THE SUNSHINE SOUTH
Spain is an easygoing spot for British motorhomers, with a community of British tourists, temperatures warm enough to dine outside in the autumn months and adventures to be had if you venture away from the well-trammelled coasts. You are allowed to park overnight in any parking spot in Spain for free if you don’t convert the space into a motorhome pitch (ie you cannot plant chairs and tables outside or install a satellite TV dish), although a system of aires (official campervan and caravan parking spots) is also in operation across the country and can be located through the app Park4Night (park4night.com).
The nippiest ferries to Morocco depart from Tarifa to Tanger Med (an hour) or Algeciras to Tanger Med (90 minutes), due to restart later in the year. There is no online facility to buy ferry tickets, so you’ll need to buy these from agencies in your departure city. With the cost of living hovering around £20 per day (without accomRupert “Sunshine getaways are
appealing because you can’t guarantee the sun here in the UK. Being in
the van means we can chase the sunshine and who knows where it
will lead us!” Holly and Mike are heading through Spain
into Morocco and back into Europe for a year of Schengen shuffling.
@hollyandmike_ modation, of course), seven hours of sunshine a day in December and a warm welcome to motorhomers who observe cultural norms (French retirees have been wintering here for decades), extending your winter sun break with a leg in Morocco, where you get 90 days’ stay visa-free, looks set to become a classic route.
There will be plenty to occupy you in the North African country if you want to use your full 90-day stay, including the vibrant cities Tangier, Fez and Marrakech; the Rif and Atlas mountain ranges, with their excellent and accessible trekking; and the Sahara, for a desert landscape that’s otherworldly compared to the topography north of the Med.
While Morocco has recently announced that it will not be accepting travellers from Britain due to the pandemic, these restrictions are not expected to remain indefinitely.