December in Madrid averages highs of 12 °C (53 °F) and lows of 3 °C (37 °F), with about 5 rainy days and 9 h 18 min of daylight.
December weather in Madrid at a glance
average high to low each dot ≈ 3 rainy days
Is December a good time to visit Madrid?
Mixed weather: cold and fairly dry. December is usually low season in Madrid: rooms are typically easier to find and cheaper.
Our rule: a month scores 2 points for comfortable average highs of 18–28 °C (1 point for 14–18 or 28–32 °C) and 2 points for 5 or fewer rainy days (1 point for 6–10). Average highs above 35 °C or below 8 °C make it a tough month whatever the rain. A rainy day here means 2 mm of rain or more. 4 points = great, 3 = good, 2 = mixed, 0–1 = tough.
Holidays and events in December 2026
- Sun 6 Dec: Constitution Day (Día de la Constitución) public holiday
- Tue 8 Dec: Immaculate Conception (Inmaculada Concepción) public holiday
- Fri 25 Dec: Christmas Day (Navidad) public holiday
Banks and many shops close on public holidays, and museums may change their hours, so check before you go.
Things to do in Madrid in December
December's weather suits a mix of outdoor sights and museums, so the open-air ones come first.
- Retiro Park — boating lake and Crystal Palace outdoors
- Plaza Mayor and Mercado de San Miguel outdoors
- Tapas in La Latina — especially on Sunday after El Rastro market outdoors
- Prado Museum — Velázquez and Goya; free in the last two hours indoors
- Royal Palace — and the Almudena cathedral indoors
- Reina Sofía — Picasso's Guernica indoors
Where to stay: Sol or Huertas for sights on foot; Malasaña or Chueca for bars; Salamanca for upmarket.
What to pack for Madrid in December
- A warm jacket and layers; evenings drop to around 3 °C (37 °F).
- Comfortable walking shoes.
What a day in Madrid costs
| Budget traveller | Mid-range | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical total per person, per day | €55–120 | €150–300 |
Excluding flights. December is usually low season in Madrid: rooms are typically easier to find and cheaper.
December in nearby cities
| City | High / low | Rainy days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seville | 17° / 8° | 5 | Good time to go |
| Porto | 15° / 9° | 13 | Tough month |
| Lisbon | 16° / 10° | 6 | Mixed weather |
Want the whole trip planned? Join the Journey waitlist: tell it where, when and your budget, and it plans every day hour by hour.
FAQ
Is December a good time to visit Madrid?
By the numbers, December is a mixed month: cold and fairly dry, with average highs of 12 °C (53 °F) and about 5 rainy days. December is usually low season in Madrid: rooms are typically easier to find and cheaper. The best months for weather are May, September.
How warm is Madrid in December?
Average highs are 12 °C (53 °F) and lows 3 °C (37 °F) (2015–2024 averages).
Does it rain a lot in Madrid in December?
Expect about 5 days with 2 mm of rain or more, about 42 mm in total. It is the 5th wettest month of the year in Madrid.
Sources: climate averages from Open-Meteo historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis, 2015–2024); sea temperatures from the Open-Meteo marine API (2023–2024); public holidays from Nager.Date. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of the month. Averages are a guide, not a forecast. Costs are typical ranges per person per day, excluding flights.