Itinerary of our 2022/23 trip to Spain and summary

Time to take stock of our first big trip caravan in the wild. Having our own caravan, as well as a longer trip around Spain, had been on our minds for a long time. In 2022, we decided to realise and combine both dreams and reorganise our entire lives so that we could work remotely. Fate favoured us, we found a caravan that stole our hearts and after much preparation and gathering the necessary equipment and supplies we set off south. 

How did you travel by caravan in Spain?

The whole trip as well as the purchase of the trailer was a crazy decisionBut we don't regret it and are already planning further trips to break the stereotype of wild caravanning. We have to admit that Spain was quite a demanding destination and we gave our caravan and car a hard time due to the high mountains and country lanes with holes. However, the caravan coped fantastically and we only had a two major defects. The first was a broken trailer access wheel due to the high speed bumps in France. For the rest of the trip we simply removed the new wheel completely for the duration of the trip, which eliminated the possibility of a repeat fault. The second issue was a leaking window during a huge gale in early December, when it rained horizontally and it was impossible to go outside. The invaluable Duct tape helped temporarily, and on a warm day when everything had dried out, we sealed the window with special ATK 812 and the problem did not return. 

We managed to stay overnight in a really wild, often completely empty places and only once did we fail to pull the caravan onto a site without a 4×4 drive. Then we met a Spaniard - Manuel - who helped us and pulled our house on wheels to an altitude of 530 m.a.s.l.. This is the highest point where we spent the night - Mirador del Pancorbo.  

Travelling with a caravan certainly requires more planning. You have to take into account that you cannot stop everywhere, at any time. You also need to choose the shops and petrol stations well along the way, as we could not fit in or drive in everywhere due to the 2m height restriction. It is important to careful analysis of the route and checking of accommodation, so as to be able to leave, turn around and not get buried. The main tool we used on a daily basis was the Google satellite, street view and in-depth opinion-reading about the sites from people who drive a larger camper van or with a trailer. In addition, when we arrived at a place and, for example, the road became narrow or the tarmac ended, one or both of us would go to see what the route looked like further down the road, whether it is safe and whether the ground will not be a trap for us when it rains. Only then did we decide whether we were driving the caravan further in.

It is important to cooperation - We helped each other. Marcin manoeuvred the trailer, while Ola steered from the outside and told us how to turn, how to drive and how much more to reverse. Here we found it very useful Walkie Talkie. Just as important is cooperation and sharing when parking the caravan for the night and collecting from the site. When everyone was responsible for something - In our case Marcin technical issues on the outside of the caravan and Ola hiding things inside. Once we had the system it has developed We managed to pack up and leave in 15-20min, while by comparison at the first campsite in Amsterdam we folded for half a day and had to pay €5 for an extended night 😉 .

In addition, with a trailer you need to be prepared for many stressful moments - especially when you are driving in mountainous country and not staying overnight at campsites and have no strong nerves. Sometimes the road was very steep and winding and we wondered what would happen if someone was driving from the opposite direction and we had to stop and then reverse down. Fortunately we managed to avoid dangerous incidentsbut our blood pressure was rising at times. On the other hand, today when we recall these moments we associate them with adventure and overcoming their own fears.

The huge advantage of travelling with a trailer is, above all plenty of space and comfort (comparable to a campervan), and the fact that we can leave the caravan at a site or campsite and go somewhere by car for a tour or shopping in a small town with narrow streets. 

The expedition plan and the reality

For five months from October to March, we had the pleasure of travelling just like that - fully free and independent, discovering the beauty of Spain for ourselves. We left on 02.10.22r. and first we headed for Kashubia to our cottage Skibówka, where we wanted to spend some time before the journey. On 14.10.22 we left towards Amsterdam, and on 24.10 we crossed the border between France and Spain. We moved slowly, own pace and free roads as we always do on our trips. This way we get to see more and save money.

Initially We were planning to visit Spain and PortugalHowever, due to a cold front in November/December, we stayed in the south of Spain, where it was warmest. With such a big trip on the way, we also wanted to see together Amsterdam and Paris and we carried out this plan. We started our exploration of Spain from the north and initially wanted to get to know more about this beautiful region known only from stories, films and photos. However, Asturias and Galicia are very mountainous and already at the end of October it gets cold there therefore From the Pamplona area we headed towards Zaragoza and then through central Spain to Madrid, Toledo, Seville to the coast. We definitely want to return to the north of Spain pulling a trailer with a 4×4 or quite without a trailer. 

During this amazing adventure, we had the opportunity to see and experience many wonderful things. From charming towns, to picturesque beaches and beautiful national parks and mountain ranges. Over the course of 5 months, we visited many places that are breathtaking and will stay with us forever in our memories. 

