Your December weather guide
MildWeather in Benidorm in December
Benidorm in December suits a mild-weather break, not a hot beach holiday. Average daytime highs are around 16°C, falling to 9°C at night, while the sea is only about 16°C. Go if you want time outdoors without summer heat and are happy to pack layers. The catch is that sunshine does not mean swimming weather, and evenings need warmer clothing. It is a better fit for walking than lounging in swimwear.
Long-term climate averages for Benidorm, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Benidorm, month by month
Your snapshot
At a glance
The useful details for Benidorm.
- Average daytime high
- 15.8°C
- 9 in 10 days stay below 19°C
- Average night-time low
- 8.9°C
- coldest 10% of nights: 5°C or lower
- Compared with London
- +8.1°C
- London averages 7.7°C in December
- Sea temperature
- 16.2°C
- year to year: 16°C to 17°C
- Sunshine per day (est.)
- 5.0h
- 54% of 9.3 h of daylight
- Rainy days (1 mm+)
- 6
- 36 mm over the month
- Humidity
- 74%
- Days over 25°C
- 0%
- none over 30°C
- Record high 1991-2020
- 21.7°C
- 2010-12-09
- Record low 1991-2020
- 0.3°C
- 2009-12-20
- Flight from London
- ≈ 2 h 30 min
- 1402 km, short-haul (estimate for a direct flight)
Records are observed extremes within 1991-2020, not typical holiday conditions. Warm-day percentages are shares of days, not day counts.
How December compares
December is the 10th warmest month of the year in Benidorm and ranks 70th of 134 destinations we compare for December - see where else is hot in December. Within Spain it is 36th of 87 (Spain in December). Against London's average high of 7.7°C in December, Benidorm is 8.1°C warmer by day and 6.2°C warmer at night.
Daytime and night-time in December
The typical December day in Benidorm peaks at 15.8°C, but that is an average: the warmest 10% of days reach 19.0°C or more. Days over 25°C are rare. Nights average 8.9°C; one night in ten drops to 5.3°C or lower, so pack a layer for evenings - it is genuinely cool after dark. Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest December day here reached 21.7°C (2010-12-09) and the coldest night 0.3°C (2009-12-20).
Rain in December
Some rain (4-8 rainy days): about 6 days with 1 mm or more, 36 mm in total. Year to year it varies a lot - the wettest December was 2009 with 115 mm, the driest 2015 with 2 mm. Humidity averages 74%.
Sea temperature in December
The sea averages 16.2°C - too cold for most (under 18°c). Depending on the year it ranges from 15.5°C to 17.0°C. For the warmest sea here, come in August (26.4°C).
Sunshine and daylight
Around 5.0 hours of sunshine a day (estimated from cloud cover), 9.3 hours of daylight: the sun rises about 08:11 and sets about 17:40 local time in mid-December. Average cloud cover is 46%.
Is December a good time to visit Benidorm?
December is not the strongest month here: mild days. The best months for Benidorm on our scoring are July, June, August; months averaging 25°C or more: Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.
Milder days than London, but pack for cool evenings
The daytime high is about 8°C warmer than London in December, a useful improvement if your main aim is to spend more time outside. Plan walks and relaxed outdoor breaks around the middle of the day, rather than expecting warmth from morning to evening. The warmest days reach 19°C or more, but that is a bonus rather than the baseline for your trip. After dark, a jumper and jacket make more sense than summer clothes. The coldest nights can fall to around 5°C or below, so bring trousers and closed shoes too. December suits travellers who prefer mild conditions to heat, provided they do not mistake a warmer destination for a warm-weather guarantee.
Useful sunshine, some rain and a cold sea
Expect about 5 hours of sunshine within 9.3 hours of daylight, so make outdoor plans for the daytime and leave some flexibility for cloud or showers. There are about 6 rainy days during the month: rain is a consideration, but it need not define the trip. A light waterproof is a sensible addition to your bag, and fixed plans that depend on sunshine every day are less suitable. The sea is the bigger limitation for a beach-focused holiday. At around 16°C, it is cold rather than comfortably swimmable, even when the air feels pleasant. Treat time beside the water as a chance to walk or sit in suitable clothing, rather than making daily swims the reason to book.
