Weather Inland Spain December to March (1 Viewer)

[Nethernut]

Hi folks, trying to get some idea where to head for in December when we travel to Spain. We are not too worried about coastal resorts (thought of all the high rises really puts us off) but wonder what the weather is like a wee bit inland?
We prefer Aires for stopovers or small sites is non available. Anyone have any suggestions.
Realise that central and Northern Spain is out and also realise that there are ski areas too but surely there are places that the package tours don't go?

 

[Munchie]

Try camperstop Totana or valle De lagaur

 

[mikebeaches]

Plenty of coastal areas in southern Spain without high-rise development. Try around Almeria Provence, particularly the Cabo de Gata Natural Park - where the weather should be more-or-less as good as anywhere and the scenery is impressive. There are plenty of inland places in Murcia and Almeria that are well worth investigating too.

Mike

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[Speve]

Donana Playa not a bad site it's ACSI but on the App not in the book.
A pitch at the bottom end will give access to the beach and you would be close to the on site supermarket in the winter they have some basics including fresh bread daily.its also close the the national park and El Rocio which you must visit.
In our experience the aires are few and far between and some very basic.
We will be leaving in December and will do Cabo as well as a few others and Mon Frague and Caceres on the way back with a route back up through Portugal

 

[vwalan]

but remember go twenty miles inland and you could be almost as high as ben nevis . all along the med coast you have sea to your left and mountains to your right . incredible scenery though .

 

[Billy23]

Donana Playa not a bad site it's ACSI but on the App not in the book.
A pitch at the bottom end will give access to the beach and you would be close to the on site supermarket in the winter they have some basics including fresh bread daily.its also close the the national park and El Rocio which you must visit.
In our experience the aires are few and far between and some very basic.

Yes my house is 20 mins away from Donana, away from it all in winter, further down on the beach, miles of........few people, weather normally very good.......but sometimes not so good, but you can say that almost any place.

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[Speve]

Yes my house is 20 mins away from Donana, away from it all in winter, further down on the beach, miles of........few people, weather normally very good.......but sometimes not so good, but you can say that almost any place.

Lovely area to live we loved it in February we had good weather there,we plan to take the car with us this time so that we can explore even more.

 

[Billy23]

Lovely area to live we loved it in February we had good weather there,we plan to take the car with us this time so that we can explore even more.

Hope your car is on a trailer, guess you know A frame is a no,no.

 

[Munchie]

In winter you need to be south but at the foothills on the Med side of the Espunas you will find real Spain with tranquillity and Walks in stunning scenery

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[Speve]

Hope your car is on a trailer, guess you know A frame is a no,no.

Yes don't want to cross paths with the law down there A frames totally out as far as I'm concerned especially as the wife can't drive.

 

[Nethernut]

Thanks for the replays folks

 

[jumar]

Finally as Munchies have written, you would be most welcome at the camperstop in Totana, with a mountain sierra adjacent and a 30 minute drive for beach days its a great winter venue.
Set at only 300m above sea level this may be the type of inland place you are looking for.
For those looking for Autogas there is a filling point in Totana, contact me or the camperstop for directions.

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[busby]

Hi folks, trying to get some idea where to head for in December when we travel to Spain. We are not too worried about coastal resorts (thought of all the high rises really puts us off) but wonder what the weather is like a wee bit inland?
We prefer Aires for stopovers or small sites is non available. Anyone have any suggestions.
Realise that central and Northern Spain is out and also realise that there are ski areas too but surely there are places that the package tours don't go?

Not many package tours in december,,,,

 

[Don Quixote]

We live about an hour from Totana and can recommend the site 100%. Great walking and great views. The weather is nice during the day, but you will need a jumper / jacket at night as can get cold around 10pm to 7am at around 2C and sometimes less, but when that sun comes up......... WICKED........... Enjoy.

 

[Hagstrom]

I can endorse those suggestions above. Within the coastal strip of better weather just in from the coast there are lots of places to visit where you won't see a high rise block.

Totana Camperstop is a great place and you can cycle the canal or walk into the Sierra Espuna Natural Park from the site. On the other side of the Espuna range there's El Berro ACSI site with similar superb walking.

Next there's the sea and the mountains of Cabo de Gata Natural Park, with two ACSI sites and lots of tolerated wild camping in winter at La Isleta, San Jose etc. Area of great geological interest.

Then there's the embalse with beautiful lakeside walks at Vinuelas, north east of Malaga, the Natural Park and ACSI site at Antequera (taking in the magnificent Torcal on the way), further east at Olvera there's an ACSI site and Valverde cycling route along a disused railway track, the Pueblos Blancos circuit and Ronda, the Natural Park at Donana and ACSI site at El Rocio (El Rocio - whacky or what?), and then there's Portugal, where the world is your ockster (- Cabo Sao Vincente, Caldas de Monchique, wildcamping on the coast west of Faro & the Atlantic coast up to Lisbon, Evora, Monsaraz, Murvao etc.)

Further north, and maybe not for December/January, but perhaps for on the way south or coming back north, the Natural Park and ACSI site at Monfrague is a must for the Griffin vultures and great walking; and north west of Teruel, the Natural Park at Albarracin for its ACSI site, old walled town, great walking, bouldering and prehistoric cave visiting; and Val de Laguar, ASCI site and access to superb mountain walking. But these places are well inland and get little no benefit from the coastal weather effect. In winter they'll be cold at night.