A brief summary in figures:

• 16,000 kilometres driven

• 5 months on the move

• 27 wilderness sites

• 5 campsites by major cities

• 16 beaches visited

• 8 friends for life - from Spain, England, Thailand, the Netherlands and also Poland

• 2 major faults (broken trailer access wheel and leaking trailer window)

• 2 major storms and gales off the coast

• 1 new member of the family ( dog Negro taken in from the beach)

• Ola's one birthday in November

• approx. 1760 litres of fuel

• approx. 130 litres of gas for heating the caravan, water and cooking

• 600 GB Internet for remote working

• approx. 2500 litres of water used

• the highest altitude of the site we climbed on our own 500 m.a.s.l.

• highest altitude of the site we climbed with the help of 531 m.a.s.l.

• never once did the engine overheat

• coldest night in Spain 2 degrees

• Coldest night of the whole expedition - way back France -6 degrees

• we have not once bathed in the sea or the ocean

• Several hundred GB of photos and videos

• Weight of croquetas eaten

What have we learnt?

1. We can speak Spanish fluently

2. many times we have overcome our own weaknesses and fears, surprising ourselves

3. we started getting up earlier and going to bed earlier

4. We have reorganised the way we live and work

5. we have learned to live with each other in such a small space which is not easy

What would we change?

First we definitely had too much stuff. When we came back for Christmas in December we completely repacked and took some of the stuff back to Poland, but we still think it's too much. Now when we're packing for Sweden we'll think about how many times we used each of the things we had with us and we will make a thorough selection. This will make it easier for us to function and drive because of the weight of the whole kit. 

The second issue is too little current, but we are already working on it and are assembling before the upcoming trip additional solar panel and we are doing some additional smaller alterations to make everything more practical. 

We would like to have more time for sightseeing and less time for work, but in turbulent times this is not easy, so we are happy to have the opportunity to travel and are constantly working to optimise our time. 

Travel map

We have prepared especially for you a detailed map - route of our trip, where you will find pins with the places where we spent the night surrounded by beautiful nature. We have briefly described each location, and you will find the detailed locations - the coordinates can be found by clicking on a particular map pin and in the description under each map. 

Perhaps you will set off along our routes and take advantage of these beautiful places, or our itinerary will inspire you to make your own trip to Spain. Get swept away by the incredible views, experience the local culture and taste the best of Spanish food. It is always a good idea to forge your own paths too.

A) We left home on 02.10.22r

B) A stop for a fortnight in our Kashubian cottage Skibówkawhich, by the way, is also available for you to rent 🙂 Coordinates 54.288048, 17.738747 

C) Camping Amsterdam Gaaspar - a cosy campsite close to the motorway, and close to a metro station, it was very quiet in the off-season Price: EUR 35 (plus €5 surcharge for an extended night)

D) Place in Belgium - Coordinates 50.495131, 3.809576  Close to the trail, next to the forest, quiet, peace and quiet, a few people with dogs were passing by in the morning, we didn't disturb anyone. Space under the maplesso we prudently covered our solar on the roof of the caravan to protect it from acorns, and put the car next to it. We recommend this place for one night on the road. 

E) Camping INTERNATIONAL DE JABLINES - 40 km from ParisThere is a bus from the campsite that takes you to the Paris Metro station. The campsite is very close to Disneyland, which can also be reached by the same bus. Price 33 Euro per night with dog and electricity. We chose this campsite because other campsites closer to Paris were very expensive. The campsite is well maintained, quiet in low season, the downside is that the last bus from Paris returns quite early and the we did not manage to see the Eiffel Tower at night.

F) Place in France under huge chestnut trees – Coordinates 45.692906, 0.872880. We arrived at the site at night when it was dark, so we were delighted in the morning. A beautiful place under old chestnut trees which are very impressive. You just want to stay longer. French people come here to pick chestnuts and walk. In addition to us, there was a second French couple here also with a trailer. Highly recommended!

G) Second and final wilderness site on the route in France -. Coordinates 44.688000, -0.377694. Beautiful a riverside spot accessed by a gravel road between fields of vinesi. There is a sign in place that allows overnight stop. Passing French people were very happy when they saw the caravan. Quiet, peaceful, green - highly recommended!

H) First overnight stay after crossing the border between France and Spain. It was immediately extreme. We had a hard time finding a site due to the high mountains, we eventually found one on Park4night, however we would not recommend for caravans or larger campers due to the very steep winding access road. At the top, unfortunately, the views did not compensate for the stressful crossing either, the site is a tarmac parallel car park along the road - it is ok for one night for campervans and smaller campers.

I) A beautiful place in the wilderness - in the forest - coordinates 42.9117613,-2.1547392. We immediately met a friendly Spaniard who showed us a place to stand. Quiet and peaceful, but the downside was total lack of coverage, Which meant we only spent one night there due to work. If you want and can get away from everything - it's really worth it.

