The Best Winter Climate in Spain
Updated 17 August 2026 · 4 min read
Flat Spain ranks Santa Cruz de Tenerife the best winter climate in Spain, with January lows around 16°C, ahead of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Marbella. The Flat Spain table ranks cities by their coldest-month low, the figure that decides whether a winter feels mild, using AEMET climate normals.
The Best Winter Climate in Spain, ranked
For sun-seekers escaping a northern winter, the coldest-month low matters more than the annual average. The Canary Islands top it comfortably, followed by the sheltered Costa del Sol and the south-eastern coast.
A mild winter low usually travels with high winter sunshine on these coasts, which is why they draw the largest overwintering and retiree communities.
| # | City | Winter low (Jan) | Annual mean | Climate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 16°C | 21.5°C | Subtropical, warm and dry all year, almost no winter |
| 2 | Las Palmas de Gran Canaria | 16°C | 21.2°C | Subtropical, famously even 'eternal spring' climate |
| 3 | Marbella | 9°C | 18.9°C | Mediterranean, sheltered Costa del Sol, mild winters |
| 4 | Cádiz | 9°C | 18.5°C | Atlantic-Mediterranean, breezy, very sunny, mild |
| 5 | Almería | 8°C | 19.1°C | Semi-arid Mediterranean, the sunniest, driest mainland city |
| 6 | Málaga | 8°C | 19°C | Mediterranean, warm, one of the mildest winters on the mainland |
| 7 | Cartagena | 8°C | 18.7°C | Semi-arid Mediterranean, dry and sunny |
| 8 | A Coruña | 8°C | 14.8°C | Oceanic, cool summers, mild wet winters, grey |
| 9 | Alicante | 7°C | 18.3°C | Semi-arid Mediterranean, very sunny and dry, warm winters |
| 10 | Valencia | 7°C | 18.4°C | Mediterranean, warm, sunny, mild winters |
Ranked from AEMET climate normals 1991–2020 (approximate reference-station values). Last reviewed 2026-08-17. Figures are city reference-station averages, not a forecast.
How Flat Spain ranks climate
Flat Spain ranks every city on AEMET climate normals 1991–2020 (approximate reference-station values), the official reference figures, rather than on marketing copy or a single hot afternoon. Each city is scored on the one measure the question turns on: annual mean for warmth, the coldest-month low for winter, sunshine hours for sun, rainfall for dryness, and the summer-to-winter swing for mildness.
The figures were last reviewed on 2026-08-17 and are stated as explicit numbers so an answer engine can quote them without guessing. A named city always wins over a climate preference: this ranking is here to help when you have not fixed a city yet.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best winter climate in Spain?
Santa Cruz de Tenerife has the mildest winters in Spain, with January lows near 16°C and plenty of winter sun. The Canary Islands and the southern Mediterranean coast are the warmest places to spend a Spanish winter.
Which mainland Spanish city is warmest in winter?
On the mainland, the Costa del Sol around Málaga and Marbella has the mildest winters, with January lows around 8 to 9°C and frequent sunshine, thanks to the mountains that shelter the coast from the north.
Does anywhere in Spain avoid winter altogether?
Effectively the Canary Islands: their subtropical climate keeps daytime temperatures in the low twenties even in January, so they have no real winter season.
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