Camping in Spain: Costas and culture

13 June, 2022

A sun-drenched coastline with amazing beaches: this describes the Spanish Costas in a nutshell. Great place to enjoy a camping holiday. But it is also possible to explore inland from your coastal campsite. Wander through picturesque villages and bustling cities, where the aroma of tapas, paella and sangria will greet you. Or become enchanted by the majesty of nature in the Spanish hinterland.

From north to south, these are Spain’s most beautiful Costas!

• Costa Brava (province of Gerona)
• Costa Dorada (province of Tarragona)
• Costa Blanca (province of Alicante)
• Costa del Sol (province of Málaga)
• Even more costa’s …

Costa Brava: a green piece of Spain

The Costa Brava is a holiday destination filled with sun, see and beach. But this 200-km long coastal strip in the northeast of Spain is so much more. Because if you love culture and the great outdoors, you will run out of time. The beautiful fishing villages, churches, museums and botanical gardens alone will guarantee you a varied holiday. For example, visit the fascinating cities Blanes and Lloret de Mar.

Blanes

You can enjoy sunbathing at one of the beaches of the seaside resort Blanes. When evening falls, pick one of the many bars or terraces to relax in – always a great time until late at night. Not really a lover of beaches? Go for green in the two large botanical gardens: Mar i Murtra and Pinya de Rosa. Admire and smell aloes, cacti and other exotic plants. While strolling through the gardens, you will always have a beautiful view of the Mediterranean Sea.

Lloret de Mar

Lloret de Mar is particularly loved by young people. But don’t let that fool you: fans of culture and nature have a great time here as well. There is the church of Sant Romà or the Santa Clotilde Gardens. Also unique: the beautiful cemetery where the tombs, graves and mausoleums are true works of art. If you prefer to avoid the crowds, go to Lloret de Mar in April or May. It is much quieter then, at the campsite as well. And with the CampingCard ACSI discount card, you can camp along the Costa Brava at an even better price during the low season.

Art along the coast

Salvador Dalí is one of Spain’s greatest artists. Fans of his surrealistic works have come to the right place along the Costa Brava. The Dalí museum, located in Figueres, has one of the largest collections of works by the painter. Forty kilometres down the road is Cadaqués, a fishing village. Dali’s former villa, now a museum, is located here. Read more about Dalí and the Costa Brava in this blog.

Camping along the Costa Brava

Many people spend the winter along the Costa Brava. Logical, because the temperature is still very pleasant during the winter months. A dip in the sea is somewhat less pleasant, with temperatures being better for that between June and October. If you are not a fan of salt water but are looking to cool down, most of the campsites along the Costa Brava have one or more swimming pools! And otherwise you can always visit one of the water parks: Water World (Lloret de Mar), Marineland Catalunya (Palafolls) or Aquadiver (Castell-Platja d’Aro).

Camping along the Costa Brava

Costa Daurada: enjoy the Golden Coast

The Costa Daurada, Costa Dorada in Spanish, has amazing beaches and lively seaside resorts, such as Salou or Sitges. The 216-km-long Costa Daurada is also promisingly known as the ‘Golden Coast’. Rightly so, since the sandy beaches here are gold-coloured. Because the beaches slope so gently down into the sea, they are very suitable for families with children. This makes the Costa Daurada perfect for an amazing beach holiday with the entire family.

Salou

Salou is the ideal holiday destination for a sun worshipper. It also has a charming tourist centre. But … there is more. The well-known youth hotspot also contains Spain’s largest amusement park: PortAventura World. If you want to go karting or climbing, Salou is a great destination. Go to the climbing park Bosc Aventura and the kart track Karting Salou. For older children, a visit to Salou and its many exciting attractions are definitely worthwhile.

Sitges

Sitges, another attractive coastal location along the Costa Daurada, is a lovely historical centre with squares, small castles and gardens. You come here mainly for the peace and quiet. You stroll through the small streets at your leisure and stop every now and then at a terrace for a refreshing drink and some delicious taps. There are still seventeen more beaches! Sitges hosts several international events annually, such as a film festival, carnival and the Gay Pride. The peace and quiet disappear and the city buzzes with fun.

With the ancient Romans

It is also possible to soak up culture along the Costa Daurada. Visit the ancient Roman amphitheatre in Tarragona. Or take in the Ciutadella Iberica in Calafell, a reconstructed village with elements from various centuries. In addition to the nightlife and its historical heritage, Costa Daurada also has unique fishing villages. You can dine on fresh fish every day here. Visit the market of the fishing village Cambrils for delicious local specialties with their colours and scents.

Dive in!

The Costa Daurada is also very suitable for water sports enthusiasts. There are many spots to surf, sail and dive. If you’re not really a fan of swimming, go inland. You can go on extensive hikes or even climb mountains. A good long hike will show you all the beauty that the Costa Daurada has to offer: its golden beaches, green vineyards, rugged mountain ranges, huge marshy areas and picturesque coves.