J) Parking at the cave La Leze - coordinates 42.878199, -2.277112. We spent almost a week here and would love to return again. This place was on our TOP 5 destinations in Spain. Located in a valley between mountains, the start of hiking and climbing trails. A flock of sheep, as well as donkeys and horses, passed by the caravan every day. There is also a spring of mountain water nearby. Very close to the town and to the route. 

A) La Leze

B) Pitillas - lunar desert landscape and unlimited space is right here - Coordinates 42.431861, -1.586944. This is another place that has found in our TOP 5, close to the famous Bardenas Reales. We spent one night here as we went in search of sunshine. 

C) Embalse de Entrepenas -. Coordinates 40.612556, -2.712500 Another place from our top. Here we also spent one night due to the weather but would love to return. Views, spaces and azure water - the quintessence of wildness.

D) Camping Arco Iris near Madrid. Again, as with Paris, we chose this campsite because of the prices. We paid €29.60 for a night with electricity Which was a low price compared to other campsites in Madrid. There is a bus right next door that will take you to the centre of Madrid or 2km away you can take the train. We chose the second option because in Spain you can't board buses with a dog - unless in a special backpack. The standard was not high, but sufficient if you want to see Madrid.

E) Camping El Greco Toledo - We highly recommend this campsite, clean, well maintained and in 10-15 minutes walk you get to the old town of Toledo. In low season we paid 32 euros per night. It was worth it - Toledo enthralled us, and unfortunately there were no wild places to park nearby. 

F) The most wonderful place of the whole tripwhich we were sad to leave. Coordinates 38.762694, -6.236472 - We spent almost two weeks here among the olive fields and sheep, practically all alone. Very close to the charming town of Alange. We will definitely return here and wholeheartedly recommend it to you. You get to the spot about 1 km along a gravel road - there is one sharp bend - more problematic on the way back up. Our kit is 6 metres long and we managed - we don't know what it would be like with a longer vehicle. 

G) Wilderness by the town of Aznalcollar. Coordinates 37.527944, -6.283778, close to the road but quiet and safe - 2 times we left the caravan in the evening when we were in town. You can walk to Aznallcollar via a very scenic route or by car about 2 minutes. Recommended - the only downside is a lot of rubbish - But this is a problem throughout Spain.

H) Puerto Gelves near Seville - a port that provides space for campers, caravans and vans - there are sanitary facilities and a washing machine with dryer. We paid €26 per night with electricity. There are restaurants and cafes in the harbour area - close to the bus that you can take to Seville - we went by car. 

I) Mirador del Pancorbo, Sevilla -. a beautiful place and the only one we could not reach on our own with the caravan because it was steep. We were confused by comments on the P4N app from people who wrote that they had driven up there in a 7m-plus rig. Fortunately, we met a friendly Spaniard who pulled us up the mountain in a 4×4 vehicle.It was well worth it - and it was worth it. The views are magical. The downside is the poor internet and lower temperature due to altitude

J) The town of Arcos de la Frontera on the Pueblos Blancos trail -. Coordinates 36.744092, -5.814794. Location by the river overlooking the city walls, very close by car to the town. We spent a few days here surrounded by nature and highly recommend it. To get to the site you have to drive through the narrow town - we took a small roundabout against the traffic - we suspect the town bus does this too, otherwise we wouldn't have made it. If you are a longer set than 6m it can be difficult.

A) Arcos de la Frontera

B) Zahara de la Sierra - a beautiful white town - it captivated us more than the popular Ronda. Small charming overlooking the reservoir, in the off-season you will only meet local people. The town is located at an altitude of 500m.a.s.l. and the access is quite steep. The location is a car park under the city wall, where we parked the car next to the caravan in parallel in two spaces. A trailer or camper longer than 3m will not fit in the parking spaces. Współrzędne 36.8423166,-5.3899225

C) From the trail of white towns we headed towards the coast towards Cádiz, the beaches in this area are long and beautiful. We highly recommend this place - Coordinates 36.417528, -6.223194 Practically right on Camposoto beach behind the dune. The beach encourages long walks. We spent two nights here, left because of this approaching front and the ground which, after the rain, could trap us here for a long time. 

D) In the next place we found ourselves by chance, unfortunately in this area it was not easy to find a place and we started to feel that on the coast it would be more difficult because of the bans. Concrete car park, but close to the beach - coordinates 36.185190, -5.912205. This is where we met Steve and his family, with whom we left the caravan near Malaga in DecemberWhen we went to Poland for Christmas. The downside was the noise in the evening, due to a lot of people coming here or just turning back towards the town. 

E) Another place is Soul Casas in Vejer de la Frontera, it's a private property - the owner has cottages for rent and space for several campers or campervans. The price is lower than at the campsite, as we paid €16 per night with electricity. The downside is the lack of a dryer to dry clothes after washing, which was a problem for us due to the downpours. 

