Mallorca Weather in December: Temperatures, Activities & Travel Tips

Anyone planning a trip in December encounters a month of contrasts on Mallorca: short, often clear days with surprisingly mild air, cool nights and a sea that still remembers summer before it finally cools down. The island takes on a festive air, with Christmas markets opening in Palma while the first snow caps may already appear on the Tramuntana. Anyone who knows what Mallorca's weather in December actually means can make targeted use of this month – for city trips, hikes and quiet days away from the high season.

The weather in December at a glance

December marks the transition on Mallorca from the mild autumn days into proper winter. During the day, temperatures still usually rise to 16.2 °C, while at night they cool down to 6.6 °C – noticeably below late-summer levels, but well above what many northern European travellers expect from a December. This is exactly what is meant by Mallorca's often-cited role as one of Europe's mildest winter destinations: along the coast it stays pleasant during the day, even though the nights already feel autumnally fresh.

The sun shows itself in December for an average of 4.9 h per day, less than in any other month of the year, which is simply due to the short length of the days: with only 9.2 h of daylight, December is the month with the earliest sunset. Anyone wishing to explore the island in daylight should plan their day more compactly than in summer. Rain is also part of the month's character: on 6 rainy days precipitation falls, adding up to 53 mm in total – making December one of the wetter months of the year, though this usually shows up as individual, sometimes heavy, showery days rather than days of continuous rain.

The sea cools noticeably this month, reaching an average of 16.0 °C – markedly colder than the daytime air, but not yet at the winter low point, which is only reached in the following months. In the higher reaches of the Serra de Tramuntana, conditions are quite different again: it can get cold enough for snow there, while the sun shines on the coast at the same time. This combination of mild coastal climate and wintry mountain scenery makes December a distinctive, often underrated travel month, one that allows for festive atmosphere in Palma as well as quiet nature days in the island's interior.

Water, sun and rain in December

Three factors determine how a day feels on Mallorca in December: the water temperature, the number of sunshine hours and the distribution of rainfall. In December, all three follow their own logic, which differs markedly from summer.

The sea always reacts to changes in air temperature with a delay, because water absorbs and releases heat much more slowly than air. In high summer, this means the sea stays warm even as the air is already cooling. In December, the opposite effect appears: the air temperature is already autumnal-to-wintry, yet the sea has not yet fully lost the warmth of the preceding months and sits at 16.0 °C. This explains why the water in December is cool but not yet at its yearly low point – that is only reached once the winter cooling has continued over several more months. In practical terms for your planning: anyone heading to the sea in December should treat it as a scenic experience rather than a swimming opportunity.

When it comes to sunshine, December shows its most reserved side. With 4.9 h per day, the month sits at the lower end of the yearly comparison, partly because of the short days and partly because of the higher likelihood of cloud fields and passing weather systems. Nevertheless, on Mallorca in December cloudy spells typically alternate with clear, sunny days – a permanently overcast state, as seen in some central European cities, is more the exception than the rule.

When it comes to rain, it is worth looking at the distribution rather than the sheer amount. On 6 rainy days rain falls in December, totalling 53 mm – but this does not mean it rains from morning to night on each of those days. Typical for the island are individual, often heavy, rain events that usually pass within a few hours and then leave room for clear skies again. Anyone who plans their days flexibly and does not tie every activity to a fixed time can usually work around the showers and spend the majority of their stay dry. To put this in the context of the year: December counts among the wetter months, yet the total number of rain days across the year 54 rainy days shows that winter on Mallorca overall remains fairly dry rather than truly rain-heavy.

What is possible in December — and what is not

December is not a month for swimming, and it is worth saying so plainly. With a water temperature of 16.0 °C, most people find a dip in the sea uncomfortably cold, and relaxed swimming in the sense of a summer holiday simply does not happen. Anyone determined to get into the water needs a wetsuit or should limit themselves to a brief, symbolic contact with the waves. For everything else people go to the sea for – strolling along the promenade, taking in the view of the bay, a coffee with a sea view – December remains perfectly suitable.

Things look considerably better for activities away from the water. Hiking is among the most rewarding pursuits in December: daytime temperatures sit in a pleasant range for longer outings, without the heat that makes summer hikes harder work. The Tramuntana in particular often shows itself at its most impressive in winter light, with clear long-distance views on sunny days and, at higher elevations, occasional snow that adds further appeal to the mountain landscape. Anyone planning a trip into the mountains should nevertheless pack weatherproof clothing and choose routes with the daily forecast in mind, since rain and wind have a stronger effect here than on the coast.

Cycling works well on most days in December, especially at lower elevations and in the island's interior. The mild daytime highs make longer rides pleasant, without the need to shift to the early morning hours as in summer. Only on days with stronger wind or showers is it worth checking the forecast before planning a big loop.

