Stealth campers: how to disguise a van as a delivery truck and sleep in the city without fines

The Zestoa city council has finished painting parking spaces for motorhomes and camper vans in the Estación industrial estate. From Friday evening, parking is provisionally available in the blue zone and spots 9–18 of the green zone. Cars and caravans are not allowed. Once all procedures are completed, the area will operate 24/7 with a 72-hour limit and overnight stay permitted, initially free of charge. A wastewater dump point and a time-control machine will be installed, with police patrols to prevent abuse. There are 22 spaces for local motorhomes.

A 42-year-old man was taken to Hospital Virgen de Valme after a collision between a car and a motorhome on the AP-4 near Los Palacios. The accident occurred on Thursday shortly before 1:00 PM on the Cádiz-bound lane. The motorhome was heavily damaged, but no extrication was needed. The crash caused hours of slow traffic and congestion in both directions, lasting into the evening.

The Regionalist Party of Cantabria (PRC) has proposed banning overnight stays of motorhomes on public roads, citing strain on the coast and natural areas. Deputy Javier López Estrada criticized the government for shifting responsibility to municipalities.

The municipality of Ribadeo (Galicia) has closed the suggestion period for a new ordinance regulating motorhome parking. Local authorities acknowledge the increasing number of such vehicles and related parking and sanitation issues. The final text is expected to differ significantly from the initial draft. After approval by the plenary and publication in the official bulletin, a one-month period for objections will be opened.

The new DGT instruction PROT 2026/04 has come into force, setting different inspection intervals for motorhomes and camper vans. Camper vans (category N vehicles) older than 10 years now require inspection every six months. Spain's motorhome fleet has nearly tripled since 2015, from 48,000 to 137,000 units.

The article describes a route to the medieval village of Monells (Girona, Spain), located 30 minutes from the beaches of Costa Brava. The village has two free municipal parking lots for motorhomes and campervans, but without waste disposal or water service. For longer stays, nearby campsites are recommended, such as Camping Rural Montori (10 minutes) or Camping La Gaviota (30 minutes, on the beach).