We’re off to sunny Spain.
New Yorkers know, and all too well, that summer weekends — from the beaches of the Hamptons to the hiking trails of the Hudson Valley — come with no good-weather guarantees.
Luckily, there are some affordable destinations that get so much sunshine per year, you don’t even need to plan a particular time of year to go there. You just need to pack the strong sunscreen.
Malaga, Spain, is one of those places — the trendy Andalusian port city, located along the fabled Costa del Sol, experiences 280.2 hours of sunshine each month, translating to more than 3,000 hours per year.
That places the city at the top of a list of the sunniest destinations in Europe, compiled by online rental search engine Holidu.
Results of the survey were first reported by Conde Nast Traveller.
According to the Universidad de Málaga, the city only sees any kind of precipitation on 50 days per year.
In addition, Malaga enjoys a marvelously temperate climate, with an average monthly temperature — year-round! — of 65.8 degrees.
This makes summers more bearable during the months when other parts of Spain are sweltering, whereas winter days can be downright warm.
The city is close to popular beaches and plenty of outdoor activities.
Malaga may take top prize, but Spain swept the list — Alicante takes the #2 spot, with 280 hours of sun per month, while Murcia comes in third with 277.7 hours.
Seville, Cordoba, Madrid and Zaragoza — all in Spain — also crowded their way into the top 10, leaving room for just three other cities: Catania, Italy, Marseille, France and Athens, Greece.
