Camping in Spain – What you should pay attention to

Different speed limits apply to our campers than to passenger cars. In towns the speed limit is 50 km / h just like in Germany but outside of towns it's only 80 km / h. On expressways you're allowed to drive 90 km/h and on highways up to 120 km/h. There are no special speed limits for novice drivers as in Italy for example.

In Spain traffic offences are punished with higher fines than in German. For example, a minimum of 200€ is due for using a cell phone while driving, while in Germany it's a minimum of 100€. Drunk driving will cost 500€ from 0.5 blood alcohol, similar to Germany. For novice drivers the alcohol limit is 0.3 blood alcohol during the first two years of driving.

When parking it's best to use the color markings as a guide.

At night you must switch on the parking lights if the public lighting is insufficient.

The blue EU parking permit for the severely disabled is also valid in Spain.

With a length of over 15,000 km Spain has the largest freeway network in Europe. The huge network is divided into Autovía and Autopista.

Autopistas are usually better developed than autovias but most of them are toll roads since they're mostly maintained by private companies.

Autovías are publicly owned and therefore free of charge. Autopistas are abbreviated AP, Autovías only A, which can often be confusing especially if they are built next to each other.

In the long term, Spain would like to redirect the freeway network back into state hands in order to abolish freeway tolls and relieve the pressure on rural roads.

Expressways can be used free of charge.

Tolls are charged on the autopistas and are calculated based on several factors including vehicle category, route, time of year, time of day, and frequency of travel. You can roughly calculate 10€ per 100km distance. With our campers you're always in the cheapest class “Ligeros”.

There are also different systems at the toll stations, at the most common ones you get a ticket at the beginning of the route and pay for it when you change or leave the highway. On some sections you have to pay a flat fee without getting a ticket.

There are three different options for payment.

Cash and credit cards are relatively self-explanatory. For credit cards the most common international cards are accepted but normal bank cards are not.

There are specially marked “Télépéaje”, “VIA-T” or just “T” payment points which are used via a toll box in the vehicle and a corresponding contract. The system is faster but also more expensive than the other two because other costs are added to the normal toll.

In the short-term contract activation costs €5 per toll box, plus a €1.75 daily rental fee for the first 28 days. This contract is recommended for trips up to three weeks, beyond that the long-term contract is better suited.

Here, in addition to the 5€ activation fee and 35€ rental fee, an additional 7% service fee is charged on the toll turnover.

From the various ports of Spain you can reach a variety of different ports on the Mediterranean and North Atlantic. Particularly interesting are Barcelona and the ports around Gibraltar. From Barcelona you can reach France, Italy, Morocco, Algeria and the Balearic Islands. The ports around Gibraltar connect you to the Canary Islands, Morocco, Algeria and the two Spanish exclaves Melilla and Ceuta.

The amount that needs to be paid for using tunnels in Spain depends on the vehicle category and time of day. It's paid like the normal toll.

Spain can offer a suitable spot for all campers. Whether by the sea like the Costa de la Luz and Costa Dorada, on the Mediterranean or on the Atlantic like the Costa del Azahar or more central like the capital Madrid? Generally speaking, camping in Spain is a highlight throughout the year and the low season is an interesting destination for people who are more spontaneous and are looking for a low-budget holiday. In high season you should book campsites as early as possible to avoid being surprised on the spot. Check the websites of the campsites because sometimes you can find special offers there.

Near Girona on the French border is the Las Dunas campsite on the Costa Brava. Thanks to its proximity to the sea as well as its own water park this campsite is certainly a highlight for families with children. In addition to pitches, bungalows for 4-6 people are also available.

The campsite Cabopino located near Marbella in Andalusia offers bungalows for up to 6 people and also bookable pitches. A variety of different activities which inspire young and old are offered as well. Camping Cabopino is particularly suitable for camping vacations in winter.

With its location on the sandy beach of Mazarrón in Murcia the eponymous Playa de Mazarrón campsite is definitely one of our highlights. Besides bungalows, pitches and sanitary facilities there are also a lot of activities offered here. With numerous historic towns in the region you can start an adventure or two here.

There are many different camping cards that offer you different discounts for camping in Spain. This time we would like to introduce you to the Campingcard ACSI. ACSI offers a campsite guide with about 8000 campsites in Europe which includes the discount card. The plan costs 19€, the discount card in single purchase 13€. In the low season you get a flat discount price of 12-22€ per night at the more than 3000 participating campsites, a liability insurance as with the CKE is not included.

Wild camping in Spain is not uniformly regulated. In addition to the state regulations, the autonomous regions have their own rules whereby it is ultimately up to the municipalities whether wild camping is allowed or not. The fines can be up to 600€ in nature reserves and it gets more expensive if you make a campfire without permission. The costs for this can be well into four-digit figures. With the following tips you are usually on the safe side but it's best to inform yourself at the appropriate municipality or the local tourism association and get a permit if necessary.

You are generally not allowed to stay overnight outside residential areas and near campsites and beaches. On roads and parking lots you are only allowed to stay overnight if you have the permission of the local authorities. You are allowed to stay there for a maximum of three nights with 3 tents and 10 people, and of course you have to follow the road traffic regulations. If you want to stay overnight on private property you need the permission of the property owners.

Spain is one of the most diverse countries in Europe and its variety of mountains and coasts make camping in Spain certainly one of the absolute highlights, both for adults and children. Culinary fans also get their money’s worth in Spain and can try all the national dishes and explore the specialties of the different regions.

You should design your route according to your interests but you certainly won’t go wrong with the following suggestion. I would recommend you a mix of city and nature to get the best of both worlds. Start off in Barcelona where sightseeing would definitely be a good idea. From there, I would drive along the Costa Brava and Costa Blanca at the Mediterranean Sea and explore the different regions depending on your mood. Continue south to Málaga and Seville. From here you could continue to Portugal or even Morocco. I would recommend -if you want to stay in Spain - to drive from Sevilla through the regions of Extremadura and Castile and Leon towards the North Atlantic coast. A stop in Madrid would also be a good idea. From the north you can head east to Bilbao and back towards Germany.

Camping in Spain has something to offer for everyone and you can have your ideal vacation in our camper.