What's on in Alicante (Costa Blanca), Spain through the year

Busy — Christmas holidays in Spain, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in January.

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in February.

Peak crowds — Semana Santa, Semana Santa (Easter) holidays in Spain

• Holiday

  Semana Santa

  29 Mar – 5 AprEaster & Holy WeekCrowdedBook early

  Madrid and the interior come to the coast for the week and the Costa Blanca season effectively starts here, several weeks before the sea is worth getting into. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Semana Santa, Romeria de la Santa Faz

• Festival

  Romeria de la Santa Faz

  16 AprMajor festivalCrowded

  On the second Thursday after Easter a couple of hundred thousand people walk the eight kilometres out to the monastery from dawn, carrying rosemary. The road out is shut and the city is on its feet by seven. Source ↗

Still on: Semana Santa (29 Mar – 5 Apr)

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Romeria de la Santa Faz (16 Apr)

Peak crowds — Hogueras de San Juan, Summer holidays in Spain

• Season

  Sea warm enough to swim

  10 Jun – 25 Oct · usually

  One of the longest swimming windows on the Spanish mainland; the water at Postiguet is still fine well into October, when the beach is half empty.

• Festival

  Hogueras de San Juan

  20–25 JunMajor festivalCrowdedBook earlyClosures

  Ninety-odd sculptures go up in the streets on 20 June and burn on the night of the 24th, with daily mascleta bangs in Plaza de los Luceros. The centre is closed to traffic and nobody sleeps much. Source ↗

Busy — Summer holidays in Spain, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Sea warm enough to swim (10 Jun – 25 Oct (usually))

Peak crowds — Spanish August holidays, Summer holidays in Spain

• Holiday

  Spanish August holidays

  1–31 AugSchool holidaysCrowdedBook early

  Spain takes its holiday in the same month, and this is where a large part of Madrid takes it. Second homes fill, the beach road jams and the good restaurants need booking. Source ↗

Still on: Sea warm enough to swim (10 Jun – 25 Oct (usually))

Busy — Summer holidays in Spain, school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it

• Hazard

  Gota fria storms

  1 Sep – 15 Nov · usuallyFlood season

  Autumn on this coast delivers its rain in a day or two rather than in showers, and the ramblas that are dry all year are the reason those days close roads. Watch the AEMET warnings rather than the forecast icon. Source ↗

Still on: Sea warm enough to swim (10 Jun – 25 Oct (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Sea warm enough to swim (10 Jun – 25 Oct (usually)), Gota fria storms (1 Sep – 15 Nov (usually))

Quiet — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in November.

Still on: Gota fria storms (1 Sep – 15 Nov (usually))

Busy — Christmas holidays in Spain, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in December.