By Anne-Marie Dingemans
The frequent visitors among you know that I live in Valencia, Spain. AmeriSpan offers 10 destinations in Spain, neatly spread out all over the country. For most people, Spain has the (fortunate) image of nice, pleasant Mediterranean weather year-round. Alas! This is not true for the entire year in the entire country, so I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you a little more about what the reality of winter in Spain is, to avoid disappointment and pneumonia for those students that are thinking about coming here during the winter months.
Climate-wise, we can divide Spain in 4 regions: North (Pyrenees and the North and Northwestern provinces bordering the Gulf of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean), Center (the High Plateau that covers most of central Spain), East (the Mediterranean provinces) and South (Andalusia). The Northern region has a climate that is similar to Northern Europe, just a little milder. So you can expect rain almost year-round, temperatures close to freezing in winter and warm (but not boiling hot) weather in summer, but no guaranteed sunshine or beach weather! This part of Spain is most suited to the more active traveler, as the landscape is always green and fresh and it's usually not too hot to be out and about. The Center region, in which Madrid and Salamanca lie, has very much a desert climate. Little rain, of which most falls in winter (leaving nothing for the other 9 months of the year!), pretty cold in winter. Snow is rare in Madrid but there's plenty in the mountains surrounding Madrid and ski resorts are only 1 and a half hours away. Summer is hot and dry. In August, stepping out into the streets felt like standing in front of a giant hair dryer! Don't forget the Chap Stick if you come to this region! I actually enjoyed it very much, as I never sweated (too dry!) and didn't have any allergies (mine are dust mite, pollen and mold-related. None of that around!). The Mediterranean is fantastic most of the year, so if you're thinking about Barcelona or Valencia you can't go wrong. Just don't forget that we do have in fact a winter and you do have to bundle up between November and March. You will not be comfortable in a light autumn jacket. We're talking sweaters, coats and scarves here. That said, with the right Southern wind and a bit of sunshine we can hit 20 degrees Celsius during the day (that's about 70 Fahrenheit)! Lastly, the south. This is the part that resembles Africa the most, both in architecture as in climate. Still, the four seasons are clearly marked and you won't be able to sun on the beach (or wear only T-shirt) between November and March. The temperate weather does allow for comfortable traveling and if you want to explore the sights of the region, October through May are perfect as there will be fewer tourists around.
So, by all means, take advantage of low airfare and the various discounts that our schools offer, and come and explore Spain! Just make sure you're comfortable so pack a wool coat and an umbrella in addition to your camera and dictionary.
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