Andalusia in August - Cooler Alternatives in Spain?

Another trip to Span already, congratulations.

I don’t let the heat prevent me from going to a location I really want to visit. I simply plan for more breaks and fewer things to see each day. In August I think Extremadura and Zaragoza would be equally hot.

Galicia and the north coast would generally be cooler and there are plenty of places to visit. Pamplona is good for a full day, but that’s about it.

Santiago is great, also Bilbao and San Sebastian in the Basque country.

In August Andalucia will be dreadful I think, especially with the bad drought they are also going though. Barcelona/Catalonia too would be a no go in August, basically Disneyland at that time of year.

Last summer, I did a roadtrip with friends through the lesser known Mediterranean coast of Spain, around Alicante and Valencia, and inland into the Matarraña region. My trip report could provide you with some inspiration - https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/undiscovered-spain-mediterranean-roadtrip-2023

PS: Many of the local establishments in Spain will be closed for the August holidays, especially in the smaller towns and cities.

Galicia and coastal areas of the Basque Country are very likely to be much cooler than Andalucia, though short-term, freakish temperature spikes can occur nearly anywhere these days. I'm not sure about Pamplona; check weather statistics for that city carefully. You don't have to move terribly far from the coast before you risk much much hotter temperatures.

I agree that Pamplona isn't really all that interesting. I much preferred Bilbao, Hondarribia and Vitoria-Gasteiz. The Basque countryside is pretty, justifying use of the very slow Euskotren between San Sebastian and Bilbao if you aren't pressed for time; the much-faster bus is a good option for the return trip.

In Galicia I liked A Coruna, Betanzos and Pontevedra as well as Santiago de Compostela. There are also many small, attractive coastal towns accessible by bus. Vigo is not an interesting stop and should be skipped unless you need to pass through it for logistical reasons.

I would point out that Madrid will be nearly as hot as Andalucia. Here's last year's weather conditions.

Thank you all for the comments! I have decided to cancel my bookings in Andalusia - I figure that it would be better to visit at a nicer time of year, and also to visit them as part of a dedicated Andalusia trip.

I had originally hoped not to rent a car, but am now considering it. Does anyone have any experience renting at the Madrid airport? Would it be annoying to go from my hotel after staying in Madrid for four notes back to the airport to pick up a car?

Right now I'm thinking most strongly about Burgos, Leon, Galicia, Asturias/Calabria, and Basque Country. My idea right now, very much subject to change, is to drive up to Burgos and spend a night there, then drive up to Santillana del Mar and spend 1-2 nights there, and then drive over to Pamplona and spend a night there before driving to Javier Castle and/or Olite Castle before driving back to Madrid through Rioja. Is that a decent trip? If there's something easy without a car I'm open to that as well. For full context I am traveling solo so would like to make sure I have enough to do without getting bored.

Do you plan to spend time in San Sebastian and/or Bilbao? Travel advice I received from a local (still haven't made the trip though) was to take public transport to San Sebastian, then to Bilbao and then rent a car to do a loop through Galicia and Basque country. His reasoning was that a car was unnecessary in those cities and both were worth spending time in.

I always rent from Madrid’s airport. The rental agencies are right outside the terminal and getting onto a freeway only takes a minute. When returning the vehicle watch the return signs carefully. Right at the terminal when you turn in right by the return lot, you’ll need to turn right into the rental return lot. If you happen to go straight you’ll enter a pay lot. The signage is much better now than it used to be.

I like the itinerary. In Santillana Del Mar we stayed at one of the two Paradors there. The town is pedestrian only during the day, but if you stay at the Parador you can drive in to drop your bags. The Paradors have their own parking in the town.

Likewise, we stayed at the Parador in Olite. It too is in a pedestrian only zone but you can drive in to drop your bags, 30 minutes maximum. Parking is in a free public lot about a five minutes walk away. We visited Javier castle, the basilica beside it, and Monasterio de Leyre as a day trip from it. On another day we drove the area between Olite and Puente de la Reina visiting Artajona, Puente de la Reina, Monastery of Iranzu, the wine fountain on the Camino at bodega Irache, and Estella. A place we didn’t get to was Ujué.

Between Pamplona and Olite is Alto de Perdón. It affords good views of the surrounding area. Somewhat nearby is Church of Saint Mary of Eunate. Both places are on the Camino de Santiago so you will see pilgrims walking it.

If you need to do laundry by that point in your trip there was a laundromat near Olite, in Tafalla. Once away from Madrid traffic is very light. Just remember to stay at or below the posted speeds. There were free parking lots in places I mentioned. I looked them up before going over. Many of the places are in fairly remote locations so a rental car is a must.

When heading back to Madrid and if you’re in the area, Parque Natural Cañón del Río Lobos was a nice stop. Beautiful scenery and a Knight’s Templar built chapel (Érmita San Bartolomé) that is equidistant between the easternmost and westernmost parts of Spain. The partially walled town of Burgo de Osma was nice to walk around. There are a number of castles in that area too.