Where to winter in Spain? Costa Blanca, Costa Cálida, Almería, Costa del Sol and Valencia compared

"Wintering in Spain" sounds like one decision. In truth it is five. Between Valencia and Marbella lie 600 kilometres of coast, and the differences in climate, price and crowd are bigger than most lists of "the best campsites" suggest. This comparison takes the five regions where most winter guests end up and puts them side by side.

The January climate, in numbers

All five regions are mild in winter. But "mild" means something different in Valencia than in Almería. The figures are long-term averages from AEMET, the Spanish met office, for January, the coldest month.

Region (station)	Daytime high	Night low	Rain days Nov. to March	Sunshine hours a year
Valencia (city)	16 °C	7 °C	around 25	2,700
Costa Blanca (Alicante)	17 °C	7 °C	around 20	2,900
Costa Cálida (Murcia, San Javier)	17 °C	6 °C	around 18	2,900
Almería	17 °C	9 °C	around 12	3,000
Costa del Sol (Málaga)	17 °C	8 °C	around 28	2,900

What follows from that:

• Almería is the driest and warmest corner. Fewer than half the rain days of Málaga, the mildest nights. If you want to eat breakfast outside every January morning, this is the place.
• The Costa del Sol is green because it rains. The highs are the same, but Atlantic fronts pass through. In return the landscape is lush in February, and the mountain villages are close.
• Valencia is the coolest of the five. Seven degrees at night, more humidity, noticeable in January. In return the city itself is a reason to stay.
• Costa Blanca and Costa Cálida sit in between and are the classics for good reason: plenty of sun, little rain, infrastructure for long-stay guests.

A word on wind: on the Costa Blanca and at the Mar Menor the Levante can blow for days in winter. Sites a few kilometres inland or in bays are then more pleasant than the front row.

Prices: what a month on a pitch costs

Monthly rates for two people with a motorhome, 2026/27 season, without electricity unless stated. The range covers simple to well-equipped sites.

Region	Monthly rate	Electricity	Tourist tax
Valencia and Castellón	360 to 550 €	metered	none
Costa Blanca	420 to 650 €	metered	none
Costa Cálida	380 to 560 €	metered or flat rate	none
Almería	330 to 520 €	often included	none
Costa del Sol	500 to 750 €	metered	none

Almería is the cheapest and often includes electricity in the rate. The Costa del Sol is the most expensive because pitches are scarce and the crowd has deeper pockets. Between the cheapest and the dearest site lie around 2,000 euros over five months. How to calculate the running costs in detail is covered in what a month really costs.

Atmosphere: who ends up where

The numbers say nothing about whether you will feel at home. That depends on what you expect from a winter.

Costa Blanca has the largest German, Dutch and British winter community. Big sites with heated pools, bar, activities, staff who speak your language, doctors nearby. If you want company, boules in the afternoon and a bakery with rye bread, this is it. If you want quiet, probably not.

Costa Cálida around the Mar Menor is the flatter, quieter sister. Fewer high-rises, more salt lakes and flamingos, sites with direct access to the lagoon. The crowd is mixed, many cyclists. Mazarrón and Águilas further south are rougher and emptier.

Almería is desert by the sea. Cabo de Gata is a nature park, the villages are small, the sites simple. This is for people who hike, photograph and do not want to go out every evening. Shopping and doctors mean a bit of driving.

Costa del Sol is urban. Málaga is one of the liveliest cities in Spain, culture and restaurants without end, an airport with direct flights to every major European city for visitors from home. The campsites are smaller and dearer, and the traffic is dense.

Valencia is for those who want the city and accept the winter. The sites by the Albufera lake and in El Saler are 20 minutes from the centre. Cycle paths into the old town, the Fallas in March as a finale.

Getting there

From the French border at Perpignan to the site:

Region	Kilometres from Perpignan	Driving time by motorhome
Valencia	500	5 to 6 hours
Costa Blanca (Benidorm)	640	7 hours
Costa Cálida (Mar Menor)	780	8 hours
Almería (Mojácar)	900	9 to 10 hours
Costa del Sol (Marbella)	1,180	12 hours

The AP-7 motorway is now toll-free between Tarragona and Alicante. Further south from Cartagena the AP-7 becomes a toll road again; the parallel N-332 is the free, slower alternative.

Which region for whom

• First winter abroad, safety matters, your language on site: Costa Blanca.
• Quiet, flat, cycling, birdwatching: Costa Cálida.
• Dry, warm, cheap, nature, no need for entertainment: Almería.
• City, culture, visitors from home, budget not an issue: Costa del Sol.
• Big city with a beach, shortest drive, slightly cooler winter: Valencia.

Many winter guests split the season: November and December on the Costa Blanca, January and February in Almería, March back via Valencia. With monthly rates from 28 nights, that costs no extra.

Compare sites before you enquire

On Campavia the monthly rates are shown openly on each site, with the electricity rule, deposit and cancellation deadline. You enquire with your dates, the site usually replies within a day, and the deposit goes directly to the site. No booking fee.

Costa Blanca · Costa Cálida and Murcia · Almería · Costa del Sol · Valencia

Climate figures: long-term AEMET averages, rounded. Prices: published long-stay tariffs for the 2026/27 season, for guidance.