Alicante Weather in May – Is Worth Visiting?

Alicante is a city located in the southeast of Spain, touching the Mediterranean Sea. The weather is good all year around but May is already the start of the summer for many.

Santa Barbara Castle, Postiguet Beach and the Port of Alicante

The weather in Alicante in May averages a minimum of 14.1°C (57.38°F) at night and a maximum of 24.1°C (75.38°F) during the mornings. It rains for just 4 days on average. There is an average of 8:36h of sunshine and 13:13h of daylight per day. The sea temperature is usually around 19.1°C (66.38°F) All this data is based on the Aemet page for Alicante (in Spanish) and weather-atlas.com.

Weather – Tutiempo.net

Is Alicante a good place to visit in May? In short, yes it is. The weather is warm and sunny but not yet as hot as it can get during the summer. Tourists start to arrive in the city but still do not overcrowd the beaches, restaurants and parks. The temperatures are comfortable for staying outdoors with light clothing and enjoying what the city has to offer such as Santa Barbara Castle or the beaches. The weather is overall dry and warm but may still get a bit unpredictable some days. It is recommended to wear a jacket during the chilly night you might encounter but do not forget your sunscreen cream.

How does Alicante’s Weather in May Compare With Other Cities in Spain?

CityMin Average
[°C (°F)]		Max Average
[°C (°F)]		Sea Temperature
[°C (°F)]		Rain daysDaylight Hours
Alicante14.1 (57.38)24.1 (75.38)19.1 (66.38)414:16
Malaga14.2 (57.56)24.3 (75.74)18.4 (65.12)3.114:08
Lanzarote16.8 (62.24)24.6 (76.28)–0.413:37
Tenerife12.0 (53.63)20.1 (68.18)20.3 (68.54)3.813:34
Barcelona12.5 (54.5)21.0 (69.8)18.1 (64.58)5.714:31
Palma de Mallorca11.3 (52.34)23.7 (74.66)18.9 (66.02)3.814:22
Data from Aemet (in Spanish) and weather-athlas.com

The Sea Temperature and Beaches in May

The average sea temperature in May in Alicante is 19.1°C (66.38°F). To compare, the month with the coldest temperature in Alicante is February averaging 14.1°C (57.38°F). On the other extreme, the hottest average sea temperature happens in August, averaging 26.3°C (79.34°F). The water is at the perfect temperature if you don’t like the warm waters in summer so yes, swimming is in May possible if you like cold-ish waters.

Beaches are not yet overcrowded as they get in summer. The mild warm weather invites sunbathing for a longer time. The water might be still chilly for most but warm enough for many.

Services such as lifeguards and sunbeds start operating in mid-May.

Is Alicante Worth Visit in May?

In short, Alicante is worth visiting in May. One of the advantages of May in Alicante is the warm and sunny weather without the sweaty hot of summer. Another advantage of May is that the city and beaches are not overcrowded by tourists yet so it is perfect for enjoying the outdoors, the monuments, the parks, the museums and the beaches the city has to offer.

Even though May is still not high season most of the tourist services have started operating already.

For example, Santa Barbara Castle opens from 10:00 to 20:00 in May. The tourist bus starts to operate in March so it is in full service in May and the ferry to Tabarca island from Alicante operates nearly full time too.

What to do in Alicante in May?

These are just a few ideas on what you can do in Alicante in May:

The Weather in April and Other Months

Here is an article that details the weather in Alicante in April and what to do.

If you are curious about how is the weather in winter in Alicante check out this other article.