The Best Time to Ride a Motorcycle in Spain, Month by Month

Spain is big enough to ride all year, but not everywhere at once. The south is at its best when the north is still cold, and the Pyrenees and the Picos de Europa come into their own just as inland Andalucía gets too hot. This guide goes through the riding year month by month, so you can match your dates to the right region and the right tour.

The short version: ride the south in spring and autumn, and the north from May to October. Our tours follow the same calendar: the Andalucía tours run in March and October, and the Picos de Europa and Great North tours from May to October.

Spain’s riding year at a glance

Month	Pyrenees	Picos and the north	Andalucía	Portugal and the south-west
January	Snow on the passes	Cold, wet, snow on high roads	Mild on the coast, cold inland	Mild, wet spells
February	Snow on the passes	Cold, wet	Mild on the coast	Mild
March	High passes often closed	Cold, changeable	Good, green, quiet	Good
April	Lower roads only	Changeable	Very good	Very good
May	Good, some snow up high	Good	Very good	Very good
June	Excellent	Excellent	Hot inland	Good, getting hot
July	Excellent, storms	Very good, busy	Very hot inland	Hot inland
August	Busy, storms	Busy	Very hot inland	Hot, busy coast
September	Excellent	Excellent	Hot early, then good	Good
October	Good, cold mornings	Good, changeable	Very good	Very good
November	Snow possible	Wet	Good on the coast	Mild, wet spells
December	Snow on the passes	Wet, cold	Mild on the coast	Mild, wet spells

Winter: December to February

Winter riding in Spain means the south coast. The Costa del Sol and the coast of Almería often reach the high teens in the afternoon, and the coastal mountain roads are dry and empty. Inland, the high plains get properly cold, and the Sierra Nevada, the Pyrenees and the Picos de Europa are under snow. Mountain passes can close at short notice, and ice lingers on shaded bends long after the sun comes out.

If you want a winter escape, base yourself in Málaga and stay low, or contact us about a bespoke winter route.

March

March is when the riding season really starts in the south. Andalucía is green after the winter rain, the almond blossom has given way to wildflowers, and the roads are quiet before Easter. Expect cool mornings and comfortable afternoons, so pack layers. The Pyrenees and the Picos are still in winter on the high ground.

Ride it: Pure Andalucía, Anda Eastwood and the 15-day Road to Portugal all run in March.

April

April is one of the best months in the south and a good one in Portugal. The only catch is Semana Santa, the week leading up to Easter, when Seville, Málaga and Granada fill with processions and hotel prices rise. Ride the mountains that week and visit the cities either side of it. In the north, the lower roads are rideable but the high passes can still have snow.

Ride it: south of Barcelona, the Priorat & Maestrazgo tour is at its best in spring, and the Costa Brava & Catalan Pyrenees tour opens the season in Catalonia.

May

May is the month the whole country opens up. Andalucía is still comfortable, the Picos de Europa are bright green and the snow is retreating from the Pyrenees, although the highest passes can still have snow at the start of the month. Roads are quiet everywhere. If you can only ride once a year, May or September are the months to choose.

Ride it: our Picos de Europa, Picos Express and The Great North season starts in May.

June

June has the longest days of the year and is excellent in the mountains. The Pyrenees are fully open, the Picos are at their greenest and the school holidays haven’t started yet. Inland Andalucía is already hot by mid-June, so the south is better avoided until autumn.

Ride it: the Pyrenees Escape, the Pyrenees Grand Tour or the 15-day Transpyrenees from Barcelona, or any of our Picos tours from Bilbao.

July and August

High summer belongs to the north. The Pyrenees and the Picos de Europa stay much cooler than the rest of the country, while Seville and Córdoba regularly reach 40 °C, which makes riding inland in the south uncomfortable and tiring. In the mountains, expect afternoon thunderstorms, so start early and aim to be off the high passes by mid-afternoon.

August is Spain’s holiday month, peaking around the 15 August public holiday. The coast, the national parks and the popular passes are busy, and campervans are everywhere. Book hotels early, and ride early in the morning to get the roads to yourself. In the Picos, the road to the Lakes of Covadonga is closed to private vehicles through the summer.

September

September is arguably the best month of the year for a motorcycle tour in Spain. The summer crowds have gone, the sea and the evenings are still warm and the mountains are at their clearest. The south is still hot in early September but cools through the month.

Ride it: everything in the north, plus the Pyrenees. It is the best month for The Great North, when the Galician coast and the Picos are quiet.

October

October is the second great month in the south. Andalucía is back to comfortable temperatures, the light is soft and the roads are empty. In the north, the colours turn and the mornings are cold, so carry thermal layers and expect some wet days, particularly in the Picos. The first snow can arrive on the highest Pyrenean passes towards the end of the month. The 12 October public holiday makes for a busy long weekend.

Ride it: Pure Andalucía and Anda Eastwood run in October, the Priorat & Maestrazgo and Costa Brava & Catalan Pyrenees tours ride well all month, and the Picos season runs to the end of the month.

November

November is the end of the season for most riders. The south coast is still mild and very quiet, but rain becomes more frequent everywhere and the mountains turn cold. The 1 November holiday is another busy long weekend.

Planning tips

• Pack for the mountains, not the beach: even in summer, it can be 10 °C at the top of a pass in the morning. Bring a thermal layer and proper waterproofs, especially for the north.
• Ride early in summer: start at 8 or 9 am and take a long lunch. You will miss the heat, the storms and the traffic.
• Check the weather daily: use AEMET, Spain’s weather agency, for mountain forecasts and warnings.
• Check the roads: the DGT publishes closures, including mountain passes closed by snow.
• Watch the holidays: Easter week, August and the long weekends in October, November and December all mean busier roads and pricier hotels.

FAQ

What is the best month for a motorcycle tour in Spain?

May and September are the best all-round months, with good weather across the whole country and quiet roads. For the south, March, April and October are also excellent.

Is summer a good time to ride in Spain?

Yes, in the north. The Pyrenees and the Picos de Europa are at their best from June to September. Avoid inland Andalucía in July and August, when it is often close to 40 °C.

Can you ride a motorcycle in Spain in winter?

Yes, on the south coast around Málaga and Almería, which stays mild. The mountain passes in the north are often closed by snow.

When are the mountain passes open?

Most high passes in the Pyrenees and the Picos de Europa are reliably clear from late May to October. Outside those months they can be closed or icy.

When do your tours run?

Our Andalucía tours run in March and October, the Road to Portugal in March, the Picos de Europa tours and The Great North from May to October, the Pyrenees Escape on flexible dates, the Pyrenees Grand Tour and Transpyrenees from June to September, the Costa Brava & Catalan Pyrenees from April to October and Priorat & Maestrazgo from March to November.

More planning guides

Read the complete guide to motorcycle tours in Spain, our road guides to the N-260 in the Pyrenees and the Picos de Europa, and our Andalucía motorcycle guide.