A little perspective
Benidorm through the year
December is highlighted. See how it compares with the rest of the year.
| Month | Day | Night | Sea | Sun/day | Rain mm | Rainy days | Days 25°C+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 15.1°C | 7.7°C | 14.6°C | 5.4 | 42 | 6 | 0% |
| February | 15.7°C | 8.0°C | 13.9°C | 6.1 | 31 | 6 | 0% |
| March | 17.9°C | 9.7°C | 14.4°C | 6.6 | 37 | 6 | 1% |
| April | 20.1°C | 11.7°C | 15.7°C | 7.3 | 42 | 7 | 4% |
| May | 23.3°C | 14.8°C | 18.4°C | 8.2 | 32 | 5 | 28% |
| Junebest | 27.6°C | 18.8°C | 22.1°C | 10.6 | 13 | 3 | 81% |
| Julybest | 30.4°C | 21.7°C | 25.2°C | 12.0 | 5 | 1 | 99% |
| Augustbest | 30.8°C | 22.5°C | 26.4°C | 10.1 | 13 | 3 | 98% |
| September | 27.3°C | 19.8°C | 25.0°C | 7.2 | 46 | 7 | 79% |
| October | 23.3°C | 16.2°C | 22.1°C | 5.9 | 48 | 7 | 28% |
| November | 18.6°C | 11.8°C | 18.9°C | 5.3 | 48 | 6 | 3% |
| DecemberSelected | 15.8°C | 8.9°C | 16.2°C | 5.0 | 36 | 6 | 0% |
Day = average daytime high, night = average night-time low, 1991-2020.Sun is hours per day; rainy days count 1 mm or more.
Day, night and sea
Monthly average temperatures, 1991-2020
- Day
- Night
- Sea
Best months here
On warmth, low rainfall and sunshine, start with these.
Keep exploring
Similar in December
Closest matches on daytime temperature, sea temperature and sunshine, in other countries.
A little more detail
Benidorm in December FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Is Benidorm hot in December?
Benidorm is mild in December: the average daytime high is 15.8°C and nights average 8.9°C. Days over 25°C are rare in December.
Can you swim in the sea in Benidorm in December?
The sea around Benidorm averages 16.2°C in December, which is cold for swimming without a wetsuit. Between 1991 and 2020 it ranged from 16°C to 17°C depending on the year.
How much does it rain in Benidorm in December?
Benidorm sees about 6 rainy days (1 mm or more) and 36 mm of rain in a typical December. The wettest December between 1991 and 2020 was 2009 (115 mm) and the driest was 2015 (2 mm).
How sunny is Benidorm in December?
Benidorm gets around 5.0 hours of sunshine a day in December out of 9.3 hours of daylight (estimated from average cloud cover).
How does Benidorm compare with the UK in December?
Benidorm is on average 8.1°C warmer than London by day in December (15.8°C against 7.7°C).
What is the hottest December on record in Benidorm?
Between 1991 and 2020 the hottest December day in Benidorm reached 21.7°C on 2010-12-09, and the coldest night dropped to 0.3°C on 2009-12-20.
Is December hot enough for a summer-style holiday?
No. Average highs are around 16°C, and the share of days reaching 25°C is 0%. Some days reach 19°C or more, but December is better for mild outdoor weather than reliable sunbathing. June, July and August are better choices for warmth.
Is the flight short enough for a brief break?
The flight from London is about 2 h 30 min, making Benidorm a short-haul option. That suits a brief change of weather, as long as your aim is milder days rather than summer heat or comfortable sea swimming.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid) and NOAA Coral Reef Watch 5 km sea temperatures, 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at Benidorm. Sea temperature from the nearest 5 km sea cell, 1.6 km from that point. Sunshine hours are estimated from average cloud cover.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C