What's the Weather like in Puerto de la Duquesa in December
Temperature
Winter rolls into Puerto de la Duquesa with heavy amounts of precipitation and low temperatures, but it is still mild when compared to the continental winter now taking over Europe. The average temperature drops to 15°C, and the nights stay cold at 12°C, which is still quite comfortable for a month like December. The warmer days are expected to reach 17°C, when the sun is out and shining.
Humidity
Humidity is high at 80% on average, and the dew points tend to get uncomfortable in the afternoon, but it's nothing that air conditioning cannot fix.
Average Sunshine Hours
The days are short, with just 6 hours of sunshine and only 18% chances of full-on sunny days to occur throughout the month.
Rainfall
Chances of rain increase to 31% on average, with a whopping 192mm of rainfall expected, spread over 14 days. Chances of clouds are at 8% and there's a noticeable chance of fog to occur as well, at 9% on average.
This all roughly translates into a relatively mild winter, but with substantial amounts of precipitation, so we strongly recommend windbreakers and umbrellas, as you'll be dealing with a mixture of sunny and rainy across the board.
Wind
Chances of windy days are lower, reaching the 17% average, with wind speeds measuring up to 30kmh, and most of them blowing from the northern mountains. Expect a generally peaceful atmosphere with nippy winds that border on freezing during the night, giving an average of 8% chance of snow to occur.
Average Sea Temperature
The beautiful Alboran Sea drops its temperature to 17°C, as colder currents begin to flow and chill the waters to a point where swimming is no longer recommended unless you want to walk away with a moderate case of sniffles. It's still nice to go out by the beach during the sunnier days, but that's about as much as you can get out of this side of the southern coastline.
Puerto de la Duquesa Hotels in December
Kempinski Hotel Bahia Beach Resort & Spa
With Christmas just around the corner, you can easily spoil yourself with a double or superior room at the stunning Kempinski Hotel Bahia Beach Resort & Spa, which now sports some attractive off peak offers.
This amazing 5-star resort overlooks both the mountains and the deep blue sea, featuring several outdoor pools and an absolutely breath-taking set of lush tropical gardens. The on-site spa offers state of the art facilities, including sauna rooms, Turkish baths, fitness centre, indoor pool and 6 lavish treatment rooms.
The suites are stylishly decorated with an exotic feel, while the building itself evokes the Andalusian charm that draws so many people to this area. There are also four restaurants to enjoy in the complex, of which one specialises in sumptuous buffet meals, and poolside snack bar.
While you can't wrap it all and put it under the Christmas tree, you can book yourself into one of their suites and celebrate the holidays in a unique and unforgettable fashion.
Apartamentos Vista Real
A delightful and equally surprising 3-star accommodation, Apartamentos Vista Real can be found in Linea de la Concepcion of Alcaidesa, just a 10-minute drive from Puerto de la Duquesa.
Its terraces open out to superb views of the sea and the famous Alcaidesa Golf Course, with its carefully manicured greens and slopes. The self-catering apartments offer panoramas of the Carbonera Mountains, and are surrounded by lush gardens sprinkled with olive, orange and almond trees. All the great golf courses are less than a 5-minute drive away from the hotel.
Casares del Mar Luxury Apartments
It's not easy to find a high quality and even luxury accommodation in the secluded parts of Costa del Sol, especially when it's part of a romantic weekend getaway. But Casares del Mar Luxury Apartments offers 36 high end units all of them self-catering apartments overlooking the sumptuous outdoor pool and stone terrace, as well as the beautiful deep blue sea of framing the charming village of Casares.
Each apartment features a comfortable seating area with flat screen TV, a fully equipped kitchen and en suite bathroom, as well as a spacious terrace with splendid views. If the weather is fine and sunny, you can even take advantage of the sun terrace with loungers and the barbecue facilities.
Beach in Puerto de la Duquesa for December
Playa Sabinillas
While the weather isn't exactly a treat for swimming, you can easily go on some long walks or hiking trips by the sea. Playa Sabinillas is a good place to visit, a fine stretch of sand as long as 2km and only 40m wide, and proud owner of a Blue Flag for safety and cleanliness. Its shallow blue waters maintain the 17°C average, so you might want to stick to walking along the shore, and not give into the temptation of dipping your toes.
This beautiful beach sits east of Puerto de la Duquesa, near the Manilva River. There is a seafront promenade stretching about as far as the beach itself, sprinkled with funky chiringuitos, bars, corner shops and kiosks.
Bars and Restaurants
Cafeteria Miel
Cafeteria Miel is a wonderful place to try around this time of the year. It's situated on the main beach in Sabinillas and it features a terrace overlooking the sea you can take advantage of it on the sunnier days of December. As the name suggests, this is a typical Spanish café, with a Belgian twist to its otherwise more international menu, best felt in the interesting selection of Belgian beers on display.
Fabulous homemade pancakes and Brussels waffles crown the breakfast menu, along with freshly brewed coffee, while the lunch and dinner menus revolve around light and delicious specialities based mostly on meat, fish, sandwiches and salads. There's something for everyone here, and the staff are very friendly and multilingual.
Bistro Steakhouse
The Bistro Steakhouse is by far one of the most popular eateries in Puerto de la Duquesa. Its menu is abundant with fresh and delicious food with a home cooked feel, and the staff are very friendly and professional. The atmosphere is relaxed and warm, and the steaks are simply out of this world. The chefs pay extra attention to the meat quality, ensuring that every single slice is cooked to perfection, and the potato wedges are crispy and tasty, sourced locally from nearby farms.
Bar La Fuente
Bar La Fuente is where the restless ones go once the sun sets beyond the beautiful Alboran Sea, and it can be found in the heart of Duquesa, in Plaza de la Fuente on the second level. It's a bistro, lounge and pub, catering to a wide variety of tastes, and it's best known for its high quality light snacks, large selection of beers and fun pool tables, the latter being the preferred activity of most of La Fuente's guests.
Things to do in Puerto de la Duquesa in December
SUR-Walks Day Tours
When the weather is fine and sunny, you can take up some of the SUR-Walks Day Tours excellent opportunities to explore the wildlife and rural surroundings of Puerto de la Duquesa and the neighbouring towns. The tour guides provide some of the most interesting and visually enriched hiking tours, in the form of personalised and small groups, with a pick up from your hotel.
They can take you pretty much anywhere you'd like, as there is a number of day hikes that you can opt for: the Roman Baths in Casares, the mountain villages of Ronda, the stunning Pinsapo Forest of Estepona, the beautiful El Torcal, Sierra de las Nieves, the Vulture Gorge, the Ardales Lakes and many other fascinating routes along the coast.
Duquesa Marina
Whether it's cloudy or bright and sunny, the Duquesa Marina is always an absolute pleasure to visit. You can make your way down to the boat yard, where dozens of luxurious yachts float on the blue waters, their smooth lines glistening in the morning sunlight. Further along, little fishing boats wait to be taken out to sea, flanked by charming little fishing huts adorned with nets and wicker baskets. There's a plethora of boutiques and terraces open in March, as well as seafood restaurants and tapas bars.