Campsites along the Costa Dorada

Costa Blanca: a varied holiday destination

The white coast of Spain, the Costa Blanca, is one of the most popular coastal areas of the country. With cities like Alicante and Benidorm, there is a lot to see. The Costa Blanca has more than two hundred kilometres of beautiful sandy beaches where sunworshippers can spend their time. What is there to do along this costa?

Alicante

Alicante is a beautiful city with several interesting museums, wonderful churches, an impressive castle. And then there is still the old working-class area Santa Cruz. It is a maze of narrow streets and flights of stairs. It has colourful small houses with amazing shutters and doors. Everywhere you look, there are flowers and plants. A sight to behold. Be sure to visit the castle and show your best side on the boulevard.

Benidorm

Benidorm has golden beaches as well as a beautiful boulevard. There are restaurants with food from all corners of the earth, sunny terraces and charming little shops. The historical centre lies on the promontory with its famous skyline around it. You should really visit the famous Balcón del Mediterraneo for a view of the sea. If you want excitement and sensation, just outside of Benidorm is the amusement park Terra Mitica and the Aqua Natura water park.

Days out in the Costa Blanca

Big cities, small villages, beautiful beaches and amazing mountains – the Costa Blanca has plenty of highlights. If you love the great outdoors, a visit to Cuevas del Canelobre is recommended. These caves, located in the mountains by Busot, resemble a cathedral. If you are on holiday with the family, you might want to consider the activity park Casa de Pedrera. Young and old will enjoy themselves horseback riding, quad riding, waterskiing and canoeing. Finally, there is the beautiful Castle of Guadalest to visit. The eleventh-century castle has a spectacular location is the mountains, about 25 kilometres away from Benidorm.

Campsites along the Costa Blanca

Costa del Sol: out and about in historic Spain

Campsites along the Costa del Sol, the three hundred-kilometre-long coast in the southern province Andalusia, are often on or close to the beach. It is easy to go inland from the campsite to visit cultural cities such as Almeria and Málaga. But don’t forget the famous seaside resorts such as Torremolinos, Fuengirola and Marbella. This makes the Costa del Sol a varied coastline with quiet, undiscovered spots and tourist magnets.

Málaga

Surrounded by mountains, Málaga still exhibits many influences by the Moors, such as the beautiful former Moorish fort Alcazaba. The cathedral is also an impressive landmark. The beaches, the boulevard and the charming catering in this part of the city are also worth exploring. For a city trip with culture, delicious foods and sun, Málaga is the place to be.

Almería

In Almería as well, close to the Sierra Nevada mountain range, you will see a lot of influence by the Moors. Or you can imagine yourself in an Arab world during a visit to Alcazaba de Almería. Anyway you look at it, there is a lot of history in the centuries-old Almería. Any of the museums there will tell you all about it. The city’s cathedral is very special because it was designed as a fort to protect its inhabitants from pirates. Children will be especially interested in a visit to the underground network of the Museo Refugio de la Guerra Civil (Civil War Shelter Museum), built as a shelter against the bombardment during the Spanish Civil War.

Flamingos and wolves

Big cities with monuments, small fishing villages, relaxing seaside resorts, inland skiing centres. The Costa del Sol is one of the most varied regions in Spain. If you love the great outdoors, Costa del Sol is a destination to add to your list of places to go. From Torremolinos, you can go out with a guide to admire the flamingos (one of the largest species in Europe) or visit a nature reserve for wolves. Or visit historic Ronda, which is surrounded by three national parks. This is the location of the famous bridge over the Tagus River.

Camping along the Costa del Sol

The campsites along the Costa del Sol have everything you could wish for and are usually on or at least close to the beach. Sporty campers can enjoy themselves at the campsite and in the vicinity by going on a hiking, cycling or climbing adventure. There are several skiing centres in the mountain range of the Sierra Nevada. The many amusement parks and water parks along the Costa del Sol are popular among teenagers and their parents.

Campings along the Costa del Sol

Emerging Costas

If you would love to go to a beach campsite in Spain but want to visit places that are less busy, travel down to the Costa del Azahar, between Barcelona and Valencia. This is also called the Orange Blossom Coast. Inhale the delicious scent at one of the spacious orchards and don’t forget to visit the impressive hinterland. True sunworshippers stay on the Warm Coast (Costa Cálida) in the Murcia region, where 250 kilometres of coastline await you. And then there is still the Costa de la Luz. This is an authentic part of southern Spain with beautiful nature reserves like the Doñana National Park. One of the most beautiful cities in the region is the delightful city of Cádiz.

Share more camping ideas

If you have chosen a camping holiday along one of the hospitable Costas, then you are at a perfect location to experience all that Spain has to offer. If you are looking for a good route to Spain that avoids the toll roads, read our blog about toll-free routes to Spain. What are your best tips for the Spanish Costas? We are curious!