by Victor Sesma

Victor Sesma is an Alicantinian living in London. He is a Software Engineer who likes writing about the city he was born.
Your Guide to Alicante [By an Alicantinian]
Alicante is a beautiful city in the southeast of Spain. The weather is surprisingly good all year round and the city is full of activities and things to do.
The weather in Alicante in January averages a minimum of 6.3°C (43.34°F) and a maximum of a whopping 17°C (62.6°F). There are 8 days of full sunrise with no clouds as it rains only an average of 3.6 days in the complete month. The other days tend to be just partly cloudy. There is an average of 9.5h of sunlight per day. The temperature very rarely goes down to 0°C (32°F) or less, with an average of 0.4 days in the month. January is the coldest month in Alicante. All this data is based on the Aemet page for Alicante (in Spanish).
So is Alicante a good place to visit in January? The answer is yes, let’s see how it compares to other cities and what to do in Alicante in January.
City | Min Average [°C (°F)] | Max Average [°C (°F)] | Sea Temperature [°C (°F)] | Rain days | Daylight Hours | Under 0°C/32°F Days |
Alicante | 6.3 (43.3) | 17 (62.6) | 14.5 (58.1) | 3.6 | 9h 51min | 0.4 |
Malaga | 7.4 (45.3) | 16.8 (62.2) | 16 (60.8) | 5.8 | 9h 59min | 0.1 |
Tenerife | 15.4 (59.7) | 21 (69.8) | 20.3 (68.5) | 4.2 | 10h 34m | 0 |
Lanzarote | 14 (57.2) | 20.7 (69.3) | – | 3.2 | 10h 32min | 0 |
Valencia | 7.1 (44.8) | 16.4 (61.5) | 14.3 (57.7) | 4.4 | 9h 46min | 0.3 |
Barcelona | 5.3 (41.5) | 11.1 (52) | 13.4 (56.1) | 4.8 | 9h 35min | 1.8 |
Palma de Mallorca | 3.8 (38.8) | 15.2 (59.4) | 14.4 (58) | 5.7 | 9h 26min | 5.1 |
The average water temperature in January in Alicante is 14.5°C (58.1°F). January is the second coldest month in the water temperature in Alicante.
One of the advantages of Alicante’s weather during January is the sun in the mornings. It gets up to 17°C on average, so on some lucky days, it can get warmer than that (have in mind that if you are not lucky it can be also cold). Brave people might enjoy swimming on the beaches of Alicante on those warm days but it is not warm enough for most people.
If you are just looking for sunbathing then the beaches in January are a good place to do so. The beaches are open all year round but some services such as lifeguards, toilets or sunbeds are not available in the low season.
Another good advantage about the beaches in Alicante in January is that is not crowdy, therefore you can have virtually all the beach for yourself.
Despite being a bit cold for swimming on the beach, Alicante in January is a good time for visiting the city. Most probably the weather is going to treat you well giving you warm mornings in the surprisingly good weather in winter in Alicante.
Alicante is a pretty working Spanish city with tourism so it doesn’t empty down in winter or January. The Santa Barbara Castle, all the museums in Alicante and the nightlife (such as Latino music clubs) are open. Also, day trips to Tabarca island are possible too.
Furthermore, it is still the festive season in the country. Christmas in Spain ends with the Three Wise Men or Three Kings celebration on the 5th-6th of January.
Traditionally in Spain, the 6th of January is the day when the children get their Christmas presents. On the night of the 5th, there is a big parade on the street where the Three Kings salute the children throwing sweets and presents at them. The parade is on the night of the 5th of January.
Here are a few examples of things you can do in Alicante in January. Alicante is a nice Spanish working city with tourism that doesn’t stop in the low season. The links open the article with more info, when available:
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.