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[bellabee]

I'm watching this thread with interest. We're booked on the Santander ferry on 29th January, and planning on spending 7 weeks in Spain/Portugal. We too like quiet sites, walking, cycling, scenery, local culture etc - and we'll have the dog with us.
I'd already earmarked Totana - saw @Munchie's photos and posts, last winter, and it looks like it would really suit us. We usually only stay put for a few days, though, so I'm looking for other places too.
Lots of useful replies on this thread. Thanks for the info. I'm making notes!
Chris

 

[Nethernut]

Finally as Munchies have written, you would be most welcome at the camperstop in Totana, with a mountain sierra adjacent and a 30 minute drive for beach days its a great winter venue.
Set at only 300m above sea level this may be the type of inland place you are looking for.
For those looking for Autogas there is a filling point in Totana, contact me or the camperstop for directions.

Definitely on our list to visit!

 

[Nethernut]

YJ55NXC - thanks for some much info, sounds just the sort of places we are looking for, we really don't want to be amongst all the high rise hotels etc. We are hoping to find places where we have to try and get by with a few words of Spanish rather than "genuine British" (or German for that matter) restaurants and bars! Just like off the beaten track travel some of the time, although we can do cities sometimes - love Seville, Jerez and Madrid but they Fen't really the type of places to go to with a dog! Thanks so much for all the help folks! Going to p,Pugh through my Rough Guide and DK Spain books now.

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[bellabee]

@Nethernut I think we're likely to be following each other around. Sounds as though you're looking for exactly the same as us. Must remember to speak to you in (very poor) Spanish, if we see you. You'll recognise us - we've got a three-legged Dalmatian.

 

[vwalan]

pull the other one its got spots on . ha ha .
with careful drifting around there really are lots of quiet places that the tourists hardly see.
every village can tell a story.

 

[Nethernut]

Still trying to learn some Spanish bellabee - we'll be the ones with a border terrier! We go over 12 December and return 28 February - although may stay longer!

Think my worst problem has been that the only people we know who go to spain in the winter just head to the Benidorm area and speaks weeks if not months on the same site and just rave about the places you can get a good sunday roast, scottish breakfast etc. Nothing wrong with that if you like it but sounds like hell on earth to us!!!

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[bellabee]

Nothing wrong with that if you like it but sounds like hell on earth to us!!!

Likewise!!!

 

[vwalan]

just stay off main roads and drift. i use a mapamax mapbook .buy on amazon .
used to be cheaper when it was tied in with cepsa the spanish fuel company . but its the best map i know of spain and portugal without going on ordanance survey spec ones . we all have to go past the big tourist places ,sometimes just to see what the other half like . dont have to stop though. use the 340 but dont be tied to it if doing the coast . look in all the little villages .
or use the mapamax roads marked with green .
ask dbk if i,m right . he knows how to do it as well.

 

[vwalan]

when i was a kid we used to go to spain etc alot . at the time you could look at a map of spain and say there was only 5 roads to cross spain on . my dad used to say lets find 50 ways of doing it .
you might go miles out your wayu but what an adventure . there are alot of new roads but alot of the old roads are far better than they were . uk bought and french bought maps didnt show little normal roads only main go fast roads .
one of the things you need is a compass and learn how to use it . you cant be lost your in spain on holiday. head north or south you will get to the sea .

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[Nethernut]

Mapamax duly ordered, thanks for that tip

 

[PenelopePitstop]

Why not have a wander down to the Costa de la Luz? Between Tarifa and Conil de la Frontera - no high rise, no Brit food or drink, proper Spanish! Camping Pinar San Jose in Zahora in the ACSI book under Canos de Meca. Totally the opposite to Benidorm

 

[bellabee]

Why not have a wander down to the Costa de la Luz? Between Tarifa and Conil de la Frontera - no high rise, no Brit food or drink, proper Spanish! Camping Pinar San Jose in Zahora in the ACSI book under Canos de Meca. Totally the opposite to Benidorm

Yes, that's already on our list. We've been to Conil before, and it's lovely. Just a bit worried about high winds, though. What's the weather normally like in Feb/March?

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[Don Quixote]

Yes, that's already on our list. We've been to Conil before, and it's lovely. Just a bit worried about high winds, though. What's the weather normally like in Feb/March?

Weather in Feb / Mar this year was cold our as our Spanish neighbours said really cold. During the day it was 10C/13C and night was 0C/2C, but that is not the normal. Past few years average day time 20C and night 8C. Winds can be bad, but again few and far between. I can live with that, so we moved here....................

 

[Geejay]

"..we'll be the ones with a border terrier!"

No you won't, we will!! ...unless she runs off. We've lived in various parts of Scotland, and so far (3 visits) Spain in winter has been like a good spring day at home - a bit colder at night, but nothing you don't get in Scotland - and very little rain. We spent a couple of weeks in Extremadura last December at Camping Monfrague and it was fantastic, with superb weather and plenty of cycling and walking to do. We went on the guided tour to see the griffon and black vultures and were also lucky to see a pair of Spanish Imperial Eagles. It was worth every penny. Jose took photos through his spotting telescope using my wife's smart phone.

We intend to visit Extremadura again, if the weather forecast looks good, and get some more of the jamon from a nearby village. Some reckon the jamon from this region, from pigs fed on acorns on the dehesa is the best in Spain.

 

[Robert Clark]

Don't forget Cartagena, with its Roman and modernist architecture

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