You need a siesta in Spain in summer because you don't want to move in the heat. There is no heat in October, but there comes such a pleasant bliss — you can slow down and spend whole days on a half-empty beach. You can leisurely walk around Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia.
Finally, you can go to the best attractions of the "PortAventura" park almost without queuing — children are eager for it, even if they don't know about the park yet. And what else does the Spanish autumn offer travellers? Read about the charms and peculiarities of family holidays in October in Kidpassage's review.
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Holidays in Spain in October: pros and cons
The more you read reviews about holidays in Spain in October, the less you'll understand whether it's good or bad there. You will enjoy travelling at this time if you:
- don't like the heat — the sun is very gentle in mid-autumn;
- you don't want to sunbathe on a crowded beach — resorts are not overcrowded in September;
- dream to see the main sights — tourists in big cities are much less than in summer;
- you like to have a frugal holiday — with the end of the high season, prices at resorts drop.
However, Spain in October can be disappointing. Firstly, the weather can sometimes let you down. The first half of the month is usually warm and clear, although unpleasant surprises are possible. The weather in the second half of October is unpredictable.
Secondly, the choice of holiday destinations is somewhat limited. In autumn, it is no longer possible to sunbathe in the respectable resorts of the Costa Brava. You can sunbathe in the Costa del Sol, but the sea is too cold for swimming.
Thirdly, you should not expect prices to drop in the major cities and resorts of Tenerife. A trip to Madrid, Barcelona, or Valencia becomes cheaper only in November, when the rains come, and in the Canaries, October is the peak of the beach season.
Finally, the entertainment infrastructure is winding down. Water parks don't work; there may be no sun lounger hire on the beaches, in hotels where mini-clubs work in summer, in autumn, you have to entertain your child on your own. Points "pros" seemed to you more convincing? Then you can move on to where exactly to holiday in Spain in October. To begin with — weather data.
The Weather in Spain in October
Travellers arrive in Spain warmly dressed and quickly undress to T-shirts. The weather at the beginning of October does allow you to walk around lightly dressed, but after that, it can rain and get colder.
The weather in October-November is the gradual onset of autumn. At first, it is very warm and even hot. Then it gets colder, and it rains. The weather forecast in Spain at the end of October is increasingly accompanied by the weather icons "rain" and "cloudy". The rainiest regions are Madrid and Barcelona.
The closer to November, the more often the wind blows. If you are going to Spain in October with a child, pack windproof jackets and waterproof for your vacation. The rest of the clothes must be chosed in accordance with whether you are traveling at the beginning of the month or at the end.
Air and water temperature
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What a climate Spain has! Summer pampers those who want to laze on the warm seashore. There is still a chance to sunbathe and swim in the sea in autumn, although many tourists are ready to switch to walks and excursions. Here are the data on the October weather in different regions of the country:
| Resort | Daytime | Nightime | Water |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madrid | +22,4°С | +14,7°С | - |
| Barcelona | +22,2°С | +17,6°С | +21,8°С |
| Valencia | +24,5°С | +17,1°С | +22,8°С |
| Costa Blanca | +24,0°С | +20,3°С | +23,1°С |
| Costa del Sol | +24,4°С | +19,7°С | +20,0°С |
| Mallorca | +24,2°С | +18,4°С | +23,4°С |
| Tenerife | +26,6°С | +23,0°С | +23,8°С |
The air temperature in Spain in October is still very comfortable. In the first half of the month, the air during the day often warms up to +24-28°C; then it can be different — both +25°C and +15°C. Nights are cooler, from +14-20°C at the beginning of the month to +10-14°C at the end.
Andalusia remains the warmest region for a long time — the whole month of October is never colder than +20°C, and often temperatures reach +30°C. The water temperature in Spain in October is quite acceptable. During the month, it gradually decreases from +24-25°C to +21-22°C.
Can you swim in Spain in October?
The season in the Spanish resorts closes at the end of September. But it doesn't mean that you can't sunbathe and swim. The sea is somewhat colder than in summer, but in early October, the water temperature is +24-25°C — even children can swim in Spain in October.
