Madrid in December is cold, dry and usually sunny. At AEMET’s Madrid Retiro station the average high is 10.0 °C and the low 3.6 °C, the city gets 124 hours of sunshine in the month and it rains on about 6.8 days. The sun rises around 8:20am and sets just before 6pm, which leaves roughly 9 hours and a half of daylight. There are three public holidays, 7, 8 and 25 December, and the Christmas lights and markets run all month.
What is the weather like in Madrid in December? Madrid averages a high of 10.0 °C and a low of 3.6 °C in December at AEMET’s Madrid Retiro station, with 124 hours of sunshine, about 6.8 days of rain of 1 mm or more and only 0.6 days of snow. Sunset falls between 5:49pm and 5:57pm, so evenings are long and cold.
December also brings frost on about 4.5 mornings and a long weekend on 5 to 8 December, with public holidays on the 7th and the 8th.
How cold it really feels
Expect frosty mornings: per AEMET’s Retiro averages, the month has 4.5 frost days, so early starts in parks can be below zero. In the middle of the day, in the sun, a coat is enough. After dark the temperature drops back towards 3 to 4 °C, and with average humidity of 74 % it feels colder than the number. Strong wind is the one weather risk that changes plans: the city closes the Retiro and other parks when it blows hard, as Retiro Park closures for wind explains.
What to pack
- A real winter coat, plus gloves and a scarf for the evenings.
- Comfortable shoes that cope with rain, for about 6.8 wet days in the month.
- A small umbrella that fits in a day bag.
- Layers you can take off indoors, for museums and restaurants.
Planning a day around early darkness
Do the outdoor sights in the morning and early afternoon, between 11am and 4pm. Sunrise on the 21st is at 8:34am and sunset at 5:51pm. At dusk, head indoors: the Prado Museum is free from 6pm to 8pm Monday to Saturday and 5pm to 7pm on Sundays and holidays, which lines up with December’s sunset, as set out in the Prado’s free evening hours. Here dinner starts around 9pm, so the walk under the Christmas lights fits between the museum and dinner; last season the lights came on at 6pm.
Which week to choose
| Dates | What works | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 December, Tuesday to Friday | Lights, markets and museums on working days | In 2025-26 the lights and market were up from late November |
| 5 to 8 December | Four days of holiday, with the Rastro on the 6th, 7th and 8th | The 7th and 8th are public holidays: check what opens |
| 9 to 23 December | Everything open on normal hours | Working days apart from weekends |
| 24 to 31 December | The festivities | Museums open mornings only on 24 and 31 and close on 25 |
In 2026 Constitution Day, 6 December, falls on a Sunday, and the Community of Madrid sets the holiday on Monday 7; with the Immaculate Conception on Tuesday 8, Madrid gets a four-day weekend. What opens on each holiday is in Madrid public holidays and what opens. The Plaza Mayor Christmas market ran from 27 November to 31 December last season, and the ticketed light trail at Ciudad Universitaria opens from 24 November, as explained in the botanical garden Christmas lights.
If it rains
Rain days are few, about 6.8 in the month, but they do come. If you land at the airport on a wet day, the metro and a single ticket get you to the centre dry; fares are in Madrid metro ticket prices. The indoor alternatives, from museums to markets, are in what to do in Madrid when it rains, and the full season in Christmas in Madrid.
Madrid in December FAQ
Is December a good time to visit Madrid?
Yes, if you like Christmas atmosphere and do not mind the cold. Days are often sunny and dry, the lights and the Plaza Mayor market are on, and museums keep normal hours until 23 December. The 9 to 23 December stretch is the most comfortable.
How cold is Madrid in December?
At AEMET’s Madrid Retiro station the average December high is 10.0 °C and the average low 3.6 °C, with 4.5 frost days in the month. It rains 1 mm or more on about 6.8 days.
Does it snow in Madrid in December?
Rarely in the city. AEMET’s Madrid Retiro station averages 0.6 days of snow in December and 4.5 days of frost, so expect cold mornings but do not plan a trip around seeing snow in the centre.
What should I pack for Madrid in December?
A proper winter coat, gloves and a scarf for the evenings, comfortable waterproof shoes and a small umbrella. Mornings can be below freezing in open spaces, but midday in the sun feels mild.
Come for the light, plan for the dark: December in Madrid rewards early mornings.