Title basically says it all, planning to go to Madrid in May and thought it might be nice to have a couple days in a beach town along the Mediterranean afterwards and then fly to the U.K.
Is May too early to even consider this? Ideal weather would be around 28 C 82 F, but my preliminary research indicates that’s unlikely to be found anywhere in Europe in May.
I looked at Malaga and Torremolinos a few years ago but didn’t end up going.
I was thinking Valencia, but it usually doesn’t get up into the 80s in May. If the high 70s would work then it might be something to think about. IMO the Valencia beaches are nice to visit any time of year.
I’ve lived on the south coast and try to go back and visit as often as I can.
• Stay away from Torremolinos. It was the first ‘genuine fishing village’ exploited for mass tourism in the 60’s and 70’s. It’s very close to the airport, which is probably the reason. Develpers basically destroyed it with ugly apartment complexes and hotels. It’s slowly getting better, but it’s not there yet.
• Marbella is the place which wants to be Saint Tropez or Antibes but doesn’t really make it. It attracts… well not the jet set of Europe but those who want to believe that they are jet set adjacent. Lots and lots of Russians, who have replaced people from the Arabic word (since they go to Dubai). The former King of Saudi-Arabia had a mansion there, not abandoned and decaying. The old town is nice and if you want to ogle Spectacular yachts, Puerto Banus will supply them. The beach is nice.
• Further south is getting towards Gib is getting too far for a few days.
• For first timers, I recommend Nerja, about 50 km/30 mi east of Málaga. Very nice well maintained village. Fantastic beach (Burriana).
As for weather. Well, it depends on what you’re accustomed too. I like May. From mid summer. it’s too hot and I stay up here in the north. The area around Málaga has 340 days of sunny and clear skies a year. It’s also a micro-climate, shielded by mountains. I’d say around 25C, not very windy. Water may still be a bit cool after the winter months: 17-20C.
Nerja
Seconding Valencia.