To the southernmost tip of Europe

From Sardinia, Emily and Dennis from near.so.far are off to Spain. Here, magical moments await them once again, showing how incredibly beautiful nature is. And how important it is to protect it. 

The southernmost tip of Europe

We are talking about Tarifa in Spain. But let's start at the beginning. We arrived in Barcelona by ferry from Sardinia. Unfortunately, our arrival time was late in the evening, so the campgrounds were already closed and we had to drive out of Barcelona to a free site.

Barcelona is the perfect example of how you can't/mustn't see everything on a trip like this. This very issue has been with us since the beginning of the trip. We understand more and more that it is not about having seen everything and working off a checklist. Therefore, we decided with a heavy heart to skip Barcelona. So we drove south into the interior and were allowed to get to know Spain that way.

We noticed positively that there are camper sites with service stations (wastewater disposal and fresh water) everywhere here in Spain, which are provided by the respective communities. We find, here Spain goes exemplary ahead, in order to solve contentious topics, which proceed from the constantly rising camper number. We gratefully accepted this offer and spent the first 2 weeks almost exclusively on community sites.

Since we receive packages every now and then through collaborations on Instagram, we were tied to the region around "Castellon de la Plana" for the first weeks in Spain, where we waited for a package.

Pitches in the region around Castellon de la Plana: -39.7270427, -0.1875119 -39.9798920, 0.0226442 

Info about the municipal pitches: mostly free of charge most of the places are limited to 24h-72h Camper infrastructure available: Fresh water, grey & black water disposal. marked green on Park4Night

 

The deserts of Spain

Another recommendation from our community on Instagram was the inland deserts of Spain. After spending so much time by the sea the past few weeks, we were full of anticipation to explore this seemingly otherworldly landscape. Our expectations were not disappointed. The first desert near Abanilla visually burst out of the surroundings so impressively. We were simply fascinated to discover such a landscape in the middle of Spain. Pictures say more than a thousand words. See for yourself. We spent the night at a nearby community campground.

Coordinates of the campground: 38.1223458, -1.2934820 

 

The second desert we visited near Gorafe topped it all again. We could hardly believe our eyes, what was created here over thousands of years by nature. We spent several nights in the middle of the desert at the edge of a canyon, which was created by the earth plate shift between Africa and Europe. Nature there is simply magical, when in the morning the eagles circle above the van and the first rays of sunlight shine on the hills still covered in fog.

So often on this trip, and especially in moments like these, we realize again and again how beautiful this planet is and how important it is that we treat it with respect and protect it. It starts with every single one of us and especially when camping we see mountains of garbage again and again, which is why the importance of this topic has become more present to us thanks to this trip. 

Coordinates of the campsite in the desert: 37.4490400, -3.0195447 

Tarifa  

The southernmost part of Europe overlooking Africa. This so special small place directly at the sea with a view to Morocco has drawn us directly into its spell. Tarifa is a well known place for many van travelers who spend the winter here or take one of the ferries from here even further south. This is exactly what makes this place so special. Many long-term travelers who have a lot to tell about their travels and their lives. You feel like you are part of a small community.

By the way, Tarifa is known worldwide for its wind conditions, which you notice not only on the beach but also when strolling through the colorful alleys of the town. Many wind and water sports stores and schools have found a location here. 

We especially liked the old town very much. Small colorful alleys, many small stores, a traditional market hall with fresh food and a very special flair that you feel here when strolling through the streets. Free standing is tolerated here in the off season, but not officially allowed. However, there are several campsites and many day-use parking lots, from which it is less than 20 meters to the beach.

Coordinates of the campsite (day parking): 36.0482342, -5.6416934

 

To be continued...
A short trip to England?