Some come for the delicious, fresh seafood, others for the quiet beaches, while still others arrive in search of the region’s rich traditions and culture, where north meets south – Africa and Europe.
However, for most, the true draw to the Iberian corner’s rare and dependable microclimate, ensuring glorious outdoor living for most of the year. It’s the secret world of the Costa del Sol microclimate.
This summer, as much of North Africa experienced a heat wave that affected almost the entire region, Marbella’s unique climate kept much of the Costa del Sol virtually unaffected. As a rush of hot air moved northwards, parts of Spain were left under heat alerts, reporting temperatures as high as 39 degrees, with most provinces under yellow alert according to the Meteorological Agency.
While the proximity of coastal towns like Marbella and Estepona suggest that they would be most affected by a North African heat wave, the reality told another story all together. Although they are situated just 14 kilometers from the African coastline, the towns registered tempretures around 21 to 27 degrees along the sea front. So, just why does this happen?
The answer to this mystery is the reason why so many traveleres arrive to spend their precious holidays each year, free of the worry that they will be weighed down by the extreme Mediterranean heat. Instead of crippling tempretures, visitors instead arrive to find nearly 320 days of sunshine and average tempretures hovering around 19 ° C / 66 º F for most of the year. Coupled with the region’s beaches and glamor, the microclimate make the coast a one of a kind escape from the gray days of the UK.
The Magic of the Mountains
The key to this unique microclimate comes with the protection offered by the mountains. The coastal centr of Marbella is flanked to the north by the mountains of the Cordillera Penibética, which protects it from rain in winter and extreme heat in summer, creating this unique microclimate. This ‘protection’ natural coastal location adds one to three degrees warmer in winter and vice versa in summer.
The gentle sea breeze and the protection of the mountain have made Marbella an ideal city to both live and for tourists in search of excellent weather and clear skies, clear days to enjoy the beach, long walks at sunset and enjoying the rich local cuisine on the beach in the popular bars or at night without bothering with even a coat.
Summer in Marbella, A Luxurious Weather Experience
While summer temperatures in Marbella hover around 26 degrees with a sea breeze and the warm waters along its 27 kilometers of coastline, autumn and winter tempretures do not vary all that much. This allows chances to escape to the Costa del Sol throughout the year, offering the chance to stroll along the seaside with light summer clothes long into the Spanish winter.
From before Easter to just before the winter holidays arrive, the Costa del Sol’s microclimate provides an almost endless number of opportunities to leave the extremes of summer and winter behind.
