen through a glass floor. But is the Museum of Primitive Man, located in the Font Major cave, inferior to it?

During holidays on the Costa del Sol and Costa de Almeria, tourists often visit Málaga, where many exciting museums work. For some travellers, it is essential to get to the Picasso Museum, others are happy to explore the Museum of Arts and Folk Traditions halls, and children are ready to spend a few hours in the interactive music museum.

In Mallorca, for some reason, you don't want to go to museums at all, except for the Belver Castle, which all holidaymakers try to visit.

We recommend the Palma de Mallorca Aquarium, Marineland Marine Park and Safari Zoo Mallorca for family trips. And it's not just museums where you can go from room to room and discover something amazing: the Dragon's Cave impresses children and adults alike.

But in Tenerife, where there is no scorching sun, it is more interesting to see natural sights: Teide volcano, eucalyptus forest, Los Gigante's rocks, and Cave of the Wind. When travelling with schoolchildren, add to this a man-made attraction — the ancient pyramids of Guimar. And with young children, you will have a good time at the Jungle Park and Monkey Park Zoo.

It is hard to imagine a summer holiday without a trip to a water park. Every resort region of Spain has several water entertainment centres, where you can have a great time with children.

First, we will mention the Aquopolis chain of water parks in Costa Daurada, Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol and several other cities. The best water park on the Costa Brava is Aqua Brava. The Marineland water park has less entertainment, but dolphins perform there. The main aquatic centre of the Costa Daurada is, of course, Caribe Aquatic Park, which is part of PortAventura Park in Salou.

In the Costa Blanca, Aqualandia, Aqua Natura and the Aquopolis mentioned above compete for supremacy. Costa de Almeria has not yet acquired large water parks, but those available are most suitable for holidays with babies. And on the neighbouring Costa del Sol, where the sea is often cold even in late summer, the situation is saved by Aquavelis and Aqualand.

Three water parks with a full range of attractions for adults and children operate in Mallorca. And you can't forget Siam Park in Tenerife: not even Salou has so many water slides.

Can a holiday go without a trip to an amusement park? Not if you have the incredible Port Aventura (Salou), Terra Mítica (Benidorm), or Katmandu (Mallorca) near your resort. The park can also be small and, in this case, suitable for pre-schoolers, such as Gnome Park in Lloret de Mar or Castor Park in Roquetas de Mar.

And if the heat doesn't make you give up your trip to Barcelona, visit the amusement park on Mount Tibidabo with your children. There is also a street theatre and a museum of mechanical toys.

The Spanish fiesta is always a memorable event. Three grandiose events show the character and passions of the locals.

The first holiday — the Ascension of the Virgin Mary — is celebrated on the 15th of August. On this day, after the church service, a statue of the Virgin Mary is carried through the streets, and in many towns, whole performances are organised.

The mystery, performed yearly in Elche (Costa Blanca), has even been included in UNESCO's Intangible World Heritage list. After all the festivities, the participants move on to refreshments and fun.

Shortly before the Feast of the Ascension, the annual Malaga city fair begins. It covers almost the entire city, and shopping is not the primary purpose.

There's no better place to see flamenco right on the streets, listen to folk music performers, join in a tasting of Spanish food and drink, and learn from the Spanish ability to enjoy life.

In the last week of August, rivers of tomatoes start flowing through the streets of Bunyol, near Valencia, as the La Tomatina festival takes place. In addition to the battle of tomatoes, in which thousands of people participate, the festival features a parade, a fair and concerts.

An exceptional value for many visitors to the festival is the paella cooking competition, where you can taste different versions of the famous Valencian dish. If you want to see a bullfight, in August you should go to Málaga, where one of the best bullfighting arenas in Spain is located. The bullfight in Málaga is timed to the fair.

Prices in Spain in August do not differ much from those in July, i.e. they remain pretty high. But there is also something to be happy about — fruit and vegetables are rapidly getting cheaper, and summer sales continue in shopping centres.

Airfares

A flight to Spain in August will cost 3-7% cheaper than in July. The cost of tickets to Barcelona, Alicante, Malaga and other airports is approximately the same. In September, the price of air tickets varies. Differently, there may be an insignificant increase or decrease in price.

Accommodation

In seaside resorts, the accommodation cost in August is usually slightly higher than in July, but the price difference does not exceed 5-10%. In September, the price drops — sometimes by 10% and sometimes by 40%. In major tourist cities, August hotel prices are slightly higher than in July.

Package Tours

The change in the cost of tour packages depends on the length of the holiday. A trip for 3-7 nights will cost 10-30% more than in July. The price for packages holidays for 11-14 nights will drop by 10-15%. With the arrival of autumn, the cost of all tour packages will be cheaper by 10-20%.

Food

Sea resort restaurants in Spain are designed for tourists, so you will not get low prices there. If you want to save money without sacrificing quality, having lunch and dinner where locals eat is reasonable. In an unpretentious restaurant, you should pay 7-10 euros for a portion of gazpacho or paella, and in a tourist restaurant — at least twice as much.

Tapas bars are safe to visit with children. The dishes served as an appetiser to accompany alcohol are full meals: you can eat gazpacho, paella, seafood salad, albondigas meatballs and other traditional dishes just the same.

And on walks, a cheese and jamon sandwich made in a charcuterie or a cup of hot chocolate with crispy churros will always save the situation.

Please note that most restaurants are closed from 16:00-16:30 to 20:00-21:00.

Many people come to Spain and use a rented apartment for cooking, buying products in supermarkets and markets. In the heat, when there is no particular appetite, you can indulge in fruit: at the end of summer, the counters are full of watermelons, melons, peaches, pears, figs, and at the same time, persimmons and grapes appear. Watermelons and melons cost only 0.5 euros per 1kg. A kilo of peaches and pears you can get at 2 euros. The price range for grapes is quite extensive.

The sales, which started in July, will last until September. By August, the selection in the shops is not as wide as it was a month earlier, but the discounts reach 50-70%. In any case, it makes sense to visit the shops of famous Spanish brands (Zara, Mango, Desigual, etc.) — their prices are always lower than in other countries.

• Souvenirs from Spain

In reviews about holidays in Spain in August, tourists repeat the same praise: sunny weather, warm sea, fresh fruit, and plenty of entertainment. In order not to experience disappointment instead of joy, it is enough to follow simple rules. Here are some tips on organising a pleasant and safe holiday with children at a seaside resort.

1. In August, you will need only light clothing. Among the outfits must necessarily be thin, lightweight clothing made from natural materials, which covers the body from the sun.
2. For the sea and walks, it is obligatory sun hats and sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, with UVA- and UVB-filters. A child who spends much time in the water will need a waterproof cream.
3. Whether the heat is palpable or not, you can only be in the sun with children before 11:00 and after 16:00.
4. If the weather in Spain is very different from that in the city where you live, acclimatisation will take a few days. It can be made easier by a regular daily routine and drinking enough water. Try to avoid offering your child new products in the first few days.

For a holiday in Spain in August with children remains only to choose a comfortable accommodation. What to prefer — a family hotel or spacious apartments?

The Kidpassage collection has many options, and something is sure to coincide with your ideas about comfort.