Spain Road Trip: Barcelona, Andalusia & the Mediterranean Coast

Contents of this post20 chapters

• 110 impressive places in Spain
• 21. Serra del Montsec
• 32. Barcelona
• 43. Valencia
• 54. Costa Blanca
• 65. Marbella
• 76. Alhambra
• 8Gibraltar
• 97. Tarifa
• 108. Cádiz
• 119. Gijón
• 1210. Santander
• 13Read more
• 14Spain Road Trip Route along the Mediterranean Coast
• 15Planning Barcelona on a Spain road trip
• 16Valencia and the route along the Mediterranean coast
• 17Andalusia route via Granada and the Costa del Sol
• 18Practical information for a Spain road trip with a campervan
• 19Relevant travel reports
• 20Frequently Asked Questions

10 Impressive Places in Spains

& Stopover in Gibraltar

---

1. Serra del Montsec

A night in nature

After great effort, we finally made it to the top!

We camped here at an altitude of around 2500 meters!

For me, it was the very first time sleeping without a proper tent, right in the middle of nature.

We set up a hammock with a tarp between two trees and made ourselves comfortable.

All the setup made us pretty thirsty, so we went in search of water!

Just half a kilometer further, we found the first stream.

YAY! Water!

We had a special bottle with us, which I can really recommend to any nature lover. With this bottle, almost all impurities are removed from the water. You simply click once on the lid to turn on the UV-C LED light. After just one minute, the water from nature is safe to drink. How cool is that? It's a bit expensive, but you'll have it for a long time! (The bottle is called: Quartz Bottle)

2. Barcelona

Oh beautiful Barcelona.

The narrow streets in the city center, the sweetly decorated shops, the expansive beaches, the street music on every corner.

Definitely, I would also recommend going up to the Riesenrand. From there, you have a beautiful view over the entire city!

Of course, there are also many shopping opportunities! Whether in the store or right on the roadside.

Here you can find everything, whether real brands or fake products. It's funny to see that as soon as the police pass by, people suddenly fold their blankets into a bag and dash away very quickly.

In Spain, it was pretty hot! In the camper, the thermometer rose to up to 45 degrees Celsius during the day.

Scorching heat! Quite foolish when you had bought a delicious watermelon the day before and had to discover the next day that it had completely burst. We can count ourselves lucky that it was in a wooden bowl, otherwise our whole camper would probably have been underwater. The bowl was almost filled to the top with the fruit water. YUCK! And it stinks, I tell you! With gloves and a bucket, we emptied it bit by bit. Disgusting mess! It stank so much, was as slimy as anything, and we had to throw away our bowl.

Well, you learn from mistakes!

Two weeks later, we left Barcelona and immersed ourselves back in nature :

3. Valencia

Speechless. Just speechless. These stunning architectures of Valencia really blew us away!

See for yourself:

We whizzed through almost every city with our e-scooter!

Totally cool! Here in Valencia, there were even charging stations!

Shopping is of course also possible here! Colorful!

“I make the world widdle-widdle-wide the way I like it”

4. Costa Blanca

Ohhhh how beautiful the coastline of the province of Alicante is! Totally in love!

During our exploration, we even came across flamingos.

How awesome is that!!!

The next days, we snorkeled endlessly! I have never in my life seen so many huge fish in one place. It was simply indescribable! We had a snorkel mask that covered the entire face. I can only recommend it! Of course, it's not suitable for diving, but that wasn't really necessary here! Huge schools of fish swam around us, in their various colors.

The clear water provided excellent visibility.

Just perfect!

The cave was also particularly cool!!!

Nothing is better than watching a fantastic sunset after a long day of snorkeling!

After we continued driving, we found a new campsite along the way.

But OOPS. It didn't take long, and we were chased away. There was an overnight ban . No problem!

We could still admire the turtles in the water!

Besides, our new campsite wasn't bad either!

5. Marbella

A perfect day to stroll through the city and admire the beautiful colors of the flowers!

6. Alhambra

Alhambra is a really pretty city castle located in Granada. Especially great were all the flowers!

Gibraltar

Hike up to the top

Wow. Gibraltar was definitely worth it! Gibraltar is a British overseas territory consisting mostly of a large limestone rock. Right on our arrival day, we climbed the 426-meter-high rock in quite a heat.

The best part: Sweet monkeys crossed our paths multiple times.

When we conquered the rock, we arrived quite sweaty!

But we had an amazing view!

In the underground tunnels of the rock, many ancient stories are hidden :

An incredible light show underground. Definitely a highlight in Gibraltar!

7. Tarifa

A dream for kite surfers

Oops. Where have we landed here?

Beach party despite Corona? In Tarifa it was possible!

At every beach bar, you could hear the sound of drum music from afar. The sun shone stronger and stronger every day. The sand was bright yellow, the water clear. It didn't take long, and we were invited to BBQs or parties by other campers.

A huge mile full of like-minded people .

The surf fever quickly caught on, so Max immediately bought himself a new kite surfing equipment and spent days on end in the water.

Definitely still on my MUST DO list - but at that time, I had no experience at all, and other things were the focus for me.

You arrive in Tarifa and are overwhelmed by the so-called "Beach-Vibes", "Party-Vibes", and "Surfer-Vibes".

Great place!

8. Cádiz

Port city in the region of Andalusia

It's time. I turn 26 years young. How time flies….. Max was super, super sweet and distributed 26 red balloons throughout the camper for me. Additionally, he woke me up early in the morning at my birth time and surprised

I contemplated the candle on my muffin... But what does one wish for when one is infinitely happy?

