Spain in April: what to expect

April is the month Spain's weather settles. The central plateau and Andalusia are reliably warm and sunny, the Mediterranean coast is mild enough for a jacket-free afternoon, and the Atlantic north stops raining quite so often. Evenings are still cool everywhere except the far south, so a layer matters after dark.

Rain is not gone. April showers are normal in Madrid and on the Mediterranean, and the green north — Bilbao, San Sebastián, Asturias, Galicia — still sees regular wet days. The Canary Islands sit outside all of this: mild and mostly sunny, as they are all year.

The figures below are typical April values, not forecasts. Check a national met agency (AEMET) in the week before you travel.

April is high season in Spain, and the reason is the calendar rather than the beach. Holy Week (Semana Santa) and Seville's April Fair (Feria de Abril) pull domestic and international visitors into Andalusia at the same time, and hotel rates in Seville, Granada and Córdoba can double or worse for those dates. Outside those windows, Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia are busy but manageable.

Two things follow. First, book accommodation and high-speed trains (AVE) as early as you can if your dates touch Holy Week or the Feria. Second, if you are flexible, the second half of April — after the fairs — is quieter and cheaper while the weather is just as good. Coastal resorts in the Balearics and on the Costa del Sol are still waking up: some hotels and beach clubs open only from late April or May (check).

For a rough sense of scale, expect mid-range city hotels in the €120–200 range per night in Madrid or Barcelona, and higher in Seville during the fairs (2026 estimate).

The month's events are the main reason prices spike. Holy Week processions run through most Spanish cities, with Seville, Málaga and Valladolid among the best known. Seville's Feria de Abril follows roughly two weeks after Easter, with a week of casetas, sherry and sevillanas. Dates move each year with the Church calendar, so confirm them before booking.

Elsewhere, April brings book day (23 April, Sant Jordi in Catalonia, with book and rose stalls in Barcelona), and the start of the bullfighting season in Seville and Madrid. Smaller local fiestas — romerías, spring fairs — happen most weekends in Andalusia and Valencia.

Andalusia is the obvious pick: Seville, Córdoba and Granada are warm, and the coast at Málaga and Cádiz is pleasant without being beach-hot. If you want cities rather than processions, Madrid and Barcelona are at their best — long days, terraces open, no summer heat. Valencia is a strong alternative with fewer crowds than the big two.

The green north is worth considering if you accept rain: Bilbao, San Sebastián and the Galician coast are cheaper and quieter in April, and the food scene is at full strength. The Canary Islands remain the safe bet for guaranteed sun and warm sea.

If you are building a route, a Madrid → Seville → Córdoba → Granada line by AVE covers the month's highlights without long drives.

Pack for a European spring with a southern edge: light layers, a light jacket or jumper for evenings, comfortable walking shoes for cobbled old towns, and a compact umbrella or rain shell — April showers are real in Madrid and on the Mediterranean, and the north is wetter still. Sunglasses and sunscreen matter more than you expect at this latitude.

If your trip includes Holy Week or the Feria, add one smarter outfit: locals dress up, and some casetas and restaurants expect it. A universal adapter, a refillable water bottle and a small day bag for processions and markets round it out.

March is cooler and wetter, with Fallas in Valencia and Holy Week sometimes falling late in the month. May is arguably Spain's best month: warmer, longer days, the Córdoba patios festival, and fewer crowds than April once the fairs are over. June brings beach weather and rising prices, with inland heat building in the second half.