Among the world’s most popular tourist destinations, Spain receives a record high 96.8 million visitors last year - and is predicted to be the world’s most visited country by 2040.

Our latest Magic of Motorhoming article sees our Lifestyle and Leisure Editor, Sharon Cain, and husband Steve, our series photographer, and their travelholic golden retriever, Bracken, on the road exploring Andalucia - a region in the south of Spain famous for its rich history and vibrant culture.

Setting off in turbulent weather on the Newcastle to Holland ferry, we follow their travels along the Costa del Sol (coast of the sun) to the stunning city of Malaga, a cultural hub and the birthplace of Picasso.

Coastal Charisma After Challenging Start

While most visitors head to Spain to escape England’s inclement weather, on this trip we inadvertently swapped the biting winds whistling through Northumberland’s naked trees for a dose of lashing wind and rain in Europe.

It was not the best of starts. On our ferry crossing from Newcastle to Amsterdam poor Bracken was ill through the night, followed by a very long drive in sheeting rain, wind, and snow through parts of Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. The atrocious weather prevented us from finding places to stay off the motorway, so we endured sleepless nights parked next to enormous lorries revving up in service stations.

The not-so-good elements of the trip didn’t stop there. We were locked in a snow-covered riverside municipal car park in Metz, a charming city in North East France after an overnight stay. Another campervan had used our exit code to leave, and a phone call to the local police was needed to let us out.

Thankfully our trip became smoother and, after a leisurely spell in the South Costa Blanca, we headed to the Costa del Sol and Malaga in Andalucia, Southern Spain.

The birthplace of Picasso, attractions include UNESCO World Heritage sites, world class flamenco and puebleos blancos (white villages) - all representing our ultimate Spanish dream.

Opting for beach park ups over campsites, we stayed on the front in Torre del Mar, a vibrant coastal resort 40 minutes from Malaga. Picturesque and framed by snow-capped mountains, a key feature is a commanding blue and white lighthouse complementing the colours of Malaga’s flag.

Although the wind rattled ferociously around the van, waking up to blue skies and the beach, just a stone’s throw away, was wonderful.

A raft of local cafes served up delicious desayuno (breakfast) of tostadas (toast) huevos reveultos (scrambled eggs – the name is off putting but the taste is divine) - and strong cortados (traditional Spanish coffee) for one third of the price we would pay at home.

Navigating Cities and Motorhomes: A Solution

Our previous articles have highlighted the issues of motorhome travel in cities - of which there are many including narrow, built up streets, one way systems and height restrictions for parking.

Have learnt painful past lessons, this time we took no chances and booked into Castillo AlMalaga, a hilly rural campsite in the grounds of a former castle six kilometres outside the city. The difficult narrow path leading there was adrenaline-fuelled, but the experience was well worth the effort.

Extremely rustic with goats wandering around, at thirty euros a night (showers and toilets are included) we could travel in and out of Malaga while leaving the motorhome safely parked up.

The site was populated with travellers from the Netherlands, Germany, and Spain and the views across the hills and the Mediterranean were fantastic. Uber taxi fares ranged from six to fourteen euros into and out of the city, depending upon the time of day.

The Magnificence of Malaga

One of the world’s oldest cities founded in the 8th Century by the Phoenician, Malaga’s architecture combines a diverse mix of Roman, Moorish, Renaissance and modern.

Among the most striking modern landmarks is the Ayuntamiento de Málaga (Malaga City Hall), a neo-baroque building. Glistening in the Winter sunshine, it symbolises Malaga’s growth and progress.

An outstanding example of Renaissance construction is the Cathedral of Santa Maria de la Encarnacion, one of Spain’s tallest cathedrals. Constructed at the end of the 15th Century with the advent of the Catholic monarchs, the towering structure can be seen from virtually everywhere in the city and plays an instrumental role in residents’ lives.

Culinary Delights Whet Appetites

Whetting cultural and culinary appetites, Malaga is a ‘foodie paradise’ from formal fine dining to rustic taverns and tapas bars around every corner. Typical Andalucian dishes include pescaito (fried fish), cordoban salmonejo, (cold tomato-based soup) and jamon iberico (Iberian ham).

Meals out were a blaze of colours and flavours - without breaking the bank. Despite the cosmopolitan city prices, we feasted on seafood paella, washed down with a bottle of house Rioja, for less than £38 for the two of us.

Striking the right chord with music lovers and artists, Malaga’s 40 plus museums include Museo Picasso Malaga, Picasso’s Museum, themed and historical museums and plentiful art galleries. Named a UNESCO ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ - a convention dedicated to safeguarding a wealth of cultural traditions and practices in 1901, the city is an all-year round explosion of flamenco, guitars, singing, and dancing.

After enjoying our ‘cultural fix’ and conscious of diminishing Brexit days, it was time to descend the campsite’s bumpy dirt track in search of an oasis of tranquillity.

Even though we are exploring out of season, finding a quiet haven would be no mean achievement in Spain’s most populated region. All will be revealed if we succeeded or failed in our next Spanish road trip 2026 article!

Key Facts
For information on Andalucia visit here
For information on Alcazaba Malaga, visit here
For information on the Cathedral of Santa Maria de la Encarnacion visit here
For information on camping Castillo AlMalaga visit here