Winter in spain and Portugal (1 Viewer)

maggio

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Hi, Does anyone have any experience of spending winter in Spain and or Portugal in a motor camper or caravan? We could do with some information on decent aires or campsites in the andalusia region that offer long stay discounts. Although new to the world of motor camping, we have passed much time in europe (france in particular) in the caravan::bigsmile:
 

JJ

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Hi, [HI]Does anyone have any experience of spending winter in Spain and or Portugal [/HI]in a motor camper or caravan? We could do with some information on decent aires or campsites in the andalusia region that offer long stay discounts. Although new to the world of motor camping, we have passed much time in europe (france in particular) in the caravan::bigsmile:

Welcome to the Fun.

I have spent the winters in Portugal for over a decade but I don't think I can be much help to you as I rarely use camp sites.

However, many people here do (Zahora in Southern Spain being one winter camp site popular with Funsters) and so I am sure you will soon have all the information you want (and probably more than that on top!)

JJ :Cool:
 

vwalan

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bit like jj i have wintered in both .just find somewhere to park . dont stay for weeks in one place . i hardly ever use campsites ,far too expensive. places change from one year to the other . only have your tyres touching the ground .
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this should help ,same rules are the way in spain. if asked to move very often just move . but no chairs ,washing lines works .

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Pikey Pete

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I have been wintering over in Spain for the last 5 years and I stay on the same camp site every year from October to March.

Why in one place?

Firstly because I know exactly what my site costs are going to be for the 6 months, including electric.

Secondly because there are many like minded people who do the same and we have a good social life.

Dozens of vans, wild camping on their own, have been broken into in Spain and Portugal when unattended, so what's the point of wild camping if you can't go anywhere without worrying about security.

Pete:Cool:
 

vwalan

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you can also say that many vans on campsites get broken in to as well. it does happen.
you take a chance anywhere . just as much chance getting broken into in asda or tersco carpark in uk. specialy round xmas time.
just becarefull .it does happen . i was done near valencia at el saler . two of us and the dog .only woke when the uk bank were ringing on the mobile asking why we were using the wrong pin at a machine in valencia . no gassing but had a few the night before .

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JJ

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I have been wintering over in Spain for the last 5 years and I stay on the same camp site every year from October to March.

Why in one place?

Firstly because I know exactly what my site costs are going to be for the 6 months, including electric.

Secondly because there are many like minded people who do the same and we have a good social life.

Dozens of vans, wild camping on their own, have been broken into in Spain and Portugal when unattended, [HI]so what's the point of wild camping if you can't go anywhere without worrying about security.[/HI]

Pete:Cool:

You are right... If you can't go anywhere without worrying then my lifestyle is not for you...

But if I were to go back to the same place year in and year our and stay plonked there for months on end I would go mad...

Knowing your mind is made up there is nothing I can say to you but to other people who might not be suited to staying parked in one place for months on end and are wondering about the alternatives let me assure them there are many.

And just for the record... having "Off Site" parked, mostly in Portugal for over ten years... I have never been broken into... ever...

My mate Micky was once (parked with lots of other vans) and lost his laptop... his insurance enabled him to buy a much more modern one... he was delighted!

I ask in reverse...

What is the point of having a motorhome with all the freedom that it allows and then just park it up in one place for six months?

And by the way... I know exactly to the penny how much I have to spend on site fees (including electricity) each year... :winky:

JJ :Cool:

 
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maggio

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I have been wintering over in Spain for the last 5 years and I stay on the same camp site every year from October to March.

Why in one place?

Firstly because I know exactly what my site costs are going to be for the 6 months, including electric.

Secondly because there are many like minded people who do the same and we have a good social life.

Dozens of vans, wild camping on their own, have been broken into in Spain and Portugal when unattended, so what's the point of wild camping if you can't go anywhere without worrying about security.