For city life and culture, December is one of the best months of the year. Palma is decked out for Christmas, the Christmas markets invite you to wander, and the overall lower visitor numbers make the sights, the cathedral and the old town lanes noticeably more relaxed to experience than in high season. Museums, cafés and restaurants benefit further from the fact that a rain shower disrupting outdoor plans simply becomes an opportunity for a different activity indoors. Anyone who plans their December on Mallorca as a mix of culture, hiking and quiet coastal charm, deliberately setting swimming aside, gets a month that genuinely offers more than its reputation as a pure winter month would suggest.

Where you are best placed in December

Our measurement series comes from the Palma station and therefore mainly describes the bay and the adjoining plain. For individual locations beyond that, we have no separately verified figures, but the island's well-known geographical differences can still be sensibly applied to December.

Along the coast, particularly in the south-west and south around Palma, Port d'Andratx or the Bay of Palma, the climate in December is at its mildest and most sheltered from wind. Here you benefit most from Mallorca's role as a mild winter destination: pleasant daytime highs, comparatively little wind and good conditions for walks, city trips and days outdoors. The east coast around the Levante is more exposed to wind, especially with north or north-easterly conditions, which occur more often in winter than in summer – anyone staying there should expect noticeably fresher, windier conditions than in the sheltered bays of the south-west.

The interior, around Sineu or the Pla de Mallorca, for example, cools down more at night than the coast, since it lacks the moderating effect of the sea. Clear December nights inland can turn out considerably colder than at the Bay of Palma, though during the day, with sunshine, the difference often evens out again.

The greatest contrasts are found in the Serra de Tramuntana. In the mountain villages such as Sóller or Deià, it is often still mild enough during the day for hikes in a light jacket, while the higher peaks and passes remain noticeably colder and, depending on the weather situation, can show snow. Anyone planning a mountain excursion should factor in this difference in altitude and not rely solely on the mild figures from the coast. In short: those seeking maximum mildness should stay on the sheltered south-west coast, while those wanting wintry mountain air and occasional snow should head deliberately into the Tramuntana – on Mallorca in December, the two are often only an hour's drive apart.

What to pack for December

The packing list for December follows directly from the day's temperature curve: with highs around 16.2 °C and nightly lows around 6.6 °C, what is needed above all is clothing that can adapt flexibly to the day.

• A wind- and water-resistant jacket should be top of the list, since the month, with 6 rainy days rain, can certainly bring the odd heavy shower that you would rather not be caught out in unprotected.
• A jumper or a thicker cardigan for the evening and night, when temperatures drop well below the daytime level – especially away from the coast, it can turn noticeably cool.
• Sturdy, closed footwear for hikes in the Tramuntana, where wetness, and at higher elevations possible patches of snow, make the paths more slippery than along the coast.
• Short-sleeved clothing for sunny midday spells, because with 4.9 h of sunshine per day there are certainly phases in which the daytime highs make a lighter top more comfortable than thick wool.
• A scarf or a light hat for the early evening hours, since the short day length of 9.2 h means it already turns noticeably cooler by late afternoon.
• A swimsuit can be left behind unless you specifically intend to get into the water in a wetsuit – at 16.0 °C the sea remains, for most travellers, more of a backdrop than a swimming option.

Anyone who chooses this combination of a weatherproof outer layer and adaptable inner layers is well equipped for the typical range of a December day on Mallorca – from sunny midday to cool evening.

December compared with the neighbouring months

Anyone choosing between November, December and January is, in reality, choosing between three quite different expressions of the Mallorcan winter, even if the temperatures appear close at first glance.

November, with daytime highs of 19.1 °C, still feels noticeably milder than December's 16.2 °C, and the sea, too, at 18.7 °C compared with 16.0 °C in December, is still closer to its summer level. Anyone seeking the warmest version of the late-autumn winter while also wanting to benefit from lower visitor numbers is often better placed in November than in December. December, however, wins out elsewhere: the Christmas markets in Palma, the festive atmosphere in the city and the possibility of a wintry mountain panorama in the Tramuntana do not yet exist in November.

January, in turn, usually marks the cooler counterpart: daytime highs sit at 15.4 °C and thus below December's level, while the water, at 14.5 °C, is also cooler than December's 16.0 °C – an effect of the delay, already mentioned, with which the sea responds to the winter cooling. So anyone travelling in December encounters a sea that has still partly retained the warmth of autumn, while January marks the true low point of winter.

In short, December suits anyone wanting to combine festive atmosphere, milder conditions than deep winter, and the chance of clear mountain days. Anyone, on the other hand, who is after purely the mildest version of winter and can do without the festive backdrop will find the warmer alternative in November – and anyone deliberately seeking the quietest, coolest and least visited winter will be well served by January.

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