I leave next week for my March vacation to Andalucia. But even as I pack for this trip, I'm thinking ahead to July (helps me to get on the plane to come home if I have the next trip in the planning stages - and it's only 3 months away, so about time to buy the tickets when I get back). Anyway - I think I want to return to Spain to the central area - Madrid, Segovia, Avila, Salamanca, Toledo. I know Andalucia is unbearably hot (which is why I'm going in March) and I have also heard that Madrdid is pretty hot in July. But I think I've heard that those other cities are not so bad. I know Spain in July will be hot - I can easily live with upper 80s to low 90s temps. I've been to Italy, southern France and Portugal in summer and was fine with all of them. But just how hot is hot - in Madrid and the other towns mentioned?

In July, any of the cities in Central Spain can reach 100F during the day. The difference between Andalucia and places further north is that after dark, the temperature drops appreciably (to around 70F) so it's a lot more comfortable than in Seville, where it could still be 80F at 9 pm (and 110F at midday).

isabel,
Hot in Madrid in July means you have to limit your activity between, one and five/six in the afternoon.
Otherwise is enjoyable.
If you have travel around southern Fance and Portugal in Summer you will find Andalucia and Madrid weather dryer. So more confortable in a shadow.
There are a few important things to do and not to do ,in hot weather in summer.
Drink water, early in the morning and late in the afternoon, avoid drinking too much during the day and do not drink standing under the sun.
Limit the amount of coffe, tea and wine or spirits during the day.
Try to get your water needs from fruits or yogurts.
Do not go for walks or plan physical activities, during the hot hours.
Cover your body with light colours, and don't expose skin and cover your head under the sun.
Cotton underwear if possible.
Avila and Segovia are higher so less hot but still dangerous sun during hot hours.
Salamanca and Toledo are similar to Madrid,
with less traffic heat.
Evenings are very enjoyable.
Have fun in our boiling planet.

Well..I spent many summers in Salamanca years ago (my mom is from there and my grandma lived there also) and it is HOT and very dry. But as Alec pointed out, in the night is much more pleasant and you will see the moms with the children going out to refresh after having dinner and the kids playing , it's a strange view !! But, nowadays, with our weather changes...no one knows !!

hi, isabel -

just got back from Madrid, and picked up this saying about their weather-

"9 months of hell and 3 months of winter".

be warned!

annhig...the saying is "9 months of winter and 3 of hell" But it is a very old one...weather has changed a lot , hahaha.

with global warming and all, maybe it has evened out 6 and 6...

Hi Isabel! Last July, I went from Barcelona, where it was unbearably hot and humid, to Madrid, which, because it was drier, felt like a relief for about half a day. By the next day, it just felt unbearably hot. And the night we were there and watched TV, Madrid was the hottest spot on the weather map.

I got a real sense of why people go out to dinner so late. They stay indoors during the afternoon and go out in the evening when it is truly enjoyable.

HI. Thanks for the replys. I know "hot" is in the eye of the beholder so to speak. But I thought I'd see if there was some consensus. At one point when I was considering Seville for a July trip I got responses like "I wouldn't do it even if it were free", "I'd rather die and go to hell than to Seville in July", etc. So at least these responses aren't that strong.

Nikki, I remember that you had just come from Madrid when I met you in Lisbon. I thought Lisbon was pretty comfortable when we were there, how do you feel it compared to Madrid?

I'm not looking for people to tell me that Madrid will be cool, just want to know if it's universally felt to be unbearably hot, like Seville is. Also, since I can't find historical weather data for the smaller towns like Segovia and Toledo, I was looking for opinions on if they are a little cooler. Most of my trip would be in the surrounding towns, not Madrid itself. Thanks again.

They can feel a bit cooler because they don't have the pollution, the big buildings Madrid has. But they aren't, really. All the zone is more or less the same, they are not distant enough to be big climate changes between them

Hi, isabel:

I live in Madrid. I was born in Burgos, a city in northern Castile.

Well, the weather in Madrid in July is hot. Really hot. It's not the best season to visit the city. If it's possible, I'd choose autumn or spring, because the city is really nice in those seasons. But July.....

In the area surrounding Madrid (Avila, Salamanca, Segovia, Toledo.....) you have to consider that Toledo may be even hotter than Madrid. Avila and Segovia, as in Burgos, are more pleasant (temperatures are lower) and you can visit them without any concern about the weather. Perhaps, you should avoid the central hours of the day (14-18 h.), but the hot is not aggressive.

If I remember, it was a little hotter in Madrid than in Lisbon. But I was hot in Lisbon too.