Early October 1 October
73°F
Typical afternoon high
24% historical wet-day frequency
Spain · City
Basque Country
in October.
Is October a good time?
Mild days.
Fewer overnight stays than September.
October averages 70°F afternoons and 66°F seas, with about 7 rain days. Later October is typically cooler.
- Afternoons
- 70°F
- Sea
- 66°F
- Visitor demand
- 62%of August peak
Historical País Vasco regional averages, not a forecast or a measure of queues. Overnight demand compares average stays per day. Covers San Sebastián and Bilbao; conditions vary within the region.
Overall match
7.8/10 · scores & prioritiesWhat matters most?
Weather 50% · Crowds 30% · Cost 20%
#1 of 12 months here · Balanced mix
Weather8.7/10Very good
CrowdsBusy seasonvs its own year; overnight stays do not measure queues
CostModeratefor Europe
Overall combines weather, overnight demand and cost. It does not include sea temperature.
Plan your October
What to expect.
What should I pack?
Afternoons around 70°F (21°C): T-shirt weather; nights around 54°F (12°C): a sweater and a light jacket. About 11 hours of daylight. About 7 rain days in a typical October.
Can I swim in October?
The sea averages 66°F. Our swimming guide: fresh: fine once you are in. Your comfort will vary. This is open water near the coast, not a beach-specific reading.
Monthly coastal averages from NOAA, 2011–2025. Sea temperature is separate from the weather and Overall scores.
A typical day: temperatures & daylightAfternoons, nights, sea temperature & daylight Show detailsHide details
About 11 hours of daylight.
The sun rises about 08:22 and sets about 19:30 (local time, mid-month). Mornings start around 54°F (12°C); afternoons reach about 70°F (21°C). Expect rain on about 7 days in a typical October.
Typical afternoon
70°F (21°C)
average daily high, 15 recent Octobers
Night low
54°F (12°C)
average daily minimum
Sea
66°F (19°C)
fresh; open water near the coast, NOAA satellite record 2011–2025
Daylight
11h 07m
on the 15th, computed from latitude
Early, middle or late?
Early or late October?
Early October is typically warmer. The afternoon high averages 73°F on the 1st, versus 66°F on the 31st. Historical wet-day frequency rises from 24% to 40% between those dates.
Mid October 15 October
71°F
Typical afternoon high
29% historical wet-day frequency
Late October 31 October
66°F
Typical afternoon high
40% historical wet-day frequency
Historical daily averages from 2011–2025, smoothed over two weeks. A seasonal pattern, not a forecast. This does not establish which week has the lowest prices or fewest visitors.
Public holidays · 2026: 12 Oct Spanish National Day.
Daily calendar & holiday datesOctober 2026 · historical weather & dated holidays Show calendarHide calendar
October 2026 calendar
Weather shows historical patterns, not a forecast. Holidays and events use the dates shown for 2026.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 173° | 273° | 372° | 472° | |||
| 572° | 672° | 772° | 871° | 971° | 1071° | 1171° |
| 1271° | 1371° | 1471° | 1571° | 1670° | 1770° | 1870° |
| 1970° | 2070° | 2169° | 2269° | 2369° | 2469° | 2569° |
| 2668° | 2768° | 2867° | 2967° | 3067° | 3166° |
Afternoon high rain likely (25%+) local school holidays public holiday event
Afternoons cool from about 72°F (22°C) in the first week to 67°F (20°C) in the last. The chance of a wet day runs 23–40%.
No school holidays here in October 2026. Public holidays: 12 Oct Spanish National Day. Elsewhere in October 2026, the share of people living where schools are out on a typical day: France 45%, Germany 33%, Netherlands 39%, Switzerland 32%. (School holidays: official calendar, compiled by Bigfoot Wanders; other countries from OpenHolidays, ODbL.)
Crowds and cost
Visitor season
Will it be busy?
Busy season. October averages 62% of August's overnight stays per day. Fewer overnight stays than September.
