Reus enjoys a Mediterranean climate with long, hot summers and short mild winters. The city is in the northeast of Spain in the province of Tarragona in Catalonia. It sits about five miles inland from the Costa Dorada, which means âgolden coastâ, and is about 75 miles southwest of Barcelona. Ryanair has daily flights to Reus airport which is considered to serve Barcelona, the journey to Barcelona taking only one and a half hours.
Summer, from June till July, is baking hot with clear skies and very little rain. The average high temperature climbs up from the mid 20s to a peak of 28°C in July and August, getting back down to 25°C in September. The average low sits in the high teens and early 20s, so even at night time it is pretty sweltering. As Reus is not quite on the coast the air is often still and the heat can become stifling. It sometimes gets into the mid 30s and while humidity is low, it can still be a bit uncomfortable in the peak of the dayâs heat. Locals often take siestas. July is the sunniest month in the year with an average of ten hours of glorious sunshine per day, and the rest of the season is almost as bright. Rainfall is not something to worry about for most of summer, though it does increase at the end of the season. Short storms are more likely than prolonged rainfall, and wet weather is infrequent. If you take a trip to the seaside then the Med usually reaches its warmest of 25°C in August.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Autumn, in October and November, is warm and quite sunny, but also the wettest time of year. The average high temperature drops to 22°C in October and 16°C, and the average low temperature to 13°C and 8°C respectively. As you can see, there is a great difference between the beginning and end of autumn, which is hardly surprising in the northern hemisphere, and youâll have to take this into account if choosing when to travel. Sunshine levels do reduce to an average of five or six hours per day, but this still allows for many bright clear days. Rainfall levels are relatively high, but it is still pretty dry with showers falling on a day or two each week. The sea remains warm enough for swimming.
Winter, from December till January, is cool but rarely cold and relatively sunny. The average high temperature gets down to 13°C and the average low to 4°C for much of the season â" subzero temperatures are rare but frost and snow are not completely alien. Sunshine levels sit at an average of five hours per day for the entire season which is actually very good for the time of year. Rainfall reduces to a few light showers per month.
Spring, from March till May, is pleasantly warm and bright but quite changeable. The average high climbs into the high teens, starting at 17°C in March and rising to 18°C in April and 22°C in May. From early on in the season you can strip down to your t-shirt, but beach weather doesnât really begin till May. The average low increases slowly to 7°C, 10°C and 14°C in the respective months, so it is still quite chilly at night. The sun comes out for longer as the days lengthen, but rainfall actually increases slightly. However, rain usually falls in thunderstorms which, while dramatic, donât last for too long.
Sport in Reus
Reusâ dry weather and proximity to the coast and mountains means it is a great place to base yourself for a number of extreme sports. In the summer you can go surfing: Comandancia is the closest surf-spot at under six miles away. In the winter you can go skiing: the nearest ski resort is Port Del Comte at around 70 miles away. But Reus is most famous for rock-climbing in Siurana in the Sierra de Prades, a limestone mountain range. Rainfall is never high in Reus so youâre guaranteed some dry rock during your visit whatever the time of year, but itâs probably best to go out of the peak summer holiday season when the high heat isnât really condusive to hauling yourself up a sheer facade by whatâs left of your fingertips. There is a high concentration of routes in this area with many sport routes and a range of difficulty levels to challenge anyone â" though it is better suited to more advanced climbers as most routes are 6c and above. And donât forget, youâd be climbing with the Mediterranean Sea as your backdrop.