When is the best time of year to rent a motorhome in Spain? Obviously, the answer to that question cannot be given, but the climate and tourism normally play a major role in determining the time to pick up a rental camper. However, Spain is an ideal RV country so you can travel with a motorhome all year round. The country has many climate zones, so the weather is always nice somewhere. Even in the busy summer months you can escape everyone in your motorhome, but if you are looking to be surrounded by people even in the quiet winter months there is some fiesta going on somewhere.
Tourism in Spain explained: the figures (2019)
Spain receives 83 million tourists annually. After France, Spain receives most tourists in the world, so even more than, for example, the US or Italy. In total, tourism in Spain generates 175 Billion (15% of GDP) and employs almost 3 million people. The English (18mln), Germans (11mln) and French (11mln) together account for almost half of the foreign tourists. 82% of those tourists fly to Spain.
How busy does it get with are all those tourists?
Of those 83 million people in 2019, many come over for a city trip: Barcelona (6.5mln), Madrid (5mln), Seville, Valencia, and Granada (all 1mln). Together with the Canary Islands (13mln) and the Balearic Islands (14mln), this makes almost half of those 83 million. Unlike other European countries, many tourists come to Spain all year round. However there are clear peaks around the summer months (mainland) and Jan / Feb (Canary Islands). But do not worry, Spain has more than 8,000 km of coastline and all these tourists do not come to Spain all at the same time. They are well distributed over the country.
The Spaniards go on holiday in August.
Where most countries spread the holidays, In Spain, almost all Spaniards take their holidays in August. 95% stays in their own country. They often have their own house or apartment on the coast, rent one or go to a campsite. This means that the country is set for a huge peak load on the coast in August and is (relatively) quiet in the other 11 months. ¨Going back to the village¨ is often also an obligatory trip for many Spaniards in the summer. Grandparents were often labor migrants from the poorer regions who moved from their villages to the larger industrial cities in the last century in search of work. Usually, whole families come together in the same village for the annual family reunion.
What does this mean if I want to rent a motorhome in Spain?
We advise everyone to travel outside the first three weeks of August. If you have no other option, do not worry you will still enjoy your road trip very much. You will of course still find a place for their motorhome to spend the night but unfortunately you run the risk that the most beautiful pitches on the coast are occupied (and some terraces crowded). This means that you sometimes must drive around with your camper to find a suitable motorhome pitch or camp site. On the other hand, if you are not steering your RV towards the dense touristic areas, this should not bother you at all. Due to the vastness of the country and the low population density, most places are quiet and ready to receive you and your motorhome any time of the year. So even in august you can enjoy all the beauty that Spain and Portugal have to offer during your motorhome holiday. At OrsonRent we can help you put together a camper route for any time of the year. In doing so, we look at the wishes of our guests and of course we take crowds into account. With most of the motorhome routes that we put together, we look for variety: peace, space, nature, tourism, beach, and culture. So, whenever you choose to go on holiday in Spain with a rental camper: Any time will do.
Buen Viaje!