Why some terraces always seem to be in the sun
If you've ever walked down a street and noticed that one café always has a full, sunny terrace while the one next door sits in shadow, you're not imagining things. Building shadows are predictable, they follow the sun's path across the sky, which changes with the time of day and the season.
South-facing terraces (in the Northern Hemisphere) generally get the most sun throughout the day. But in dense city centers, tall buildings on the south side can block sunlight even on south-facing terraces. The key isn't just the terrace's orientation, it's what's around it.
How building shadows affect your terrace experience
Shadows from buildings are longest in the early morning and late afternoon, when the sun is low on the horizon. At midday, shadows are shortest. In winter, the sun stays low all day, so shadows are long even at noon. In summer, the high sun means most terraces get direct sunlight for much of the day.
This is why a terrace that's sunny in July might be in full shadow in November, even at the same time of day. The sun's angle changes dramatically across seasons.
Tips for finding the sunniest terrace
When you're looking for a sunny spot, consider the time of day. If you're having morning coffee, look for east-facing terraces that catch the morning sun. For afternoon drinks, west-facing spots will get the last rays. For all-day sun, look for terraces that are open to the south without tall buildings nearby.
Also pay attention to the width of the street. Narrow streets between tall buildings create "urban canyons" where sunlight only reaches the ground for a brief window. Wider streets and open squares let more sunlight through.
Use Coffee in the Sun to check before you go
Instead of walking around hoping to find sun, you can check the shadow situation before you leave home. Coffee in the Sun shows you real-time building shadows on the map, so you can see exactly which terraces are in the sun right now, or use Time Machine to check where the sun will be later today, tomorrow, or next week.
