Malaga · Month comparison
September vs May
May ranks #1 overall vs September at #5. The single best month of the year — 25°C, terraces packed, sea at 18°C and warming.
September
#5 of 12 months
Best match
Second Goldilocks — 28°C, sea at warmest, school holidays over and hotel rates drop fast.
- ↑Sea peaks at 23°C through September — warmest of the year
- ↑Hotel rates fall back to May levels by Sep 15th
May
#1 of 12 months
Best match
The single best month of the year — 25°C, terraces packed, sea at 18°C and warming.
- ↑Perfect 25°C, low humidity — Alcazaba and Roman theatre walks at comfortable pace
- ↑Costa del Sol day trips (Nerja, Frigiliana, Marbella) without summer traffic
| Factor | September | May |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 10 | 10 |
| Value score | 6 | 7 |
| Crowd score | 6 | 7 |
| Events score | 6 | 7 |
| Atmosphere | 10 | 10 |
| Avg high temp | 28°C | 25°C |
| Monthly rain | 20mm | 25mm |
| Daily sunshine | 9hrs | 10hrs |
September trade-offs
- ↓First Mediterranean storm typically late September — 1-2 unsettled days
- ↓Some Costa chiringuitos (especially east of Nerja) wind down to weekend-only
May trade-offs
- ↓Sea at 18°C — swimmable but cooler than July's 22°C
- ↓Some beach chiringuitos at Pedregalejo still in slow-opening mode
Scores compare months within Malaga. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →