Are you wondering what to wear in Madrid in Spring? In this guide we will tell you EXACTLY what to pack no matter if you are visiting Madrid in March, April or May. This includes guidance on how to dress for the weather, dress codes as well as Madrid special events in Spring.
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Weather in Madrid in Spring
Spring in Madrid is classified as March, April and May. March is technically the first month of Spring, but is also the coldest with the temperatures slowly rising as the season progresses. But what can you expect the weather to be like generally in Spring.
How cold is Madrid in Spring?
Generally speaking the average temperatures in Madrid in Spring range from average lows in March of 6°C/42F rising to average highs of a warm 22°C/71F by the end of May.
In March you will find there is definitely some overlap with the Winter capsule wardrobe for Madrid while by the end of May you will definitely have some of your summer wardrobe on your packing list.
Note: if your visit covers two months be sure to check out our other Madrid packing list guides:
- What to wear in Madrid in Winter
- What to wear in Madrid in Summer
Is it rainy in Madrid in Spring?
Although March is the coldest of the Spring months it is also the driest. On average March only has 5 days of rain across the whole of the month while April has 6 and May has 7 days.
For this reason a compact travel umbrella is always a good idea for Madrid in Springtime.
Note: if you are traveling to other cities and regions in Spain be sure to check out our other monthly guides:
- What to wear in Barcelona in Spring
- What to wear in Spain in Spring
- What to wear in Seville in Spring
Does it snow in Madrid in Spring?
Snow is a very rare occurance in Madrid. And when it does snow it only usually flutters in Winter. Therefore you don’t need to worry about packing for snow in Spring.
Note: we always recommend checking the forecast at your destination(s) 7 days out from travel to make sure there are no expected weather fronts i.e. heatwaves or cold snaps.
How do local people dress in Madrid in Spring?
No matter what time of year you are traveling to Madrid you will find the locals dress very stylishly. In March you will still see some coats and jumpers on the streets, but usually by April and May locals will have transitioned into their Spring capsule wardrobes.
Dress Codes in Madrid
For most places in Madrid, and Spain in generaly there aren’t dress codes you need to worry about. However the main place in Spain you have to worry about dress codes is in churches. Therefore if you plan to visit a church while in Madrid, or are heading on a day trip to Toledo where the main attraction is the church it is worth having a modest outfit with you which covers your shoulders and knees.
What to wear in Madrid in Spring
Before we get onto the specifics of what to wear in Madrid in Spring for women and men, we wanted to reiterate that we think it is a great idea to pack a capsule wardrobe. It means you are less likely to lose your luggage when traveling and prevents you from overpacking. For help in packing a capsule wardrobe check out these posts:
Best Shoes for Madrid in Spring
But first we will turn our attention to shoes for Madrid in Spring.
Sneakers
Sneakers in my opinion are the best shoe for city break in Spain. Historic cities in spain such as Seville, Barcelona and of course Madrid have cobbled stone streets and uneven surfaces. This combined with the amount of walking you will be doing means you will need comfortable walking shoes. And in my opinion sneakers cope best with cobbles, bridges and the uneven surfaces that you find in Madrid as they have good soles and arch support.
My favorite brand of sneakers for walking are Hoka and AllBirds, however you also can’t go wrong with a plain white sneaker as they go with everything. One of my favorite pairs of white sneakers is the Adidas Cloud Foam shoes.
Ankle Boots or Sandals
Depending on the month of travel will depend on what your second shoe for Madrid in Spring should be.
In March, a boot is the most practical choice. However by May sandals are the best second shoe to pac. Whichever you pick just be sure that they have a good sole and arch support that can cope with cobbled stone streets.
What to wear in Madrid in Spring for women
So what does a Madrid Packing List for Spring look like? For women we recommend packing:
Jacket
Again depending on what month in Spring you are traveling to Madrid will affect the jacket you should pack. For March we recommend a heavier weight jacket such as a puffer jacket. However by May a lighter jacket like a denim jacket is a great idea.
