Best time to visit
Extremadura is a wonderful destination to visit all year round. Depending on your interests, you’ll find below a general month-by-month overview of what there is to see and do. This will help you plan your holiday to the fullest. If you have any specific questions, please don’t hesitate to ask us.
January
It is winter. Temperatures typically range between 5 and 15 degrees Celsius. The weather is changeable, with rainy days alternating with sunny periods, when it can already be very pleasant to sit or spend time outdoors. Nature is at rest, yet after sunny spells entire fields can turn yellow with wildflowers. Extremadura hosts large numbers of wintering birds from other parts of Europe, including up to more than 120,000 common cranes. This makes winter an excellent time for birdwatching. Griffon vultures begin their breeding season, storks return in large numbers and occupy their nesting sites, and eagle owls are actively calling at dusk and starting to breed. January is also an excellent month for landscape photography and walking.
February
Clear days are often followed by cold nights with ground frost, yet the approaching spring is already clearly making itself felt. House martins and barn swallows return from Africa. Many birds begin to sing, including mistle thrushes, corn buntings and hoopoes. On the steppes, large numbers of wintering birds are still present, such as larks, lapwings and various finch species. Great and little bustards roam the plains in sizeable groups. More flowers begin to appear, including several species of wild daffodils. Mimosa trees and almond trees come into bloom, and many amphibians become active. A wonderful month for those who simply can’t wait for spring!
March
The weather this month can be quite changeable, but temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius are very common. It is a true spring month, marked by the return of many summer migrants. More and more flowers appear, including the first orchids, and an increasing number of bird species can be heard singing. Among the species returning from Africa are the great spotted cuckoo, black kite, pallid swift, red-headed shrike, Egyptian vulture, short-toed eagle and Montagu’s harrier. The first young stonechats can already be seen. On Trujillo’s Plaza Mayor, you can enjoy a good cup of coffee while trying to spot the differences between the pallid swift and the common swift, as lesser kestrels chase each other overhead and storks clatter noisily from their nests. Great bustards begin their courtship displays. On the plains around Cáceres, their display sites are relatively easy to locate at the edges of the day. March is a wonderful month to experience the feeling of spring at its very best. For walkers and nature photographers, March is an excellent time to visit Extremadura.
April
If the previous months have brought plenty of rain, Extremadura can turn into a vast sea of flowers. The weather is not yet fully settled, but days with temperatures around 25 degrees Celsius are by no means unusual. The last summer migrants arrive this month, including bee-eaters, rollers, nightingales and the Moorish nightjar, among many others. Little bustards begin their courtship displays in the second half of the month and, while the grass is still short, are easier to locate. For keen birdwatchers, this month — together with the following one — is an excellent time to visit Extremadura. Reptiles and butterflies also become increasingly visible at this time of year.
May
Like the previous month, May is rich in stunning natural beauty, both in terms of flora and fauna. The weather is usually still somewhat unsettled, but when the sun shines strongly it can already become quite warm. For nature lovers, May is an ideal month to visit Extremadura.
June
Although the weather can still be somewhat unpredictable, June is very much a summer month, with temperatures around 25 degrees Celsius. It is an interesting and rewarding time for nature lovers and birdwatchers, as many bird species are raising their young and are highly active. June is also a month when culture enthusiasts can fully enjoy the towns and cities of Extremadura. All in all, it is a delightful period for holidaymakers who appreciate a balance of tranquillity and time spent outdoors.
July
This is generally the month with the greatest chance of real heat, with temperatures often rising above 35 degrees Celsius. If you enjoy doing very little — reading, swimming and relaxing — and love vast, star-filled night skies, this is the ideal time. You can stay outdoors well into the night, enjoying the peace and quiet. Fine weather is virtually guaranteed. Our beautiful saltwater swimming pool on the finca can be enjoyed every day.
Nature is in its summer rest, yet species such as vultures and bee-eaters are still very much in evidence. The landscape takes on warm shades of yellow. In various places, cork oak trees are stripped of their bark.
August
This is the main holiday month for Spaniards, when everyday life more or less comes to a standstill. The weather is warm to hot. In many villages, the traditional village festival takes place during one of the weeks of August, while cities host a variety of open-air concerts and performances. It is a wonderful month for those who cope well with the heat and wish to completely unwind with a good book and a glass of something nice, interspersed with refreshing dips in our beautiful swimming pool.
September
September usually still brings true summer weather, although the chance of heavy thunderstorms increases. It is certainly a wonderful month to enjoy a late summer break. Nature is generally quiet, but migratory birds from northern Europe pass through, and it is also the mating season of the red deer. Roaring red deer can be seen and heard in abundance, for example in Monfragüe. For those who enjoy culture combined with peace and quiet, and who also wish to make the most of the late-summer weather, September is a delightful month to discover Extremadura.
October
October usually still offers pleasant weather in Extremadura. The intense summer heat has passed, while true cold has yet to arrive. Most summer migrants have left for more southerly regions, and from mid-October onwards the first winter visitors, including cranes, begin to arrive. After the first rains, the landscape slowly turns green again. October is also a wonderful month for walking and/or visiting the region’s cultural highlights.
November
Autumn sets in. In the higher parts of Extremadura, the deciduous oaks, cherry trees and chestnut trees turn colour, while ferns take on deep reddish-brown hues. This makes November an interesting month for landscape photography. Wintering birds arrive. On the steppes, groups of lapwings and golden plovers can be seen, often accompanied by smaller species such as skylarks and goldfinches. November is also an excellent month for searching for eagles; Bonelli’s eagle, golden eagle and the Spanish imperial eagle are all easier to find at this time of year. Walking or exploring the region’s cultural heritage is equally rewarding — November is a great month.
December
Those who wish to escape the December rush should head to Extremadura. There is a great sense of peace and quiet, combined with beautiful landscapes and a wealth of special bird species. This month can bring the occasional chilly or wet day, but there are usually plenty of fine days as well. When the sun shines, it is often very pleasant to be outdoors. December is particularly attractive for its scenery, and for birdwatchers it is a month when many species can be seen. The Christmas period and the turn of the year are a wonderful time to recharge your batteries in Extremadura and to enjoy its tranquillity and rich natural surroundings.
Summary
Birdwatching:
The best months to visit Extremadura for birdwatching are November through June.Plants & flowers:
Plant lovers are best off visiting between March and May.Nature, peace and quiet:
Those primarily interested in nature and tranquillity should visit in January, February and March, as well as the autumn months of November and December.Nature, culture & pleasant weather:
For a combination of nature, culture and good weather, the ideal months are May, June, September and October.Relaxing & warm weather:
Visitors who enjoy relaxing and warm temperatures will feel most at home in June, July or August.Bird photography:
Suitable throughout the year, except from mid-June to September.Landscape photography:
Best from November through March.Walking:
If you enjoy walking, it is best to avoid the summer months.
