Going to Andalusia in summer; yes or no? Going to Andalusia is ideal all year round. The region has more than 300 sunny days a year, so you can enjoy good weather all year round. Recently, Spain has been increasingly negative in the Dutch news when it comes to the climate. Quite a pity, because it often gives a distorted picture. We explain why.

Sweltering heat in Southern Spain

Last May the Dutch newspapers headlined that Dutch tourists succumbed to the heat in Andalusia.
Finca Las Nuevas was then filled with Dutch guests and when we asked them if they were also succumbing, they looked at us with strange eyes. Everyone enjoyed the wonderful warmth, the nice sun and the still quite cool swimming pool.
There were indeed days in May when the temperature increased considerably in certain places. But that certainly doesn’t mean that was the case everywhere.

Flooding in Southern Spain

The same applies to the news about flooding in southern Spain. Family and friends thought we were almost washed away from our mountain. After a long dry winter we, here in Andalusia, yearned for some rain, but the rain has hardly fallen here.
In Andalusia alone, many microclimates ensure that the weather can vary locally. For example, we can sometimes sit in the sun by the pool, while the coastal region is weighed down by a thick layer of clouds. Or it can rain with us and the sun is shining 40 kilometres away.

Do you want to know what the weather will be when you are going to Andalusia in summer? Search then by location in a weather app. The Spanish weather app is Aemet. they give a good overview by location.
Andalusia has a different heat than Northern Europe

Many people know it or have experienced it themselves. When it is 30 degrees in the Netherlands, the perceived temperature is often higher, due to the high humidity. It often feels stuffy. That is completely different in Andalusia. Here the air is much drier, so you can handle the heat much better.

5 Tips to survive the heat in Andalusia

The latest news items we saw were about holidaymakers avoiding Spain in the summer months. Very unfortunate because Andalusia has so much to offer, which is certainly doable in the summer.
That is why here are 5 tips to have a wonderful holiday in Andalusia during the summer.

Tip 1: Adjust the rhythm

This is perhaps the most effective tip. We, the Dutch, are used to going out a lot. We often leave in the morning, after having slept in or not, and then come back around six o’clock in the evening for dinner. This rhythm does not fit well in sunny Andalusia.

A better option might be to get up on time, take a nice trip for a few hours and then spend the afternoon at home or by the pool.

If you want to go out for a whole day, then it is better, just like the Spaniards, to have an extensive meal at noon and then continue with your day trip in the afternoon.

For example, you could visit a museum or another activity between two and five o’clock.

Another rhythm could be that you only start your day trip at about five o’clock. Therefore, museums and shops are open much longer in the evening, here in Andalusia!!

This way you can make the most of your day. We like making combinations. Why choose when you can do both? How nice is it then, that you laze around during the day and that you go out in the evening? This can be a good deal, especially for a family.

For example, we like walking. And indeed in the summer, it is too hot for many walks to do in the middle of the day. For example, we leave for El Torcal around four o’clock. In the backpack, we take a picnic. We walk for a while, find a nice spot to eat some snacks, watch the beautiful sunset and then head back home. Ideal! Splendid!

Tip 2: Keep the windows and doors closed

This is also an open door, but sometimes you don’t think about it. If you have ever been to Spain, you will have noticed that people here keep their windows closed during the day. What an unpleasantness. But this also has a practical reason. If you keep the sun out of your house during the day, the house will stay nice and cool.
That is why our house also has small windows and thick walls. It is a kind of natural air conditioning. In the evening, open the windows together so that the fresh air can enter. And as soon as it’s morning, close the windows, keep the curtains closed if necessary and keep your house cool.

Tip 3: Look for the shade

To stay cool when you’re outside, you naturally don’t look for a sunny terrace, but rather a spot in the shade. If you’re in a city, see which side of the street there’s shade on, and walk there.

Tip 4: Bring your umbrella

You can take an umbrella with you when you go outside. Not for the rain but this time for the sun. It may look a bit strange to walk with your umbrella on a sunny day, but I know from my own experience that it is wonderful.

Tip 5: Go swimming

Don’t want a hassle. Then bring a good book on your holiday in Andalusia and go for a swim. We have a lovely swimming pool with a beautiful view of the mountains. Not far from Finca Las Nuevas, you will find the super beautiful lakes of Ardales, the forests provide nice shade. Read more about the lakes here.

Can’t you sit still? Then take a walk through a river. You can read more about this in two blogs about a river walk or on our website.

Holiday in Andalusia in a beautiful spot

Finca Las Nuevas has five cosy holiday homes on a converted olive farm in the mountains near Málaga. It is an ideal place for a wonderful holiday.