Guide to travel to Navarra by motorhome

Enjoy Navarra in a motorhome like you have never enjoyed a route with your house on wheels.

An article that is part of our complete guide to travel to Navarra, where we explain all our own experience to help you set up your trip through Navarra.

With this article we want to explain our experience touring Navarre in a motorhome and all our lessons learned at the destination.

Hold on, we start the route!

Video of our trip to Navarra by motorhome

Navarra by motorhome: Roads, parking, camping and overnight in a motorhome in Navarra

Regulations on parking and staying overnight in a motorhome in Spain and Navarra freely

The regulations in Spain stipulate that you can park and spend the night anywhere there is no prohibition sign, as long as you do not camp (leave the perimeter of your vehicle, i.e., put out tables, chairs, put out an awning or raise a pop-up roof, etc.).

This is the general rule, you can park and spend the night without any problem if there is no explicit prohibition in any parking lot in Spain. As long as you do not leave the established marks and as long as you do not hinder the passage of pedestrians or other vehicles.

However, the reality is that in Spain, and in this case in Navarre, you will often find "no motorhomes" zones that you should be aware of and avoid on your route . These zones are often located within the boundaries of Natural Parks or in parking areas that, due to high traffic, prohibit parking and/or overnight stays in motorhomes or campervans.

Regulations on camping in a motorhome in Spain and Navarra

Wild camping in Spain is totally prohibited.

As a general rule, the legislation tells us that free camping (putting out tables and chairs, opening windows, awnings, etc.) is prohibited in any public place throughout Spain.

Therefore, in Navarre we can only camp (take out tables, chairs and other items from the vehicle) in campsites, private motorhome areas that allow it or other places explicitly enabled for this purpose.

Services and motorhome areas in Navarra by motorhome

Traveling to Navarre by motorhome is quite easy, as it has a large network of motorhome areas and campsites . Most motorhome areas offer all the necessary services and are often free, provided by the local councils.

In practically all points of interest or tourist towns you will find a motorhome area, and generally always central or well connected to the center of towns. And if there is no area, in many places there will be some parking without services reserved for motorhomes.

Finally, what you should know is that, if your intention is to spend a lot of time in the north of Navarra and in the Pyrenees, servicing the motorhome will be complicated and you will have to go to a campsite or travel many kilometers to go to an area motorhome with all services.

Please remember to be responsible with the environment and the areas you visit : Never dispose of grey or black water anywhere other than designated areas or campsites. The future of motorhoming in our country depends on it.

Something important to know about water in motorhome areas in winter

You should know that with sub-zero temperatures in the Pyrenees, as in all countries, the water fountains are shut off. This means you'll need to conserve water in your tank, and to refill, you'll have to look for campsites open in winter, which are few and far between. Also, consider bringing a long hose to reach the designated watering point that the campsite will have inside one of its buildings, usually the restrooms.

Routes

In general, the roads are good in Navarra. The national roads usually have a hard shoulder and are usually good, they are quite easy, although with quite a few curves and sometimes changes in level in the northern areas and in the Pyrenees.

In areas like the Pyrenees and the Irati Forest, on secondary mountain roads, you'll often find very narrow roads with no shoulder and plenty of curves, where only one car can pass at a time . In these cases, remember to drive slowly and, if possible, go up in the late afternoon or evening and down in the morning to encounter the least amount of traffic with your motorhome.

The highways in Navarre are generally very good, and the AP 15, which goes from Tudela past Pamplona, ​​is a toll road, but the amounts are small.

Traveling to Navarra with a motorhome in winter

Finally, you should know that in winter in the Pyrenees area you may encounter snow and you should be prepared if so.

If you want to see an article about which snow chains and/or winter tires are best for a motorhome, here's an article we wrote based on our experience with our motorhome.

In addition, you must be prepared so that the deposits do not freeze and to be able to supply yourself with water, when the sources are closed due to frost. I leave you this video that we made about traveling in a motorhome with snow that will surely be great for you to see possible problems and solutions that you can have in your motorhome with the cold and snow.

TIP: If you don't have a motorhome or campervan but want to rent one and try this type of travel, remember that the cheapest option with the best experiences is to rent from private individuals through a platform like Airbnb, but for motorhomes and campers.

Summary of our trip and motorhome route in Navarra

Our trip through Navarre is a 10-day trip during winter.

A trip, which as always, we do as a family. With our two children, ages 10 and 7, and this time with our motorhome by road.

In total, our route from Barcelona to Navarre takes almost 5 hours of driving and covers about 400 km, although we make a few stops along the way. We stop to see Zaragoza and a small village near Zaragoza that was recommended to us and which surprised us. This village is called Bureta , and there we find a forest of little elves that delights both children and adults.

We loved this route so much that we're already thinking about doing it again , that says it all.

Navarra is a destination to enjoy the landscape. It is pure nature of contrasts. From the desert to lush forests or from beautiful rivers in the plains to impressive mountains and valleys within the Navarrese Pyrenees.

Costs of our trip to Navarra by motorhome

On our 10-day trip through Navarre we spent a total of €735 for the 4 of us traveling from Barcelona (round trip).

• In gasoline: 175
• At tolls: 5
• In tickets and visits: 105
• Hospitality and food purchases: 372
• Overnight places: 24

The essential things to see in Navarra for your motorhome route through Navarra

Navarra is a region located in the north of Spain, known for its rich history, culture, and natural beauty. The region offers a wide variety of activities and places of interest to visit.

The Irati Forest is one of Navarre's most famous natural attractions. This vast nature reserve, located in the Navarrese Pyrenees, is known for being one of the largest forests in Europe and is considered one of Spain's most impressive natural landscapes. It's an ideal destination for nature lovers and hikers, offering a wide variety of trails and routes to explore.

Another natural attraction is the Roncal Valley , a beautiful mountainous region in the Navarrese Pyrenees, known for its stunning natural scenery and panoramic views of the Pyrenees. The valley is famous for its cheese production, especially Roncal cheese, one of Spain's most prestigious cheeses. Besides cheese production, the Roncal Valley is an ideal place for hiking and cycling, with several trails and routes crisscrossing the region.

The Bardenas Reales , that semi-desert famous for the photo below, is also a MUST on your route.

The Lumbier Gorge is another stunning natural site. A beautiful canyon located in the foothills of the Pyrenees, it is known for its breathtaking scenery, with panoramic views of the canyon and the Irati River that flows through it. It is also a popular destination thanks to its greenway.

Finally, you can't miss places like Pamplona, ​​its capital, and Ujué , the most beautiful village in Navarre, and surprising and lesser-known places that you should let yourself get lost in order to discover them.

Map of northern Spain with the best places to spend the night and parking in a motorhome or camper of the best plans and places to see in northern Spain

If you'd like to get this interactive map of Navarre for motorhomes, featuring all the must-see places of interest, nearby parking areas, and overnight spots for motorhomes, submit your request form here and we'll send it to you shortly. The cost is €5.