# site recommendation - Marbella



## Philippft (Feb 16, 2008)

Advice please! 

Am i right in thinking that Marbella would be the best area in Spain for overwintering with respect to temperature and consistent weather! 

Can anyone recommend a campsite that is near the beach, has good transportation links, locally and further afield, and ideally within walking distance of a populated area. 

The site should be clean, good security and the facilities one would expect i.e. Wi Fi, hot showers, etc. 

If other brits are there , all the better, and finally, affordable. 

Many kind thanks in advance, 
Philip


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## H1-GBV (Feb 28, 2006)

We spent 6months in Marbella in 2009: the temperature dropped to 3deg on one day (our kids couldn't get to work in UK because of deep snow and sub-zero temps) and seemed typically to be around 10deg during Jan, rising to 20deg in late Feb. When it rained, it rained! The Spanish don't do much in the way of drains or gutters, so be prepared to get wet.

However, we were in an apartment rather than camping, but we looked with interest at most sites, as originally we'd intended taking the MH.

In my opinion, Camping Marbella Playa at Elviria is probably one of the best to fit your requirements (remember, we didn't actually stay there!)

Cabopino is quite nice, with good restaurants nearby and is frequented by UK club rallies. However, it is an uphill walk from the beach. It is also very close to the road, but well screened.

Camping Fuengirola fits all of your requirements BUT looked awful; very tight on space, adjacent to the main road with no shelter.

Camping Bourganvillea at Ricmar looked rather good, but walking to the beach would be slightly more difficult.

Public transport is pretty good: €3 would get you from Marbella to Fuengirola on the bus, and another €5 would get you to Malaga on the train, which ran on schedule (approx every 20mins).

Hopefully someone will give chapter and verse from their own experience.

I would recommend travelling past Seville to visit El Rocio, a "cowboy" town with no tarmac roads, adjacent to some fantastic nature reserves (Donana) and with a lovely lake where flamingoes fly in at sunset. There is a good campsite in the village.

If you like wild camping, there are loads of spots beside the beach on Costa del Sol, but there may be a bit more trouble from the Policia in an effort to raise revenue!

Enjoy - Gordon


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## mikebeaches (Oct 18, 2008)

I believe, statistically, you'll find the weather better on the Costa Blanca than the Costa del Sol in winter. The rainfall along the south coast is generally higher, mainly because of it's closer proximity to the prevailing Atlantic systems. 

In fact, the Costa de Almeria, between the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol, is reputed to be the dryest region in the whole of Western Europe. Murcia is another good area to investigate for its winter climate.

As I said, the above is the statistical position - but of course the winter weather varies from year to year. Can be cold and wet, or can be long spells of pleasant warm sunshine - guess it should be better than the UK in any case!


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## Ollie33 (Sep 3, 2011)

Have been living in Camping Cabapino for the past 18 months. Has it all Sadly wife got homesick and arrived home yesterday


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

I spent one winter in an apartment up the hill at Elviria and found that all the other apartments were empty holiday homes. Also I needed the car to get to the beach or shops and back. If I had visitors I had to chauffeur them everywhere. It was also full of Brits.

I then bought a place in Costabella which is East of Marbella between Elvira and El Rosario junctions of the N340 and spent 4 winters there. It is beach side of the N340 (which is important) and has an excellent Sandy beach (see Google earth) with a good selection of restaurants and two local supply shops. 5min bus ride into Marbella. Main hospital close by. The community was built a long time ago mainly for Germans. However, it now has a good mix of nationalities and local people. It is residential, quiet and very different from Fuegirola, Calahonda etc so I am not recommending it in case it is not your cup of tea. 

Camping Bouganvillia is just by the N340 with a pedestrian bridge to Costabella. I had a look at it since I bought the MH. It seemed tatty and cramped but then many places by the beach are. 

The winter days can be great. I have sat on the beach in shorts on Christmas day but when the sun goes down you need jeans and fleece. 

Most of the houses/ restaurants don't have CH so you either need one with a fire or wear appropriate clothing, eg keep your jacket on to eat. Most buildings are concrete boxes with marble floors designed for the summer. I have felt colder there in winter than I have here with the CH on. In the rain it can be pretty miserable. 

Andrew


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## H1-GBV (Feb 28, 2006)

Forgive me for asking what may appear at first to be rude questions (and I certainly don't expect any answers :wink: ) but why might you go to Marbella and what sort of a motorhomer are you?

I got a 6month contract in Marbella and my first thought was "take the MH". However, it would have meant Barbara coming to work every day (perhaps; I might have been able to catch public transport or get a lift, but that was uncertain) and it looked like costing €25 per day on some sites (many seemed fully booked, and we only had 3 weeks inc Xmas & NY to sort it out). Fortunately a friend offered us a beach front apartment for a reasonable price, so we took the car - 55mpg!

Later we moved to a more luxurious apartment with 3 swimming pools, Sky TV, air-con, secure underground carpark etc for €750 per month (plus water, elec: approx €70).

So if you want to stay in one place for a long period, I would suggest thinking about not using your MH! Like Andrew, we ended up in Elviria and those "summer holiday" places are available EVERYWHERE cheaply so long as you promise to be out during peak periods.

I envied those folk who were wilding by the beach and I would love to return and slowly roam along the coast. However, we covered almost every inch between Faro and Malaga, with several jaunts (at weekends) up to Granada, Cordoba, Jerez, etc and the little country roads through the mountains felt narrow enough in the car. The Spanish seem to love underground carparks and parking on the street is a sight for sore eyes (and dented panels).

As with all things, you pays your money and you makes your choice. Enjoy - Gordon

PS we got the last spot for a car on the Pride of Bilboa so saved the drive across France; if we'd taken the MH we wouldn't have fitted on!


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Agree*



mikebeaches said:


> I believe, statistically, you'll find the weather better on the Costa Blanca than the Costa del Sol in winter. The rainfall along the south coast is generally higher, mainly because of it's closer proximity to the prevailing Atlantic systems.
> 
> In fact, the Costa de Almeria, between the Costa Blanca and Costa del Sol, is reputed to be the dryest region in the whole of Western Europe. Murcia is another good area to investigate for its winter climate.
> 
> As I said, the above is the statistical position - but of course the winter weather varies from year to year. Can be cold and wet, or can be long spells of pleasant warm sunshine - guess it should be better than the UK in any case!


I would agree with that.

The Peninsular around Moraira / Javea (Xabia) Denia has its own microclimate. It is very green in that area too as the mountains help the rain!.

Benidorm?

I have stayed in Costa Tropical and it can get very cold at night.

TM


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