Three reasons to jet to the Costa del Sol this May

Spain is beautiful all year round, but why wait until the height of summer for your Spanish holiday to begin?

There is never a bad time to head to Spain, but if we’re being super honest, if you had your pick of the entire calendar then February and August should probably prop up the table, for very different reasons.

February’s weather is just a little too unpredictable down on the Costa del Sol to make it a better option than, say, January, which is cooler but more settled, or March, which is warmer and drier.

As for August, sure you’ll get plenty of sunshine, but you’ll also have intense heat to deal with, not to mention crowded beaches, bars and restaurants, while flights and hotels will be more expensive too.

For many, Spain’s pleasures are best enjoyed in the ‘shoulder’ months of the high season, which for the Costa del Sol means May and October, with June-September typically viewed as the peak time to visit.

Many will extol the virtues of September, but as that month follows the very height of summer, those of the more ‘glass half-full’ persuasion will no doubt be swayed by May – a month of lengthening days, creeping warmth and sparser, but still notable, custom in the resorts.

And in 2017, there are three distinct reasons to dust off the suitcase and hop on a flight to Málaga airport…

Reason 1: to avoid election fever
Whether you’re a Brit bored by the whole Brexit-means-nobody-knows, general election merry-go-round, an Irish person bored by your exposure and proximity to the UK’s political circu(s)it, a French man or woman tired of France’s seemingly never-ending election process, or a German fatigued by talk of September’s upcoming tussle for power, then Spain in May is your friend.

Politically the country has been calmer than ever, with the recently reinstalled Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy quietly getting on with growing Spain’s economy and reforming its labour market. This means that there are no lamp posts adorned with posters bearing the grinning visage of politicians, no wall-to-wall TV coverage of political debates or manifesto dissections, and very little in the way of fevered disagreement down at the local bodega. Instead, serenity, conviviality and confidence of a brighter future for Spain is the order of the day this May.

Reason 2: to snap up a property
Between the years of 2002 and 2007, Spanish property was the hottest thing around. Not only were prices low, but quality was good and supply – and credit – was seemingly limitless. But the days of buying “off plan” and “flipping” a property for a tidy profit before it was even built are now, thankfully, long gone.

Today, Spanish property still boasts most of the things that made it attractive pre-boom: affordable, good quality, spacious dwellings located in some of the country’s most accessible and beautiful regions. But this time price increases are more incremental, mortgages more sensible, and buyers more mature – and it’s proving to be a recipe for success.

Reason 3: To enjoy the best deals
Flying to Spain is more expensive during June to August than at any other time of the year, largely because these months tend to coincide with school holiday periods across Europe. Hotels, car hire and other such costs also tend to be inflated, while package holiday prices soar at the very height of summer.

If you are able to, taking time to visit Spain in May is a fantastic money-saving option, and one with very few sacrifices: you will get a tan, you can swim in the sea and lie on the beach, and you can enjoy the very best food, views, and fun that the Costa del Sol has to offer, all at prices much lower than a month later, for example.

May on the Costa del Sol is a fine month indeed, so make the most of it today!