The Spain's Mediterranean coastline runs over 1,600 kilometres from Calatonia in the north to Andalusia in the south. Spain is also the only European country to have Mediterranean coastlines on the African continent, in the form of the historical enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. The archipelago of the Balearic Islands is another Spanish autonomous community situated in the Mediterranean.
The Mediterranean part of Spain has a climate with hot and dry summers and mild to cool and usually wet winters. The warmest months of the year are July and August where average highs are about 30 degrees or more. At daybreak temperatures are on average about 20 degrees. In winter, the coldest months are usually December and January where average highs may be about 15 degrees. The lowest average temperatures in winter are around 5 degrees. Snowfall in lowland areas near the Mediterranean coastline is extremely rare. The Region of Murcia has a drier climate, with little rainfall even in winter, and have also recorded some of the highest temperatures in summer.
Spain's Mediterranean coastline is made up of various autonomous communities with distinct cultural traits. To the north there is Catalonia, distinctive due it its own language, Catalan. Catalan is also spoken on the Balearic Islands. A similar language, or perhaps a dialect of Catalan, is spoken in the Valencian Community. Most Valencias adamantly claim valenciano is a language in its own right, and not a mere dialect of Catalan, although to the outsider it can be difficult to tell the difference. South of Valencia is the small region of Murcia, which is characterised by its hot and dry micro-climate. People from Murcia share some character traits with the Andalusian people on the southern Mediterranean coast, such as flamenco, and the Arab history.
Finally, the two peculiar autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla are also part of the Mediterranean region. These are the only two territories included in the European Union, yet not situated on the European continent. Both cities are located within Morocco on the African side of the Mediterranean coast. Access to these cities are by ferries from Algeciras or Malaga in Spain, or by terrestrian route to/from Morocco. The latter entails crossing border controls which may be a cumbersome experience.
