Last updated on September 13th, 2019 at 09:09 am.
Hotels, guest houses, apartments and staying with relatives. Lots of different ways in which you can take advantage of Spain’s beautiful climate and hospitality. But what about camping? There are ample opportunities to enjoy this too.
It’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Using communal showers, hikes through muddy fields and straining to erect a tent in gusts of wind. However, this is not what you’re likely to encounter if you’re camping in Spain. Of course, there are always exceptions but, by and large, fields aren’t muddy and gusts of wind, certainly accompanied by rain, aren’t the norm.
Camping in Spain need not always entail you erecting your own tent or slumming it in a sleeping bag either. Of course, if that’s what you prefer, there are plenty of opportunities to do that too. You can ‘Wild’ camp in Spain in most places, although you will not be allowed to build a fire for most of the year, for obvious reasons.
However, if you want ‘camping’ but with all the added extras, you can choose one of Spain’s popular and prestigious camping sites. One of these has recently been awarded the title of Best Campsite in Spain by the Deutsche Camping Club Europa Preis.
Camping in Marjal
The Marjal Costa Blanca Camping and resort does come with a few added extras and it is easy to see why it might attract an award. The site is located close to the sea and the very attractive beaches of Guardamar.
If you do tire of the beach you can also access a fabulous outdoor swimming pool with slides and cocktail bars, an indoor pool and children’s entertainment features such as bouncy castles and discos.
The camping resort has its own little shop, and, you can easily self-cater or eat in its restaurant and bar area. There’s an indoor ball pool, small gym and outside tennis courts and other opportunities for sports participation. You can reserve a plot or a bungalow and bring your caravan if you wish for as little or as much of the year as suits you.
Other alternatives
Marjal is just one example of what’s available. There are more than 1,000 campsites in Spain ranging from the very basic one star to four star luxury. Spanish campsites usually offer the choice of a space on which to pitch your tent, or you can often rent a mobile home, bungalow or chalet if you want to opt for a compromise between a hotel and tent.
Don’t be confined in your search to the coastal regions. If you are camping then it is likely that you are flexible and able to weave your way not just up the coast but through some of Spain’s wonderful inland countryside too.
This blog can’t even begin to touch on the huge variety of camping facilities you will find in Spain and much is down to your own personal preferences. What to one person can be a quaint, authentic camping experience can be an old-fashioned antiquated neglected hovel to another.
If you do want to do your research there are plenty of websites to help you. For example, EuroCampings only posts those campsites they have inspected. You can select a campsite based upon your particular needs or preferences. For example, those that will accept dogs and those particularly suited to the disabled.
Some advice for campers in Spain
- Bring your own folding chairs and table – you can’t be sure of what seating and eating arrangements (if any) your campsite will have
- Remember that Spain gets cold at night in the winter. You will need warm sleeping bags and clothing just as if you were camping in some more north European countries.
- Remember that Spain gets very hot in the summer, particularly inland. If you’re camping in summer you will need to think hard about how you’re going to keep you, your food and drink cool
- It’s best to book ahead if you want to camp in July and August. You can probably be more spontaneous at other times of the year
- Be ready for a noisy experience! If you are using a Spanish site in the summer, expect it to be noisy. If you can’t beat them, you’re best to join in
- Make sure you have prepared your route and travel early to avoid congestion
- Always keep at least 1/3 of your petrol tank full – you never know when you might get caught out between stations
- Know what the rules of your camp site are, starting with when you can arrive and pitch your tent
- Lighting – make sure you have a torch or some way of finding your route around the camp site at night, consider a lamp for the tent in the evening
- Take plenty of toilet roll – you can’t always be sure!
- You will need cash and should take the proper precautions in terms of where you keep it. There are cash points at most camp sites but not all of them and consider what you will do if their one and only one isn’t working.
- Check the arrangements for dogs, they do vary between sites and it could be disastrous for your holiday if you get it wrong
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