Spain is known for its sunny climate, and many of its cities enjoy a large number of hours of sunshine per year. This not only makes our country an ideal tourist destination, but also provides advantages in other areas such as the production of renewable energy.
In this article, we will review The cities and provinces of Spain with the most hours of sunshine, based on various studies and updated statistics. If you are interested in living in a place with many hours of natural light or simply want to know which regions enjoy the most clear days, keep reading.
The cities with the most hours of sunshine in Spain
Spain has a average of 2.500 hours of sunshine per year, although there are provinces and cities that far exceed this figure. Among the sunniest are:
- Huelva: 3.527 hours of sunshine per year.
- Seville: 3.526 hours of sunshine per year.
- Alicante: 3.397 hours of sunshine per year.
- Murcia: 3.348 hours of sun.
- Cáceres: 3.365 hours of sunshine per year.
- Cadiz: 3.316 hours of sun.
- Castellón: 3.321 hours of sun.
- Almeria: 3.305 hours of sun.
Alicante: the sunniest city in Europe
According to an analysis of World Weather Online, Alicante is the city with the most hours of sunshine in Europe, reaching an average of 349 hours of sunshine per month. They are followed by:
- Catania (Italy): 347 hours of sunshine per month.
- Murcia: 346 hours of sunshine per month.
- Malaga: 345 hours of sun.
- Valencia: 343 hours of sun.
Benefits of living in a sunny area
Having many hours of sunshine is not only an advantage for tourism, but also impacts other sectors:
- Renewable energy: Spain is one of the countries with the greatest potential for generating photovoltaic solar energy.
- Tourism: Cities like Alicante, Malaga or Valencia receive thousands of tourists every year thanks to their sunny climate.
- Health: Controlled exposure to the sun promotes the production of vitamin D and improves mood.
The autonomous communities with the most sun
If we analyze by autonomous community, Andalusia is the sunniest region in Spain, with more than 3.283 hours of sunshine per year. Within this region, Huelva, Seville and Cadiz lead the ranking.
Other communities with a high number of daylight hours are Valencia, Murcia and Extremadura, all exceeding 3.000 hours of sunshine per year.
Cities with fewer hours of sunshine in Spain
Not all areas of Spain enjoy the same number of hours of sunshine. At the other extreme, we find cities with fewer hours of sunshine, located mainly in the north of the country:
- Bilbao: 1.694 hours of sunshine per year.
- Santander: 1.639 hours per year.
- Saint Sebastian: 1.695 hours of sun.
- Oviedo: 1.711 hours of sun.
- Victory: 1.830 hours of sun.
These cities, due to their location, are usually more affected by Atlantic fronts and constant rains.
Spain is a lucky country when it comes to hours of sunshine. From the sunny southern provinces such as Huelva and Seville to the Mediterranean coast with Alicante and Malaga, the climate is conducive to tourism, the economy and quality of life. In addition, Solar energy is being harnessed more and more in the regions with the highest levels of sunlight, which makes this characteristic a key advantage for the country's sustainability.