Motorhoming in Spain: routes, campsites and what we learned
Spain is one of the most motorhome-friendly countries in Europe, and we have driven it more than once, both on the way to Portugal and on the long haul down to Morocco. Here is how we get there, where we stay, and what we would tell you before you go.
The short answer
There are two ways to get a motorhome into Spain: the direct ferry to Santander or Bilbao, which lands you rested in the north, or the long drive down through France. Once you are there, Spain is superb for vans, with a good network of aires, many of them free, alongside proper campsites for laundry and a pool.
Our advice is to mix free aires with the odd campsite, travel in the shoulder seasons and avoid rushing. The country rewards a slow trip.
We have taken a motorhome through Spain three times that stand out: a fast run down France and into Spain in 2020, a full Iberian loop into Portugal in 2021, and the long drive south through Spain on the way to Morocco in 2023. Steve also came back up through Spain from the Sahara in the electric campervan. This is not guesswork: these are the stops on our own map, and the lessons we picked up getting there and back.
Getting there: ferry or France
The first real decision
You can drive down through France and cross the border by road, which is the cheaper option and fine if you want to see a bit of France on the way. But it is two long motorway days with tolls, and with children in the back it can feel like a slog before the holiday has even started.
The alternative is the direct ferry from Portsmouth or Plymouth to Santander or Bilbao, run by Brittany Ferries. It costs more and the Santander crossing is a long one, around twenty-four hours, but you book a cabin, sleep most of it, and wake up in northern Spain ready to go. Santander is our usual way in and out, and the more we have done it the more we rate arriving rested.
Book the summer ferry early. The sailings that take a motorhome fill up well ahead, and the fare is a big part of the trip cost, so it pays to plan it rather than leave it late. We weigh the extra ferry money against two days of French motorway and tolls, and these days the ferry usually wins. Our most recent crossing came with its own drama, which we wrote up in full in our Spain and Portugal split-up post.
Aires versus campsites
How we actually stay in Spain
Spain has an excellent network of aires, dedicated motorhome stopovers, some free and some with a small charge, and many with services like fresh water and waste disposal. On our run south in 2023 we spent our last night in the country on a completely free aire with services, and we stopped at another free spot with services on the way down. You genuinely can tour Spain without paying for a pitch every night.
Campsites still earn their place. When we want laundry done, a proper shower block, a pool for the boys or somewhere secure to leave the van for a day, we book a site. Our approach is to mix the two: free or cheap aires for the touring nights, a campsite every few days to reset. It keeps the cost sensible and the trip comfortable.
Real stops from our map
Every one a pin we actually parked on
These are real stops from our Spanish trips, not a wishlist. They will give you a feel for the spread of the country, from the ferry port to the quiet villages of the interior.
- Santander
This is our usual way in and out of Spain: the Brittany Ferries crossing to and from Portsmouth or Plymouth lands you straight into the north, rested, with the long French motorway drive taken off the table.
- Quinta de Cavia
This is a campsite near Burgos, and a lovely first night in Spain off the ferry, with a pool and a restaurant. It is the kind of stop that makes the arrival feel like the holiday has properly started.
- Hontanas
We parked at the municipal pool in this tiny village on the Camino de Santiago, an unofficial stop and a beautiful place to catch up with friends walking the route. It captures northern Spain at its quietest.
- Cuenca
This campsite worked well as a staging point on our run north out of Spain in 2020. It sits well inland, a reminder that Spain is far more than its coastline.
- La Poblacion
This completely free aire made a perfect last night in Spain on the 2023 run south, proof that you can tour the country beautifully without paying for a pitch every night.
- Bejar
This is a free motorhome parking spot with services on the way down towards southern Spain: handy, well placed and the sort of stop the aire network does so well.
Every one of these is plotted on our map with the video from that trip, so you can see exactly where it is and what it looked like before you decide whether it suits you.
Driving, tolls and overnighting
Spanish roads are a pleasure in a van. Away from the cities they are quiet, well surfaced and generally big enough that a motorhome never feels like hard work. There is a mix of free autovias and tolled autopistas, and with several toll roads having gone free in recent years, you can largely steer around the paid ones if you are not in a rush. A van trip usually gives you that extra time.
On overnighting away from official stops, we play it safe. The rules vary by region and are tighter than they once were, so we stick to aires and campsites where we know we are allowed to stay. With the aire network as good as it is, there is no need to chance a spot you are not sure about. And on timing, the shoulder seasons are the sweet spot: warm, quiet, and none of the deep-summer heat that can make the interior tough in a van.
Motorhoming in Spain questions we get asked
Do you need a ferry to take a motorhome to Spain?
No. You can drive down through France and cross the border by road, which is cheaper but adds two long motorway days. Or you can take the direct ferry from Portsmouth or Plymouth to Santander or Bilbao, which costs more but drops you straight into northern Spain rested. We have done both and now lean towards the Santander ferry.
What is the ferry to Spain for motorhomes?
Brittany Ferries run the direct UK to northern Spain crossings, into Santander or Bilbao. From Santander the crossing is a long one, around twenty-four hours, so you book a cabin and sleep most of it. Book early, because the summer sailings with a motorhome sell out well ahead.
Are there free aires in Spain?
Yes. Spain has a good network of aires, some free and some with a small charge, and many have services like fresh water and waste disposal. We have used several completely free ones with services, including on our last night in the country. Mixing free aires with the odd campsite is the way we keep costs sensible.
Is wild camping legal in Spain?
The rules on overnighting vary by region and are stricter than they used to be, so we do not chance it. We stick to aires and campsites, where you know you are allowed to stay. There are plenty of both, so you are not short of options by playing it safe.
When is the best time to motorhome in Spain?
The shoulder seasons, spring and early autumn, are hard to beat: warm days, quieter roads and campsites, and none of the deep-summer heat that can make the interior uncomfortable in a van. High summer is fine on the cooler northern coast but hot inland.
Do Spanish motorways have tolls?
Some do and some do not. There is a mix of free autovias and tolled autopistas, and several big toll roads have gone free in recent years. If you are not in a hurry you can largely avoid the tolls by taking the free roads, which is what we tend to do with the extra time a van trip gives you.
Written by Steve and Lyndsay Radford. Every stop named here is a real pin from our own trips through Spain in 2020, 2021 and 2023. Where our notes were thin we have kept things general rather than invent detail. Roaming Radfords is a trading name of Yowzer Limited.