Three reasons to welcome the arrival of September in Spain

Take your pick: Spain’s beaches remain warm and pleasant throughout September, but are far less crowded.

For British and Irish readers – especially those who can vividly remember their school days with a shudder – the onset of September normally comes rubber-stamped with a metaphorical: “Fun’s over, guys”.

As the sky’s grey deepens, the wind whips up, the mercury tumbles and millions of ashen-faced workers and pupils traipse back to their offices and schools, the sunny memories of a summer spent frolicking on some Mediterranean beach fades with every drop of drizzle that falls from their eyelashes…

So it is unlikely much sympathy will be reserved for those who reside on the Costa del Sol, who this week will breathe a collective sigh of relief as the summer crowds subside during the annual Operación Retorno, filling up the Costa’s roads and airport at this time of year.

But it’s a tradition that has never really made that much sense. Sure, the call of the office and the beginning of a new school term is strong and often unavoidable, but as the millions of visitors vacate the Costa del Sol at September’s onset, what is left behind is – if anything – even more glorious.

Like a rich rockpool-pocked beach unveiling its treasures only once the tide goes out, the Costa del Sol is a fantastically fun place to be in September. Indeed, the ‘shoulder months’ of summer – chiefly May, before the summer rush begins, and September – are many locals’ favourite time of year, and here are three reasons why…

1. The furnace cools

July and August are Spain’s hottest months, and the Costa del Sol sees temperatures regularly topping 40c during these months. And while the onset of September does not yield a huge drop-off, the mercury does sink to a more merciful 30c or so, making the beaches, mountains, towns and resorts for which the region is renowned that much more pleasant.

2. Queues shrink

Whether on the roads, at the local supermarket, waiting to validate your ticket at the underground car park, or simply ordering a drink at one of the many popular bars along the Coast, September is noticeably less busy. Indeed, the month strikes a perfect balance in terms of atmosphere – after all, if hell is other people, hell’s second home is no people at all. That summer vibe remains, but the sheer weight of numbers is distinctly more manageable for the region’s infrastructure.

3. Moods lift

Sure, summer is a fun and happy time on the Costa del Sol. Once you have elbowed yourself some space on the beach, or beaten the traffic to escape into the hills or quieter resorts in the south, then it is also a wonderfully relaxing place to be. But tempers in July and August can be quicker to flare than normal, purely because a combination of heat, crowds and confused tourists doesn’t always massage people’s zen. September’s arrival, however, is actively welcomed by most of the locals and expats – and the entire region’s collective mood lifts at once.