Campervan Hire Granada — Sierra Nevada, the Alpujarras and Tips for 2027

Granada is so far the only place in Spain where you can already hire a campervan through us, and it is a good place to start: within an hour and a half of the city you have the highest mountains on the Spanish mainland, the white villages of the Alpujarras and a subtropical coast. Plan for two things. The Alhambra has to be booked weeks ahead, and the roads into the mountains are steep, narrow and, in winter, snowy.

Routes from Granada

• Sierra Nevada (35 km). The A-395 climbs from the city to the ski resort of Pradollano at about 2,100 m. Above Hoya de la Mora, at about 2,500 m, the road towards the Veleta peak is closed to private vehicles; from there you continue on foot or, in summer, by the national park's minibus. Mulhacén, at 3,479 m the highest peak on the Spanish mainland, is reached from the Alpujarras side.
• The Alpujarras (50–100 km). The villages on the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada are the most beautiful part of the region: Lanjarón (45 km), Órgiva (55 km), Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira in the Poqueira gorge (about 75 km), and Trevélez (about 95 km), at almost 1,500 m one of the highest villages in Spain. The roads (the A-4132 and beyond) are narrow and winding; allow two days and use the car parks at the entrance to each village.
• Costa Tropical (70 km). The A-44 descends to the coast at Motril, Salobreña (70 km) and Almuñécar (75 km). Sugar cane, avocados and mangoes grow here, and the winters are the mildest in Andalusia. The A-7 along this coast is free.
• Further afield. Guadix and its cave houses are 60 km east on the A-92, the Renaissance towns of Úbeda and Baeza about 130 km north, Córdoba about 200 km and Málaga 125 km.

Where to sleep

• For visiting Granada. Leave the campervan outside the centre. Camping Reina Isabel in La Zubia, about 5 km south, has a city bus stop at the gate, but the entrance is narrow and the pitches are small, so it suits a campervan better than a large motorhome; book ahead. Camping Sierra Nevada, on the north side of the city near the bus station, is closer to the centre but has closed in winter in some years; check before you go. Do not drive into the Albaicín, the Realejo or the old centre: access is for residents only and is watched by cameras.
• In the mountains and the Alpujarras. There are campsites in Órgiva, Pitres, Trevélez and along the road up to the Sierra Nevada, and many villages have small motorhome areas with water. In winter, check that the campsite is open.
• On the coast. Almuñécar, La Herradura and Salobreña have campsites open all year, popular for wintering.
• No wild camping. Free camping is prohibited in Andalusia and in the Sierra Nevada national park. Spending the night in a legally parked vehicle, with nothing set up outside, counts as parking under the national DGT guidance, but the national park and many villages forbid overnight stays in their car parks.

Driving and the costs visitors forget

• The Alhambra. Tickets are sold for a fixed entry time to the Nasrid Palaces and the number of visitors a day is limited; in spring and autumn they sell out weeks ahead. Buy them only from the official sellers. Leave the campervan at the campsite and take the bus: the roads up to the Alhambra are narrow and there is little parking.
• Low-emission zone. Granada's zone covers most of the city and restricts vehicles without a DGT environmental label that are not registered in the city. A campervan hired in Spain has a label; if you come in an older vehicle of your own, check the city's website first.
• Tolls. There are none around Granada: the A-44, the A-92 and the A-7 along the Costa Tropical are free.
• Mountain roads. The descent of the A-44 to the coast is long and steep; brake with the engine, not the brakes. The roads in the Alpujarras are narrow, and in a vehicle longer than 6 metres meeting a bus can mean reversing.
• Snow and chains. From November to April snow is common on the A-395 to the Sierra Nevada and on the high roads of the Alpujarras; chains or winter tyres are often required. A hired campervan does not always carry chains, so ask.
• Driving licence and speed. As elsewhere in Spain: category B covers vehicles of up to 3,500 kg, and a campervan up to that weight may drive 120 km/h on motorways and 90 km/h on other roads outside built-up areas. Rental companies usually ask for a minimum age of 23 to 25 and a licence held for at least two years.

When to go

April to June, September and October are the best: warm days, cool nights at 700 m above sea level and, in spring, snow still on the peaks. In July and August the city can reach 34 °C, but nights are cooler than in Seville, and summer is the season for the high Sierra Nevada, when the trails above 2,500 m are free of snow. Winter is cold in Granada itself, with frost at night and days of about 13 °C, and the ski season in the Sierra Nevada runs from about December to April; the Costa Tropical, an hour away, then has 17 to 18 °C.

A campervan in Granada through Crystalium Booker

In Granada you can already book a campervan through us: the Challenger Vany 114, for up to three people. See it with prices and available dates on the campervans in Granada page. If you need a larger vehicle or other dates, send us a request through the contact page and we will look for one. Do you hire out a campervan in or around Granada? List it with us.