It’s just one of those places where vanlife seems so easy, and who doesn’t want to escape the British winter for a bit of winter sun? Amazon in Portugal: How Does it Work and What Are Your Options? Deciding the best place to stay in Lisbon isn’t actually that difficult. Of course, you won’t be able to avoid all cities and there will probably be a few that you want to see. Some people say it is not fair but as a camper owner myself I check when I go to a new country about the rules, so for those free camping in the Algarve in the Summer months – tough. They have the standard campsite facilities, but they may be faded. We must’ve been quite the sight for the locals who were most likely watching us and laughing from their windows. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Running from Vila Nova de Cerveira to Valença is a well-maintained trail perfect for cycling, jogging, or walking. On our way to Lisbon, we stopped at a skatepark in Sao Joao do Estoril called Parque das Geracoes. After a relaxed lunch of peanut butter and banana on bread (my absolute fave), we headed back north up the coastline to a village called Vila Nova de Milfontes. 9 Awesome Music Festivals in Portugal for Summer 2020, Portugal in July: Your Ultimate Guide to Summer Fun, The Best Central Portugal Beaches: Your Guide to the Silver Coast, The 10 Best Beaches in the Algarve: Your 2020 Guide, The Portugal Flag: Why it Means So Much to the Portuguese, Jobs for Foreigners in Portugal: Everything You Need to Know, How to Retire in Portugal from the US: The Ultimate Guide for Americans, Best Places to Retire in Portugal: Your Town-by-Town Guide, How to Retire in Portugal: A Complete Guide for Expats. Here is a little video from our GoPro photos: Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Learn how your comment data is processed. We started planning the trip in January, booked the ferry crossings in July when they were finally released by Brittany Ferries, and set off 5 days before Christmas on the Portsmouth>Santander crossing (we’ll have a review of that soon). There are 3 ceiling vents which help to cool the van and it’s quite well insulated. The mountainscape of Sintra was gorgeous and instantly, the air felt a bit cooler. Click here to learn more about toll roads in Portugal. Portugal Van Life This trip to Portugal was a difficult time for me because half way through my holiday I found out my best friend passed away in the 2018 London Marathon. Indie Campers has some items that you can add on to your rental, such as surfboards, bicycles, wet suits, and more. Plus, for safety reasons and for navigation, you’ll want to make sure you have a phone with service. There should be hoses at campsites that you can use. ( Log Out / All about travel preparation, planning, packing & saving. Algarve campingTry http://www.chickenrun.vpweb.co.uk. We were really looking forward to this style of camping. The costs will be automatically added to your tag and automatically charged to your debit card. We came up with the road trip route based on the activities on offer, the natural beauty, and parts of the country that were away from urban areas (we wanted to avoid cities with the campervan and avoid large crowds to help maintain social distancing). Known for its stunning farmland, vineyards, gastronomy, and culture, plus rivers, lakes, and the towering mountains of the Peneda Gerês National Park, this is an underappreciated area of Portugal that travellers won’t want to miss. We pitched up in a campsite to allow us to wash the van and bike which were filthy, then took a refreshing cycle down the beach path. The decision was made to reverse out of the narrow road until we found somewhere to turn around. It had a very impressive bowl and was generally good fun; apart from snogging teenagers and wet patches. See the guide to campsites. €3.50 per night for electricity. The fridge will run, along with the USB plugs and the lights for around 2-3 days (rough estimate) before the battery dies. We pitched up in a campsite to allow us to wash the van and bike which were filthy, then took a refreshing cycle down the beach path. The obvious “pros” to this sort of travel are the fact that you’re fully self-contained and not reliant on anyone, anything, or anywhere. Heading back to the coast we were ready to get beached out. Does it Snow? Future campervan travellers will be able to stay there as well based on your recommendation. It is run by Darren Lambert, a campervan van fan and converter. Second, the space can start to feel a bit cramped and you’ll easily forget where you placed something if you aren’t properly organized. CampsitesHi Wendy, just read your comment. Located about a 2-hour drive north of Sintra (about 20 minutes south of the city of Coimbra) is the village of Penela. Required fields are marked *. We stayed in 3 different designated campgrounds and the costs in June were: Having spent the majority of the last few years living on a Caribbean island, and the past 3 months in lockdown mode in the city of Lisbon, it was time to go to the mountains. It has really inspired us to buy our own van this year and make it into our perfect home on wheels. The premiere of season eight attract... © 2020 Goats on the Road | Web Design and Development by, Van Life in Portugal: Our 10 Day Portugal Campervan Trip, Our 10-Day Portugal Campervan Trip Itinerary, Tips For Travelling Portugal by Campervan, Choosing The Best Place To Stay in Lisbon: A City Guide, Zakynthos Greece: A Complete Travel Guide, 5 Game of Thrones