Overnight stays across País Vasco do not measure queues, day visitors or congestion at individual sights.
Hotel price season
Will it be cheaper?
A little above usual. Historical regional hotel revenue (2024–2025 monthly average): €123 per occupied room-night. An average, not a booking quote.
Fewer overnight stays do not automatically mean cheaper rooms. Check actual quotes for your trip.
Historical hotel average
€123
2024–2025 monthly average; hotel revenue per occupied room-night; not a current booking quote. +9% vs this region's usual month.
Spain as a whole
Below EU average
2024 restaurants and hotels price level: 84 where the EU average is 100. A relative index, not a room rate.
The historical regional amount comes from INE Spain, EOH/IRSH table 2059: hotel average daily rate per occupied room; the country price level is national. Hotel averages are not live booking quotes.
Year-to-year variation
How much does October vary?
Across the recorded years
In the 15 years from 2011 to 2025, the month's afternoons averaged between 65°F (18°C) and 76°F (24°C); in 9 of them they were within 3°F (1.5°C) of the typical 70°F (21°C). Rain days ranged from 5 to 16; half the years had 6–11.
Rain days in each October
Rain days
7
at least 1 mm, typical year; about 12 in a wet year
Mostly sunny days
5 of 31
cloud cover under 30%
Years with a 95°F+ day
0 of 15
no October in the last 15 years had a day at or above 95°F (35°C)
Good weather days
25 of 31
rated very good or better
See every recorded OctoberHistorical monthly averages, year by year Show detailsHide details
| Year | Afternoon high | Rain days |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 71°F | 6 |
| 2012 | 68°F | 13 |
| 2013 | 70°F | 6 |
| 2014 | 75°F | 7 |
| 2015 | 67°F | 10 |
| 2016 | 69°F | 6 |
| 2017 | 71°F | 6 |
| 2018 | 66°F | 10 |
| 2019 | 70°F | 11 |
| 2020 | 65°F | 16 |
| 2021 | 68°F | 7 |
| 2022 | 76°F | 5 |
| 2023 | 75°F | 10 |
| 2024 | 70°F | 11 |
| 2025 | 71°F | 7 |
Checked against 31 local weather stations. How we check
Compare dates
September, October
or November?
| Typical conditions | Sep | Oct | Nov |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 76°F | 70°F | 60°F |
| Sea | 70°F | 66°F | 62°F |
| Rain days | 8 | 7 | 15 |
| Overnight demand | 73% | 62% | 48% |
September: Warmer afternoons and warmer sea than October. More overnight demand. September guide →
November: Cooler afternoons, cooler sea and more rain days than October. Less overnight demand. November guide →
Overnight demand measures accommodation stays, not queues. Sea temperatures are monthly coastal averages.
Compare any of the 12 monthsChoose another month and compare it with October Show comparisonHide comparison
Yellow marks the top three months on the Balanced mix. October stays as your reference.
No other scored month has a Weather score at least 1.0 point higher than October.
Your comparison
October or September?
Overnight stays are 73% of the busiest month.
Historical regional hotel revenue (2024–2025 monthly average): €139 per occupied room-night. An average, not a booking quote.