Trousers
Trousers and pants are a great versatile pick for Madrid. In March and April in particular jeans are a great pick. And as a capital city you will see all styles of jeans being worn by locals so just pack the style you feel most comfortable in. However I personally don’t think you can go wrong with a black jean for Madrid.
However towards the end of May you may want to pack some lighter trousers as well as jeans such as linen trousers.
Also you can never go wrong with a black pant for Madird.
Dresses and skirts
Short dresses and skirts are always on my what not to wear in Spain list outside of beaches because they do not comply with church dress code.
Instead we recommend dresses and skirts that are midi or maxi in length. You can never go wrong with a black dress in Italy however pastels and floral dresses are also very popular for Spring travel.
Click here to shop dresses for Madrid
Layers
The month of travel will again determine the most appropriate layer and March will obviously need more layers than May. However we always recommend lots of lighter layers instead of chunky knits because they are easier to pack and layer.
We recommend having a cardigan, sweater and a hoodie for daytime sightseeing.
T Shirts
T Shirts are perfect for Madrid in Spring. In Madrid I would recommend having a mix of long and short sleeve tees but by May I would have largely transitioned to short sleeve ones and even some tank tops.
Blouses
Loose blouses are perfect for Madrid no matter what Spring month you are traveling. I personally love themfor restaurants as they are easily layered with a cardigan if you get a cold snap.
Pashmina
A pashmina should be on your Madrid packing list no matter the month you are visiting. They are great for cool evenings but also to make outfits more modest for churches. Click here to shop pashminas.
PJs or Nightie, Underwear and Socks
Goes without saying
Sunglasses
Madrid can be a dazzling city in spring so be sure to pack a pair of sunglasses with good UVA protection.
What to Wear in Madrid in Spring Packing List for Men
Alongside our regular men’s travel essentials we recommend adding the following items to your men’s packing list for Madrid:
Jacket
The thickness is dependent on the month of travel with March requiring much thicker than May.
Chinos/Jeans
Jeans are great for daytime sightseeing in Madrid. But we would also pack a pair of chinos and by May even some linen trousers to your packing list.
Shop men’s travel chinos here.
T Shirts and Shirts
T shirts are great for days sightseeing. In March we recommend having a mix of long and short sleeves, but by May you are likely only going to need short sleeve t shirts.
And on top of t shirts you may also want to pack a button down shirt for use in more upscale restaurants.
Layers
A hoodie, jumper and sweater alongside the jacket are the perfect layers for 7 days in Madrid.
Underwear
Goes without saying.
What to Pack for Madrid in Spring (Non Clothing)
So now you know what to wear in Spring including the best shoes to pack, we will turn our attention to what to pack for Madrid other than clothes.
- Backpack – for storing items on your day trips.
- Crossbody Bag – anti theft type as with any city it can have issues with pickpockets around main tourist attractions. Our favorite brand of travel purses is Travelon.
- Travel Adaptor for electronics – Spain uses the standard European plug so visitors from UK and USA will need an adapter to use their electronics.
- Reusable Water Bottle
- Sun Screen
- Lipbalm with SPF – Our favorite brand at the minute is sun bum.
- Toiletries – our essential travel toiletries list can be found here.
- Camera
- Charging Equipment
- Battery Pack
- Travel First Aid Kit
- Blister plasters
- Toiletries – for our essential toiletries packing list click here. Though it is worth noting if you are staying in Madrid it is easy to pick up toiletries in supermarkets and pharmacies on arrival.
FAQs about our Milan Packing list
Do you need a coat in Spring in Madrid?
You won’t likely need a thick coat for Spring. However a jacket is a great pick. For March something like a puffer is a good idea but by May the thickness will have reduced down to a denim jacket or trench.
Can you wear jeans in Madrid?
You can wear jeans at any time you visit Madrid. Just be sure for May you pick a lighter weight denim as the temperatures start to increase.
Should I pack swimwear?
If your hotel has a pool then we recommend packing swimwear especially if you are traveling in April or May.
Have you been to Marid in Spring? What did you wear? We would love to hear in the comments.
- Ham, Anthony (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 256 Pages – 06/07/2022 (Publication Date) – Lonely Planet (Publisher)
