Costa del Sol weather by month: sun, sea temperature and when to go

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The short answer

The Costa del Sol is mild all year: about 17 °C at midday in January and 31–32 °C in July and August, with almost 3,000 hours of sun a year and around 42 rain days, most of them from October to April. Those are the figures for Málaga airport, in the middle of the coast.

• Warm enough to swim: June to October, when the sea is 20–24 °C in the centre of the coast
• Best all-round months, in our view: May, June, September and early October
• Winter sun: December to February, 17–18 °C by day and 8–9 °C at night
• Wettest months: November, December and January, with 5–6 rain days each
• East vs west: Nerja has the warmest sea in summer, Marbella is the most sheltered from the north wind, and the far west around Estepona has cooler water and more rain

For a forecast, check AEMET (the Spanish weather service) a few days before you travel. This page covers what to expect in each month and each part of the coast. For the city itself, see Málaga weather by month.

Costa del Sol weather month by month

Averages from AEMET for Málaga airport (1991–2020); sea temperatures are 10-year averages for Málaga. Single days can be much warmer or cooler.

The chart shows Málaga airport, which sits on the coast between Torremolinos and Málaga city. It is a good guide to the central Costa del Sol: Torremolinos, Benalmádena and Fuengirola have very similar weather.

How the weather changes along the coast

The Costa del Sol runs for about 150 km, with mountains close behind it all the way. They are the reason the coast is so mild: they block most of the cold north wind in winter. But each stretch is sheltered in a slightly different way.

Nerja and the east

East of Málaga, the coast of the Axarquía sits below the Sierras of Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama, which keep off the north wind. The climate is mild enough for mangoes and avocados to grow on the terraced hills. In summer, the sea off Nerja is among the warmest on the coast, about 24–25 °C in August, and the coves below the cliffs are calm on most days. Further east, the Costa Tropical of Granada has a similar climate.

Torremolinos, Benalmádena and Fuengirola

The central resorts have the weather in the table above. They are also the stretch most exposed to the terral, a hot, dry wind that blows down from inland over the Montes de Málaga and the Guadalhorce valley. It hits a fairly narrow strip centred on Málaga, and on the worst summer days it pushes the airport past 40 °C. A terral usually lasts one to three days. When it stops, the sea is often noticeably colder for a few days, down to about 17–18 °C, because the wind blows the warm surface water out to sea. Torremolinos, Benalmádena and Fuengirola all feel it.

In winter, a sunny, windless day on these beaches can feel warmer than the average suggests. Nights are cool, though, and many apartments have little heating.

Marbella and Estepona in the west

Marbella sits at the foot of the Sierra Blanca, which shelters the town from the north. Marbella’s tourist office gives an average of about 18.5 °C across the year, and the town is known for mild winters. Towards Estepona and the Strait of Gibraltar, two things change:

• The sea is cooler. Colder Atlantic water comes in through the Strait, and westerly winds can bring cold water up along the shore. The sea off Estepona averages about 22 °C in August, against about 24 °C at Málaga, and drops below 20 °C in October.
• More rain in winter. Atlantic fronts reach the western end first, and the mountains behind Marbella and Estepona catch more rain than Málaga does. Summers are just as dry.

Wind, mist and the sea

• Poniente is the west wind. It is often fresh and clear, and can bring cooler water.
• Levante is the east wind. It brings humid air, a hazier sky and waves on the beaches.
• Taró is the local name for a thick sea mist, seen from Málaga to Ceuta, mostly on hot summer days with levante. It can hang over the beaches all day and cool the air by several degrees.

When can you swim?

In the centre of the coast, the sea reaches about 20 °C in June and stays there until October. That is the level where most people swim without hesitating.

• June: about 20 °C, refreshing
• July and August: 22–24 °C, the warmest months
• September: about 22 °C, still warm
• October: about 20 °C, fine on sunny days, especially early in the month
• November to May: 15–18 °C, for keen swimmers only

In the far west the season is shorter: off Estepona the water is usually above 20 °C only from July to September. In the east, Nerja’s sea warms up a little faster. See the best beaches near Málaga for where to go.