How warm the sea will be depends on the region. Swimming in the northern part of the Mediterranean coast is already cold. In the Costa del Sol resorts, where the Atlantic currents come, the water quickly cools down to +21°C.
Where do they swim in October? Off the coast of the Costa Blanca and Mallorca, the sea remains warm until mid-October. In the Canaries, September and October are when the water in the Atlantic Ocean is the most comfortable.
Beach Holidays
Sunbathing on Spanish beaches in mid-autumn is a good idea. There is no summer heat, no crowds, and the sea is still quite warm. This is a good time for holidays with small children, to whom the heat is undesirable.
Most beaches in Spain are marked with a "Blue Flag"; the coast is clean and well-maintained everywhere. But it is difficult to say whether the sun loungers and rescue service rental will work in October. As a rule, almost all beach facilities are no more available at the end of October.
Where to go in Spain in October to enjoy the sea and sun? Here are a few holiday destinations where the weather will not disappoint you.
Costa Blanca
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In Alicante, Benidorm and other resorts on the "White Coast", summer stays in full swing for a long time. Until mid-October, the air temperature stays at +22-25°C during the day and +17-20°C at night. Then it can get colder, although warm days often last until November. There are few cloudy days and only a couple of rainy days. The sea cools down from +24-25°C to +23°C by the middle of the month.
Long sandy beaches with a gentle entrance to the water are excellent places for families with babies. A holiday by the sea will revitalise your child, and the Costa Blanca climate is considered particularly healing.
From the point of view of a comfortable stay, the resorts are perfect. There are many hotels, including family-friendly ones. The abundance of entertainment will please those travelling with older children. Benidorm has a large amusement park and a zoo. There are several unusual museums in Guadaleste, for example, the Museum of Microgiants. Canelobre cave is located near Alicante.
Costa del Sol
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The onset of autumn in the Costa del Sol can be seen only by the temperature of the water. Already at the beginning of October, it drops to +20-21°С, and in the middle of the month, the sea cools down to +18-19°С.
The rest of the summer continues. The air temperature stays at +22-26°C during the day and +17-22°C at night for a long time, clear weather prevails, and rains usually come in the second half of October.
There are good sandy beaches in all resorts of Costa del Sol. A nice plus — playgrounds on the beach. Torremolinos and Benalmadena are considered the best places to relax with preschoolers, but in autumn, it is pretty calm at all resorts.
The Costa del Sol is one of Spain's most expensive tourist regions. There are many respectable hotels here, although you can also rent inexpensive apartments. When planning an excursion program, include the Picasso Museum and other museums of Malaga and the main attractions of Seville, Granada and Cordoba.
Mallorca
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The Balearic Islands in October gradually fall under the influence of autumn. The daytime air temperature rarely exceeds +24°C, and the night temperature drops to +16-20°C. For a third of the month, the sun hides behind the clouds; it usually starts to rain at the end of October.
The autumn sea in Mallorca is an absolute pleasure. Its temperature is higher than the air temperature: in the first half of October, it is +24°C.
Resorts in the south-west of the island are often chosen for holidays with children: the sandy beaches of Palma de Mallorca, Palma Nova, and Magaluf have a gentle entrance to the water. Beach holidays in Mallorca can constantly be complemented by excursions. It can be a visit to the animal park, an ancient train to Soller, or the Drach caves.
The choice of accommodation in all resorts is perfect, from expensive hotels to budget apartments some distance from the sea.
Tenerife
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The main reason to choose a resort not on the Mediterranean Sea but on the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean is that autumn is the peak season here. In the south and west of Tenerife in October, the warmest water is +23-24°C. The air temperature is almost unchanged during the month and is +22-28°C during the day and +20-24°C at night. There are few cloudy days, and it rains once or twice in October.
The island's best beaches are in Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos, and Las Americas. The sand on the shore can be light, imported, or black — local, volcanic. El Medano beach, where it is always windy, is flooded with windsurfing fans.
Entertainment in Tenerife is very diverse. The traditional program is relaxation in the water park "Siam Park" and visits to animal parks. For something unique, head to Mount Teide or the Güimar Pyramids.