Pete:Cool:

Can you tell me what site (s) you have stayed at? Thx

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maggio

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mmmmm thanks to all. :thumb: You all have valid points. Just that, here in France "wild camping" is much more readily accepted and as such presents little risk outside of the main auto routes and cities. I guess i would prefer the security of a site or an aire until becoming more familiar with motor camping in Spain and Portugal.
 

Pikey Pete

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You are right... If you can't go anywhere without worrying then my lifestyle is not for you...

But if I were to go back to the same place year in and year our and stay plonked there for months on end I would go mad...

Knowing your mind is made up there is nothing I can say to you but to other people who might not be suited to staying parked in one place for months on end and are wondering about the alternatives let me assure them there are many.

And just for the record... having "Off Site" parked, mostly in Portugal for over ten years... I have never been broken into... ever...

My mate Micky was once (parked with lots of other vans) and lost his laptop... his insurance enabled him to buy a much more modern one... he was delighted!

I ask in reverse...

What is the point of having a motorhome with all the freedom that it allows and then just park it up in one place for six months?

And by the way... I know exactly to the penny how much I have to spend on site fees (including electricity) each year... :winky:

JJ :Cool:


Horses for courses JJ. I winter in Spain and tour in Europe in the summer. I have no qualms about Aires and Stellplatz etc in Europe because they are often visited by the police and there are usually occupied vans on them.

I fulltime so my van does not have to be on the move all the time and quite frankly the current fuel costs have reduced my traveling anyway.

If I could afford to buy a piece of land like you have and use that in the winter I would.

Pete:Cool:

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maggio

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On the question of the weather; climatic changes aside, in general what is the weather like between Nov and Feb?
 

Pikey Pete

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On the question of the weather; climatic changes aside, in general what is the weather like between Nov and Feb?


It can vary and some months can be quite wet and cool. Sometimes there is a cold wind from the North and West but in the main it's pretty good and in the sun it's hot. So a wind break can be a good idea.

The attached picture is Dec 23rd 2011. Near the outdoor pool. Photo courtesy of billkce.

Pete:Cool:
 

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JJ

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Horses for courses JJ. I winter in Spain and tour in Europe in the summer. I have no qualms about Aires and Stellplatz etc in Europe because they are often visited by the police and there are usually occupied vans on them.

I fulltime so my van does not have to be on the move all the time and quite frankly the current fuel costs have reduced my traveling anyway.

[HI]If I could afford to buy a piece of land like you have[/HI] and use that in the winter I would.

Pete:Cool:

I reckon your season ticket for Grimsby Town FC probably cost more than my land Pete... :ROFLMAO:

(and you are welcome to visit any time and stay as long as you want... no charge... as long as I don't have to go and watch GTFC!)

JJ :Cool:

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haganap

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The last thieves that broke in to JJs van left him a cheque for the damaged caused,
After seeing the mess and the man city carf They felt sorry for him :ROFLMAO:
 

Pikey Pete

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I reckon your season ticket for Grimsby Town FC probably cost more than my land Pete... :ROFLMAO:

(and you are welcome to visit any time and stay as long as you want... no charge... as long as I don't have to go and watch GTFC!)

JJ :Cool:

Cheers JJ might just give you a visit one day.

When GTFC play I would say there are a lot more "honest" players on the field than the whole of the Premier League, combined.

Pete:Cool:

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JJ

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Cheers JJ might just give you a visit one day.

When GTFC play I would say there are a lot more "honest" players on the field than the whole of the Premier League, combined.

Pete:Cool:


Maybe true Pete... but I don't pay to go and watch "honesty"... I want to see top class, skilful football played by some of the best players in the world...

Having said that though... I did pay loads and loads when we sponsored Bath City FC... (and obviously I am too much of a gent to mention that FA Cup result at your place...)


JJ :Cool:

PS. I really am sorry about this Pete but being so weak willed I could not stop myself from posting this now quite famous Grimbsy Town fan's letter to the players..

