Overnight parking in Spain

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Eileen Rolly

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We are travelling in the motorhome from Santander to Guadamar del Segura and want to stay overnight once we have passed Madrid. Has anyone any suggestions for a safe stop over. We’re new to the motorhome changed from the caravan last July so not too sure if the rules.
 
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irnbru said:
Hi, welcome to fun. Download the apps park4night and searchforsites and you will find stopovers with reviews for your travels.
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I have downloaded the Search for sites app but haven’t used it yet but feel more confident now thanks for that
 
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:welco:
For Europe we mainly use the Camper Contact app we find it the most reliable. A lot of the stops on Park4night are only suitable for small campers read reviews carefully.
 
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eurajohn said:
I'd suggest Camperstop and Campercontact as a source for sites / areas to stopover, personally I only use park4night as a last resort I find many of the recommendations are typical "van life" stopovers often on roadside or industrial sites etc.
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Same here,,BUSBY.
 
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eurajohn said:
I'd suggest Camperstop and Campercontact as a source for sites / areas to stopover, personally I only use park4night as a last resort I find many of the recommendations are typical "van life" stopovers often on roadside or industrial sites etc.
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Same here been caught out so many times with Park4night only used as a last resort.
 
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Search for sites IMO. The interior of Spain can be a bit desolate, even at peak season.

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As people are already posting, does no harm to download all the apps and you soon find the ones that work for best for you.
Most have free versions but the paid for ones are not that expensive, just one safe stopover pays for itself. (y)
 
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eurajohn said:
I'd suggest Camperstop and Campercontact as a source for sites / areas to stopover, personally I only use park4night as a last resort I find many of the recommendations are typical "van life" stopovers often on roadside or industrial sites etc.
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I agree been caught out a few times by Park4night not particularly reliable🤔
 
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I pulled over for a few hours going the other way but that was a bit north of Madrid. On the A3 about 65 miles SE, there are a couple of service areas either side of Montalbo plus a look at Google Earth shows a bit of parking at the Ayuntamiento. No personal experience of these though.
 
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Lenny HB said:
:welco:
For Europe we mainly use the Camper Contact app we find it the most reliable. A lot of the stops on Park4night are only suitable for small campers read reviews carefully.
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Yes Lenny HB one needs to read those reviews very carefully - and all of them, not just the first couple!

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eurajohn said:
I'd suggest Camperstop and Campercontact as a source for sites / areas to stopover, personally I only use park4night as a last resort I find many of the recommendations are typical "van life" stopovers often on roadside or industrial sites etc.
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Yes eurajohn - been misguided a couple of times by P4N. Read everything!
 
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We have been in Spain for the last three weeks and not stayed in one campsite. There are quite a few aires and loads of wild camping. While driving along the road look out for “white blogs” which will be MHs. Ask them how long they have there and has the police given them any problems? We have stayed on more wild camps than any other. My gut feeling is that police know that almost ALL the camp sites are full. Where could they move you to? Spain wants your money so will not cause you any problems . On many of the wild sites we often see the police meander pass and say nothing. Don’t forget there are two differences parking no problem but if you get your chairs etc out you are then camping which is not allowed unless in a camp sites.

Colyboy
 
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colyboy said:
We have been in Spain for the last three weeks and not stayed in one campsite. There are quite a few aires and loads of wild camping. While driving along the road look out for “white blogs” which will be MHs. Ask them how long they have there and has the police given them any problems? We have stayed on more wild camps than any other. My gut feeling is that police know that almost ALL the camp sites are full. Where could they move you to? Spain wants your money so will not cause you any problems . On many of the wild sites we often see the police meander pass and say nothing. Don’t forget there are two differences parking no problem but if you get your chairs etc out you are then camping which is not allowed unless in a camp sites.

Colyboy
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We have just left Tarifa and the old traditional wild camp where the go carting was held has been cleared of vans so they must have been having a purge down there🤔
 
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I am in Tarifa now, the old go carting track has private property signs up now. I was told by a local that runs a campsite here, they are to stop all wild camping next year. The beach front carparks are full of mainly German registered motorhomes. Even when signs indicate no motorhomes/camping. We rode our bikes into the national park inland from La Pena. The access road clearly marked no motorhomes, but still they are their. There are now far too motorhomes on the coast, Its not surprising they are planning to enforce the laws on wildcamping.
 
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So what is going to happen to the wildcampers when the campsites are full?

Are they going to carry on wildcamping and hope that the authorities do not have enough resources to cope with the enforcement?

Or are they going to avoid Spain and Portugal?

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True, there is not the capacity here. I was in Motril, camping playa del Poniete. Two campsites with a few spaces available. The beach carpark was cleared of wildcampers by the police, They seemed to do this at night and every few days when the numbers built up. More people are wildcamping along the coast this year. More than on official camping sites. All must be spending money on food and fuel. So at the moment the police seem to be not enforcing the laws.
 
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We have spent the last few months travelling through Spain and Portugal. We use sites but mainly camp off grid where possible.

Really surprised how many German vans are travelling. Many of them are hippie vans with very few facilities and they park for months in one spot. I have spoken to loads of them. 99% of them are conspiracy theorists!

I thought we would have issues in Portugal but as long as you are considerate and keep moving then there are very few issues.

It helps that we have a spare toilet cassette and carry extra water.
 
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Eileen Rolly said:
We are travelling in the motorhome from Santander to Guadamar del Segura and want to stay overnight once we have passed Madrid. Has anyone any suggestions for a safe stop over. We’re new to the motorhome changed from the caravan last July so not too sure if the rules.
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The app that works for me is the Stellplatz app. And Google maps, just put in camper parking or camping in the region you are in.......
Everybody has their favorites..
 
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The trouble is among the wildcampers, is a minority of idiots. Recently near Tarifa, at La Pena beach carpark. I met a German gentleman who was shouting at his dog. It was a border collie and I have had three of these over the years. I managed to get hold of his dog and he explained what the problem was. He was wildcamping and his dog had been eating human shit left by others. I knew they liked to roll in fox poo, but not that.

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Speve said:
Well we left Tarifa on Saturday and I wouldn’t say it was very busy the site we were on had plenty of space we are now at La Aldea El Rocio and there is lots of room😊
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I wasn’t talking about any of the sites.

Surrounding the town, side streets etc.
I was amazed at how some of the owners of the vans managed to find the spaces they did.

I like Tarifa but the town could definitely do with a decent aire.
 
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PS I have just arrived in Alvor after visited Silves and then Lagos. Shame about the weather.
 
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Eileen Rolly said:
We are travelling in the motorhome from Santander to Guadamar del Segura and want to stay overnight once we have passed Madrid. Has anyone any suggestions for a safe stop over. We’re new to the motorhome changed from the caravan last July so not too sure if the rules.
Click to expand...
Junction 68 stayed safely many times very quiet and police patrol at night
 
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We have stopped at Aranjuez a few times which was a good stopover. Check Searchforsites.
 
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