Winter sun on the Costa del Sol

From December to February the coast gets 160–190 hours of sun a month and highs of 17–18 °C, which is why it is so popular for long winter stays. Expect:

• Days: t-shirt weather in the sun at midday, but a jumper as soon as the sun goes down
• Nights: 8–9 °C, and cool indoors in older flats
• Rain: about five days a month, usually in short, heavy spells between clear days
• Sea: about 15–16 °C, too cold for most people

Fuengirola, Benalmádena and Torremolinos have the most winter visitors, with shops and restaurants open all year. We think Nerja and Marbella are good for a quieter winter base.

Month by month in short

• January: the quietest month. Three Kings parades in every town on 5 January, then low hotel prices and clear, cool days for walking.
• February: almond blossom in the hills, Carnival in Málaga and other towns, and often very sunny weather.
• March: spring arrives, around 20 °C. Semana Santa 2027 runs from 21 to 28 March, with processions in every town and the biggest in Málaga. Hotel prices rise that week.
• April: green hills and 22 °C days. We think it is one of the best months for hiking and the Caminito del Rey, but the sea (16 °C) is still cold.
• May: warm and very sunny (301 hours). Beach bars open fully; brave swimmers start at the end of the month.
• June: the beach season starts. Marbella’s Feria de San Bernabé is held around 11 June, and on the night of 23 June the Noche de San Juan fills the beaches with bonfires.
• July: hot, dry and busy. Estepona’s feria takes place in early July, and on 16 July fishing towns such as Fuengirola take the Virgen del Carmen out to sea.
• August: the hottest month and the warmest sea. Spanish families are on holiday, prices peak, and the Feria de Málaga takes over the city in the second half of the month.
• September: still summer, with fewer people once the Spanish holidays end. Torremolinos holds its romería and Feria de San Miguel in late September.
• October: golden light, about 24 °C and a 20 °C sea. Fuengirola’s Feria del Rosario and the Nerja fair both fall in the first half of the month.
• November: quiet, green and cheap, with sunny days around 20 °C and a few rainy ones. The Christmas lights go up on Málaga’s Calle Larios at the end of the month.
• December: the least sunny month, but still around 18 °C at midday. Christmas lights and markets along the coast, and snow for skiing in the Sierra Nevada.

For more detail on each month in the city, see Málaga weather by month.

The best time to visit the Costa del Sol

• Beach holiday: we’d pick June and September. The sea is warm and the beaches are less crowded than in July and August.
• Families: late June, July and early September. August has the warmest sea but the highest prices and the busiest beaches.
• Winter sun: December to February. Mild, sunny days and the lowest prices of the year, outside Christmas.
• Golf: October to May, when the courses are green and it is cool enough to play all day. Spring and autumn are the busiest golf seasons.
• Hiking: October to May. In summer, we’d walk early in the morning.
• Caminito del Rey: March to May and October to November. It is closed on Mondays and in strong wind or heavy rain, and hot in summer. We’d book the path early or join a Caminito del Rey tour from Málaga.
• Budget: January, February and November, outside holidays.
• Festivals: Semana Santa, San Juan in June, and the town ferias from June to October.

To compare the coast with Seville, Granada and the rest of the region, see the best time to visit Andalusia.

Where to stay by season

In summer, the central resorts put you on the beach and on the airport train: compare hotels in Torremolinos, or see the full Costa del Sol guide to choose a town. Outside summer, we think a town with life of its own all year is a better base: browse hotels in Nerja, Marbella old town or Estepona’s old town. From the airport, the C1 train reaches Torremolinos, Benalmádena and Fuengirola; for the other towns, see Málaga airport transfers.

What to pack

• June to September: light clothes, swimwear, sandals, a sun hat and high-factor sun cream.
• April, May and October: summer clothes plus a light jacket or jumper for the evenings.
• November to March: layers, a warm jacket for the evenings, a light rain jacket or umbrella, and warm clothes for indoors.
• All year: sunglasses and sun cream. The sun is strong even in January.

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