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Pernocta Europa

What may I do in Santa Cristina d'Aro?

Parkthe vehicle, on the public road
YES
the national rule · the local rule has not been read
Sleep insidewithout putting anything outside
YES, WITH LIMITS
48 hours
the municipal by-law
Camplevelling legs, awning, table
NO
the municipal by-law

What changes on 1 October 2026

Rule already published but not yet in force. It does not apply today.

  • Park: YES, WITH LIMITS · RGC arts. 91.2, 91.3, 92.2, 92.3.d, 92.4 y 94 (art. 93 suprimido desde 1-oct-2026); Ley 22/1988 de Costas arts. 33.5 y 97; RDLeg 6/2015 art. 80.1
  • Sleep inside: YES · 92.4 y 156
  • Camp: NO · 92.4

Qué cambia exactamente →

5 km
this municipalityprotected areaseafront (this is where coastal law comes in)neighbouring municipalities, in their own colour: they can be tapped
Why, and on what paper
YES, WITH LIMITS
The rule sets a limit of 48 hours. The articles set no specific limit for sleeping in the vehicle overnight: the limit comes from art. 3.b, which regards remaining in a parking space for more than 48 hours as free camping (prohibited).
the municipal by-law governs · 4.4.e.
«e) No és rellevant que romanguin seus ocupants a l’interior del vehicle sempre que l’activitat que desenvolupi en el seu interior no transcendeixi a l’exterior.»

Which text each answer comes from

Park · yes
Reglamento General de Circulación, aprobado por Real Decreto 1428/2003, de 21 de noviembre (texto consolidado) arts. 90 a 94 RGC (sin el apartado 92.4, que se añade el 1-10-2026) · verified on 2026-09-05
Camp · no
Ordenança municipal reguladora de l'estacionament d'autocaravanes i de l'ús d'autocaravanes art. 3 · verified on 2020-08-31
Not here, even though the rest of the municipality allows it
the protected area
IT DEPENDS
  • The rules on permitted uses in each protected area are set out in its own Plan de Ordenación de los Recursos Naturales, approved by the autonomous community. That is where things are prohibited or permitted, and that is where one has to look.
  • Ley 42/2007 does NOT classify sleeping in the vehicle overnight or camping as offences. Its art. 80 covers discharges, damage to habitats and the capture of species. The fine bands in art. 81 only come into play if the conduct falls within one of those cases.
Ley 42/2007, de 13 de diciembre, del Patrimonio Natural y de la Biodiversidad art. 36.1
«La declaración de los Parques y Reservas Naturales exigirá la previa elaboración y aprobación del correspondiente Plan de Ordenación de los Recursos Naturales de la zona.»
the coastal law, on the beach only
NO
  • PARKING itself is prohibited, not only sleeping: nothing needs to be set out
Ley 22/1988 de Costas art. 33.5 y 97
«Quedarán prohibidos el estacionamiento y la circulación no autorizada de vehículos, así como los campamentos y acampadas.»
These rules cover part of the municipality, not all of it. A municipal by-law may forbid what the State allows, but it may not allow what the State forbids.
The municipality, in figures

The municipality

Santa Cristina d'Aro is a medium-sized municipality measuring 9 by 15 kilometres. It has a coastline, and that matters: the strip of maritime-terrestrial public domain is governed by its own rule, different from that of the rest of the municipality. Within its boundaries there are 2 protected areas, including Les Gavarres. There, the rules on permitted uses are set by each area's own plan. It borders 9 municipalities, and the answer may change on crossing any of those lines.

Superficie68 km²
Area9 × 15 km
Costasí, tiene frente marítimo
Protected areas2
Neighbouring municipalities9
This municipality touches: Les Gavarres, Massís de les Cadiretes.
2 protected areas within
Santa Cristina d'Aro touches 2 Natura 2000 sites.
  • Les Gavarres
  • Massís de les Cadiretes
Inside them: the rules of use are set by the Plan de Ordenación de los Recursos Naturales of the area itself (Ley 42/2007 art. 36.1), not by national law.
Calculated by intersecting the municipality's polygon with the 27,172 Natura 2000 sites of the European Environment Agency. The site covers part of the municipality.
All the layers that apply

Why — the layers that apply here

municipality · this one governs
Ordenanza de Santa Cristina d'Aro
  • Scope: the entire municipality.
  • the occupants may remain inside the vehicle provided that the activity carried out inside does not extend to the outside
  • the vehicle must still be regarded as parked: in contact with the ground only through its wheels and without lowering the stabiliser legs
Ordenança municipal reguladora de l'estacionament d'autocaravanes i de l'ús d'autocaravanes art. 4.4.e · verified on 2020-08-31
«e) No és rellevant que romanguin seus ocupants a l’interior del vehicle sempre que l’activitat que desenvolupi en el seu interior no transcendeixi a l’exterior.»
protected zone
2 areas: Les Gavarres · Massís de les Cadiretes
  • The rules on permitted uses in each protected area are set out in its own Plan de Ordenación de los Recursos Naturales, approved by the autonomous community. That is where things are prohibited or permitted, and that is where one has to look.
  • Ley 42/2007 does NOT classify sleeping in the vehicle overnight or camping as offences. Its art. 80 covers discharges, damage to habitats and the capture of species. The fine bands in art. 81 only come into play if the conduct falls within one of those cases.
  • Many plans prohibit wild camping and permit parking on roads and in signposted car parks. This is not a general rule: it depends on the plan.
Ley 42/2007, de 13 de diciembre, del Patrimonio Natural y de la Biodiversidad art. 36.1 · verified on 2026-08-11
«La declaración de los Parques y Reservas Naturales exigirá la previa elaboración y aprobación del correspondiente Plan de Ordenación de los Recursos Naturales de la zona.»
coast
Dominio público marítimo-terrestre (playa)
  • PARKING itself is prohibited, not only sleeping: nothing needs to be set out
Ley 22/1988 de Costas art. 33.5 y 97 · verified on 2026-08-08
«Quedarán prohibidos el estacionamiento y la circulación no autorizada de vehículos, así como los campamentos y acampadas.»
country
Spain
  • sleeping inside with everything packed away is PARKING, not camping: it is not a defined offence
  • stabilising legs: forbidden, they turn parking into camping
  • awning, table, chairs, hanging out washing, discharging waste water: camping
Reglamento General de Circulación; Ley 7/1985; Ley 42/2007 art. RGC, sin el apartado 92.4 (se añade el 1-10-2026) · verified on 2026-08-08
«Se añade el apartado 4, con efectos de 1 de octubre de 2026, por el art. único.15 del Real Decreto 518/2026, de 24 de junio»
On the beach the answer is no even if the municipality is permissive: the prohibition is national and needs no sign.
Neighbouring municipalities
Signage on site and the local authority prevail. This reproduces the written rule as of the date indicated: it is neither legal advice nor an authorisation.