Spain Holiday

GENERAL INFORMATION ON TRAVELLING TO SPAIN AND PORTUGAL DURING THE WINTER MONTHS

Many of our members wish to spend some of the winter months visiting the Iberian Peninsula in order to make the most of the better weather. The Caravan Club Travel Service is happy to assist with booking ferries, etc, and availability and prices can be checked with our reservations staff by telephoning 01342 316101. Several of the sites we work with are open all year and pitches can be reserved on these sites, subject to availability. However, some sites are only open in the summer or if open out of season not all facilities may be available. This is generally reflected in the better overnight rates available to out-of-season and long-term visitors.

An alternative to booking your sites in advance is the European Camping Cheque Scheme. The European Camping Cheque scheme is ideal for members able to take a holiday outside the peak holiday season. Reservations are not made with this scheme, giving the flexibility of staying at a campsite for several days or moving on after only one night. The Cheques are included in a package complete with return ferry crossings and Red Pennant Insurance and are accepted at around 575 sites throughout Europe. More details are given in the Club‟s Travel Service in Europe brochure or www.campingcheque.co.uk Confirmed reservations made through The Caravan Club gives you a price guarantee - whatever happens to the exchange rates, there will be no surcharges. Red Pennant Travel Insurance can be arranged at the same time as your reservations (see next page). Before you Travel Ensure your car and caravan or motor caravan are properly serviced and ready for the journey, paying particular attention to tyres and tyre pressures. Ensure caravan tyres are suited to the maximum weight of the caravan and the maximum permitted speed when travelling abroad - see Technical Information section of your Sites Directory & Handbook.

Take a well-equipped spares and tool kit. A full set of spare bulbs plus any tools needed to change them, a warning triangle, reflective safety jacket, a fire extinguisher and a first-aid kit are legal requirements in many European countries. A spare tyre and nearside and offside extending mirrors are essential.

Adjust your headlights so that the dipped beam does not dazzle oncoming drivers using headlamp converters or beam deflectors available from any motor accessory shop. Even when not planning to drive at night, this will be required for tunnels or when visibility is poor.
Most European countries recommend that dipped headlights are used even during daylight hours. It is now compulsory to use dipped headlights in Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Denmark, Hungary, Finland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Article Courtesy:http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/media/19103/Winter%20Information%20Spain%20and%20Portugal.pdf