First timer tips for touring southern Spain in a motorhome

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What tips would we offer to people taking their motorhome to Spain for the first time?

 

(You can find all our travels around southern Spain in previous blog posts. If you go to ‘Magazine’ in the top left corner and then change the view to ‘Flipcard’ you will see all the Spanish blog posts appear as cards which you can then just click on).

Our tips, then, in no particular order:

·        Carry EHU adapters – the EU two pin one and a reverse polarity cable adapter as well.

·        Carry a reverse polarity tester plug that you can put into your plug sockets to test the polarity at each site. Why not make your own reverse polarity adapter cable – I took one of our longer EHU cables and cut a 2’ piece of cable off it and then replaced its one push I plug. I then bought a male and female EHU socket and made up a mini cable but on one of the sockets I reversed the positive and negative wires. Make sure you mark the cable RP to remind you of its function. This website shows you how to do it. https://www.practicalcaravan.com/advice/how-to-make-a-reverse-polarity-lead

·        Duct tape, electrical tape and cable ties (30cm length) are life savers!

·        Carry a 12v cigarette plug-in tyre compressor – just in case!

·        We carry two warning triangles – and depending on the situation and road type – either have one at the front and one at the back OR two at the back with a 20m interval between the first one and the second one and a 15m interval between the second one and the back of the van

·        Master your google translate app if you do not have a flair for languages and know how to use it in ‘instant speech’ translation mode!

·        Have all your vehicle dimensions on paper taped to the inside of your driver sun visor

·        Buy the little windscreen stickers which have the speed limits on them for UK into EU metric – have one on each side so that your passenger also feels reassured that you are doing the correct speed limit

·        Make sure you switch off ‘speed camera awareness bongs on your satnav and on your smartphone when using google maps!

·        Use a dashcam….it gives you peace of mind that if anything happens – you can prove you were right!!

·        BOOK your main destination campsites well in advance – months in advance!! Similarly book the most popular tourist attractions at these destinations at the same time as you book your campsites – that way you wont be disappointed when you turn up to find no campsites or ‘day’ tickets  to popular attractions.

·        Not everywhere accepts the ACSI card and if you book a site on-line – they may not give you the discount when you turn up!

·        Don’t rely on being able to use those ‘hidden’ car parks and lay-by’s. Either they are completely full, in the popular coastal areas, with German and Dutch motorhomers AND/OR you are getting moved on regularly by the police from such spots – which then puts more pressure on the availability of campsite spaces! 

·        Make sure you have the correct gas tank adapter if you have an underslung gas tank and know how to use it in advance so that you don’t have to go and ask the Shell garage attendant to come and help you because you can’t get your adapter to work!!!!! (Go on, you are dying to, ask me how I know?)

·        Parking spaces in Spanish supermarket car parks, for motorhomes, are difficult to find due to all the ‘covered’ spaces. This means you will be leaving your motorhome on the fringes of big car parks. Make sure your motorhome security measures are good and work well.

·        Some sites use only 4A EHU so know what you can and cannot use on such low amp sites; be prepared that on some sites the electric seems to suddenly shut off at night – so make sure your fridge etc can switch automatically to gas.

·        Don’t rush between places – give yourselves plenty of time to explore the bigger cities. Places like Malaga, Granada and Valencia need three days each at least.

Postscript update January 2025

Further to the above, we have subsequently learned more about the changes to Spain’s traffic laws which affect motorhomes. Yes, it’s the ‘Parked or Camping?’ debate! And if you fall foul of it the fines can be expensive.

So, let’s dive right in – Spanish law is clear – whether you be a motorhome or campervan owner, neither of you can ‘camp’ on public streets. Where it gets a little ‘edgy’ is in the definition of ‘camping’ as defined under Spanish law; begging the question:

“What is the difference between a motorhome just parked up and one that would fall under the ‘camping’ definition?”

The distinction between ‘camping’ and just being ‘parked up’ is quite clear under the instruction 08/V-74 of the DGT, specifically at the end of article 3.1 where it is stated that:

"...the fact that the occupants are inside the vehicle is not relevant, and the motorhome is no exception, it being sufficient that the activity carried out inside does not extend to the outside by means of the deployment of elements that overflow the perimeter of the vehicle such as tents, awnings, levelling devices, stabilising supports, etc.".

You, or any other motorhome or campervan is ‘camping’ if:

·       Awnings or sun shades are extended

·       Side windows or doors are open

·       Levelling feet or stabilisers are in use; that includes ramps i.e. the only contact with the ground must be through the wheels.

·       Noise is emanating e.g. a generator

·       Furniture such as tables and chairs are outside the vehicle

·       Wastewater or other fluids is being emptied or disposed of

·       There is anything sticking out beyond your vehicle’s perimeter  

·       You are within the perimeter of the designated parking space/bay markings, if present

Basically, you are considered to be camping if there is anything related to your motorhome or campervan that is exceeding the designated parking space markings.

On the other hand, you are ‘parking legally’ for both day and night, even if:

·       Your skylight or roof window is open

·       You are staying inside the vehicle, eating and/or sleeping

·       Using wheel chocks on a slope

·       Turning the wheels towards the curb for safety

·       Not doing any of the ‘camping’ behaviours listed above

Comply with this list immediately above and you are parked ‘legally’ on a street in Spain. As always, I would add, it helps you further if you park considerately – avoiding peoples’ gates and driveways; trying not to park outside their building windows or ruining the view from their property; not blocking already narrow streets or taking up residents parking spaces where there is a shortage of available spaces etc.

Remember, the only places allowed for camping are campsites and areas specifically designated for this purpose. There are also motorhome areas with facilities for emptying water, electrical connection and where camping is allowed, i.e. opening the windows of the vehicle, extending awnings and taking out tables and chairs.

Free camping, outside of these areas, is prohibited in Spain.

Useful to know. If you have any further tips or information about parking vs camping on roads in Spain, then drop us a comment below so we can update the post further.