F) Here we survived several days of storms, gales and downpours that visited Spain. We are pleased to have found location close to beach but with asphaltso we didn't have to worry about getting buried. It was here that our window started to leak due to the horizontal rain. When the sun came out after the storm we were able to enjoy the beautiful wide beach. Coordinates 36.113778, -5.829028. In the low season we were almost alone - In high season, restaurants open here and people come to the car park to beach. 

G) Alhaurín de la Torre - we don't give the exact location because this is where Steve lives ( and we want to keep his privacy), who invited us to stay with him for a few days during the gale, hosted us and allowed us to leave the caravan for Christmas. We would recommend this little town overlooking Malaga as a jumping off point to a bigger city.

H) In the Malaga area, it is not easy to find a place for a campervan. We stood in a large car park for campers - coordinates 36.713133, -4.339726, which was crowded however it was in a very good location for walking, close to the promenade, the beautiful beach and the the town of El Palo, which is sentimental for us. This is where we got engaged 8 years ago and this is where we were for the first time in Spain. The site is best arrived in the morning when some of the campers leave - in the afternoon it was hard to find a spot even in low season.

A) El Palo

B) Sandy Parking at the beach near the town of Nerja - coordinates 36.742792, -3.889971. We chose this place because we really wanted to see the town of Nerja. We stood right on the beach, there were more campers in the car park, and campervans. Unfortunately, the next morning the police ordered everyone to leave. We have never packed up so quickly before 🙂 Nevertheless, we saw a beautiful sunrise here and met a very nice couple from England who we will definitely visit on future trips. 

C) In the next place we spent over a week, survived another big storm and met a very warm couple from the Netherlands for the second time. Coordinates 36.708445, -3.496230. This is a large car park right on the beach in the village of Torrenueva. Highly recommended in low season, beautiful long beach ideal for walking, sunshine and a charming town. 

D) Balanegra - a spot spotted from Google satellite, practically on the beach right next to a large greenhouse. Coordinates 36.750111, -2.917111 You can stay here for 3 nights, The policemen drove by every day and on the third day they told us to go away, but they were very friendly. In the town of Balanegra we recommend visiting the small bakery and trying the sweets. 

E) Sites E and F are almost the same place - we managed to spend two nights in the first one located a little higher and closer to the water. On the third day, the policeman in charge of coastal protection told us to leave, and in a place a little further away where there were more campers We spent a week and did not disturb anyone. We highly recommend this place. 

F) As above

G) Parking at the beach - despite a clear ban full of campers. Coordinates 36.737483, -2.613658. We stopped because we wanted to see Punta de Entinas National Park and it was very hard to find a wild place in the area. A plus is the huge beach with palm treeswhere we rocked on hammocks.

H) Cabo de gata - the most extreme point of our journey - a steep, winding climb, both ways. Google didn't cooperate with us on the day, we were supposed to stand at a spot below this hill, but it led us on. Apparently it was meant to be - views fabulous. If you don't want to drive uphill we saw two other campervan parks along the way. Coordinates 36.724350, -2.193139

(I) Pulpi in the province of Almeria is the place where we found our second dog - Negrowhich someone threw out of the car. In this area you will find more places and car parks for campers. We stood here - by a beautiful beach with views coordinates 37.371396, -1.645365 Recommended despite its proximity to the street.

J) Playa Cabezo de la Pelea - Coordinates 37.545666, -1.362077. Highly recommend this place - we stood right on the beach, quiet peaceful, there were a few campers, close to Mazarronwhere you can see beautiful rocks and walk along a scenic route. 

A) Playa Cabezo de la Pelea

B) Santa Pola - here you will also find several places to stop by campervan in beautiful surroundings, we stayed one night here -. Coordinates 38.205387, -0.509874 in the larger car park, and then we moved to the smaller, quieter bay marked C on the map above. 

C) Santa Pola

D) Cullera - site close to naturist beach - coordinates 39.206778, -0.235000. We were on our own for a few days, not counting one campervan that stayed for one night. A beautiful wide beach for walking and peace and quiet. The site is reached by a narrow road between greenhouses. We recommend 

E) The last place in Spain determination tried to stop us from leaving 🙂 Coordinates - 40.2029770,0.2495480 Despite the uneven terrain, it is worth going there to relax and listen to the sound of the sea.This is a place where the bonfires can also be made, we unfortunately did not take advantage due to the very cold nights in March. 

F) Home

The other sites are places along the route - on the way to Poland we stopped close to the route after a few hours of driving when we felt tired.

Perhaps you will set off along our routes and take advantage of these beautiful places, or our itinerary will inspire you to make your own trip to Spain. Let yourself be taken in by the amazing sights, experience the local culture and taste the best of Spanish food. It's always worth blazing your own trail too. We are definitely going back to Spain next year, as there are many more places we want to see.