Locations You Can Travel To Today. We found the internet to be fast enough to work on, watch YouTube, Netflix etc. Imagine being able to live wherever you want, travelling the world with everything you need in your own cosy home on wheels. ","calculations":[],"formContentData":["email_1558031371228","type_of_visitor_1558031716494","i_agree_to_the_less_than_a_href_https_beportugal_com_privacy-policy_greater_than_privacy_policy_less_than_a_greater_than_1558031527236","submit_1558031387489"],"drawerDisabled":false,"ninjaForms":"Ninja Forms","fieldTextareaRTEInsertLink":"Insert Link","fieldTextareaRTEInsertMedia":"Insert Media","fieldTextareaRTESelectAFile":"Select a file","formHoneypot":"If you are a human seeing this field, please leave it empty. I love winters in the Alps but I am definitely a summer kind of person. Here are a few tips: The toll roads in Portugal are relatively new, fairly expensive and quite confusing for foreigners. The van was so good, cheap and ours was designed for up to four people but I think two was cosy enough. ","changeDateErrorMsg":"Please enter a valid date! We arrived into Tavira just as the sun was coming back out after a couple days of rain, so we got to see the pretty Algarve town at its finest. This site uses cookies to help user experience. Having to spend some of your travel time in shops and supermarkets (while trying to find parking) isn’t the best way to spend the holiday. How to request a Portuguese visa? We opted for a small coal BBQ, a wifi hotspot, a heater, and an outdoor table and chairs. So, I opened up Google Maps and zoomed in and out, while searching for Natural and National Parks, campsites, viewpoints, hikes, and scenic spots. I have to add to this that the police seem to been issuing fines out of summer also now, so be careful where you park in the Algarve. The group will be always in English to be easy to use by non-portuguese speakers. From Central Portugal, it was time to head north and experience the only National Park in the country, Peneda-Gerês. When you think of taking a holiday in the small European country of Portugal, what comes to mind? To be honest, we were too lazy to switch from bed to bench and just left the bed out the entire trip. The major campsite in each town or city is signposted, often others too. However, outside of summer the police do tolerate responsible free camping. The only difference is the Autovia is a Toll Road and is slightly quicker but the downside is that you miss the beautiful scenery and the local towns along the route. One of my favourite views from Scotland back in Se, We didn't have all the amazing campspots we imagin, After our morning hiking at Steall Falls we headed, How grim is the weather today? Vanlife in Portugal, from South to North and back A journey through a land of contrasts and beauty, progress and wild nature, creative cities and savage beaches. best, kate, hi I’m from Ireland our winters start in the end of August I mean cold weather till April would this coincide with Portugal because we are thinking of living there over the winter months in our motorhome thanks Liam and Dorina. I really want to see northern Portugal and visit Porto and the mountainous region. How Coronavirus Could Impact Portugal Golden Visa Rules, Choosing the Best International Schools in Portugal. Why we had gone this far, I don’t know. Portugal, you exceeded my expectations and we will be back! Greetings, Hans. Stick to the countryside, highways, and small towns, or park on the outskirts and take the tram, metro or an Uber. He was taking no chances haha! This was a great place to sunbathe, jump off the rocks into the deep water below, and just relax. Apart from mint, the property had flowers and trees, plus 2 cats, goats, and sheep. The Nomad model has a larger fridge. Her advice about long-term travel, remote work, and location independence has been featured on the Lonely Planet, CNN Money, Business Insider and Forbes. We cooked all vegan food and the first few meals had some awesome vegan chorizo in that I found in Lisbon. Still fun though. During the summer (May to September) costs are typically €5 per person, per night. The drive turned out to be a highlight of our entire trip! Portugal is a bit confusing for travellers as the country is divided into regions, followed by districts, municipalities, parishes, and neighbourhoods. As long as you respect the area, are quiet, and don’t leave any garbage, then wild camping is usually not an issue. Required fields are marked *. Change ), Volunteering with ARCHELON – the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, All roads lead to Rome | Camping & exploring the Megacity | Italy. We first visited The Algarve in December 2017 and fell in love with it. Learn how to make money on the road, so you can travel forever. The campsites we had stayed in up until this point were great — and necessary in order to charge up the second battery, and use the services (filling up with water, emptying of grey water, etc.). ","fileUploadOldCodeFileUploadInProgress":"File Upload in Progress. Indie Campers didn’t have the tag and we found it a bit of a challenge having to figure out the payment of tolls. