Things to Do in Spain in December
December weather, activities, events & insider tips
Shoulder Season · Good Value
December Weather in Spain
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
53°F (12°C)
High Temp
38°F (3°C)
Low Temp
0.1 inches (3 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
⚠ Near-freezing temperatures, pack warm layers
Is December Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + December in Spain is shoulder season. You can still score flights and hotels at prices impossible just 30 days later, outside the big cities.
- + Expect crisp, clear skies. Madrid's Plaza Mayor and Barcelona's Gothic Quarter glow under bright blue. The Sagrada Familia's sandstone turns honey-gold. Humidity stays high, so 8 °C feels milder than the number suggests.
- + Spain turns inward now. Castanets click in Seville's Triana. Chestnuts and vino caliente drift from every Christmas market. Summer crowds never see this local rhythm.
- + Queues at the Prado and Barcelona's Picasso shrink. You can face Velázquez's 'Las Meninas' or Picasso's 'Guernica' without elbows in your ribs. Low winter sun cuts perfect light for photos in Toledo's alleys or Granada's Albayzín.
Considerations
- − Days are short. Sunset hits around 5:30 PM. Plan outdoor time from late morning onward.
- − Coastal resorts on the Costa del Sol or the Balearic Islands feel half shuttered. Summer-only restaurants close. Boat tours to the Cíes Islands or along the Costa Brava run rarely, if at all.
- − Weather flips fast. One Madrid morning demands only a sweater under brilliant sun. The next, the cierzo or tramontana can drive a damp, bone-chilling wind that slashes the feel-like temperature.
Best Activities in December
Top things to do during your visit
Spain in December feels like a secret. The air snaps with a chill that is gentler than northern Europe's bite. Locals wrap scarves tight, sipping coffee at terrazas where radiant heaters glow like small orange suns. Light slants low, painting long shadows across plazas and gilding cathedral stonework. This is the month for ducking into a tiled taverna that smells of garlic in olive oil, where ruby-red ham hangs overhead. Beaches sit empty. Cities and countryside breathe without peak-season pressure. Views stay sharp across stark landscapes, and you can examine cultural sites at a slow, human pace.
Alhambra and Nasrid Palaces Tour with Tickets
culturalAn Alhambra and Nasrid Palaces Tour with Tickets gets you inside Granada's Moorish heart. You will walk through rooms where carved stucco screens throw shifting geometric patterns, and water whispers along narrow marble channels. Courtyards of slender columns mirror the pale December sky in still pools.
Guided access is the only way to grasp the layered history and architectural genius of Islamic Spain's final flourish.
Insider tip: Book early. Daily entry is capped and time slots sell out fast, for the Nasrid Palaces.
Guided Tour and Entry Ticket
guided_experienceThe Guided Tour and Entry Ticket for Sagrada Familia in Barcelona opens Gaudí's unfinished basilica. Inside, footsteps echo through a forest-like nave while columns branch toward vaults flooded with stained-glass colour. Cool air carries stone and wax, a contrast to the sun-warmed Nativity Façade outside.
A guide is essential to decode the symbolism and structural innovation packed into every surface of this living construction.
Insider tip: Arrive a few minutes early to watch winter light slide through the eastern Glory Façade windows.
Caminito del Rey all included
otherCaminito del Rey all included pins you to a walkway glued high on the Desfiladero de los Gaitanes gorge near Malaga. Wind whistles, the Guadalhorce River roars far below, and glass panels reveal the drop. Ochre and grey rock faces tower. The air tastes clean and faintly mineral.
It delivers a safe thrill on a once-deadly path through a landscape that feels continents away from the coast.
Insider tip: Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes with good grip. The route mixes boardwalk and uneven stone, and layers beat the canyon microclimate.
Ronda and Setenil de las Bodegas Day Trip
day_tripA Ronda and Setenil de las Bodegas Day Trip from the Costa del Sol pairs two inland towns. In Ronda you stand on the Puente Nuevo, feeling cool updrafts while swallows wheel above the El Tajo gorge. Later, in Setenil, houses tuck under rock overhangs and cave taverns fill with chatter and slow-cooking stew.
The tour contrasts Ronda's monumental bridge with Setenil's intimate cave architecture, two Andalusian answers to rugged terrain.
Insider tip: Hit the bullring museum early, then lunch on local game at a valley-view taverna before bus-tour noon arrives.
