Caravanning is a popular outdoor activity during spring. Pixabay

Motorhomes in Spain: this is how you can avoid being slapped with a fine

Travel ·
The vehicles have become a trendy option for seeing the country, but you can't just camp anywhere

V.L.

Madrid

Tuesday, 18 April 2023, 19:02

With the arrival of spring and good weather, more and more people are taking up the idea of outdoor activities. As a result, buying or renting a motorhome and waking up every day in a different scenic place has become a lot more popular.

But there are rules to this, and you may be hit with a fine if you're not careful.

It is important to differentiate between sleeping and camping in a vehicle. Sleeping is permitted and does not carry a penalty as long as the vehicle is correctly parked and does not cause a traffic hazard.

Motorhomes are allowed to park in a permitted place, without exceeding the road markings. But according to Spain's road traffic regulations, a motorhome is considered to be camped when it deploys camping elements that stretch beyond the perimeter of the vehicle, such as tents, awnings, levelling devices and stabilising supports. And it is in this case that fines are possible.

Camping is only permitted in designated areas such as campsites or car parks, depending on the regulations of each autonomous region.

Penalties will depend on the environment in which the illegal camping has been committed. For example, according to the Coastal Law, you cannot camp on a beach if there is no specific place allowed for it, and the fine ranges from 50 to 150 euros.

In addition, a fine of 40 euros can be imposed for each square metre that exceeds the parking limits.

Parking is also not allowed in National Parks and special care must be taken in areas considered to be environmentally protected. In the most serious cases, according to the Environmental Assessment Law, fines can be up to 5,000 euros.

Noticia patrocinada

Motorhomes in Spain: this is how you can avoid being slapped with a fine

Travel · The vehicles have become a trendy option for seeing the country, but you can't just camp anywhere

Travel ·
The vehicles have become a trendy option for seeing the country, but you can't just camp anywhere