Madrid · February · sunshine

Sunniest places to go from Madrid in February

The sunniest place you can reach from Madrid in February within 15 hours is Santa Cruz de Tenerife at 10.3 h, costing 441 kg CO₂e return. The lowest-carbon option is Ciudad Real at 4.7 kg — 94× less carbon for 1.6 h less.

Every destination here is on the efficiency frontier: nowhere else in Europe is both sunnier in February and lower in carbon. Anything a better option beats outright has been left out.

Where they are. Solid lines are rail or ferry, dashed are flights, from Madrid. Pick one to compare.

By rail or ferry By air

Carbon against sunshine, February, departing Madrid. Journeys of up to 15 hours each way.

February from Madrid — 4 destinations on the frontier, 2 without flying.
Destination	How	CO₂e return	Temp	Sun/day	Rain/day	Journey
Ciudad Real, Spain	Rail	4.7 kg	7.9 °C	8.7 h	1.1 mm	4h 12m
Almuñécar, Spain	Rail	12.1 kg	14.0 °C	9.3 h	1.2 mm	7h 36m
Missour, Morocco	Air	206 kg	11.5 °C	9.7 h	0.5 mm	4h 36m
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain	Air	441 kg	17.6 °C	10.3 h	0.9 mm	5h 48m

Warm is not the same as pleasant, which is why sunshine and rainfall are shown alongside temperature. All three are ERA5 monthly means for 2023–2024.

Where the curve breaks

The frontier is gentle until it isn't. Going from Almuñécar (12.1 kg, 9.3 h) to Missour (206 kg, 9.7 h) buys 0.4 hours more sunshine for an extra 194 kg — 485 kg of CO₂e per hour. That single step is the most expensive sunshine on the whole curve.

The pick of them

Ciudad RealSpain4.7 kg CO₂e return7.9 °C · 8.7 h sun · 4h 12m by railcold but bright AlmuñécarSpain12.1 kg CO₂e return14.0 °C · 9.3 h sun · 7h 36m by railmild and bright Santa Cruz de TenerifeSpain441 kg CO₂e return17.6 °C · 10.3 h sun · 5h 48m by airwarm, bright and dry

If you'd rather have heat than sunshine

February answers differently depending on what you're after. The warmest destinations from Madrid in February are a different list — hours of sunshine and degrees of warmth come apart, especially early and late in the year.

Where to stay in Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Places to stay in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, on a live map. Prices and availability come from Stay22 and its booking partners.

Affiliate disclosure. A booking made through this map may earn 0xCarbon a commission, at no extra cost to you. It changes nothing above it: the emissions figures come from UK Government conversion factors and are computed before anyone is paid anything.See the method.

Other months from Madrid

February from elsewhere

Questions

Where is the sunniest place to go from Madrid in February?

Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, at 10.3 h. Reaching it emits 441 kg CO₂e return, travelling 5h 48m each way by air.

Can I get somewhere sunny from Madrid in February without flying?

Yes. Almuñécar reaches 9.3 h and is reachable by rail or ferry in 7h 36m, emitting 12.1 kg CO₂e return — though Santa Cruz de Tenerife is sunnier still, if you fly.

How much carbon does a return trip from Madrid to Santa Cruz de Tenerife produce?

441 kg CO₂e for one person, return, by air. That uses the UK Government's 2026 conversion factors, including radiative forcing for flights.

Carbon uses UK Government (DESNZ/DEFRA) 2026 conversion factors applied to great-circle distance, with radiative forcing included for flights. Rail journey times are modelled estimates, not timetabled services. Full method · download the data.