Spain tourist warning as heatwave hits and weather alerts issued
This week, Seville has seen temperatures reach 32C, with Madrid hitting highs of 35C and Barcelona reaching 31C.
And today (Saturday) temperatures are forecast to hit 33C in Barcelona, with a scorching 39C predicted for Madrid, although for Tenerife it is relatively cooler, with the mercury in the region of 27C.
Spain's State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), akin to the UK's Met Office, warned: "The danger of wildfires continues at very high or extreme levels in most of Spain, despite the likelihood of showers in many areas. We are at the most critical moment of the season. Take extreme precautions."
Spain has already issued a rare "red" emergency, indicating a "maximum" threat level to UK tourists, reports Birmingham Live.
On X, AEMET announced: "11/08 11:36 Active warnings today and tomorrow in Spain for maximum temperatures, storms, rain, and suspended dust. Maximum warning level: red.
"This, combined with the high level of sunshine typical of summer, is causing temperatures to be higher than usual for this time of year, resulting in a heat wave.
"[Today, Monday] temperatures are expected to rise further in the Ebro basin, the southern and eastern thirds of the Iberian Peninsula, and the eastern Cantabrian Sea. Temperatures will begin to fall in the northwest, most noticeably in Galicia.
"Temperatures will therefore continue to reach 37-39C across the interior of the Iberian Peninsula, also extending to the Júcar and Segura regions and the interior of the Basque Country, where temperatures could even exceed 40C locally.
"In the lower Guadalquivir, highs could reach over 42C, and although with low probability, this threshold could also be exceeded in the Ebro Valley and the northeastern depressions, where this day is expected to be the hottest of the episode."
Meanwhile, a yellow heat health warning has been issued for the UK as most parts have seen temperatures soar past 30C.
This signifies the fourth summer heatwave, with England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland all grappling with blistering temperatures.
Several water companies have had to impose hosepipe bans on activities such as watering gardens, washing cars and filling paddling pools.
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Better still, happy hour at this bar starts at 4pm, so it was two cocktails for £12.50 for anyone not on the drinks plan. The setting at HotShots was much calmer and classier than at the main bars in the resort, so we stayed for an extra round, and the kids were happy because they nagged us into a few more plays of golf and a go in the VR room. A small price to pay for some adult conversation and a relaxing drink. 11 11 11 There is a huge choice of entertainment options at Butlin's, including a Peppa Pig show and a circus (which has an extra charge). However, we were all excited for the Stephen Mulhern 'Out of this world' magic show, which saw the TV star doing his trademark tricks on stage and performing stunts. All the kids loved it. The theatre was packed and the audience was clapping and cheering for the TV star. It was a great atmosphere. Here, I went for a Gin and Tonic (usually £5.20). There was a bar outside, and I managed to get two in before the end of the show. Luckily, it was 6pm and time for dinner after this, otherwise I might have got too tipsy to keep a tally. By now, I had easily eclipsed the £30 outlay for my drinks of the day. There was still time for a cheeky wine at dinner and another cocktail at the evening show on the main stage, Iconic. Should you book the all-inclusive drinks with your Butlin's holiday? There is no question, if you like a beer or cocktail in the sun or you plan on drinking at lunch and dinner, with a few extras like coffee and a lemonade in between, £30 a day is well worth the money. Even non-alcohol drinkers would likely break even with two or three coffees, a few Cokes and a non-alcoholic beer or mocktail, but it wouldn't work out such great value. One catch to the deal is that everyone on your booking must pay for the package. So if you have one non-alcoholic adult in the party, they can't opt out. All the kids on the booking also need to pay for the package. The daily cost for two adults and two children (over 6) is £82.60 a day. Gen's older kids definitely made use of the all-inclusive Coke Zero and Sprite, but my children, who are younger, probably only just reached the minimum spend. With squash only 80p a glass, they needed to drink more than ten glasses in a day, and generally, they drink water. It's worth factoring that in when you are calculating for the whole family. All in all, we drank the equivalent of a £69.45 bar tab, exceeding the £42 outlay, but not by much. Even without the package, drinks are very reasonably priced. It wouldn't be a jolly holiday without a happy hour, and Butlin's is no exception. In fact, if you bar hop, starting at Beechcomber Pub at 2pm, and moving to Bar Rosso in the main pavilion or HotShots at PlayXperience, you can actually enjoy Happy Hour(s) until 6pm. By then, some people were very happy indeed. The following day was much the same, but we did spend over three hours at the incredible pool and water park, Splash Waterworld. As well as a huge wave pool, there are seven slides and a kids splash pool. It's absolutely fantastic, especially considering the cheap term-time package prices. I was only able to get the kids out and dried off with the promise of more unlimited soda and orange juice. 11 11 11 Despite the fact we were at the pool for a good proportion of the day, we still managed to drink our quota of beverages. I was impressed with the drinks package but I do think after five days and nights, the novelty of all-day drinking and downing cups of sugary drinks would wear off. Certainly for me, but probably for the kids too. And cold water is free across the whole resort. They actually do seven and 10-night breaks at Butlin's too. For seven nights, the adult deal would be £350 on drinks alone - that's a big spend for a budget break. It's worth doing the maths in advance and making sure it's within budget. I would certainly not drink enough over a whole week to make it worthwhile, as I doubt I would want to drink alcohol every day. I'm generally a light drinker though, so if you do like your beer or wine and you want to relax and have fun on your holiday, it's easy to get your money's worth and excellent value. However, on the three-day breaks I would definitely recommend the all-inclusive package. It's a worry-free way to have a drink and enjoy yourself while the kids are also having a great time. Just remember, your code will stop working at midday on the day you leave - so make sure you get a big coffee in before the drive home.