Read the September guide →| Typical conditions | October | September |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 70°F | 76°F |
| Nights | 54°F | 57°F |
| Sea | 66°F | 70°F |
| Rain days | 7 | 8 |
| Visitor season | Busy season | Busy season |
| Overall / 10 | 7.8 | 7.5 |
| Month rank | #1 | #2 |
Every month, in detail Show detailsHide details
| Month | Overall | Rank | High | Low | Sea | Rain days | Weather | Visitor season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6.0 | #12 | 54°F | 41°F | 56°F | 14 | 5.0 | Low season |
| February | 6.4 | #11 | 56°F | 42°F | 55°F | 12 | 5.4 | Moderate season |
| March | 7.2 | #6 | 60°F | 44°F | 55°F | 13 | 6.4 | Moderate season |
| April | 7.3 | #5 | 64°F | 47°F | 57°F | 11 | 7.3 | Moderate season |
| May | 7.4 | #4 | 69°F | 51°F | 61°F | 11 | 8.1 | Busy season |
| June | 7.5 | #3 | 75°F | 56°F | 66°F | 8 | 8.6 | Busy season |
| July | 7.1 | #7 | 78°F | 59°F | 71°F | 5 | 9.0 | Peak season |
| August | 6.6 | #9 | 80°F | 60°F | 72°F | 6 | 8.8 | Peak season |
| September | 7.5 | #2 | 76°F | 57°F | 70°F | 8 | 8.9 | Busy season |
| October | 7.8 | #1 | 70°F | 54°F | 66°F | 7 | 8.7 | Busy season |
| November | 7.0 | #8 | 60°F | 48°F | 62°F | 15 | 6.0 | Moderate season |
| December | 6.6 | #10 | 57°F | 44°F | 58°F | 12 | 5.6 | Moderate season |
Near here
Nearby places in October
Nearby regions, nearest first. Distances are centre to centre, as the crow flies; they are not road distances or journey times.
La RiojaSpain · about 50 miles
Balanced Overall 8.4 · Excellent weather, 71°F (22°C) · Moderate season · Cost moderate
NavarreSpain · about 60 miles
Balanced Overall 8.3 · Very good weather, 70°F (21°C) · Moderate season · Cost cheap
Castile and LeónSpain · about 140 miles
Balanced Overall 8.1 · Very good weather, 68°F (20°C) · Busy season · Cost cheap
Bordeaux & the Atlantic coastAquitaine · France · about 150 miles
Balanced Overall 7.2 · Good weather, 70°F (21°C) · Low season · Cost pricey
MadridSpain · about 190 miles
Balanced Overall 7.6 · Excellent weather, 72°F (22°C) · Steady all year · Cost pricey
Elsewhere in Europe
Better October weather than Basque Country
Basque Country's weather ranks 9 of 41 city regions this month. These city regions outside Spain have clearly better weather on your dates, nearest first, each compared with Basque Country.
How we knowSources, regional scope & scoring method Show detailsHide details
It's busy season, 62% of the busiest month and about average for the year.The figures cover the whole País Vasco region, suburbs included. That means about 30,000 overnight visitors on a typical October night across the region, 50% of them from Spain itself. Rentals booked through Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor add up to 8,700 more: 30 for every 100 counted above. Some are the same properties counted twice.
| Climate suitability (HCI:Urban, 0–100) | 78 |
| How our weather was checked | 31 open weather stations in this region, January and July: afternoon highs typically within 1°F (0.1°C), night lows within 1°F (0.4°C). |
| Tourist nights per 1,000 residents per day | 13 |
| Busiest month here | August · 21 |
| Visitors as share of people present | 1.3% |
| Rank among Europe's regions this month | 55th percentile |
| Domestic share of nights | 50% |
| Platform rental nights per 100 counted nights | 30 |
| Visitor share if every platform night were extra | 1.7% |
| Population used | 2.2 million |
| Statistical region | ES21 · País Vasco |
Crowds: Eurostat nights spent at tourist accommodation, by month and NUTS 2 region, 2024–2025 average. Overnight visitors per night is the month's nights divided by its days; the per-1,000 figure is Eurostat's, against each year's population. Platform rentals: Eurostat nights booked via Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor, 2024–2025 average, shown separately because some properties are in both counts. Weather: Holiday Climate Index computed from ERA5 reanalysis with daily highs, night lows and rain days corrected from open national weather-service station records, 2011–2025, population-weighted to the region; day-by-day figures are the same data averaged by date. Heat and rain odds are counted across those years. Sunrise and sunset: NOAA solar equations, local time. Prices: Eurostat price level index and HICP, national; the first figure is regional (INE Spain, EOH/IRSH table 2059: hotel average daily rate per occupied room). Full method · this region's data.