Spain in November

November is one of the best-value months for Spain's cities and for Andalusia, if you accept shorter days, a real chance of rain in Madrid and the north, and beaches that are pleasant to walk on but mostly too cold to swim. Seville, Granada, Córdoba and Málaga still see days near 68°F (20°C), the big museums have short lines, and hotel rates drop sharply after the first weekend.

It is the wrong month for Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza, where many hotels and beach restaurants close for the winter, and the mountains sit between hiking and ski season. In 2026, plan around two disruptions: Spain's main unions have called a general strike on Wednesday, November 11, which can cut trains, flights and city transit, and high-speed trains between Madrid and Andalusia were suspended after a fatal collision on October 28 (see getting around). Spain also votes in a general election on Sunday, November 29.

Weather by region

Spain is big and varied, and November shows it. The south and the Mediterranean coast hold on to fall: crisp mornings, sunny afternoons warm enough for a T-shirt, and the occasional heavy storm. Madrid and the interior plateau cool quickly, with frosty nights possible by the end of the month. The Atlantic north (Bilbao, San Sebastián, Asturias, Galicia) is green for a reason: November is one of its wettest months.

These are 1991–2020 averages from Spain's weather agency, AEMET; individual years vary a lot. Granada sits at about 2,300 feet (700 m), so its nights are close to freezing by late November, and the Sierra Nevada above it often has its first snow. The Mediterranean coast can get a DANA (a cut-off low that drops torrential rain), the same kind of storm that caused the deadly Valencia floods of October 2024; if one is forecast, follow AEMET warnings and local advice and stay away from dry riverbeds and underpasses.

The Canary Islands are the only place you can count on beach weather, with the sea still around 70°F (21°C). See when to go for the year-round picture.

What's on in November 2026

Christmas comes early

Spanish cities switch on their Christmas lights in the second half of November, and the evenings fill with families walking the main streets. Málaga's Calle Larios runs a light-and-music show every evening, Vigo in Galicia puts up one of the biggest displays in Spain, and Madrid lights up Gran Vía, Calle Alcalá and the Puerta del Sol. The Plaza Mayor market (Nativity figures, decorations, joke shops) and Barcelona's Fira de Santa Llúcia (moss, Nativity scenes and the Catalan caganer, a squatting figure hidden in Nativity scenes) both open in late November. Exact 2026 dates are announced by each city in November; the December page has the full Christmas calendar.

Olive harvest and new oil

From late October through winter, Andalusia's olive groves are in full harvest. Jaén province alone produces a large share of the world's olive oil, and many mills (almazaras) sell the first green, peppery oil of the season. Ask a hotel in Úbeda, Baeza or the Córdoba countryside about mill visits, or look for aceite temprano (early-harvest oil) in shops. See food and Andalusia.

Chestnuts, mushrooms and stews

November is the start of comfort-food season. Street carts sell roasted chestnuts (castañas) in Madrid, Galicia celebrates the magosto with chestnuts and young wine around St. Martin's Day (November 11), and Catalan and Basque markets fill with wild mushrooms (setas). Madrid's cocido madrileño (chickpea, meat and vegetable stew served in courses) returns to lunch menus. See Madrid food and the Basque Country.

The November 11 general strike

Spain's two largest unions, CCOO and UGT, have called a general strike for Wednesday, November 11, 2026, over wages, working hours and housing costs. In late October the unions had not yet published the exact stoppage hours, so check the news in the days before. It is the first general strike with both big unions behind it in more than a decade, so expect real disruption.

• Trains: Spain's government sets minimum services (servicios mínimos) for Renfe and other operators a few days before a strike. In past general strikes, a share of AVE and long-distance trains ran and commuter services ran mainly at rush hours. Check your train in the Renfe, Iryo or Ouigo app the day before.
• Flights: Airlines usually publish a list of protected flights; others can be cancelled or delayed. If you fly into or out of Spain on November 11, check with your airline and keep a buffer day before any connection home.
• Cities: Metro and buses run reduced service; marches fill central streets in Madrid, Barcelona and other cities. Some museums, shops and restaurants close or shorten hours.
• What to do: treat November 11 as a walking day. Avoid booking a long train trip or an Alhambra or Sagrada Família slot that you cannot easily reschedule.

Holidays and closures

All Saints' Day, Sunday, November 1, 2026, is a national holiday. Because it falls on a Sunday, nine regions, including the Madrid region and Andalusia, move the day off to Monday, November 2. Banks, offices and many shops close that Monday in those regions, and trains run holiday timetables. Catalonia, Valencia, the Basque Country, Galicia and the Balearics work as normal on November 2. There are no other national holidays in November; the next is the long weekend of December 5–8.

Winter hours at sights

• Sagrada Família: on November 1, 2026 the official ticket page said the basilica was temporarily closed to the public, with no reopening date given; check sagradafamilia.org before you plan around a visit. Tickets are sold online only. See Sagrada Família tickets.
• Alhambra: winter hours apply from mid-October, with daytime visits ending earlier in the evening than in summer. Nasrid Palace slots still sell out on weekends. See Alhambra tickets.
• Prado and Reina Sofía: no seasonal change, and both keep their free evening hours. See Madrid sights.

