I kicked off my summer with a few days ‘Glamping on wheels’ enjoying the freedom of the open road in a campervan
For those with wanderlust, then a ‘road trip’ holiday always excites. Spain, especially Andalucia, is one of the best places to hit the highway. The back roads and motorways of Southern Spain are relatively uncrowded and the journey can easily be as much fun as the destination, certainly when it’s a case of Glamping on the move.
Campervans are no longer associated with just adventurous retired people with the time and imagination to explore the open road. Now new generations have discovered the fun of taking your home with you, and more and more rental firms are meeting the growing demand for well-equipped, innovatively presented campers for the stylish nomad.
Glamping on wheels
I decided to explore in a campervan a hire a Campervan in Spain from Flamenco Campers, a small family run operation based in Alhaurín del la Torre, created by Gonzalo and Carolina, whose passion for the great outdoors, and the freedom to discover it, led to them making it their full time business. The couple’s Glamping travels in their first campervan called ‘Manuela’, have taken them across Europe and North Africa. Now they rent a small fleet of personalised campers, imaginatively presented and named, allowing others to indulge their adventurous spirit, exploring and discovering Andalucia.
For my experience of Glamping on wheels, I chose ‘Pepa’ to be my home-from-home for a few nights; a well-equipped campervan full of personality, with her blue and white polka-dot design. The entire van had been fitted out by Westfalia making use of pretty much every square centimetre.
There were two fold out (and very comfortable) double beds; small kitchen with stove and fridge; a compact wardrobe, plenty of lockers; and an al fresco shower. Choose a contemporary campervan like this and you can expect plenty of attention to detail, from flexible LED reading lights by the bed, to a sound system that allows you to plug in a smartphone or MP3 player.
Tucked in the glove box was a guide and discount card to Southern Spain’s best campsites, and then the rest was up to me.
Said to be first coined ten years ago by US author, environmentalist and farm-style B&B owner MaryJane Butters, ‘Glamping’ is the notion of camping with a touch of glamour; and ‘Pepa’ promised to bring a little of that to my roadtrip to Almeria.
Spaghetti Westerns
I took the coast road to the wilderness of Almeria’s Cabo de Gata natural park. I soon become familiar with the feel of the camper, which drove much like a car.
Within a few hours I was surrounded by the peace and tranquillity of the park’s semi-arid landscape, punctuated by volcanic mountains and architectural flowering agave plants; little wonder this striking place was a favourite of Sergio Leone for his ‘Spaghetti westerns’ and remains a popular location for film, television and advertising shoots. There was something special about exploring rural back roads, passing through villages that have been used in classic movies including a ‘Fist Full of Dollars’ and ‘Lawrence of Arabia’.
Pulling up on the beach near the former gold-mining town of Rodalquilar, it was time to make a pot of coffee.The evocative smell of lighting the kitchen stove quickly brought back childhood memories of UK camping trips, but the view out over the Mediterranean was something uniquely Andalusian, and the Glamping comforts of the campervan were most definitely 21st century.
Off-season the Guardia Civil often tolerate campers to stay overnight by some of the more remote beaches, allowing you to end the day with a bottle wine as the sun sets over the horizon, and then next day, wake to the sound of the waves hitting the shore.
Night under stars
However there are also plenty of rural campsites providing legitimate and environmentally sound places to stay the night. Most have onsite utilities, hot showers, and restaurants; ideal for families looking for a more sociable experience.
But for me, it was the magic of watching the sun set and waking the next morning to the sound of the sea.
Glamping on the move is about freedom and self-sufficiency. An opportunity to be surrounded by nature and still indulge in a few home-from-home comforts. It’s easy to hire a Campervan in Spain with Flamenco Campers.
Find out more:
To discover more, and to rent a camper, contact Flamenco Campers – they’ll also pick you up from Malaga Airport!
Tel: (+34) 951 701 291.
Disclaimer:
I was hosted by Flamenco Campers but this has not influenced by piece. Please bear in mind that this site and my articles are intended as entertainment only and not a definitive resource for purchasing decisions. Before making any travel or purchasing decision I recommend that you seek as much information as possible from various sources including review sites, guide books and other blogs. If you act based on my writing you do so at your own risk. If you wish to add anything to this piece, simply comment using the WordPress or Facebook plug-in.
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Looks like great fun!!