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Ten of Spain’s most romantic getaways for Valentine’s Day

From sunset strolls to fireside cosiness, Spain offers the perfect setting to woo your sweetheart. Here are some of our favourites.

Published: 6 February 2020 12:13 CET
Updated: 10 February 2022 11:13 CET
best romatic getaways spain
Spain has plenty of romantic destinations to choose from. Here are ten of the best. Photo: Daniel Nebreda from Pixabay
For the history buffs
 
cartagena spain amphitheatre
Photo: Santiago López Pastor/Flickr  
Cartagena in Spain’s Murcia region is over 2,000 years old. Home to Phoenician, Roman, Byzantine and Moorish remains, it also has the second largest Roman theatre on the Iberian Peninsula. Atmospheric, off the beaten track and with average maximum temperatures of 17C in February, Cartagena is an insider pick.
 
 
For the stargazers
 

Photo: Alex Sanz/Flickr   
Avoid the tourist traps in the south of Tenerife (Canary Islands) and head up to monumental Mount Teide, Spain’s highest peak. Try to book a night at El Parador de las Cañadas del Teide hotel for the best views and proximity from the national park. They offer an amazing service and it’s also the best way to gaze at the Canaries’ star-studded sky, awarded the title of ‘Starlight Tourist Destination’ by UNESCO in 2013.
 
 
For the snow and sauna lovers
 

Photo: Jonas Snow/Flickr 
 
Just a few kilometres from the French border, Formigal, in the Spanish region of Aragon, is renowned for having some of the best slopes in Spain. Pass prices are reasonable (the Spanish use the French word forfait for pass) and Formigal is relatively quiet on weekdays. Formigal’s ski resorts also have some great hotels with saunas to wind down in after a fun-packed Valentine’s Day.
 
For the food lovers
 

Photo: Katina Rogers/Flickr  
San Sebastián, or Donostia as its known in Basque, is famous for its pintxos so this is the perfect Valentine’s getaway for people who want a culinary adventure. Throw in friendly locals, one of the world’s most beautiful city beaches and a delightful old town and San Sebastián is hard to beat.
 
 
For the sheer romance
 

Photo: Parador Spain/Flickr   
Carmona is an easy half-hour drive from Seville but this friendly town of 30,000 people is a world away from the crowds of the Andalusian capital. This town also has great food, an impressive range of Roman and Moorish sights, and one of Spain’s finest paradors, with magical views over the plains of Andalusia.
 
For the sweet tooths
 

Photo: Gustave Deghilage/Flickr   
The Catalan city of Girona is home to one of Spain’s best gelati shops in Rocamboles but also boasts chocolate ‘flies’ as a local delicacy. This intact medieval gem is also one of Spain’s most beautiful cities. After nightfall, the Call, as the historic old town is known, is a romantic labyrinth of narrow alleys and tolling bells. Oh, and one of the local bridges was built by a certain Gustave Eiffel.
 
For the sunset lovers
 

Photo: Luis Irisarri/Flickr
 
On the mouth of Spain’s Guadalquivir River and in the heart of sherry country lies elegant Sanlúcar de Barrameda. This is a place to forget the rest of the world, sip a fine wine and watch magical sunsets. If you do feel the need to explore, Sanlúcar is the starting point for trips into one of Spain’s great treasures: The Doñana National Park. Or perhaps you might fancy a bareback gallop along the beach instead.
 
For the cosiness cravers
 

Photo: Maurizio Consanzo/Flickr  
Head to the quaint Castilian town of Cuenca in central Spain with plenty of warm clothes packed for the chilly month of February. Famed for its hanging houses and cosy restaurants, it’s the perfect place in Spain to have a tranquil walk in the snow and then snuggle up with your loved one under a blanket next to the fireplace.
 
For the Robinson Crusoes
 

Photo: Jose Mesa/Flickr   
If you want to have a pristine white-sand beach all to yourselves without having to go to Thailand or the Caribbean, head to the little-known Canary islet of La Graciosa. February weather is generally mild enough to camp but there is also basic accommodation available on this beautiful, peaceful “rock” just off the coast of Lanzorote.
 