9. Gijón

Fantastic views of the sea! Many skyscrapers and wonderful sights!

10. Santander

Santander. The bank. We know it!

We took a look at the city. Once again, we zipped through the streets with our e-scooter, and what did we see: magnificent trees, the vast sea, small beaches, impressive sights, well-kept houses, and a clean city. Beautiful!

Next Stop: Portugal

Spain Road Trip Route along the Mediterranean Coast

A route for a Spanish road trip can be planned from the French border via Barcelona, Valencia, the Costa Blanca, and Cartagena to Almeria. Three to four weeks are recommended for the main stops along the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Our entire leg to Almeria took around six weeks and included 12 to 15 different campsites. In Almeria, the drive along the coast initially ends; from there, the route leads inland towards Granada.

Just across the border, the Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park offers a first stop in the mountains. Hikes there lead to altitudes of over 2,000 meters. Next comes Barcelona, before the route continues along the coast via Valencia to Denia, Calpe, Alicante, Cartagena, and Almería. In the Andalusian part, Granada, Málaga, Marbella, Gibraltar, Tarifa, Cádiz, and Seville are added. Thus, the route combines city visits, mountain landscapes, and several stretches along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts.

Planning Barcelona on a Spain road trip

Barcelona offers a variety of destinations to choose from, including the Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, the Ramblas, the Gothic Quarter, and Barceloneta beach. Parking a campervan directly in the city center is virtually impossible. Therefore, campsites north of the city in the Badalona region or in the Montserrat mountains, about 30 minutes away, are ideal starting points. From outside the city, you can reach Barcelona by bus or metro.

Connecting Barcelona and Muntanya de Montserrat

Montserrat Mountain complements city days with hikes right among the famous rock formations. A campsite below these formations offers views over the valley and a starting point for hiking tours. Important for campsite planning: Wild camping is strictly prohibited in Catalonia, and there are checks, even at night.

Valencia and the route along the Mediterranean coast

In Valencia, the City of Arts and Sciences, the old town, and the city beach complement the futuristic architecture. The Turia Gardens, situated in a former riverbed, form a nine-kilometer-long park perfect for jogging, cycling, or simply relaxing. South of the city lies the Albufera Natural Park, with its rice paddies, tranquil hiking trails, and restaurants serving Valencian paella.

From Valencia to the Costa Blanca

After Valencia, the Mediterranean coastal route leads to the Costa Blanca. Denia combines a port with a ferry connection to Ibiza, offers campervan pitches at Cape San Antonio, and snorkeling opportunities. Jávea, also known as Xàbia, has three beaches, clear water, and infrastructure for motorhomes. In Calp, the Penyal d'Ifac dominates the landscape; this rock formation is part of Spain's smallest national park. Moraira offers campervan pitches outside the town.

Further south lie Alicante and Cartagena. Campsites near Alicante are located along the cliffs, from which a bus runs to the city center. Cartagena is a port city with a Roman past; in Murcia lies Calblanque with its secluded beaches. Almería finally forms the gateway to Andalusia. There, the Cabo de Gata Natural Park is known for its empty beaches and one of the last unspoiled stretches of coastline in Spain.

Andalusia route via Granada and the Costa del Sol

On the way to Granada lie the Tabernas Desert and the Sierra Nevada mountains, as well as the Francisco Abellán Reservoir, a blue lake nestled in the mountains. In Granada, the Alhambra comprises the Nasrid Palaces, the Generalife Gardens, and the Alcazaba. Allow at least three to four hours for the entire visit. Tickets must be booked online in advance; the Nasrid Palaces have a fixed time slot.

Granada, Málaga and Marbella on the Costa del Sol

The Albaicín district in Granada is characterized by whitewashed alleyways, courtyards, and viewpoints. The Mirador de San Nicolás overlooks the Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada mountains, while the higher Mirador de San Cristóbal offers an almost identical view. Below the Albaicín lies Sacromonte, with its cave dwellings and flamenco shows.

On the Costa del Sol, Málaga combines the Alcazaba Palace, Roman theater ruins, and the cathedral with its unfinished second tower. Above the city lies Gibralfaro Castle, offering views over the city and the sea. Marbella completes the route with its whitewashed houses, narrow streets, and the Plaza de los Naranjos. Eight kilometers west lies the Puerto Banús marina. East of Málaga are Nerja, the Balcón de Europa promenade, and the Cueva de Nerja cave.

Practical information for a Spain road trip with a campervan

The rules for wild camping vary by region. In the Valencia region, it is officially prohibited, but outside the cities it is generally tolerated. On the Costa Blanca and in Murcia, there are many tolerated spots along the coast; the situation is also more relaxed on the Andalusian coast. In Tarifa, numerous campers line the beach parking lot. In Gibraltar, however, there are no designated wild camping spots. There, we used a campsite right by the port of Gibraltar; the border was a ten-minute walk away and was crossed on foot via the runway.

Park considerately and reach cities

• Do not park directly on the beach unless a designated parking area is provided.
• Do not put out camping planks, tables or chairs, as this is considered camping rather than parking.
• Respect the environment and leave no trash behind.
• For narrow old town streets in Córdoba, Seville and Granada, use a campsite on the outskirts of the city and continue by bus or taxi.

I develop content and visual travel stories for tourism boards, focusing on destinations like Spain. Further information is available on the page for collaboration.

Relevant travel reports

• Spain by campervan: Barcelona, Valencia and the Mediterranean coast (on max-haase.com)
• Andalusia: Granada and Costa del Sol (on max-haase.com)