Too hot in July?
 

Quick question...thinking about travelling to Barcelona, Madrid and Seville in July...I've heard it gets quite warm over there, is it too hot/humid to walk around the cities? Or is it ok as long as you drink enough H2O?
Thanks a lot!
(ps: if we did not travel in July, it would be a shorter trip in April)

It will get very, very hot but not humid. Be prepared that most restaurants, hotels, museums do NOT have air condition. If you rent a car make sure that you get one with a/c (on reservation). The locals spend the whole afternoon sleeping and become active at night when it cools down somewhat.

But I strongly advise to got in April.

Yep!

I agree that April would be *much* more comfortable. You might have a shorter trip, but you're likely to see much more in the time you have.
Seville in July can be close to unbearable (and I'm sure many Spaniards would agree!!)

HelloLuvtheSun, per hanl's comment, I have a friend who was born and raised in Seville. Her family all live in Seville. She married an American and they live in Northern California where I do. They go back to Seville at least once or twice every two years to see her family. Two years ago due to vacation scheduling problems with their jobs they went to Seville during the month of July. She told me afterwards that they will never ever return to Seville during that month as the heat was completely overwhelming. She said she has told her family if they cannot return to Seville during the cooler months they will have to go without seeing them as often. And she lives in my small city that often gets up to 105 degrees during our summer months however we do not have high humidity.

This is a lady who misses her family in Seville so much so I would think July would probably be real miserable unless the weather pattern changes.

I'm a Spaniard that agrees with hanl :) But I think "unbearable" it's not the word. I'm used to hot and humid weather...so I don't feel it very much different from home (except Seville is drier). What makes it really different is the amount of exercise you do there !! I mean, when you're at home, you are not all day walking , visiting monuments, you are not trying to make the most of your time there so you are not so much "in a hurry" doing things. That said, when I visited Seville it was July and I had a good time :)

I wouldn't do Sevilla in July, nor Madrid. I would want to enjoy both. At end of June '06 it was 42 - 45 C in Sevilla,(117F), 40 in Madrid, although rather dry by our East Coast standards.

Why pay more for air and hotels when you can enjoy better weather in April or Oct-Nov at substantial savings?

-e

enroute, just because the hot , hotels are cheaper in july-august :) I agree it's better to avoid it if you can.

It was so dry in Seville, the clothes dried in one evening. Just make sure the hotels have air-conditioning. Seville should be no problem, but check hotels in Barcelona for air-conditioning. On three different ocasions in Barcelona, it was hot at night and with the windows open, it was noisy.

thanks, kenderina, I suspected as much, but the difference for a short stay will like be offset by air, from my experience, and the experience overall was: just too darn hot. :-)

likely be offset, sorry.

Can't comment on how hot Barcelona is.

We were in Madrid in the beginning of May and it was high 90s and very humid. Many places have imited - or even no - AC.

Seville is even hotter. Summer temps are routinely over 100 and also quite humid at times. In one of the musuems there was an exhibit about the heat one summer - over 100 degrees for weeks at a time - and one day the air temp was over 110.

I would never go to this part of the world after May at the latest - and then only to a hotel with great AC and a good pool.

Thanks again for all the help! Looks like we'll try to do the trip in April, I wouldn't want to lose most of our days due to the sun, as much as I love it.
Cheers!

I am travelling across spain for 3 weeks in July - this is the only time off I get the whole year so I will be toughing it out! Too bad all the posts are making me a little nervous!

sometimes it can depend on one's body and age.
When I visited Spain 20 years ago ( in August) the heat was not so much of a problem ( although Granada was like an oven).
Now, I would not do it.

It will be very hot - if you can, try to go at another time of the year.

Barceloa, situated as it is on the water will be VERY humid in the Summer unless the three Summers I have been there were an exception.

You wouldn't have much trouble finding an air conditioned hotel there and IMO you would be grateful for it.