For the wine connoisseurs
 

Photo: Victor Gómez/Flickr   
Spain’s La Rioja region not only has some of the finest ‘vinos’ in the world, its stunning forests and sprawling vineyards will make your romantic experience all the merrier.

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ANDALUSIA

Eight cooler places to escape the summer heat in Spain’s Andalusia

Andalusia is one of Spain's hottest regions with July and August temperatures regularly hitting 40C or more, particularly in inland areas. If you're having an Andalusian summer, here are the places where it doesn't get as hot, one for each province.

Published: 25 July 2024 16:33 CEST
Updated: 28 July 2024 08:13 CEST
Eight cooler places to escape the summer heat in Spain's Andalusia

Segura de la Sierra, Jaén

Jaén is one of the toastiest provinces in Andalusia come summer, but thankfully there are a couple of places to get away from the worst of it. Some of the best places to head are surrounded by nature, particularly around natural parks. One of the coolest is Segura de la Sierra, located just north of the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park. The average temperature here is still 35C in August, but there should be plenty of shady spots to cool down. 

Photo: Marcial Salcedo/Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
 

Cabra, Córdoba

The province of Córdoba not only the experiences some of the highest temperatures in Andalusia during summer, but also in the whole of Spain. Córdoba always features on national weather forecasts, with the mercury regularly exceeding 40C and often up to 45C. Located in the Guadalquivir River Basin, inland, away from the coast, means it doesn’t benefit from any cool sea breezes. The trick is to head to spots with a higher altitude such as Cabra, close to the Natural Park of the Sierras Subbéticas. 

Photo: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

READ ALSO – Escape the heat: Eight places in Spain where it doesn’t get too hot in summer

Trevélez, Granada

The village of Trevélez is the highest village not only in Andalusia, but also in the whole of Spain – it’s altitude ensuring that it’s much cooler than the rest of the area. Located in the Alpujarras, close to the Sierra Nevada mountain range, it lies at 1,400 metres above sea level. The average temperatures in July and August is 29C and 28C respectively. It also boasts cool mountain streams and lower breezy night time temperatures too. 

Photo: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Tolox, Málaga

Located along the coast, Málaga is already one of the coolest provinces in the region, thanks to cool air coming in from the Mediterranean, but it can still feel roasting during the height of August. If you’re looking for cooler temperatures inland, then you can’t beat the town of Tolox, north of Marbella, in the mountains close to National Park of Sierra de las Nieves. Heat levels here hover around 29C in August. 

Photo: Jacqueline Macou/Pixabay
 

Sierra de Grazalema, Cádiz

Cádiz, like Málaga, also benefits from having a coastline, meaning there are several places to escape near the beaches. Again, if you’re looking somewhere inland, it’s best to head into nature, where the trees and plants keep things a little cooler. The Sierra de Grazalema is a large natural park located west of Ronda, where you won’t suffer as much as other places in the province. Its famous white villages in the mountains are other spots to keep away from the heat. 

(Photo by Jorge Guerrero / AFP)

Cazorla, Jaén

Like Segura de la Sierra, also in Jaén, Cazorla is located near the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park. The Sierra de Castril Natural Park is also within striking distance. It’s location means lots of shady trees, higher altitudes, as well as cooling streams and waterfalls. In fact, it’s very near here where you can find the source of the River Guadalquivir, which runs all the way to and through the city of Seville. 

Photo: Christopher Eden/Unsplash

Aracena, Huelva

Huelva also benefits from a cooler coastline, but also has a few places inland in which to hide out from the scorching summer heat. One of them is the municipality of Aracena, in the westernmost area of ​​Sierra Morena. It has mild summer temperatures averaging 26C, thanks to its location surround by oak and chestnut forests. Cave systems here, as well as waterfalls mean there are extra places that will provide a respite from the sun too. 

Photo: Pablo Rodríguez/Pexels

Cazalla de la Sierra, Seville

Similar to Córdoba, the province of Seville is known for having almost insufferable summer heat, also reaching up to 40C or more. While many try to escape the capital for the more refreshing spots on the coast, another option could be to head up into the mountains to keep cool. Cazalla de la Sierra is a small village situated in the Sierra Morena mountain range, offering lots of shady hiking routes close to water sources, from streams to waterfalls. 

Photo: Rafa Rivero/Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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