Life in Spain in August

Spain in August has two extremes; it’s either really busy, or really quiet. It all depends on where you are in Spain.

Working districts filled with offices, particularly in the centre of Spain, become very quiet. Many Spaniards save all their holiday time of the year for August, and just take the whole month off.  Even cafes and restaurants around these areas will close for August, as not only do they want to get out of the city themselves, but if they haven’t got the business of their usual customers, there is almost no point in staying.

The centre of Spain gets a lot hotter than the coastal regions, soaring to often unbearable temperatures. The Spaniards prefer to travel to the coast with their family, where they can enjoy the summer sunshine, but with the luxury of a beach. In cities such as Madrid, this is very much the case. Of course Madrid is still a popular tourist destination, so around the centre of the city, near the main sights, some places will stay open, to cater for the tourists.

Indeed, as well as just the Spaniards flocking to the summer resorts on the coast of Spain, these are of course popular destinations for tourists during the hot August summer season. These places inevitably become busier, and this is the time when the cafes and restaurants make most of their profit. Heading to Spain in August in actually one of the most popular times of the year, so inevitably the prices of flights and hotels will go up accordingly.

Summer Festivals in Spain

As Spain is for the most part a holiday country over August, there are several enjoyable festivals organized during this month, so if you have a chance to visit any of these examples, they are all a lot of fun!

Fiesta Major de Gracia – A week-long festival in Barcelona starting mid-August. The Gracia district of Barcelona is abundant with street decorations, as well as music. The people of this district are very proud of this festival!

Fiesta Major de Gracia – A week-long festival in Barcelona starting mid-August. The Gracia district of Barcelona is abundant with street decorations, as well as music. The people of this district are very proud of this festival!

San Lorenzo, San Cayetano and the Virgen de la Paloma– These festivals celebrate the Neighbourhood Saints in different districts of Madrid. The celebrations involve “verbenas”, the famous Spanish street parties; there is drinking, eating, dancing and generally having a good time. They take place in the old neighbourhoods of Madrid, La Latina and Lavapiés.

The Málaga Feria takes place around mid-August. In the day time, the decorated streets are filled with people dancing in traditional flamenco costumes, drinking vino fino, the sweet Málaga wine, and eating tapas. At night, everyone flocks to the funfair, where there are rides, firework displays, music, and more celebrations into the early hours. Bullfights also take place during this week of celebrations.

La Tomatina – This is one of the most popular festivals in Spain, and it attracts a great number of tourists due to its individuality! This festival in the small town of Buñol, near Valencia, takes place on the last Wednesday of August and is the world’s biggest tomato fight. Over 100 tons of overly ripe tomatoes are thrown each year, so if you’re planning a visit to this festival, don’t forget a change of clothes!