Full disclosure: we didn’t bring our RV to Spain. And if you’ve been following the blog, you probably already know I’m spending the month walking across northern Spain on the Camino de Santiago. So what could I possibly have to say about RVing in Spain?
Let’s me start by explaining that the Camino isn’t like the Appalachian Trail or other long distance trails in the US. You don’t spent the entire time walking through dense forests or traversing miles of mountains. Sure, there’s some of that, but the Camino also spends a fair bit of time paralleling roads. It’s not always the greatest scenery. But it has allowed me to see that RVing is actually pretty common in Europe.
My mother-in-law recently commented that she never realized how prevalent RVing was in the US until we started doing it. Once she had that personal connection to the community, she suddenly started noticing RVs everywhere. It’s like they were hiding in plain sight. Once your radar is tuned into the RV frequency, you see them every place you go…even if it’s on a 500+ mile hike in Spain.
Caravanning in Spain
So let’s start with the terminology first. In Spain (as with most of Europe) they use the phrase “caravan” to refer to motorhomes. Further, most caravans seem to be Class B motorhomes or van conversions.
Standard Class B motorhome in Spain.
This preference makes sense because space is a premium in Europe. The roads tend to narrow quickly once you get off the main highways. And there’s some incredibly low clearance under those centuries old bridges in the small towns or hamlets. So Class Bs seem to make the most logical sense in terms of their size.
That doesn’t mean I only saw Class Bs during my travels though. Several times I passed pull-behind trailers parked next to peoples’ houses. I even saw one converted into a mobile juice bar and food truck for hungry pilgrims on the Camino.
Smoothies on the Camino. Score!!
And while I didn’t see any massive 45’ Class As or fifth-wheels out there on the roads, I did see a full-size bus conversion early one morning. So there is a niche market out there somewhere.
Sweet conversion – with storage options below AND on the roof!
Where do people camp in Spain?
Based on my observations, it’s seems like many people choose to camp right on the street. I saw folks dry camping in a number of towns. Some chose scenic locations near rivers or historic buidings, while other seemed to just pull into town and park near the main square or adjacent to a building. And, there were also some awesome oceanfront spots too.
Camping on a hill overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Not too shabby!
Of course, with dry camping there’s always the inevitable question about dumping tanks or your cassette toilettes. Have no fear, I even noticed signs for dump stations in many of the larger towns I walked through.
Need to dump? No problem.
Dry camping isn’t the only alternative though for those who want to caravan in Europe. There are RV parks and designated camping near nature areas. Several of the campgrounds seemed to be near railroad tracks (ah, just like the good old USA), while others were part of a larger recreation complex with swimming pools, tennis courts, and organized activities.
Looks just like a Spanish version of a KOA, right?
Interested in seeing Europe?
With an abundance of motorhomes roaming Spain, this got me thinking about how caravanning could be a really great way to see Europe.
And with my curiosity piqued, I began to wonder how difficult caravanning would actually be for us as a family. Obviously, we’d have to downsize a bit first since we’re currently in a 34’ Class A motorhome. But perhaps this could be an option once we’ve seen a larger section on North America and are looking for a new adventure.
It’s amazing how RVing opens up new avenues to satisfy our wanderlust. I’d never considered it for international travel before this trip. But as my mother-in-law pointed out, once you have that connection to the RV life, it’s amazing how quickly you see the possibilities.
Happy travels!