There will be no problems with the choice of accommodation. Among the hotels, some focus on families with children. Many tourists prefer to rent apartments. When looking for options, note that the accommodation may be located on a hill, from where you have to go down the stairs to the sea.
Tour Holidays
Sightseeing in Spain is an inexhaustible topic. In summer, in the heat, you can only see a few of them at a time, while the weather in October is ideal for excursions.
It would be best to come to Madrid in autumn to avoid the heat. How to plan your programme? You can see Titian and Velázquez at the Prado Museum, Monet and Degas at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Gallery, and Picasso and Dalí at the Queen Sofia Art Centre.
You can immerse yourself in Native American history at the Museum of the Americas, see the Stone Forest at the Museum of Natural Sciences, take in the grandeur of the Spanish Armada at the Maritime Museum, and have your photo taken with the King of Spain at the Wax Museum. The cutest place for the whole family is the Perez Mouse Museum.
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Barcelona is also pleasant to walk around in October, mainly as many sights are in the open air. Children easily perceive Gaudi's architectural fantasies — the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, the Casa Batlló, and the Güell Park. They're interested in the Spanish Village, which recreates examples of architecture from all regions of the country.
Among the many museums, you're sure to find something you like: the Picasso Museum, the Egyptian Museum, the Barcelona History Museum, the Barcelona Football Club Museum... Children will appreciate the interactive exhibits of the CosmoCaixa and Blau museums.
The excursion programme in Valencia doesn't seem to depend on the weather — everything interesting is hidden in the City of Arts and Sciences buildings. From here, children leave with a desire to learn physics and biology, learn diving or become the first settlers on other planets.
Other interesting places in Valencia include the Historical Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Museum of Ceramics and the Museum of Fallas, which tells the story of a memorable Valencian holiday.
Travelling through Andalusia will also leave a lot of impressions. In Seville, one usually visits the Plaza de España and the Alcazar Palace; in Granada — the Alhambra architectural complex and the medieval Moorish quarter of Albaicín; in Cordoba — the Mesquita Mosque; in Málaga — the Alcazaba Fortress.
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To arouse even more interest, we would like to add that Spain has about fifty sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List. These are the old town in Avila, the ancient Roman aqueduct in Segovia, the Mudejar monuments in Aragon, the pilgrimage roads in Santiago de Compostela, the archaeological complex in Tarragona, the rock art in the Altamira cave, the palm groves in Alicante, the Garajonay National Park in the Canaries. No, seeing all this beauty will take more than one trip.
Family Activities
Water parks in Spain are only open until the end of September. Is this a reason to be sad? Not at all. There is enough entertainment in the resorts as it is.
The main amusement park "PortAventura" in Salou invites everyone who likes to have fun to the fullest. Several themed areas feature state-of-the-art rides, and the show schedule is all worth seeing.
Other Mediterranean resorts have plenty to offer too. Costa Blanca includes the Terra Mitica amusement park, the Mundomar and Terra Natura animal parks, and the Aitana Safari Park.
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In the Costa del Sol — the Sea Life Aquarium, the Fuengirola Biopark and the Selvo Aventura Zoo.
Children cannot be lured away from the Kathmandu amusement park in Mallorca. A visit to the Marineland Sea Zoo and Safari Zoo will bring much joy.
In Tenerife (surprise!), the majestic water park Siam Park is open all year round. You can also visit eagle, monkey, butterfly and camel parks with children.
If you are going to spend your holiday in Madrid or Barcelona, there will be no shortage of entertainment. Madrid — attractions and a zoo in Casa de Campo, Biopark "Faunia", the garden "Enchanted Forest", theme park "Warner Brothers" 34 km from the capital. Barcelona — the amusement park on Mount Tibidabo, the gardens of Montjuïc Hill and the singing fountains at its foot, the park "Catalonia in Miniature".
Holidays, events and festivals
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Spaniards can't be imagined without fun, and it seems that every day is a fiesta in the country. There are three dates in the calendar of Spanish holidays in October. The main one is 12 October, Spain's national day, or Hispanidad. This is a reference to the date of discovery of the New World by Columbus in 1492, and the actual Hispanidad as a day of the commonwealth of Spanish-speaking peoples began to be celebrated in the early twentieth century.
