With average temperatures of 28°C in summer and 17°C in winter, Velez’s climate is practically perfect. Due to the surrounding mountains, the proximity of the sea, and its location within a river basin, Velez is lucky enough to have an ideal micro-climate for fruit and vegetable growing.
Some of the perks of this micro-climate include an average of 2900 sunshine hours (66% of total daylight hours are full sunshine) per year. To put this into context, London sees 1300 sunshine hours (just 32% of possible daylight hours) – Velez has double the sunshine. Nearby reservoirs and mountain snowmelt help to ensure that drought isn’t a problem in town.
Infrequent storms can see these air currents pushing temperatures into the extremes (over 40°C in summer). Still, these conditions are more often than not confined to specific days rather than weeks and the more inland areas of the Axarquia. In short you’re very likely to have great weather whenever you visit.
When is the Best Time to Visit Velez-Malaga?
There’s never really a bad time to visit Velez in terms of weather. However, your reason for visiting will determine when the best time is to come.
The Active Traveller
Suppose you’re planning a walking, cycling or horse riding holiday or struggle with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius. In that case, you might want to stick to the shoulder seasons and winter. From October to May, you’ll enjoy predominantly blue skies and warm temperatures, making it ideal for heading into the mountains for some exercise.
Alternatively, suppose you want to spend most of your time in the sea. In that case, the water is warm from June to the end of September.
The Culture Vulture
If you want to explore the city or surroundings, our advice would be to avoid the heat of June to August. During the summer, the best thing to do is hit the beach or relax by the pool.
However, having said that if you love music, then there are some significant events held around the town during the summer in Velez. The first is the Guitar Festival, the second is weekly Jazz concerts in the CAC and there’s flamenco fusion concerts held in the outdoor auditorium.
One of the most extravagant cultural spectacles is Holy Week (Semana Santa), which takes place for a week in the lead-up to Easter Sunday.
Besides the different historical monuments and museums in Velez (which are open all year round), the city has the ideal location to make road trips to the white villages of the Axarquia and day trips further afield or stay overnight in Andalucia’s most exciting towns and cities.
Within easy access as a day trip from Velez are the towns of Antequera, Nerja, Alhama de Granada, Almunecar and Archidona. Easily reachable cities include Malaga, Granada and Motril. At the same time, we recommend spending at least one night in the following cities: Seville, Cordoba and Cadiz. All are a short drive from Velez-Malaga.
The Party-Goer
Velez-Malaga and its surrounding villages have their fair share of parties (ferias and fiestas). Velez’s annual feria is the Feria of San Miguel held over a long weekend, usually sometime between the end of September and the first week of October.
From May to September, the beach clubs on the coast hold nightly music from bands to DJs. Annually, the Weekend Beach Festival in Torre del Mar brings thousands of people to enjoy international concerts and artists.