My daughter is studying in Segovia, Spain this fall. My husband, 15 yr old son and I will travel there in mid-December to spend 2 weeks before all coming home. We plan to start in Madrid and concentrate on southern Spain (Sevilla, Granada, etc.). The kids are excited about the possibility of snowboarding either north of Madrid or near Granada. But, they also want to experience some Spanish sun and sand. Would it be better for us to spend time on the Costa del Sol or Andalusia for some warm weather? Where is it most likely to be the warmest? How warm might it be? Thanks!
Your best bet for warm weather is the beach areas to the south. Average high temperatures in December are likely to be in the upper 50's and low 60's....likely too cool for lying on the beach too long, but certainly warmer than the Twin Cities area! Places in the mountains like Granada will be a few degrees cooler, and you MAY see snow at night..it'll melt the next day. I would suggest Madrid-Sevilla by AVE high speed train, then a car to do a circuit from Sevilla thru Ronda, down to the Costa del Sol, and up to Granada, then back to Sevilla. The highways are excellent. As for skiing, the Sierra Nevada outside Granada is your best bet, since they have excellent snow-making equipment....snow can be more iffy around Madrid at that time of year. Check www.sierranevadaski.com for details.