Spain in the New Year.

Paul and Jeannette

Paul and Jeannette

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Hi all,
Thinking of going to some winter Sun for the first time. I was looking at end of Jan/Feb but have been told unless you book sites around now you cannot simply turn up ad hock in Spain at that time of year.

Anyone have experience of going at that time without pre booking. We would prefer sites and would like to start as far away as possible and work our way back so pre booking would be a problemas we would not know how long we will spend in each area.

What is Spains Aires system like at that time.

Any advice welcome.
 
Don’t book a campsite unless you know you’re going to like it. The campsites in Spain vary considerably with some of them being awful. Some of the Aires are free but for limited time, usually 48 hours. Others you pay for and to be honest they are pretty much campsites by another name. Some are dire!
There are sites you can’t book. Do you have ACSI?
 
Good for you. This will be our 3rd winter there. We had to book in March for December. All sites are very full and the good Aires are overcrowded. The Spanish police have vowed to crackdown on roadside parking this winter so thats out. Best book in advance if you can.
 
I'm finding search for sites really useful, and camper contact. You can use both offline so you wont need internet.

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If you find one that isn’t full, it’s probably crap. Honestly, don’t book if you don’t know what you’re getting.
 
Paul and Jeannette said:
thanks, yes we have ACSI
Click to expand...
Maybe book a site for the 1st week but after that you will get loads of tips off the regular travellers on we’re to go. It can get busy but not far to the next site. Bit of wild camping in between the sites goes down well and eases the strain on the wallet ?. Just go and enjoy
 
Wild camping in Spain isn’t what it used to be. The authorities are clamping down!
 
If you can have a look at the Camping Club Winter Sun Brochure, this shows the most popular sites and it’s true that most will be fairly busy if not full at that time of year.
We have booked Camping Imperium at Villajoyosa for January and February instead of La Manga where we normally spend 6 months.

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The popular sites at the coast are normally busy. But if you go to less popular spots, or slightly inland, you should be able to find suitable campsites.

We spent much of last winter in Spain and didn't have any serious problems finding space on campsites. But as others have mentioned, the quality can be varied. And you'll find pitches crammed in tightly at a lot of places.

But still well worth going.

We generally spend time in Almeria. And yes, the ACSI card comes in handy, but we used other sites too.

Good luck in any case.
 
In Andalusia there are now a number of sites only for Motorhomes, at an average cost of about 10euros and a limited stay period, they may be worth looking out for. Not camp sites as such but with facilities. Although summer always looks popular, the peak season now seems to be late winter when you are travelling.
 
We've been late January until end March for the last 4 years. Never booked, never had a problem, but we stay away from the really popular places, eg Benidorm.
Have found that by end January, a lot of the snowbirds are starting to head back home.
In 2020, we have to be back early March, so we're going early January. Not booking, so we'll see how it goes.
 
Just float around, chase the sun, if you book, you are stuck, have a mix of sites and Aires, lots to go at, its a big country that attracts the majority to its coastline......plan to arrive by 2pm at your chosen location, get the bbq and corkscrew out.....chill out and enjoy the experience.

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Mikeco said:
If you can have a look at the Camping Club Winter Sun Brochure, this shows the most popular sites and it’s true that most will be fairly busy if not full at that time of year.
We have booked Camping Imperium at Villajoyosa for January and February instead of La Manga where we normally spend 6 months.
Click to expand...

chalk and cheese them two. Villajoyosa is really nice.
 
I went last year from Mid Jan and rushed down to Malaga and then meandered back. Mainly used Aires and the occasional camp site. Never found a problem getting on to any of them but I don’t go to places like Benidorm. There were some brilliant Aires and the police do check them to enforce the 48 hour rule but that is fine with me. Police were friendly in my opinion. I mainly used campercontact for finding places to stay.
 
We have done Jan thru March for the last 12 years. Not always Spain but mostly, Sicily was brill but less busy. We book camping and car****n club winter sun for big chunks with ad-hoc periods in between. We mix freeby Aires and cheap €10 overnights for the unscheduled stops. All that adds to the adventure, but the CCC adds some reassurance that can be more relaxed. It's a great way to spend the winter, roll on January ?
 
Paul and Jeannette said:
Southern spain and work our way back
Click to expand...

We arrived in Benicassim, Bonterra in March, "do you have a pitch for us ?". "I can give you a small pitch for one night, then you will have to move". So one night, excellent food but the place was like a TV soap. Huge number of Brits and conversation went like: "Hi George, is Maggie playing bridge ?" "No she's going to the knitting group for a change" "Are you at the boules league tomorrow ?" "No I'm on the Spanish course with Bill".

So we got a pitch up the coast at the lovely Camping Eden in Peniscola. They had about 3 pitches.

In the excellent Vila Sol in Benidorm they store hopefulls in the emergency car park or they risk parking in the road.

We've watched them parked in the road outside Jaw's favorite, El Raco, hoping someone will die and vacate their pitch. https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@38.5...4!1scDzmDoBtaCPCOvOP1n2EOQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

So be prepared to work for a good pitch.

And worse, I have pictures of twisters drifting across Benidorm bay with the hills behind covered in snow.

But for all that we are planning on being there in March.
 
I've been back from Europe for just a few days, was thinking of giving Spain/Portugal a miss this winter but you've all got me thinking. If I've already got itchy feet now how can I make it through winter? It's a bug, isn't it!

On the thread though, I've loved places that others hate, and some sites where I wouldn't stay a night, others stay for months. But I certainly wouldn't book, for that reason. If it's full, go elsewhere.
 
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