Last winter, in my van, I went to Morocco. It has to be THE place to go for completely escaping winter – see this post: 3 months in morocco by campervan – here’s what I did during winter. But where to go this winter?
I’ve been in the UK for summer. But now it’s cold and I need to get somewhere warm… and bright… and a bit less wet.
One big reason I love having a van is that I can escape winter, or at least minimise it, in search for bright skies and a slightly higher temperature.
Winter in a van (Europe). Here are some options
Some thoughts:
- South Portugal. Love this country. Loads of vans from all over Europe flock here every winter but you have to stick to the very south coast. A good option though. See post: Portugal by van – my journey in 20 photos
- South Spain. Like Portugal, it’s a popular van place for vans in winter. The Andalusian coast probably has the warmest winters out of the whole of mainland Europe.
- Canary islands. These islands look like paradise and the sea is warm enough to swim all year round. But the ferry prices are crazy – about £800! Has anyone been to any of these islands in a van?
- Morocco. Last winter was amazing here but I don’t feel like all the craziness at the moment. I don’t want more Argan oil. I just want to chill and read my books and take photos.
- Sardinia. What is that big island to the west of Italy? I know nothing about it. Maybe I should go there.
- Sicily. It also has one of the most active volcanos in the world. That’s all I know, but it’s enough to make me want to go
- Crete. I spent my first van-winter in Greece and ended up staying for 7 months – see post: The story from Greece (by van) in 29 pictures. Anyone with experience of getting the best/cheapest way to get a van there, let us know in the comments.
It probably doesn’t matter where I go. I’ll have a nice time wherever. Although, I do want to travel through Italy next year. Let’s look at the weather in these places…
Here’s some weather info
Conclusion
Sardinia is the best option if your van leaks. Mine doesn’t leak (anymore) but it still looks like a nice place to go. Less rainfall than Morocco. Is that even right?
What I often struggle with: south doesn’t always mean warmer. Two countries on the same latitude (the horizontal line) can have totally different climates. Something to do with jet streams, gulf stream, microclimates, ocean currents. I don’t know. I’ll leave that for someone else to explain.
My plan: get a ferry to Spain (Santander) from the UK (Plymouth) and then decide.
Who’s in a van this winter? Where are you going, or where would you go? Are there any other good winter locations I’ve missed? Comment below
See my other post: 3 winter months in morocco by campervan – Here’s what I did