9 October is Valencia Day. Tourists usually prefer tasting paella, a delicious Valencian speciality, to all the entertainment. We recommend watching a parade in the afternoon and a pyrotechnic show in the evening. On 25 October, the same celebration takes place in the Basque Country.
It is worth inquiring about festivals. According to reviews of holidays in Spain in October, tourists are particularly interested in young wine.
Many people flock to Sant Sadurni d'Anoia at the beginning of the month to taste the famous cava, sparkling wine of Denominación de Origen (DO) status. Wine festivals also occur in Galicia, Castile and León, Asturias and other wine regions.
At the end of October, Toledo organises a Saffron festival. This is when the pistils of the flowers are harvested, from which the expensive, exquisite spice is made. In Crevillente (province of Alicante), the "Moors and Christians" action starts at the beginning of the month. Here the events of the Reconquista are staged. And Barcelona organises its own Oktoberfest lasting almost two weeks.
Cost of Vacation
Prices in Spain in October are slowly dropping. In the seaside resorts, everything becomes much cheaper in the second half of the month, in the major cities — not until November.
Airfares
Flights to Barcelona and Valencia will be 3-5% cheaper than in September. In November, prices will drop by the same amount. The cost of tickets to Tenerife, Mallorca and Malaga is approximately the same as in September. A flight in November is slightly cheaper. In October you can buy inexpensive tickets to Madrid. Prices in the second half of autumn are one and a half times lower than in summer.
Accommodation
Prices for accommodation in different regions of Spain change differently. Thus, Madrid hotels raise prices by 20-25% compared to September. In November, prices return to the September level. In Barcelona and Valencia accommodation is cheaper only in November — then the discount reaches 20%.
In Mallorca,Tenerife and other places where the beach season still continues, the price in October does not change compared to September. In seaside resorts, where the weather is no longer conducive to beach holidays, the price of accommodation drops by almost half.
Package Tours
You should not expect a significant price reduction for package holidays in October. The difference in price with September is about 5% —significantly cheaper only long tours (14 nights).
Food
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Hotels in Spain rarely use the "all-inclusive" system, so tourists visit restaurants or cook their food. One rule applies in big cities and small resorts — the further away from the tourist centre, the lower the prices. For example, a portion of paella in a cafe for locals costs 5-10 euros, but if the cafe is designed for tourists, the price sometimes increases twice.
Food for self-cooking can be bought in supermarkets and markets. The approximate price of 1 kg of fruit in October: watermelons and melons — 0.5 euros, plums, nectarines, tangerines and mangoes — 1-2 euros, grapes — 2-4 euros, persimmons — 3 euros. Exotic cherimoya and Prickly pear fruit, called chumbo in Spain, are sold in October.
Shopping
Shopping in Spain is always a pleasure. Despite the lack of sales, you can always buy jamon, cheeses, Andalusian sherry and Catalan cava, a favourite of many. Pleasant purchases for children are Turrón, Valor and Amatller chocolates and Polvorones (Spanish Shortbread Cookies).
Consider Spanish brands Desigual, Zara, Mango, Custo, and Munich in clothing and footwear shops. These things are characterised by their peculiar design and excellent quality.
Tips for travelling with kids
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Who would have thought that holidays in Spain in October with children have so many advantages? To avoid unexpected disadvantages, use our tips to prepare for your trip.
- It is better to choose the first half of October for a sea holiday.
- In October, there may be no sunbeds for hire on the beaches. Take a towel or a mat with you.
- Despite the good weather, light jackets, trousers, clothes and shoes in case of rain may come in handy.
- Baby food is only worth bringing if your child needs special foods. Ask where the nearest pharmacy or supermarket is located — there will be products from well-known producers.
- Hotels hardly ever offer all-inclusive meals. Find out where there are suitable cafes and restaurants nearby. You can easily feed your child in most catering establishments.
Since tourists in Spain decide on their food, bringing enough money for food with you is essential. KidPassage's article on prices in Spanish supermarkets and restaurants will help you calculate your budget and even outline a few dishes that you will want to try on your trip.