Do outdoor sights such as Park Güell, the Alcázar gardens in Seville and the Generalife in Granada in the morning or early afternoon; by 5:30 p.m. the light is going.

Seasonal shutdowns

• Balearic Islands: Ibiza and Formentera largely shut from late October; Menorca is very quiet, and many Mallorca beach resorts close until spring. Palma itself stays open all year. See Mallorca and the Balearics.
• Beach bars: many chiringuitos (beach bars) on the Costa Brava and Costa Blanca close; on the Costa del Sol more stay open. See Costa Brava and Costa del Sol.
• Mountains: high trails in the Picos de Europa and the Pyrenees can get snow, and some mountain huts close. Ski resorts aim to open in late November or early December, depending on snow. See outdoors.
• Camino de Santiago: many private albergues (pilgrim hostels) close for the winter, so book ahead or stick to municipal ones. See the Camino.

Crowds and prices

After the All Saints' weekend, tour groups thin out. The Prado, the Royal Palace and the Reina Sofía have short lines on weekdays, and the Alhambra can often be booked a week or two out instead of a month (check the Sagrada Família's status first, see above). Hotel rates in Seville, Granada and Madrid drop well below their spring and October levels; the Andalusian cities are among Spain's best values this month. See where to stay and budget.

Two things push prices up. Big trade fairs and conferences (Barcelona hosts large ones at its Fira Gran Via venue most Novembers) can fill business hotels on weekdays, and late-November weekends bring Spanish visitors in for the lights. From the US, Thanksgiving week costs more; the weeks before and after are among the cheapest of the year to fly. See flights.

Where to go, where to skip

What to pack

• Layers: a sweater and a light down jacket or warm coat for Madrid and Granada evenings, which can drop toward freezing.
• A waterproof jacket and compact umbrella, especially for the north and for Mediterranean storms.
• Comfortable walking shoes with grip; polished stone streets in Seville and Barcelona are slick when wet.
• A scarf for churches and for cold, sunny mornings.
• Swimwear only for the Canary Islands or a hotel spa.
• Type C/F plug adapters (Spain runs on 230 volts). See staying connected.

The packing page has a full list.

A sample week in November

1. Day 1

   Arrive in Madrid

   Land at Barajas, take the airport express bus or the Metro into town, and walk Plaza Mayor and the Puerta del Sol at dusk. An early (by Spanish standards) dinner of tapas in La Latina.

2. Day 2

   The Prado and the Retiro

   The Prado at opening time, lunch on a menú del día, then the Retiro park in the afternoon light. See Madrid sights.

3. Day 3

   Toledo

   About 33 minutes by fast train each way. Cathedral, synagogues, the El Greco museum, back for dinner. See day trips from Madrid.

4. Day 4

   To Córdoba and Seville

   AVE south when the line is running, stopping in Córdoba for the Mezquita, then on to Seville in the evening. While Madrid–Andalusia trains are suspended (see below), fly from Madrid to Seville and visit Córdoba as a day trip from there.

5. Day 5

   Seville

   The Real Alcázar in the morning, the cathedral and Giralda after lunch, flamenco in the evening. See flamenco.

6. Day 6

   Granada

   Train or bus to Granada; afternoon in the Albaicín, sunset from the Mirador de San Nicolás, tapas that come free with drinks.

7. Day 7

   The Alhambra and home

   A morning Nasrid Palaces slot, then fly home via Madrid, or add Málaga for two more nights.

The planning page has more routes, and the December and January pages cover the next two months.

Getting around this month

On the lines that are running, November fares on Madrid–Barcelona and Madrid–Valencia are among the lowest of the year, with Renfe's AVE competing against Iryo and Ouigo. Madrid–Barcelona trips can take longer than the fastest timetables of past years, so check the current timetable. Book a week or two ahead for the best prices, and avoid the Friday and Sunday evenings of the late-November weekends. See getting around.

Clocks and daylight

Spain fell back to standard time on October 25, 2026, and the US follows on Sunday, November 1, 2026. From then on, mainland Spain and the Balearics are 6 hours ahead of New York and 9 ahead of Los Angeles, and the Canaries are one hour behind the mainland. Spain's clocks are set far west for its time zone, so the sun rises late (around 8:15 a.m. in Madrid by month's end) and sets before 6 p.m.

Roads

Driving is easy in Andalusia and along the coast. In the mountains, some passes require chains or winter tires when snow is forecast; check the DGT (Spain's traffic authority) before driving in the Pyrenees, the Picos or the Sierra Nevada. Country roads are slow and unlit after dark. See driving.

Bottom line

Go in November if you want Andalusia's cities without heat or crowds, the big museums of Madrid and Barcelona with short lines, and lower prices. It is also a good month for a food trip, from new olive oil to Basque mushrooms, if you pack for rain.

Pick another month if you want swimming, island beaches outside the Canaries, or long evenings outside. For those, go in May, June or September. For Christmas markets, the Puerta del Sol on New Year's Eve and skiing, see Spain in December, and for the Three Kings parades and the winter sales, see Spain in January.