Exploring Northern Spain by Campervan: A Journey through Asturias and Cantabria

If you’re craving a road trip that combines dramatic coastlines, emerald-green mountains and beautiful beaches Northern Spain—particularly the regions of Asturias and Cantabria—offers one of Europe’s most underrated campervan adventures. This corner of the Iberian Peninsula is a perfect destination for nature lovers, surfers, foodies, and slow travelers seeking an experience far removed from the crowds of Barcelona or Madrid.

Why Northern Spain?

Unlike Spain’s sun-drenched south, Asturias and Cantabria are wild and green, shaped by the Cantabrian Sea and backed by the soaring Picos de Europa mountains. The blend of rugged coast and misty peaks creates a landscape that’s nothing short of cinematic—and ideal for campervan exploration.

While the area can be filled with tourists during July and August, mosts tourists are from Spain which makes a trip to Northern Spain a truly authentic experience.

itinerary

After starting our trip with a detour to the famous Bardenas Reales, we headed north for our 2 weeks adventure in Cantabria and Asturias. Our first stop was Santander. The capital of Canabria blends sophisticated seaside elegance with natural beauty, cultural heritage, and relaxed Atlantic vibes. Don’t miss the Magdalena Palace, once a royal summer retreat, the seaside walking trails with stunning views as well as Santander’s Old Town and cathedral.

Parking your campervan can be quite challenging in Santander. We opted for this big parking area, just a ferry drive away from the city center.

Santillana del Mar – This famous medieval village attracts visitors for its golden sandstone, half-timbered houses, and cobblestone streets. Don’t miss a visit of the Colegiata de Santa Juliana, a 12th-century Romanesque church, built over a former monastery.

The village is quite busy and it is difficult to find a good place to park a campervan. Therefore, we had to pay 24h at the designated campervan area although we were just passing through.

After some first cultural stops, it is time for some beach experience. Llanes is a good starting point to do that. It was not that easy to find a good camp ground for a couple of days at the beach but we found this one. While there was no sea view driectly from the camp ground, a very nice beach was close by. The infrastructure on the beach was quite rustic and we only saw Spanish tourists. We were able to relax a few days at the beach fron before continuing our road to the mountains, Picos de Europa, and the more adventurous part of our journey.

Covadonga is one of the most famous places in the Picos de Europa. This one or two days excursion combines beautiful mountain landscapes, crystal clear lakes and

Special parking lots for campervans at P1 and P3 offer an easy travel experience.

Potes – Nestled in the lush valleys of Liébana and framed by the dramatic peaks of the Picos de Europa, Potes is a charming medieval town in Cantabria, northern Spain. Rich in history and with its riverside beauty, it is a perfect starting point for exploring the Picos de Europa. Don’t miss the Torre del Infantado, a 14th-century fortress that once served as a noble residence and later as a prison. Today, it functions as the town hall and exhibition space. Climb to the top for panoramic views of Potes and the surrounding mountains.

The city has a very nice campervan area close to the city center. You can even book a slot in advance here which makes planning your trip so much easier.

Fuente Dé – The Fuente Dé Cable Car offers an amazing family friendly mountain experience fo the whole family. It transports visitors from the valley floor at 1,070 meters to the Mirador del Cable at 1,823 meters in just under four minutes. On the top, you can either just enjoy the breathtaking view during a picnic or a break at the restaurant or you can opt for a walk.

We parked our campervan at the parking lot of the cable car for the time of the excursion. Even in the middle of August, we managed to find a spot although the area is quite busy.

However, it is forbidden to stay the night. Therefore, we spent a couple of nights at the close by campground La Isla de los Picos, which, although close to the road, has a nice pool.

Santo Toribio de Liebana – From there, it is possible to hike to the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liebana. The reception of the hotel can indicate the way. Alternatively, a big parking lot is available just in front of the Monastery.

While the Monastery is famous to pilgrims for its fragment of the True Cross, every traveler can enjoy the beautiful architecture and its peaceful location in the heart of the Cantabrian Mountains.

Comillas – Comillas is a picturesque town that seamlessly combines a rich cultural heritage and a natural beautiful sea side. It is home to El Capricho de Gaudi, a marvelous and unique villa designed by the famous Antoni Gaudí.

Comillas also has a designated campervan area which is a good and affordable starting point for visiting the city, although you have to walk a bit in order to reach the most iconic sites. Another option is the simple but beautiful campground a bit closer to the beach.

tips and tricks for traveling in a campervan

Cantabria and Asturias are quite campervan friendly regions even during high season. Many cities have designated campervan areas which allow for an easy travel experience, especially with kids.

As many campervan travelers, we don’t like to plan our trips too much in advance an rather adapt our plans to what we see on the road. This can be sometimes challenging for some destinations where campgrounds are sold out well in advance. However, if you cannot book in advance, particularly during high season, it can be quite stressful to take the road without knowing whether you will get a spot or not.

In Northern Spain, many campgrounds cannot be booked in advance. Spots are sold on a first comes first served basis. Given that our children make quiet mornings quite difficult anyway, we developed a strategy of driving in the morning. This allowed us to arrive to new places just on time in order to get the free spots.

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