LET’S start off with the weather. In January, it’s the middle of winter here in Spain and so it is really very cold. But the advantage here is that Spain is located in the Iberian Peninsula and the Iberian Peninsula is located in the European mainland and it does not produce storms here in the European mainland as compared to the Island of Great Britain or the Isle of Man. And another thing, the Iberian Peninsula doesn’t sit on a ring of fire or a tectonic fault so you will never have any fear of volcano eruptions or earthquakes, respectively. And safety is an utmost priority of all the authorities here. Spain has one of the lowest crime indices in the world. This country is one of the most environment-friendly – all its resorts are being inspected periodically and are given blue flag accreditation by the European Union. It means these resorts adhere to the no-littering policy. A monthly garbage collection tax is collected by the local government as garbage trucks collect your garbage right from your doorstep. All hotels are disabled-friendly and there are nurseries. That phenomenon only happens here in Spain so young couples who have kids in tow but are on their second honeymoon can enjoy their romance without being disturbed. And one more thing, these nurseries are staffed with expert child psychologists.

Let’s not forget that Spain is mostly a Roman Catholic country. In January, there are two huge feasts of Roman Catholic saints here. The first one is the Feast of the Epiphany. It is what was called in the olden times as the Feast of the Three Kings – Melchor, Gaspar and Balthazar. The second huge feast is the feast of the Sto. Niño or the feast of the Child Jesus. It is celebrated every third Sunday of January after which the Roman Catholic Church’s liturgical calendar reverts back to ordinary days, waiting for Lent to come which officially begins on Ash Wednesday. It is by this time that summer commences and students from all levels including those in tertiary education stop schooling. During summer, the whole of Spain virtually goes east and south towards the Mediterranean coastlines such as Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol, Valencia, Torremolinos and Benidorm. There are not only several conventional beaches here, there are also nudist ones. These nudist beaches are owned mostly by Dutch investors and it is nice to enjoy an evening of skinny dipping there in a moonless night with all the glowing planktons around you illuminating your body. Just make sure not to go to the beach alone as remote beaches are not usually patrolled by the lifeguard or by the naval Guardia Civil. Others even go farther east off the coast and into the Balearic Archipelago which includes the world-famous islands of Ibiza and the archipelago capital, Palma de Mallorca. Ibiza has long been the subject of many pop culture manifestations such as songs and films. It is actually the capital of house and techno music in the world.

ANYWHERE along the Mediterranean and along the highlands of Spain, you can feel the cool breeze blowing in. With a very temperate climate all year round, there is not much storms coming here but the colder temperature still persists. And that’s when one will sense that winter is fast coming up. Winter in Spain tends to get cold especially at the hilly areas at about -3 degrees Celsius or so. Thus, hang on tight and don now that sweater or parka because it tends to be very cold in here.

That is not entirely true off the Iberian Peninsula where Spain still commands a few territories or so. These are the Canary and the Balearic archipelagos. Both are equally stunning for tourists especially the British and the Northern and the Western Europeans who come here during summer. Some have elected to remain here for the rest of their lives. That means they too can enjoy their winter here although understandably, coastal areas are a little bit warmer and you don’t get to have snow here.

But if you want to enjoy the snow here in Spain, then proceed to the mountainous areas. The Pyrenees is the Alps of the Iberian Peninsula. This is where one enjoys winter the most since there is snow there all season long. This is also where tourists usually troop and spend a two week holiday at the mountain cabins there. And that is indeed good for the economy of the country. There are blind insects in the Pyrenees and winter sports there include skiing, mountaineering and hiking. In fact, it’s not just in winter that they introduce these sports. All summer long, they organize a biking competition not dissimilar to that of Tour de France. They also do sled dog racing there.

But if you want to go more serene and more spiritual this Christmas season, then try hearing out the Mass all the nine mornings before Christmas Eve. Reward yourself then with sweets and a hot cup of cocoa after mass then jog yourself back to your holiday home with your sweetheart or kids in tow to refresh your energy for the day.

It’s so easy to enter here in Spain. All you need are the proper documents. If you come from another European country, that is definitely not a problem for a lot of good reasons. If you come from Portugal or from France which borders Spain, all you need is bring your own car because borders here are usually unguarded thanks to the Schengen agreement. If you come in by plane, then there is still the Madrid International Airport to go to.

However, holidays here tend to be dense especially during Christmas Eve so make sure to reserve your flight early. There will also be those flocks of domestic tourists crowding around domestic flights so again, have your reservation ready. Anyway, there are lots of smaller European airlines which have entered the Spanish domestic air industry such as RyanAir. So pack up those bags and go now.