Seville

Seville runs the opposite calendar to almost everywhere else in Europe. Its peak is spring, not summer, and the reason is heat: July and August routinely reach 36–37°C in the Guadalquivir basin, with 40°C common in a hot spell and overnight lows that stay above 20°C. Sevillanos who can leave for the coast; a good share of the neighbourhood bars close for the month; and visitor numbers fall to their annual low. The Alcázar in August is quieter than the Alcázar in October.

The spring peak is driven by two movable events that between them define the local year. Semana Santa fills the centre for a full week with brotherhood processions that block the streets from afternoon until the early hours, and the Feria de Abril, two weeks after Easter, takes over the Los Remedios fairground with a week of casetas, horses and sherry. Depending on where Easter falls, this can push the peak anywhere from mid-March to early May, and it is worth checking the dates before booking anything: rooms triple in price and sell out months ahead.

For a first visit, October and November are the underrated months — 26°C then 20°C, the orange trees still green, and the Alcázar and cathedral bookable a day or two ahead. March before Holy Week and late May are the other good windows. If you do come in high summer, accept the local rhythm rather than fighting it: outdoor sights before eleven, a long lunch, nothing at all between two and six, and the city back on its feet after nine.