Jávea in December

How is the weather in Jávea in December?

At the nearest official weather station, the average December temperature is 12.5 degrees, with afternoons around 17.3 degrees and nights around 7.5 degrees. The month sees an average of 3.7 days of rain, and the sun shines for around 165 hours: distinctly cooler than November, with noticeably less daylight.

Compared with November, which averages 15.4 degrees, 3.8 rain days and 174 hours of sunshine, December is cooler and slightly less sunny, while the number of rain days stays roughly the same. These figures come from the nearest official weather station, at Alicante airport some ninety kilometres away: a reliable indication for the region, not an exact measurement in Jávea itself.

December is also the month with the least daylight of the year: the sun rises around 8am and sets between roughly a quarter to six and ten to six, giving around nine hours of daylight. The earliest sunset of the year falls in early December, even before the shortest day itself.

Over the year, that fits the pattern of the winter as a whole: the three winter months together average 12.1 degrees, 10.2 rain days and 528 hours of sunshine, well over double the roughly 212 hours a Dutch winter gets according to the KNMI in De Bilt.

Can you still swim in Jávea in December?

Technically yes, but for almost everyone the water is too cold to swim comfortably by then: the sea off Jávea sits at around 16 degrees in December, wetsuit territory for anyone still keen to get in. Lifeguard cover has ended by December; anyone who swims does so without a rescue post nearby.

Compared with November's roughly 19 degrees, the sea has cooled noticeably by December. For most visitors a dip is then more a matter of principle than a refreshing swim; anyone who does take the plunge would do well to dress for it.

Which public holidays and events are there in Jávea in December?

December is the most festive month of winter: 6 and 8 December are national public holidays that Spaniards often stretch into a long weekend, around those same days the trade association organises a Christmas fair by the harbour, on 13 December the village processes up to the ermita for Santa Llúcia, and at the end of the month two editions mark the turn of the year.

6 December is the Día de la Constitución and 8 December the Inmaculada Concepción, two fixed national holidays that fall just days apart. Spaniards like to turn the pair into a long weekend, and around that extended weekend the trade association organises a Christmas fair by the harbour: an annual fixture without a set name or exact date, but a regular part of the December calendar.

The Christmas period in Xàbia begins as early as the start of December and spreads across the harbour, the old centre and the Arenal: a craft Christmas market on the Paseo Joaquín Sorolla by the harbour, a fair in the centre, concerts and Christmas lights throughout the village.

One of the loveliest traditions of the month is the Festa de Santa Llúcia on 13 December. On the eve, residents bring flowers to the statue of the saint, and on the day itself half of Xàbia climbs in procession to the ermita on the hill, where a mass is held at the top and hot chocolate is handed out. Pumpkin fritters and mistela wine belong to the festival.

Around the turn of the year, Xàbia holds a double celebration on the square by the San Bartolomé church in the old centre: the campanadas, the traditional chimes that ring in the new year. There is a family version at noon, with mandarin segments instead of the usual grapes, and the classic celebration around midnight for those who prefer to stay up late.

The festive season really runs on until 5 January, when the Cabalgata de Reyes Magos closes out Christmas: according to local media, the Three Kings arrive at the harbour by boat and then parade through the village. Anyone in Jávea in December therefore sees the build-up to a festive season that does not end until early January.

What stays open in Jávea in December?

The regular markets keep running as normal in December: the Thursday market on the Plaça de la Constitució, the covered Mercat Municipal and the Sunday morning market by the harbour all run year-round. The Museo Soler Blasco follows its winter schedule, while some restaurants, including Michelin-starred Tula, are actually closed in December.

In winter, the Museo Soler Blasco in the old centre is open Tuesday to Friday from 10am to 1.30pm and from 5pm to 8pm, mornings only at weekends, and closed on Mondays. The museum is closed on 25 December and on 1 and 6 January.

On the last weekend of the month there is also the market weekend at the Riurau d'Arnauda: local produce on Saturday, antiques and vintage on Sunday, both mornings only in winter. This is still a young initiative rather than an established tradition, so check the current times before heading over.

Keep an eye on restaurants too: several close their doors for a stretch at the heart of winter, and even Michelin-starred Tula shuts from early December to early February. Booking ahead or checking whether a place is open is therefore wiser in December than in high season.

What can you do in Jávea in December?

December is excellent walking weather: temperatures are mild and the paths on the Montgó and along the miradors lie quiet. The beaches are completely empty and at their calmest in December, and anyone wanting to try kayaking at Cala Granadella should check in advance whether the operator runs trips over winter.

Without the summer heat and without queues, December is one of the most pleasant months to climb the Montgó or walk the miradors route along the coast. Beaches such as the Arenal and La Grava also lie deserted in December, with just the waves and the winter sun instead of parasols and crowds.

Kayak trips at the Granadella are offered year-round, but in winter there is no guarantee that every operator actually runs them: ask in advance whether a trip is still bookable in December.

December also falls in the middle of the winter rental season: anyone staying the whole winter settles in for good this month, for a longer stay on the coast.

Is December a good month to visit Jávea?

For a beach holiday, no: the water is too cold, the resort stands still and the days are short. For anyone wanting to experience the village outside high season, very much yes: December is, together with the rest of winter, the quietest time for beach tourism, but thanks to the full festival calendar the village feels livelier than in October and November.

Where October and November are mostly quiet, empty months, December brings the long festive weekend, the Christmas fair, Santa Llúcia and the first Christmas lights back to the streets. That makes the month appealing for anyone wanting to see an authentic side of Xàbia, without the summer crowds but also without the complete quiet of the months before it.

Anyone after a beach holiday is better off choosing high season; anyone who prefers walking, enjoys local traditions and wants to see the village in its own rhythm finds Xàbia at its most distinctive in December.