Climate

Spain in October: Temperatures are mild, and pleasant. October is one of the best times to visit.

In Barcelona, the average temps range between 70°F/21°C maximum and minimum 54°F/12°C. There may be some clouds and occasional showers, but generally conditions will be perfect for being outdoors.

In Madrid at this time of year, mild temperatures combine with sunny weather. There is usually little rainfall. The average maximum temperature is 68°F/20°C and the average minimum is 46°F/8°C.

Tenerife and the Canary Islands enjoy a warm climate year round, with abundant sunshine. The average temperatures on Tenerife in October range from a high of about 80°F/26°C to a low of 67°F/20°C. There is only a slight chance of rain in the southwest of the island where our hotel is located. Rain and clouds are more likely on Tenerife's northern side, and traveling inland away from the coast, as in the optional excursion to Mount Teide National Park, will take you into varied microclimates, including cooler temperatures and/or possible precipitation.

Currency

Euro.

Entry Requirements

U.S. citizens may enter Spain for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa. Your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay.

Note: We suggest packing additional photocopies of the photo and personal information pages of your passport and keeping them in a separate location from where you keep your passport or other documents.

Medical Information:

Good medical care is available. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States; however, please check with your own insurance company to confirm whether your policy applies overseas and provides adequate coverage. If you need a doctor, your hotel can recommend one, or you can contact your embassy or consulate.

Electrical

Power supply: 220-240 Volts. If taking laptops, camera chargers, and other electrical equipment to Spain, check the electrical specs label on your equipment. If the appliance can use 220-240V power, the label will say something like Input: 100-240V. This means that the appliance will work in both the US (which takes 110V) and Spain and most other countries, which use 220-240V.

If your appliance doesn't show compatibility with 240V, then you'll need to buy a voltage converter. Electrical sockets in Spain and the Canary Islands are one of two European standard electrical socket types: the "Type C" Europlug, and the "Type E" and "Type F" Schuko sockets. If your appliance's plug doesn't match the shape of these sockets, you will need a travel plug adapter.

Time Zone:

Barcelona and Madrid: UTC (Greenwich Mean Time) + 1 hour (Central European Time), 6 hours ahead of US Eastern Standard Time

Tenerife: UTC (Greenwich Mean Time), 5 hours ahead of US Eastern Standard Time.

Note: European Summer Time (like Daylight Savings Time in the USA, 1 hour ahead of Standard  Time) ends on the last Sunday in October at 1 AM. In 2014, this will be October 26.