La Costa Brava in Camping-Car: advice, areas, routes

How to visit the Costa Brava in motorhome or furnished van? The answer in this dedicated article!

Do you lack ideas for your travelling holiday? Go to the Costa Brava on a motorhome! Name given to the Catalan coast on the Mediterranean Sea, the Costa Brava is one of the most touristic coasts in Spain. The coastline of the Costa Brava stretches from Portbou to Blanes, along a shredded coastline, with countless coves.

You will travel the Catalan roads to admire exceptional landscapes, cliffs plunging into a turquoise sea. But also large beaches of fine sand and cities with rich historical and cultural heritage. Visiting the Costa Brava on a motorhome allows you to explore the unmissable riches and treasures of Catalonia. This traveling journey will give you a lot of freedom of movement, and for cause: you will go wherever you like (or almost)!

Are you leaving for Spain imminently? Here is our mini-guide advice to visit the Costa Brava in camper or in furnished van.

Ideas of itineraries on the Costa Brava in motorhome

Whether it's for escapades in nature, a sports holiday or a road trip to take your best photos, Costa Brava is a mandatory passage in Spain.

The Catalan coast is known for its seaside resorts, vibrant nightlife, coastline and swimming beaches. The most emblematic cities are Cadaqués, Rosas, Empuriabrava, Lloret de Mar Or Tossa de Mar. The Costa Brava stretches 250 kilometres from the north to the south. On a long stay, you will be able to visit other important cities, sites and monuments in Catalonia.

Here are some ideas of itineraries to do by coming to visit the Costa Brava on a motorhome.

• The Costa Brava on a week: El Port de la Selva, the Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes, Cadaqués, the lighthouse of Cap de Creus, Rosas, the vineyards of Mas Estela, Empuriabrava, L’Escala, L’Estartit, the Château de Montgrí, Girona ;
• Visit the Costa Brava on a 15-day camper : The same steps, more Pals, the Begur massif and the beaches of Sa Riera in Tamariu, Palamós, Platja d’Aro, S’Agaró, Sant Feliu de Guíxols;
• Visit the Costa Brava in 30 days: The same route, the more the lighthouse of Sant Sebastià, Tossa de Mar, Lloret de Mar, Blanes.

These steps are just an idea of what you can visit along the Catalan coast and its surroundings. Because you will logically adapt your itineraries according to what you want to do: sports holiday, family relaxing stay, see the beaches, party, small budget, etc.

Finally, by camping-car, you will save on the budget of accommodation!

Driving on the Costa Brava in motorhome : traffic rules to know

If most of the rules of the French road code are similar in Spain, take care to visit the Costa Brava in camping-car or in furnished van. Take a step on small mountain roads.

Speed limitations along the Costa Brava are 120 km/h on the highway, 100 km/h on separate roadways. On double-sensing networks, speed is limited to 80 km/h sometimes 90 km/h . In agglomeration, the limits are 20 to 30 km/h (residential areas) and 50 km/h.

Finally, make sure you have at your disposal all the documents authorizing you to drive (driving license, registration certificate, vehicle insurance card).

Motorway to the Costa Brava: what price for your camper category?

We have good news for you: there are few highway tolls in Spain. As for the Costa Brava, the area is crossed by the highways AP-7 , A-2 , C-35 , C-31 and C-32 . These offer the advantage of being all free.

The AP-7 concession was not renewed by the Spanish government. As a result, it has been free since January 2020. Visiting the Costa Brava on a camper or a furnished van will not cost you a toll.

How and where to rent a motorhome in France?

Today it is possible to travel by camping-car, even if you are not owners of a vehicle. Indeed, it is now easy to rent these vehicles among individuals. Many platforms allow this type of rental, online, as Yescapa For example.

How does it work?

• At first, you have to choose the motorhome in your city (For example Bordeaux, Nantes, Toulouse, Paris, Montpellier or Marseille).
• Be careful choose unlimited mileage, to check the number of beds available and if travel abroad is possible.
• Do your work online rental request and share your travel information (dates, rental options, mileage, etc.) to the owner.
• If your request is accepted and after payment, you will have access to the owner's contact information to organize a First meeting.
• Day J, present your driver's license and pour bail.
• One. status of premises is executed and a lease is signed between the two parties. Once back from Spain, sign the state of the return places and the tour is played!

How and where to rent a motorhome for the Costa Brava?

Several solutions are available to rent a motorhome for the Costa Brava. First, it is possible to rent on site. However, this solution is risky, given the region's attendance. Therefore, to rent on site, booking online is a more prudent decision.

Another possibility: to leave from France with the rented vehicle. This avoids the language barrier, conversations or contract. However, the cost of fuel will be higher.

The camper areas on the Costa Brava: where to park?

Parking on the Costa Brava

The Spanish law allows, as in France, to motorhomes park on all regular locations dedicated to this effect. But the Catalan coast is a very touristic area, especially in the summer. And you will find very few squares with white lines in the coastal resorts.

In summer, it is therefore very difficult to find a parking space in the cities. It is therefore recommended to book in advance an online parking space when you arrive to visit a city. This is especially the case for Blanes, Cadaqués, Platja d’Aro or Lloret de Mar, where parking can also be expensive.

Sleep in motorhome on the Costa Brava

The Costa Brava, very touristic, has many campsites and service areas for motorhomes. It will be your only camping-car folding solution. Officially, it is strictly forbidden to settle in public space to spend the night in Catalonia.

Usually, it is possible to find remote spots from the dwellings, away from the rounds of the Guardia Civil . But it will be complicated on the Costa Brava because of the urbanization on the coast. The Campercontact site, for example, references 351 service areas for motorhomes in Catalonia. These are often paid, but they guarantee to spend a quiet night, legally.

Are you looking for a spot where to sleep? This is possible. However, you would be much more discreet in van or van. You can use the Park4night app to avoid spending long hours looking for a quiet corner. The tool references parking, campings, service areas for camping-car where you can park.

If you want to bivouac without paying or in nature, you also need to avoid protected natural spaces. Make sure you always leave clean places, as you found them.

What is the best time to travel by camping-car on the Costa Brava

The best time to visit the Costa Brava in camping-car extends from late spring to early autumn .

The climate of the Costa Brava is Mediterranean, with warm and dry summers and mild winters. North of the Costa Brava, winter is quite cold because of the proximity of the Pyrenees. Spring and autumn are fresh and wet seasons.

In summer, rains are rare and temperatures range from 27°C to 30°C. The temperature in July and August often exceeds the 30°C, although the sea tempers the canicular episodes. The sea temperature reached a peak at 25°C in August in Blanes, for example. It is an average of 23°C in July and September

Summer is a period of high tourist affluence. So, to visit the Costa Brava on a quiet motorhome, leave in June or September if you can!