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Spain, a country that attracts millions of tourists every year with its dreamy coastal cities, unique nature and culinary delights.
It's no coincidence that Spain is the most popular German travel destination outside of their own homeland. Once you start planning a trip there you'll quickly realise that there are a number of places to discover. But what's the best way to explore a country that has so much to offer? By camper, of course! Get more information on wild camping in Spain and what you should be aware of.
Is wild camping allowed in Spain?
Unfortunately, it's not easy to give clear information on the subject as the legal situation in Spain is a bit confusing. There's no clear and generally applicable regulation, rather the country is divided into autonomous communities each of which has its own rules regarding wild camping. These take precedence over government regulations. The individual communities also have the last say in this which can prohibit or allow wild camping. As you can see it's quite complicated to find a clear answer here.
The only thing Spanish lawmakers agree on is camping on beaches as this is prohibited throughout the whole country.
Those who are now wondering whether it is even possible to go on a vacation in Spain far from commercial campsites will be relieved to hear that there is a legal grey area. This exception however, only applies to free standing with a camper and not camping in nature. The latter is only permitted throughout the country with the permission of the local municipality.
According to Spanish law, only those who show camping behaviour are legally camping. Makes sense. This includes setting up chairs and tables and cooking outdoors. If you are merely staying in your camper or car and are also properly parked in a car park you have nothing to fear. Under these circumstances and with inconspicuous behaviour, it is therefore permitted to stay in the camper during the day and to spend the night in it.
What are the possible consequences of unlawful wild camping?
Even though you should be quite safe with our tips we would like to give you an overview of the possible consequences. Fines for unlawful camping vary depending on the severity of the offence. In mild cases you can expect a fine of 30-150 € while in nature reserves tickets of up to 600 € can be issued…per person.
You should be especially wary of the idea of setting up a campfire in the wild. In a dry country like Spain this poses a high risk of forest fires and is punished accordingly… with fines of up to several thousand euros.
But if you follow all the rules you have little or nothing to fear on your journey. If you are stopped by police you usually will simply be sent away and if you're lucky the police will even have a recommendation for a better parking space.
If you still want to be on the safe side you can ask the local municipality or the tourism association for alternatives. There is also an abundant availability of free pitches where camping is even allowed.
Most of us camp for the love of nature and the incomparable feeling of freedom. Unfortunately, in many cases this harms both nature and the local economy. Here are a few tips that you should keep in mind when wild camping.
Leave the place as clean as you found it!
Be careful not to disturb animals and nature through noise or fire!
Dispose of gray water at designated stations!
Be considerate of residents and fellow campers!
Support the local tourism and give back to your vacation destination!
If you want to stand freely you should also know how that's possible. The key is to behave inconspicuously and in a friendly manner towards the police.
It is also important to leave the campsite in a good condition. Above all, rubbish must be disposed of in the bins provided and of course grey water may only be drained at appropriate stations. Having your own toilet/wet room like in our Off Grand California is also very advantageous.
Respect and thoughtfulness will take you a long way on your travels. If you don’t cause trouble you usually don’t have to worry.
Is wild camping safe in Spain?
If you're concerned about your own safety or that of your camper on a road trip you have nothing to fear.
Only the risk of break-ins for the camping bus is added. However, perpetrators almost exclusively target valuables which is why you should store them out of sight and lock them away if possible.
If you like to spend time in nature it will also be no news to you that there are some animal species that you are better off avoiding in Spain. These include a handful of spiders and snakes as well as scorpions. So always check your shoes before getting dressed, especially if they were left outside the tent at night.
In some parts of the country, especially in the north there are even bears and wolves but you will hardly run into them near the campsite as these animals are usually very shy and avoid civilisation.
Wild camping sounds like a real adventure and triggers a very special feeling of freedom for most camping fans. Even though it's usually tolerated in Spain you can never be sure whether you might end up with the wrong person and pay a high price for it. It’s best to find out about the regulations at your destination before you leave to avoid stress and uncertainty later on. Especially under the pressure of increasing numbers of tourists there are increasingly strict controls in holiday areas so it’s better not to do anything wrong there. However, if you show thoughtfulness and respect you will usually get relatively far as this also applies to wild camping.
