# Can Spain/Portugal be done Ad Hoc nowadays?



## shackman (May 6, 2007)

Please excuse if this question has been asked before! 

Reading through the forum over the last couple of years on the subject of wintering in Spain/Portugal; it seems there are those who pre-book everything in advance and those who just "go".

Being relatively new to motorhoming and never having wintered abroad before, we are now both retired and in a position to escape the cold dark months ahead. However, trying to book sites through the CC Winter Escapes brochure and the C&CC Carefree Winter Sun brochure have proved impossible and on phoning the clubs for advice was told everything is now booked up way in advance.

I have also just received the 2010 ACSI and brochure and notice prices of either 11, 13 or 15 euros but on looking for Spanish coastal sites they are all 15 euros per night.....

The question though is: Given the massive increase in motorhome/caravan ownership, is it still possible to just "go" and be confident of being able to find good, reasonable sites to stay awhile on without booking ahead?

Can we really just get New Year out of the way, load up, catch a ferry and turn right at Calais?


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## brandywine (Aug 28, 2007)

We had 8 weeks in Portugal in Feb & March this year and did not book anything. Only found 1 site in all that time full, it had been recommended by MMM.

We were thinking of trying Spain at the end of January, but now you have me worried.

Regards.


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## cavaqueen (Mar 27, 2006)

Hi there,

This is our second winter abroad, and we have in the past booked in advance, but this year we have noticed that on nearly every camp site there are spaces available, it all depends on how long you want to stay at each site, my advice would be to phone or e mail the site direct.

hope this helps

Cavaqueen


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Hi.

You have a motor home, the reason you got it I presume was to see and visit places.

Just book a ferry get in the thing head South and see where you end up!.

If you will only go if there is somewhere you can stay, book a package holiday it's cheaper.

Adventure..... This isn't the dress rehearsal, we are all drinking at the last chance saloon.


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## Avante524 (Sep 7, 2008)

*Ad-Hoc Camping*

Hello Shackman

we are currently touring Europe and in Spain at present, we have been in 6 campsites and we have not had a single problem getting a pitch.
We're in Camping Marbella Playa (www.campingmarbella.com) anf there are plenty spaces, not a bad site good tv reception, excellent wifi, good supermarket, etc etc.
So dont worry about finding a site, just load up the beans and tomato soup
and get going, providing you can get out of Britain at the moment that is we have seen the news.....bbrrrrrrrrr.

Cheers and still smiling.


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## chapter (May 1, 2005)

here is a web site that may be of help see here
chapter


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## Traveller_HA5_3DOM (May 9, 2005)

You are entering the world of the caravan when you start to book sites in advance. You have the freedom of a motorhome and if you see a place that looks interesting on the way to somewhere, get the Aires book or ACSI or Boad Atlas out. If it's a place worth stopping at it's sure to have a stop over nearby. Having a place to head for is only a reason for traveling in a particular direction.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

We found that though there were spaces available on sites in Portugal they were largely empty for a reason. Many of them were very shady and we were putting the heating on at 4pm! Some pitches were in noisy spots some on sloping or bumpy ground or ground that flooded. We found the shade really off putting as we wanted to sit outside in the sun.

Wild camping was fairly easy though, so we just moved around and only booked into a site if we wanted to do the laundry :lol:


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## bozzer (Jul 22, 2009)

Hi
We're going in January and this will be our 5th winter "relocation" First year we booked all even the en-route, and found all the sites had spaces. Since we've just headed to places we fancied, however, if you want to keep to a budget you'll have to stay more than 30 nights, prices can be high for just a couple of nights. 

This year we've booked a rally for the second part of our stay but are heading to Almeria for the first part when we contacted the site to book they said, no need plenty of room in winter.

Enjoy your stay
Merry Christmas


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## unitedgirl (Feb 8, 2009)

We live in Southern Spain and go off in the Motorhome down the coast whenever we can, we have never had any problem getting on sites ad hoc, even on the smaller ones. We tend to choose ones with direct beach access to walk the dog and favourtites of ours are camping Don Cactus near Motril (lovely staff) sepnt this Christmas there. Further down the coast marbella camping is a good option, large site, close to beach, good supermarket. Down near Tarifa a lovely site is camping La Jara, stunning views to Africa and gorgeous beach.


