Spain

[Porky]

In Spain there seems to be no end of waste ground even around towns and spaces in side streets etc. to park up over night. Anyone have any experience

of parking or with being moved on or upsetting locals/police etc. Also any publications for wild camping.

[panagah]

Hi porky.

I susspect it will depend on where you are. As far as I am aware the Spannish take a very dim view to wild camping.

[Tomo3090]

I think it depends when you go. We went for June to July last year and had no trouble at all wildcamping all along the Southern and Eastern Coast. We even stayed in Mojacar for 12 days and had no problem. But in the main summer holidays the police can & do move people on, so it's pot luck or timing that counts!

[Bill Ord]

Just back from Spain and can confirm that you probably will not have any problems with wild camping in most areas but I have been warned by the Guardia Civil on several occasions that it was not allowed to camp; usually when there have been signs to the effect that camping/caravanning is banned. We had an interesting experience just south of Aguilas at Playa Carolina. We were parked up for the day on the beach and asked other motorhomers if it was o.k. to stay the night and were told that the Guardia Civil would move you if you stayed and sure enough at 5pm they did turn up to check if we were staying. However we were told that it was o.k. to stay on the parking at St. Juan de Los Terreros which we did for a few nights going to the beach for the day. There is long beach just south of St. Juan in the direction of Garrucha and we noticed a few vans parked and enquired if it was o.k. to stay the night and were again told that the Guardia could and did move people occasionally, however it was now Santa Semana (Holy Week) and Spaniards started to turn up with caravans and tents and parked anywhere and everywhere and in all the time the Spanish were there not once did the Guardia turn up. It seems from my experience that there is one rule for the Spanish and one for every one else so if you are in any doubt about overnighting try and park next to a Spaniard it might just be the way to do it. It is blatantly racist, no doubt. We tried the newish camper parking at Nerja and were impressed, good facilities and reasonably priced at 8 euros a night, 15 for 2 nights and 21 for 3 night; maximum stay is 3 nights. there are one or two new camper parkings springing up so it is an improving picture.

 

Bill Ord

[starvin marvin]

Bill, the Spanish Police are being discriminatory, not racist. Brits and the Spanish are the same race.

[BGD]

Go almost anywhere in the interior and you'll not have a problem at all (in our experience).

 

To be honest, there's so much varied and beautiful scenery in the uncrowded inland regions of the country that I'm always surprised at how many people there are just thronging the built-up concrete jungles along much of the over-built-up coastline in the "well-known" areas of Costa dle Sol and Costa Blanca.

 

 

[derek500]

I've 'parked' overnight, many times here in Spain, in car parks, side streets etc. with no problems at all.

 

As long as you remember the difference between 'parking' and 'wild camping' you'll be OK.

 

Basically, parking means:-

 

Not occupying more space than when the vehicle is 'closed', i.e not putting out tables/chairs, windows open etc.

 

Only the wheels touching the road, i.e. no levellers, stabilisers.

 

Not emitting any fluids etc.

 

 

 

 

[Bill Ord]

 

 

Expert

 

Posts: 1521

 

Location: Costa Blanca, Spain. Go almost anywhere in the interior and you'll not have a problem at all (in our experience).

 

To be honest, there's so much varied and beautiful scenery in the uncrowded inland regions of the country that I'm always surprised at how many people there are just thronging the built-up concrete jungles along much of the over-built-up coastline in the "well-known" areas of Costa dle Sol and Costa Blanca.

 

 

-----

****************************************

"Live to glorious excess; moderation is for wimps!"

http://nomadshow.piczo.com/?cr=3&rfm=y

**************************************** Point taken but the reason i go to Spain early and late in the year is for the weather. Because of the altitude in much of central spain the temperatures are very much cooler. I do visit the historic cities and find them facinating and very interesting. I am aware of the rules and difference between wild camping and parking and never put chairs etc. outside my van but it makes no difference to the Guardia. It is as Derek 500 says; discrimination and not racism but it doesn't make it right. Let's hope that it doesn't backfire on the Spanish when they visit France and Germany because I can tell you that there are a lot of very p***** off camping caristes out there at the moment. It was a German next to me at Aguilas who coined the term 'white european' to differenciate between us and the Spanish when he flagged up the discrimination.

Bill Ord

[horse444]

8-) I realy cannot understand why people pay so much for thier lovely motorhomes and then spend thier holidays looking for free camping, surely its safety first, YES is its wise and nice to get something cheaper, but we all know, you only get what you pay for and we certainly dont travel all the way to spain, portugal etc to look for the cheapest site, we look for good facilities and a plesant location to relax . Not critisim, just our thoughts, each to thier own.

;-)

[Minstrel]

I agree that it's much pleasanter to sit on a campsite with chairs, awning book and wine than to worried about whether you're going to get moved on any minute. However, it's also convenient to park up for the night without having to detour from your route.

 

But isn't it safer to be in a camp site in Spain? I certainly wouldn't want to leave my motorhome just anywhere after a recent story I heard about a couple who parked outside a friends house in Spain, they all went off for a leisurely meal and when they got back the motorhome had been stripped inside, even the fixed bed mattress had gone.

[4petedaniel]

speaking from considerable experience of wild Spanish camping I have found that the rule is that one night only applies. last October It was raining so heavy that I did not notice the Guardia knocking on my van to tell me I was to move on the next day , so they left me a note a stuck it on the windshield

Petedaniel

[Porky]

my question was to do with overnight parking, so that we can travel over shorter distances between stops. From the replies it sounds as if generally speaking it will be possible with caution and with the proviso that every so often you may be moved on. I guess being able to speak a little Spanish might help?