Dear Players of Grimsby Town FC,
I am writing with regard to my absolute astonishment and disbelief as to the sheer magnitude of your complete lack of talent and failure to carry out the job for which you are paid to do. I am not aware of any swear word or other derogatory phrase in my current vocabulary which comes close to a description of your ‘performance’ (and I use that term loosely) this afternoon, but let me just say that you have collectively reached a level of inadequacy and ineptitude that neither I nor modern science had previously considered possible.
In fact I recall a time, in my youth, when I decided to call in sick at work and instead spent the entire day in my one bedroom flat wearing nothing but my underpants, eating toast and ------- furiously over second-rate Scandinavian porn. Yet somehow, I still managed to contribute more to my employer in that one Andrex-filled day than you complete bunch of toss-baskets have contributed to this club in your entire time here.
I would genuinely like to know how you pathetic little pishflaps sleep at night, knowing full well that you have taken my money and that of several thousand others and delivered precisely ---- all in return. I run a business myself, and I believe I could take any 4,000 of my customers at random; burn down their houses, impregnate their wives and then dismember their children before systematically sending them back in the post, limb-by-limb, and still ensure a level of customer satisfaction which exceeds that which I have experienced at Blundell Park at any time so far this season.
You are a total disgrace, not only to your profession, not only to the human race, but to nature itself. This may sound like an exaggeration, but believe me when I say that I have passed kidney stones which have brought me a greater level of pleasure and entertainment than watching each of you worthless excuses for professional footballers attempt to play a game you are clearly incapable of playing, week-in, week-out.

I considered, for a second, that I was perhaps being a little too harsh. But then I recalled that I have blindly given you all the benefit of the doubt for too long now. Yes, for too long you have failed to earn the air you’ve been breathing by offering any kind of tangible quality either as footballers or as people in general. As such, I feel it’s only fair that your supply runs out forthwith.
I trust, at this precise moment in time, that Mr Fenty is in his office tapping away on the easyJet web site booking you all one-way flights to Zurich, complete with an overnight stay with our cheese eating friends at Dignitas. Don’t bother packing your toothbrush – you won’t need it.
In the event that our beloved chairman can’t afford the expense (understandable given that he’s soon going to have to assemble a new squad from scratch), then I am prepared to sell my family (including my unborn child) to a dubious consortium of Middle Eastern businessmen in order to pay for the flights. Christ, I’ll drive you there myself, one-by one, without sleep, if I have to.
Failing that, understanding that most dubious Middle Eastern businessmen are tied-up purchasing Premier League football clubs, I ask you to please take matters into your hands. Use your imagination, guys – strangle yourselves or cover yourself in tinfoil and take a fork to a nearby plug socket, or something. Just put yourselves and us fans out of our collective misery.
So, in summary, you pack of repugnant, sputum-filled, invertebrate --------; leave this club now and don’t you ------- dare look back. You’ve consistently demonstrated less passion and desire than can commonly be found within the contents of a sloth’s scrotum, so frankly you can just all ---- off – don’t pass go, don’t collect your wages, don’t ever come back to this town again.
I look forward to you serving me at my local McDonald’s drive-through in the near future.
Yours sincerely
A very disillusioned Mariner
 
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Pikey Pete

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Maybe true Pete... but I don't pay to go and watch "honesty"... I want to see top class, skilful football played by some of the best players in the world...

Having said that though... I did pay loads and loads when we sponsored Bath City FC... (and obviously I am too much of a gent to mention that FA Cup result at your place...)


