Jasmine Harman last week revealed that she ‘cannot get used to’ how cold her home on the Costa del Sol is during the winter.
The A Place In The Sun star, 50, shared a video on Instagram showing how she practically has to put her coat on when she steps foot in the door.
And she’s not alone. Spanish homes often feel cold in winter for a mix of design choices, climate assumptions and regulation gaps that catch many British residents and visitors off guard. Here’s why…
They were built to keep heat out, not in
Much of Spain’s housing stock was designed for summer survival, not winter comfort.
Thick walls, tiled floors and small windows help keep homes cool during long, hot months.
The downside is that once temperatures drop, those same features make it hard to retain warmth.
In short, Spanish homes are optimised for August, not January.
Mild winters were assumed
For decades, developers worked on the assumption that Spain ‘doesn’t really get cold’.
While that may be true outdoors compared with northern Europe, indoor temperatures can still fall well below comfort levels, especially at night and in inland areas.
As a result, insulation standards were historically minimal or non-existent.
Poor insulation (or none at all)
Many homes, particularly those built before the mid-2000s, have:
- Little or no cavity wall insulation
- Uninsulated roofs
- Single glazing or basic aluminium window frames
Even newer properties can fall short compared with UK standards. Heat escapes quickly and rooms struggle to warm up.
Tiled floors make everything feel colder
Ceramic and stone tiles are also common across Spain.
They’re great in summer, but in winter they act like heat sinks, pulling warmth from the air and from your feet.
That’s why a Spanish home can feel colder than the actual temperature suggests.
Heating systems are often limited
Central heating is also far from universal. Many homes rely on portable electric heaters, air-conditioning units in heat mode or gas bottle stoves.
These tend to heat rooms unevenly and are expensive to run, so people often use them sparingly.
Energy costs discourage constant heating
Electricity prices in Spain are high relative to income, and many households are used to heating people, not spaces.
That means extra layers, blankets and hot water bottles rather than running heating all day.
This cultural habit reinforces the cold-home experience for newcomers.
Additionally, opening windows daily, even in winter, is common practice in Spain to ‘air the house’. While good for humidity and mould prevention, it also dumps what little heat has built up.
Damp makes cold feel colder
In coastal and older properties, humidity is often high.
Damp air conducts heat away from the body faster, making rooms feel colder than a dry space at the same temperature.
In comparison, British homes are built around the assumption that heating is essential for half the year, with insulation, carpets and sealed windows to match.
In Spain, heating has traditionally been seen as optional and short-term.
Is it changing?
Slowly. Building regulations have improved, insulation standards are rising, and heat pumps and better glazing are becoming more common.
But Spain’s existing housing stock is huge, and retrofitting takes time and money.
