Spain is country right from the children’s bedtime storybooks – country of stone castles, snowcapped mountains, vast monuments, and sophisticated cities. All of which have made it a favoured travel destination. It is right place to enjoy the variations of activities right from skiing, shopping to enjoying a sunny weather at the beach. Another major factor which can be considered is that flights and hotels will be at lower prices. January is the perfect month to visit also for the fact that most of the tourist spots will have less crowd. You can take as much as time required to get that perfect picture clicked for your instagram profile.

For high-end ski resort, Pyrenees is the place along the border of Spain and France. Apart from football clubs, historical monuments, Spain has numerous enticing beaches which are calling the wanderlust minds !

Also read : Top 9 beaches for your getaway in Spain

Weather

Being the second largest country in Europe, weather will vary region to region. Though it’s January so it is supposed to be cold and it can chill even the warmest region. Northern part of the country will be both cold and wet. Expect rain every other day, which makes carrying a jacket mandatory especially during nights. Warm days are possible in Malaga region but not enough to return home with a tan. Madrid’s winter is certainly unpredictable in January. Barcelona has a beach but expect no one there in the month of January. All in all cold weather will dominate in this month.

• Madrid : 52 F (11 C)/32 F (0 C)
• Barcelona: 55 F (13 C)/39 F (4 C)
• Malaga: 61 F (16 C)/45 F (7 C)

What to pack !

You won’t need heavy winter gear in Spain, some cold-weather basics will do the trick. List items can include:

• Full/short sleeves shirts for layering
• Long sleeve tops
• A sweatshirt or cardigan
• A light jacket
• A lightweight scarf
• Jeans/cargo pants

Places to visit

1. Granada
2. San Sebastián
3. Costa del Sol

Granada

Granada has been continuously inhabited by humans for at least 2500 years. Among all the regions in southern Spain, Granada experiences a cold weather in January with an average temperature of 7 °C. Just a 45mins drive from the city you have mountain range of Sierra Nevada. It offers more than 100kms of trail for skiers and snowboarders. Albayzin area in the city of Granada has Arabic touch and is declared as World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Flamenco show is a must to catch in the city to get a glimpse of altogether different culture, music & dance. You can get regular buses from cities like Seville, Málaga, Madrid and Cordoba. Local buses also ply frequently in city between various tourist spots. But to experience the city in its raw form it is recommended to explore Granada on foot. City has several hilly areas where you may have to use stairways and steep streets. So it is advisable to explore on foot who can manage else take a bus.

Also read : 5 Best UNESCO World Heritage Sites to visit in Spain

San Sebastián

On January 20th one of the most important celebrations of the city takes place, the traditional Fiesta de San Sebastián. The festival has its roots back to the 19th century when Napoleon’s army destroyed and set the entire city to fire. Men and women dressed in traditional costume take out a parade in the streets playing loud drums for continuously for 24hours. It is definitely a unique experience to witness this phenomenal parade. Don’t miss out if you are in the city on give date. If you are interested in marine life then you should definitely check out Aquarium Donostia-San Sebastian which houses over 200 marine species. An outstanding attraction of the aquarium is its 1.5 million litre water tank and the bull sharks that call it home.

Also read : 5 Most Beautiful Castles in Spain To Explore 

Costa del Sol

Enjoy the 20 degrees temperature in January here! Malaga is the capital of Costa del Sol and is one of the best cities for shopaholics in Spain. Costa del Sol stretches from Almeria to Tarifa. It caters to every individual be it children, couple or elderly. Calle Larios is the main street for shopping addicts. Costa del Sol is well known for its sandy beaches and year round sun. Sea might not be warm enough for a swim but the pleasant weather definitely permits you to explore the coast around. Take some time out to visit whitewash villages such as Frigiliana, Mijas or Ronda. For celebrity style glamour, head to the town of Puerto Banos. You can find million-dollar yachts. Hardbour is lined up with world class restaurants, cafes and bars offering cuisines from various parts of Spain as well the globe. Costa Natura is Spain’s first naturalist village which is located on the only public nude beach. Don’t forget to carry your sunscreen !

Also read : Beautiful Villages in Mallorca

Events to attend in January

• International Winter Motorcycle Rally : City of Valladolid hosts this event every year in mid January which brings together thousands of folks with different nationalities with their bikes.
• International Tourism Fair : Travellers and those people working in Travel Industry don’t miss out this huge expo. This event brings more than 10,000 exhibitors under one roof.
• Jarramplas : Most people know about the La Tomatina, tomato based food fight. But very less people know about this food throwing festival, where turnips are used. This unique festival takes place in the city of Caceres. If La Tomatina interests you enough then you should definitely check out this one as well.
• A Celebration of Christian’s Victory over the Moors : On January 2, city of Granada celebrates the victory of Reconquista in 1492, when the expelled the Moors. Only on this day of the year highest tower at the Alhambra is open to public.

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