Alicante in December: Ideal Weather for Winter Visitors?

Alicante’s weather is surprisingly good all year round. Winters are -generally- dry, sunny and warm, including December as it is not an exception.

In December, Alicante enjoys warm weather with an average temperature of 12.55°C, peaking at 17.7°C. Days offer about 9.5 hours of light with no rain. Sea temperatures average 16.7°C, attracting some tourists for swimming. The city celebrates a vibrant festive season with various Christmas events.

Alicante is still vivid in winter. Christmas and New Year’s are very festive in Spain and Alicante is not an exception. Good weather, Christmas markets, events and the general festive vibe make Alicante a good city to be in during December.

The temperature in December in Alicante

Light Hours in December in Alicante

The average direct sun irradiation in December is 5.3h. But counting all sunshine hours you will enjoy 10.5 hours of light. To give some context, a city like Oslo, Norway, has around 6 hours of sun irradiation, almost half that of Alicante.

Sea Temperature in December in Alicante

The sea temperature during December averages 16.7°C (62.06°F). Only January, February, March and April average colder temperatures than December.

The local people won’t go swimming in December in Alicante. During good December days, only some brave tourists will enjoy the water as it is cold for the general public.

The beaches are open all year round and, on the sunnier and warmer days, people enjoy Alicante’s beaches such as El Postiguet or San Juan.

I wouldn’t say you can swim in Alicante in December. It might be just warm enough for a quick swim but not for staying in the water for a long time without a wet suit. In fact, 16°C inside the water feels actually way cooler than just outdoors as your body loses heat much faster in water.

Rain in December in Alicante

The average of precipitations is low in Alicante in December. We have left behind September, October and November which are the three wetter months of the year. The average of rainy days in December is 3.7 days.

In the city of Alicante, it never snows. To be accurate, no one remembers it. There are some images of snow in 1932. That year was the last time it snowed and settled for a few hours. Never again since then.

If you want to find snow you can drive a few kilometres up in the mountain. Almost every year the snow will settle there for a couple of days or so, depending on the year.

As you can see, December might not be a month for going to the beach but is warmer than in many other cities in Spain and Europe. It is perfect for escaping the cold and dark winter.

What to do In Alicante in December

December is one of the coldest months of the year in Alicante. Days get the shortest all year round as the winter solstice is on the 21st/22nd of December.

Nevertheless, Alicante in December is fun and vivid.

If you are a tourist, the main activities remain open:

• Visiting Alicante’s Castle
• Visiting the Museums in Alicante
• A trip to Tabarca Island
• Exploring the beaches in the city even though you don’t get to the water
• Enjoying the restaurants, rooftops and nightlife such as the Latin music nights in Alicante

Alicante in Christmas

In 2023, the Christmas lights and decorations are inaugurated on Friday 16 of November.

Some of the special decorations are the Christmas tree in Avenda de la Cosntitucion, a gigantic Bear in Plaza de la Montaneta and the Christmas lights in 114 streets around Alicante. The lighting will be turned on from 7 pm to 1 am. On Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve and Three Wise Men Eve -the night of the 5th to the 6th of January- the lights will be turned on until 4:30 am.

Here is a list of things to do in Alicante at Christmas:

• Check out the Christmas lights and ornaments

• Visit the biggest Christmas Ball in Spain (link in Spanish) in La Explanada de España

• Help children to handle their present requests letters to Papa Noel or Los Reyes Magos
• Enjoy the Belenes around the city

• Have the traditional grapes in the city hall on New Year’s Eve
• Enjoy all the Christmas drinks, food and sweets. Do not forget to traditional turrón!
• Visit the Christmas Amusement Park In Rabasa (click here to open the location in Google Maps)
• Ice Skate in the ice rink at Plaza de Toros

I hope you have a better idea of how the weather is in Alicante in December and how to enjoy the most of the city during the Christmas festivity.. If you have any other questions feel free to leave a comment below. Have you been to Alicante in December? Leave a comment with your experience as well!

The Weather In November, January and Other Months

In general, winters are generally dry and sunny with some episodes of rain for just a few days.

Here is an article that explains the winter weather in Alicante.

If you want to know more about November weather there is an article here with weather and what to do info.

In this other link, there is a detailed explanation about the weather in January and things to do during that month in Alicante.