Winter on the Costa del Sol... Bienvenidos!

Winter in Puerto Banús – cooler, quieter and more relaxing.

Famed more for its glorious sunshine, high temperatures, packed beaches, cooling sea and upmarket beach clubs, the Costa del Sol is also a charming and attractive place during the winter months for year-round foreign residents, locals, and visitors who prefer to avoid the throngs of holidaymakers and soaring summer temperatures. Though the buzz and excitement of the summer – when bars, restaurants and beaches are a hive of activity – will always have its own special allure, there comes a time in the life of an expat when you actually look forward to having to put on a coat, swap your flip-flops for a pair of shoes and occasionally fish out the umbrella…

Winter on the Costa del Sol is for a lot of people a welcome respite from the long summers of hot days and balmy nights, regular trips to the beach, late night festivities, busy bars and restaurants, even busier motorways, pesky mosquitoes and irritating queues for taxis. Because the weather is just so good for so much of the year (mid to high temperatures are pretty much guaranteed from late March to late November), when the mercury drops and the tourists depart the Coast becomes a much roomier and more comfortable place to be enjoyed by those who live on it.

If it rains, well, so be it. We’ve just had nine months of sunshine. Nip in the air at night? No problem, just dust off the jacket that’s spent most of the year in the back of the closet. Meeting friends for a meal or a drink? Great, there’s no need to book ahead or get there early to grab a table. Yes, the winter can be a much more relaxed time for residents, giving them a bit of a peaceful breather before the next tourist season kicks in. One of the many joys of living on the Costa del Sol is going for a coffee or a walk on a cold, crisp, cloudless morning in December or watching a raging lightning storm complete with thunderous rain from the comfort of your terrace in mid-February. It’s easier to get around, more convenient to meet friends and a pleasure not to have to apply greasy sun lotion every day for a change.

Golfers come to southern Spain in winter to avail of the cooler temperatures. Fashionistas love the winter months as it gives them the chance to show off their trendy wardrobes (there’s only so much styling you can do with shorts, t-shirts and swimwear). Skiers visit nearby Sierra Nevada. Movies are gone to. Televisions get watched. Books are read by the fire. Dogs are walked on the beach. Gyms are attended in anticipation of the coming beach season. Life, in general, is as relaxed as it is during the summer, but differently and – if possible – more so…

For some, the winter can feel like it’s merely a period to get through before the next wave of beach parties, nightclubbing in Banús and sunbathing by the pool. But for many, winter on the Costa del Sol offers something quite pleasantly contrasting from the sun, sea and sangría that the brochures and travel programmes eagerly promote.