South Europe Travel Guide

Canary Islands

Canary Islands

Climate

Due to the Gulf Stream, the Canary Islands have a very mild climate all year round with only minor temperature fluctuations. Extreme cold or heat rarely occurs. The summer months can get up to 30 ° C. The lowest rainfall is expected from March to November. In the sometimes high mountains it can get very cool at night.

Best travel time

The winter months and the months in transition to summer are considered the main season. The months June to September offer ideal hiking weather due to the dry weather.

Balearic Islands

Balearic Islands

Climate

The Balearic Islands have a temperate subtropical climate with an average of 7.9 hours of sunshine a day. Due to the location of the islands, the short winters are mild and humid. There is seldom snowfall – only in the mountains. In the summer months, however, it hardly rains. The temperatures in the interior of the island can then rise to over 40 ° C. Short, heavy rains are possible from the end of August. From the end of December to January, calm, mild weather conditions are common. The small summers already lead to the famous almond blossom in Mallorca in January.

Best travel time

Spring and autumn are scenic and with mild temperatures – ideal for vacationers with active preferences. Beach holidaymakers prefer the summer months from May to September. The winters are rather calm in Mallorca.

Spain

Spain

According to Countryaah, Spain is located in southwest Europe and occupies most of the Iberian Peninsula. The country borders France to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the east, the Strait of Gibraltar to the south, and Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The national territory also includes the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands and the provinces of Melilla and Ceuta in North Africa. The capital is Madrid.

Climate:

Spain belongs to different climatic zones, especially due to its different altitudes. In the north, for example, there is a mountain climate with snowy winters as well as an Atlantic coastal climate. On the north coast of Spain, the winters are milder, the summer months cool and temperate and there is more rainfall. In the continental, northern part of the interior, very warm, dry summers are expected. In the direction of the Mediterranean, the Mediterranean influence increases. In the subtropical Canary Islands the winters are mild, especially from October to February it rains heavily. Temperatures are pleasant all year round.

Best travel time:

Spain, including its islands, is an attractive year-round destination especially for beach holidays. In winter you can still get plenty of sunshine on the Canaries. For tours in the interior of the country, spring with its pleasant temperature values ​​is more recommended, in the Mediterranean it is often too hot for hiking in summer. Rainfalls can be expected in October.

Portugal

Portugal

Portugal is located on the Iberian Peninsula, making it the westernmost state in Europe. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the east and north. The westernmost point of the European mainland is therefore in Portugal, at Cabo da Roca. The islands of the Azores and Madeira with Porto Santo also belong to the Portuguese territory.

Climate:

The Portuguese climate is temperate-maritime with warm summer months and mild winters. The mountainous north-east region shows more continental influences, here the temperatures differ more clearly in the rather dry, hot summer and the cold winters. Maximum summer temperatures of over 30 degrees Celsius show the Mediterranean character of southern Portugal.

Best travel time:

Depending on the region, Portugal is a year-round destination. Skiers can use the mountainous north-east of Portugal. If you want to do without snow, you can also spend the winter in Madeira, the Algarve or the Azores. The transitional months are ideal for sightseeing, the summer brings bathing weather to the northern Portuguese coast from July to August. In the Algarve, however, it can get too hot in midsummer.

Greece

Greece

Greece is located on the eastern Mediterranean in southern Europe. It is made up of mainland Greece, the Peloponnese peninsula and numerous islands and is surrounded by the states of Albania, Macedonia and Bulgaria in the north, Turkey in the east, the Ionian Sea in the west and the Libyan Sea in the south. The island of Gavdos in the Libyan Sea is the southernmost point of the country and is also geographically the southernmost point of Europe. Besides the mainland with 106,915 km², Greece consists of 3,054 islands with a total of 25,042 km² land area. That is almost 19% of the total area of ​​the country. Only 87 of the islands are inhabited. Despite its strong maritime character, Greece is classified as a mountainous country, as the mountain share is just under 78 percent.

Climate:

Greece is a prime example of a Mediterranean climate: dry, hot summers and mild winter months alternate. The north and west of Greece are a little more rainy. In winter, snow falls in the mountains.

Best travel time:

If you have no problem with heavier rainfall in autumn and winter, you can travel to Greece all year round. City trips are easy to plan in the transition period between spring and autumn. In summer, bathing holidays on the Mediterranean with pleasant water and warm air temperatures are possible. Sailors make better use of the period from April to October, in the following months there can be storms.