3 Hours E-Bike Tour in Palma
adventureThe 3 Hours E-Bike Tour in Palma de Mallorca glides along the Paseo Marítimo where a cool saline breeze drifts off the Bay of Palma. Winter skies stay clear above cathedral sandstone spires. You pedal quiet old-town lanes, past courtyards that may still carry orange-blossom scent, and pause for a sugar-dusted ensaimada.
It is an effortless way to cover Palma's waterfront and historic core while enjoying December's gentle climate.
Insider tip: Ask for handlebar mitts or bring gloves. Wind off the water numbs fingers fast.
San Sebastian: Pintxos and Wine Tour
foodThe San Sebastian: Pintxos and Wine Tour walks the Parte Vieja where bar counters glow under warm light and small plates parade on sticks. You will taste briny anchovy on pepper, smoky txuleta rib, creamy Idiazabal cheese, each matched with Txakoli or Rioja. Conversation hums, glasses clink, grills sizzle.
A guided crawl is the fastest route to understand the craft and social ritual behind the city's pintxos culture.
Insider tip: Arrive hungry, pace yourself, and do not sit at the first bar. Guides know which counters have just set out their freshest specialities.
Where to Stay in Spain in December
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for December travellers.
Mid-Range
GettSleep Madrid - Barajas Airport - Terminal T4S - After security checkpoint
From $86 / night
Check Prices on Trip.com →
December Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
Late November through December 24th
Christmas Markets (Mercados Navideños)
From late November through Christmas Eve, main squares across Spain transform. Madrid's Plaza Mayor turns into a forest of red-striped stalls smelling of roasted chestnuts (castañas asadas) and fried churros dipped in thick chocolate. Barcelona's Fira de Santa Llúcia market, in front of the cathedral, is a maze of handmade nativity figures (pesebres) and Catalan traditions like the Caga Tió ('pooping log'). It's less about gift-buying and more about soaking up the festive atmosphere, the sound of Christmas carols (villancicos), and the taste of polvorones (crumbly shortbread cookies).
December 31st
Nochevieja (New Year's Eve) in Puerta del Sol, Madrid
Spain's definitive New Year's celebration. The ritual is specific: gather in the thronged Puerta del Sol square, each person with twelve grapes in hand (uvas de la suerte). As the clock tower chimes midnight, you must eat one grape with each toll, a chaotic, hilarious, often messy attempt to secure luck for the twelve months ahead. The sound is a deafening mix of bells, crowd cheers, and the squelch of grapes. It's a genuine, if overwhelmingly crowded, local experience. Many people watch from nearby bars or plazas with a view of the clock.
December 28th
Día de los Santos Inocentes
Spain's version of April Fools' Day, celebrated on December 28th. Newspapers run outlandish fake stories, and friends play practical jokes. You might see shops advertising absurd sales or hear a wild piece of 'news' on the radio. It's a day of lighthearted mischief, a brief pause in the holiday solemnity. Just be a bit more skeptical of any too-good-to-be-true offers you hear that day.
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Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
The 'sobremesa' is even more sacred in winter. After a long, multi-course lunch, don't rush. The post-meal lingering over coffee or a digestive, often in a sunny window, is a cornerstone of Spanish winter life.
Most museums and sites are closed on December 25th and January 1st. Some may also have limited hours on December 24th and 31st. Plan your itinerary around these dates to avoid disappointment.
For a local Christmas sweet, skip the generic turrón and seek out 'polvorones' or 'mantecados' from Estepa (in Andalusia). They're crumbly, lard-based shortbreads dusted with icing sugar and taste of cinnamon and toasted almond.
If you're near the coast, remember that 'warm' is relative. The Mediterranean is chilly in December. Only the hardiest (or foolhardiest) dip a toe in. The pleasure is in walking empty beaches, not swimming.
Avoid These Mistakes
Underestimating the cold, in central and northern Spain. That '12°C (53°F)' high can feel much colder with the wind and humidity. Packing only light jackets is a classic tourist error.
Trying to keep a rigid, dawn-to-dusk sightseeing schedule. The short days and Spanish meal times (lunch at 2-4 PM, dinner after 9 PM) don't align with a packed summer itinerary. You'll exhaust yourself.
Assuming everything is open, in smaller towns or coastal areas from Christmas Eve through New Year's Day. Many family-run shops and restaurants close, and public transport runs on holiday schedules.
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