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## sideways (Jun 2, 2008)

we are in Benidorm at moment and for the first time since i,ve been coming there are spaces at All popular sites


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## shackman (May 6, 2007)

Very much appreciate all replies to date. Very encouraging and as ever, very helpful.

Mostly due to your replies, we have now gone ahead and booked Eurotunnel (thank you Tesco). Due to other commitments we are not now leaving until 1 March but will go for 80 days. 

And yes... we will just turn right at Calais. Mind though, if the first site we stop at is full, expect legal action against all contributors to this thread and against the Forum. Just kidding, 'onest! Please keep the advice coming.


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi we just went the past two winters..........have a good time.


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

It used to be all the good sites were full up from about November to February. From many of the above responses sounds as though the recession is having an affect. Even when sites were full, come the end of February pitches became more readily available as folk headed for home and certainly in March I do not think you will have a problem on the majority of sites.

peedee


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## tonygel (Nov 17, 2008)

*Can Spain/portugal be done ad hoc*

We have never booked a site for the simple reason that we never use them. Are all the 'wild campers' reading this thinking the same as me?


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Yup! :lol:


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## Melly (Jul 5, 2007)

shackman said:


> Due to other commitments we are not now leaving until 1 March but will go for 80 days.


We have been booked for 28 Feb for a while now so will be a days journey ahead .
So if you come to a site and the owner says sorry the last place has just been taken it's probably me. :lol: 
This will be our first winter in the motorhome as we did Tenerife the last couple in an apartment but that became quite boring.
We shall just turn up at sites to stop a few nights ,but we don't want to get into the habit of staying somewhere for 30 nights just because its cheaper.


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## brendan (May 9, 2005)

*Route to Southern Spain*

We are hoping to go to Spain next winter for 8 to 10 weeks. It would be our first winter in Spain.
We are a bit concerned to avoid snow when crossing from France to Spain ( or anywhere else) Is this something we should be worried about?
We reckon to take a week getting there ( Possibly Camping La Manga and Camping Marbella) Do wee need to book overnight sites ( we prefer to use campsites) I know a lot of the French sites close off season.
Brendan


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

We have been in Europe for eighteen months (apart from a few weeks home in the summer) and have never booked anything. In total we stayed on camp sites for three nights just to do some washing, Alan.


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## MikeCo (Jan 26, 2008)

*Re: Route to Southern Spain*



brendan said:


> We are hoping to go to Spain next winter for 8 to 10 weeks. It would be our first winter in Spain.
> We are a bit concerned to avoid snow when crossing from France to Spain ( or anywhere else) Is this something we should be worried about?
> We reckon to take a week getting there ( Possibly Camping La Manga and Camping Marbella) Do wee need to book overnight sites ( we prefer to use campsites) I know a lot of the French sites close off season.
> Brendan


Don't worry about it, there are quite a few sites open on the way down if that's what you prefer. We are going at the end of Jan and I have sites marked out for two different routes through France and if we do the Western route then there are sites open in Spain.
Just ask the question nearer the time or get hold of the ASCI DVD and do a search.

Mike


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Book*

Just back from 3 weeks, never had to book a site and all had room. Only problem was finding sites open between open all year without having to drive for long hours.

By this I mean say getting from Pyrenees to Costas and trying to find an open all year site for overnight stops.

Did find all the Spanish sites we stayed at had trouble accommodating even something as small as 6m motorhomes, many had low trees, close trees or height restrictions due to frames in-place for summer shades. These shades are more suited to tents and caravans.

TM


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## Jinks (May 1, 2005)

*Thanks, great information*

 Thanks to all on this and other forums re winter in Spain, really helpful and maybe bump into you for a hopefully sunny glass of wine next Christmas/winter.
Kind regards
Jinks


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

We did a trip over Xmas and New Year incorporating France and Spain over that week and it was fantastic. We crossed over from Dover to Calais overnight on the ferry and stayed in a aire overnight. Left the next morning for central France, a place called Charriac....lovely overnight stop in winter...(would be great in summer with kids!). Spent 2 nights there and then moved onto San Sanbastion. Excellent site, bus stop right outside and took us right into the city. Moved onto there to Villanova, train ride away from Barcelona. Spent new years eve there and had a wonderfull time. Bus stop right outside the front door into town or the train station. Left there went back to Chariac and then onto Calais and home. Great trip over 10 days. Will do it again.


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