Spain in August

Spain is a big country and the temperature will differ between north and south for instance. Andalucia will be warm to hot...but what is hot to some is not to others. I live in Andalucia but as an Australian by birth don't find the temps too hot at all. Even in Andalucia you will get variance...Seville for example will be hotter than Granada. As for things being closed...I am not too sure...some family businesses may close for some of August as this typically is the month Soanish people go on holiday. I wouldn't be put off by August, especially when the timing suits you.

There's probably a twenty degree difference in the highs on the north coast and the highs on the south coast in August. Where are you going?

I'm in the beginning stage of planning. But i've been thinking about flying from Paris into Barcelona and flying back home out of Madrid. I have 10 full days to spend in Spain. Everytime i think i have it planned out i read about another city and change my mind! I've looked at Sevilla and Granada and even a side trip to Portugal but i think that might be too much.

It will be hot, very hot by MN standards for summer. In addition the humidity can be very high. There is a reason why a lot Spain closed from 2 - 4 or 5 in the afternoon and nightlife does not get rolling until 10 or 11 at night. But if that is you only choice, then go and live with it.

What is tolerably hot to some will always be intolerably so to others. It is not clear whether you plan to spend time in Barcelona and Madrid and Seville and Granada - or just the latter two. Regardless I think a side trip to Portugal to be too much, but that depends on your travelling style. If you are planning on spending time in the 4 cities, rather than just 2, I also think that is too much, but again......

The other research to do is European vacations. Much of Europe takes all of August off. That makes costal destinations, even in hot places, more crowded. And it contributes to closures too. It's really hard to advise without really specific information about your interests and destinations. For example, it's not such a problem in Paris, except for incoming tourist crowds! But some fine restaurants do indeed close for two weeks at least. In my extensive experience, European hotel air conditioning is not engineered to the same meat-locker standards as it is at home. I am specifically including Hilton and Marriott. And remember that window screens are still rare in much of Europe. But I've enjoyed many a summer evening, so don't let any of this make you apprehensive. The cool of the evening will bring out strolling crowds and happy families, for example. After the day-trippers leave Ronda or Granada at 5PM, you'll forget that the back of your neck is damp. They are magical places.

In Jerez and Sevilla, people talked about normal August daytime temperatures of 40 - 45 degrees celcius (about 105 - 115 f). One friend studied in Madrid and said it wasn't particularly humid but definitely hot - think New Mexico or Arizona. It might be a little cooler at higher elevations or along the Atlantic in the north and northwest part of the country.