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Once in Soajo, we wandered around by foot exploring the small roads that wind through houses and farmland, before checking out the 18th-century granite granaries which were used by the community to safely house the harvest of corn. Municipal sites are great for spending long periods of time and keeping costs low. We weren’t expecting much from this day and were just looking forward to the rustic campground that we planned to stay at near the town of Gerês. Portugal has the cheapest campsites in western Europe. During the day, the area is the dining room with a table and benches with cushions for sitting and hanging out. Sign up for our weekly newsletter and we’ll send you our 101 Ways To Earn Money For Travel eBook for Free, plus we’ll send you a series of emails to show you how to earn money and travel in a financially sustainable way. Of course it wouldn’t be Christmas in the van without all the decorations. It was really quiet in Faro town as the season has started off very quietly, according to locals, but we had a lovely meal at the vegan cafe Mel & Limao. They can save a good deal of money and time. We had a lovely spot here where we stayed for two nights. It was a relaxing drive to the town and we used the Park 4 Night website to find a place to park for free and sleep overnight. The 220v cable cord plugs into electrical outlets at campsites and this charges your auxiliary battery — which is what the fridge, the USB plug-ins, and the inside lights run on. CampervanLife is a community website celebrating all things campervans. 10 days is a good amount of time to get a taste of what Portugal is all about, and our trip with Indie Campers is one that we won’t forget. Fill up the grey water with regular tap water. ( Log Out / With a campervan, you can move around at your own pace, while having a bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom with you at all times. I was wondering what you know about the new hight control at some of the parking at the beach. Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window). Our camper van from West Coast Campers was equipped with a camping stove and all the kitchen essentials. But, we had also been researching on YouTube beforehand, which helped to get a visual. Then, after a minimum of 2 business days (it takes that long for your charges to register) and a maximum of 5 business days after you’ve passed through those cameras, you’ll need to go to a post office (CTT) in order to pay the tolls that have accumulated. Finally, a rough itinerary was formed, and we filled in the details as we went. We first visited The Algarve in December 2017 and fell in love with it. Massive granite boulders dotted the terrain and wild Garrano horses roamed free. We also found a surf spot nearby in Carcavelos, which we couldn’t turn down. This rustic, natural campsite had parking spots right along the river, an outdoor BBQ area, showers, toilets and a natural swimming hole in the river. The ultimate guide to the very best scenic and fun routes for camper vans and motorhomes around the valleys, mountains and coastlines of wonderful England and Wales. Again, wild mint blanketed the ground. Disclaimer:Goats On The Road is an Amazon Associate and also an affiliate for some other retailers. Sign up for our occasional newsletter with information about campervans and travel. What’s the cost of living in Portugal? Here’s how we use your data and how you can opt out. I’m going to assume that the majority of you are like us, tourists without a local debit card. First, when you get to a campsite that you really like, you don’t have anything to leave behind to reserve the spot when you head out for the day. Plus, top tips for a campervan trip, pros and cons, how to rent a van and more. Après ces premiers barbecues en bord d’océan, c’est magnifique coucher de soleil, j’ai repris ma route vers Benagil. He was running to raise money for the Brathay Trust so if you could donate anything at all then please, please do so here. You’ll definitely want to utilize Google Maps for your journey (or whichever map program you use), so having data on your smartphone, or a WiFi hotspot is a must. Most people envision the glistening turquoise waters of the Algarve, the epic surfing in Nazare, or the historical cities of Lisbon and Porto. Goats on the Road Posts » Our Story » Van Life in Portugal: Our 10 Day Portugal Campervan Trip. Nick did some fishing on the shoreline while I read a book. ), we’ve heard it’s also a great place to see. Van Life; Search for: Search. A 220V cable for plugging in and charging the backup battery was also included. As we arrived at our campsite (Lima Escape) on the outskirts of the park, we were immediately in awe. I made the decision to continue my trip in Portugal exploring the coastline and watching sunsets with a beer in hand, just how Matt would have. Crime is uncommon on Portuguese campsites. And obviously we couldn’t just leave our Christmas cards at home, so we celotaped them to our cabinet doors, which stayed on amazingly well for the entire trip! Your email address will not be published. We had a lot of fun cooking our meals in the evening and making breakfast in the morning. We opted for the Active Plus model with Indie Campers and it was a good fit for our 10-day trip. 12 Best Things To Do in Guanajuato, Mexico. What’s the cost of living in Portugal? All about Life in Portugal. Miraculously, Nick was able to maneuver the van out of our predicament without scraping the sides. Thank you. Dominating the hills were colourful, Disney-looking palaces, and a fortified medieval, Moorish castle. Portugal is a great country for camping. He showed us around and helped us find the perfect place to park on his 5-hectare property. There’s no way we would’ve found ourselves in this quiet, pristine part of Portugal had we not joined this private tour.