Waking to the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore, and being able to climb out of bed and walk directly to the beach before anyone else has woken certainly, for me, feels like one of life’s magical moments.
Earlier this year I had enjoyed one such moment; well in fact days of enchanting memories – on a campervan escapade. Yes, I had joined the growing number of people that are wanting a taste of #vanlife – the freedom of the open road and the flexibility of having a home-from-home on wheels. It’s easy to hire a Campervan in Spain with Flamenco Campers.
What was once the bohemian holiday of choice is now one of the fastest growing leisure break sectors. Campervan holidays are more popular than ever.
I had been invited to be the guest of Andalusian campervan specialist, Flamenco Campers. Their base is just minutes from Malaga’s international airport, and their fleet of campervans includes the very latest VW California T6 models, new Ford campervans and a Mercedes Marco Polo.
All the campervans are relatively kitted-out my world-leader Westfalia, making ingeniously use of all available space.
I opted to take Merche, the Mercedes Marco Polo. She’s the oldest campervan in the fleet, but I liked the look of her. As you might imagine, as a Mercedes she was easy to drive, and her powerful diesel engine made cruising the highways and byways of Andalucia a real pleasure.
As anyone who follows this site will know, I love southern Spain and over the past decade or more I have got to know each of its provinces. In my opinion to find the best beaches in Andalucia, one needs to go east (to Almeria’s stunning coastal natural park of Cabo de Gata) or go west (along Spain’s evocatively named Costa de la Luz).
On this recent camper van escapade, I opted to head west (since I had visited Almeria on a previous campervan adventure – you see more about that visit to Cabo de Gata here).
Taking the highway west is easy, along the AP7 autopista. It’s a fast motorway, lthough it is a toll road, so you must pay (cash or credit card) for the privilege to cruise past the Costa del Sol to Cadiz coast, to the Costa de la Luz.
Contrary to perceived wisdom, Southern Spain has a remarkable amount of undeveloped coastline, and much of it is on the Atlantic Coast, running from Gibraltar, along the coast of Cadiz province, and on up to Huelva province, until Spain’s border with Portugal.
There is so much to see and enjoy along this route that it could easily make up a week’s vacation; including the beaches west of Tarifa, the southernmost point of Europe; or the hilltop village of Vejer de la Frontera; the beauty of the Doñana National Park; and the fascinating town of Rocio.
My favourite beach is Bolonia, and it’s not uncommon to see the retinto cows wondering down from the pastures to the beach!
Off-season the Guardia Civil will allow you to stay overnight by some of the beaches where there is plenty of parking. During the season, one is obliged to use campsites, but there is a wide choice in both Cadiz and Huelva provinces.
The beaches in Huelva are beautiful!
Merche was the perfect campervan. Her compact design made her easy to drive and park, yet once the roof was extended there was plenty of space to feel at home. The main seats extend and fold out flat to make a double bed, whilst the upper deck also offers another double bed – so ideal for two adults or a family with two young kids.
There’s a small two ring gas stove, a deep chest fridge, and a fold out table. The front seats turn 180 degrees to make for easy dining. What’s more with the superb Andalusian weather, one can spend most of the time eating outside alfresco.
To discover more, or to find out prices and availability to hire a Campervan in Spain with Flamenco Campers, simply click the link.
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