Camping in Miramar

Endless blue expanses in front of a fine beach, with a few islands reflected in the background - this is camping by the sea in Miramar, near the lively Spanish metropolis of Valencia. It's a great place to stay even outside the holiday season, and those who opt for camping with children have nature's two greatest playmates right on their doorstep: the sand and the water.

Special features of camping in Miramar

The campsites in Miramar are located close to the bright, golden-coloured beach of the Mediterranean coast and are partly surrounded by green gardens with orange trees in bloom. The beach is shallow and easily accessible, making it ideal for families. The Balearic island of Ibiza, which can be reached by ferry from the nearby harbour, can be seen in the distance.

Swimming pools and gymnastics facilities round off a relaxing holiday on the pitches. Mulberry trees and other plants ensure that it is always pleasantly shady in the caravans and motorhomes, even in the hot months of the year. The beautiful Spanish coastal city of Valencia with its rich culture is ideal for a day trip.

Travelling to Spain

As Spain is a popular travel destination, planning your journey to the country needs to be well thought out, especially during the holiday months. From Hamburg, for example, the distance is around 2,200 kilometres, from Frankfurt am Main it is just under 1,800 kilometres. It is advisable to split the journey over several days and also spend time in France. In both countries, travellers by car, caravan or motorhome may have to pay tolls on various sections of the route.

From Frankfurt am Main, for example, it is possible to travel to Lyon via the A31 and A6 motorways. A first overnight stay is possible here, which can be combined with a stroll through the city. After Lyon, take the A9 motorway to Montpellier. You should definitely pay a visit to this beautiful French harbour city. It already gives you a good idea of the Mediterranean flair that awaits you.

A good 150 kilometres after Montpellier, you cross the border into Spain and the A9 becomes the AP-7. Now it's all south along the coast, past magnificent cities such as Barcelona, the capital of the Catalonia region. On the AP-7, travellers also bypass Valencia, which is close to Miramar. Exit 61 towards Oliva/Pego is also the exit to the campsite in Miramar.

Top 5 sights

• Sant Jeroni de Cotalba Monastery: The 14th century monastery offers an ensemble of many styles from Gothic to Classicism.
• Playa de Piles and Playa de Oliva: The fine sandy beaches off Miramar are the best place for sun worshippers.
• Castillo de Bairén: The old fortress near Gandia offers wonderful views of the sea. The ruins bring back the feeling of the old Moorish days.
• Torre de Piles: The old fortress tower near the coast is surrounded by a park that offers plenty of play opportunities for children.
• Marjal de Oliva-Pego Nature Park: The marshy landscape is a favourite resting and nesting area for many rare bird species and has a natural thermal spring.

Top 2 insider tips

• Asociación Tren Alcoy Gandia: The railway museum near Miramar is an exciting place, and not just for children. Here, visitors can learn a lot about the function and history of railway transport in the region using model trains and real trains in the old station building.
• Hiking: The area around Miramar not only has the sea to offer, but also a rugged rocky landscape that is great for hiking. Holidaymakers can also take beautiful mountain bike tours through the valleys covered in orchards, especially in the less hot low season.

Activities and excursions

The province of Valencia has a rich past that should not be overlooked when visiting the seaside. The nearby city of the same name offers numerous attractions.

Sightseeing in Valencia

If you want a change from camping in Miramar, you can visit the Silk Exchange of Valencia. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the stock exchange is one of the most important Gothic buildings in Europe that is not a church. The Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències, on the other hand, is a prime example of modern architecture in the former riverbed of the Turia. The park and building complex includes buildings as diverse as an opera house, the largest aquarium in Europe and a botanical garden that doubles as a discotheque. A highlight in the truest sense of the word is the 125 metre high cable-stayed bridge.

From the green into the blue

There are several golf courses near Miramar that invite you to improve your swing over the summer. If you feel you can no longer improve on the grass, you can take a surfing course. This is a completely new way to discover the azure waves.

Events

From marauding Moors to fire-breathing statues, from wild city conquests to the judgements of Europe's oldest court - the Valencian region is simply worth seeing!

All year round

• Water court: Every Thursday (except public holidays) at 12 noon, it's worth coming to Valencia Cathedral. The Water Court, the oldest European legal institution still in existence, meets here near the Apostles' Gate. It has been declared an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO - and its judgements are still binding today.

March

• Las Fallas: Fire is at the centre of this festival in March. During this week, superhumanly large statues, known as ninots, are exhibited, some of them several storeys high. On 19 March, these gigantic figures made of papier-mâché and wood are then ceremoniously burnt.

August

• Moros y Cristianos: "Moors and Christians" is the name of the game every year in the first week of August. This is when the reconquest of Moorish Spain by the Christians is depicted with a variety of parades and re-enacted battles in historical costumes. The "fiestas", or celebrations, take place throughout the Valencia region.

Gastronomy

The region around Valencia has given Spain and the world a famous dish: paella. Overall, Valencian cuisine is not a classic Mediterranean cuisine, but is characterised by its rural character. The basic ingredients are rice, vegetables and fish.

In addition to paella, the rice dish that is traditionally prepared in large metal pans over an open fire, there is also fideuà. The seafood in this pasta dish is coloured black or yellow with either ink or saffron.

As the region is a well-known fruit-growing area, juicy oranges are often served for dessert alongside the almond nougat turrón. Locals and visitors alike enjoy the local drink Horchata de Chufa, an ice-cold tigernut milk.

Best time to visit

The Mediterranean landscape around Miramar enjoys beautiful weather all year round. During the holiday season from June to September, the maximum temperatures are up to 30 degrees Celsius. The air rarely cools down below 20 degrees at night, so there is nothing to stop you enjoying a cosy evening outdoors.

There is only about one day of rain in July and around two in June and August. Holidaymakers arriving in July can look forward to up to 15 hours of sunshine. But even in June and August, the sky is mostly cloudless. Even in winter, the sun can be seen for almost 10 hours.

The water temperatures in the summer months are around 21 to 25 degrees Celsius. This makes swimming and snorkelling a pleasure during the bathing season from June to October.