JJ :Cool:

I really have no idea what you are talking about.:Blush:

I can take it, many years of supporting GTFC have produced very thick skin and very broad shoulders.
One thinks, things cannot get worse and then they get worse.:whatthe:

When your at the bottom, the only way is up, and things can only get better. the trouble is, we still don't know where the bottom is.:Eeek:

Liverpool FC 1 GTFC 2:thumb: Dreams were made of that.::bigsmile:

Pete:Cool:
 
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JJ

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I really have no idea what you are talking about.:Blush:

I can take it, many years of supporting GTFC have produced very thick skin and very broad shoulders.
One thinks, things cannot get worse and then they get worse.:whatthe:

When your at the bottom things can only get better. the trouble is, we still don't know where the bottom is.:Eeek:

Liverpool FC 1 GTFC 2:thumb: Dreams were made of that.::bigsmile:

Pete:Cool:

I so understand how you feel Pete... over forty years of pain for me...

But I ask you this...

What can you do?

If you were in my slightly embarrassing position whereby the club you have supported for all those endlessly disappointing years gets bought by one of the world's richest men and now, when you go to watch, you see brilliant footy played by real world stars and the next thing you know you are smashing your hated rivals who have taunted you for decades and then you snatch the title from them with the last kick of the season... would you go on supporting them or go off and seek a more "honest" team to watch?

JJ :Cool:

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Pikey Pete

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I so understand how you feel Pete... over forty years of pain for me...

But I ask you this...

What can you do?

If you were in my slightly embarrassing position whereby the club you have supported for all those endlessly disappointing years gets bought by one of the world's richest men and now, when you go to watch, you see brilliant footy played by real world stars and the next thing you know you are smashing your hated rivals who have taunted you for decades and then you snatch the title from them with the last kick of the season... would you go on supporting them or go off and seek a more "honest" team to watch?

JJ :Cool:

If that happened to my beloved Town, I would just wake up in the morning find out it was just a dream, and the nightmare would continue.:cry:

How about this for a statistic.

GTFC v Man CITY

Played 57
Won 19 lost 27
Draws 11
Goals for 99
Goals against 110

When you compare the size of clubs that isn't a bad record.

I thought high jacking threads like this only happened on the dark side.

Pete:Cool:
 
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JJ

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But to get the thread back on track...

I took some time building up the courage to winter in the sun and after the first two weeks I wished I had done it years and years earlier...

Now I couldn't even dream of facing a dull, drizzly, cold UK winter ever again...

JJ :Cool:
 

normanandsue

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Thanks for this thread, I found it most interesting as we now own a mh equipped especially for this purpose (not by us I must add) and as we already wild camp we are considering wintering in southern France or Ibearia.
However the thought of wintering on our own on a supermarket car park or on the promenade of some Iberian seaside town does not fill us with joy.
All the people who seem to have wildcamped in winter in France or Iberia seem to say it is a really pleasant experience, but in order to gain a completely balanced view, and notwithstanding the safety issues that are a threat at any time of the year and in any place, has anyone wintered these areas and since regretted it?

Norman

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vwalan

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hi have done it plenty of times .but really france is too cold .unless you really love it.
asturia and cantarbria are ok if right by the sea just.
but valencia down is the best for decent weather .
algarve is ok but not ideal for me . no surf . not too good for snorkelling either .at least the med is great for that.
.west coast of portugal is ok but not in nov -end of feb.
go 6-10 mile inland in winter in spain and expect snow .deep snow in some areas . you stand on the beach in shorts looking at the fresh snow on the hills . even benidorm gets it . nice from a distance .
but france god its freezing . italy as well too cold .
 
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maggio

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how about Sicily and south Italy around naples? How does that region fair in comparison
 

vwalan

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i would say not good enough .if you want to have a winter in shorts and t shirts for most of the day .it doesnt come up to the mark. plus you are a bit trapped .
you have to come back through some cold areas if need be .
you can try greece or turkey but for me still not good enough.
all interesting places but winter is the hard bit .
mid december to feb is a problem. even tunisia isnt as warm as most imagine .

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My friends go every year to Olhao just west of Faro. The site costs about 6-8 euros per night . They love it!
 

Wildman

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I have only ever been to the algarve once, and it was snowing:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

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