Traveling with the camper (13) | Tips and sights Portugal

We can tick off the following country; we have the beautiful Portugal discovered with the camper! Portugal, the country with a fantastic coast, the green and beautiful interior and the cozy Algarve. The country with a friendly population and the land of the delicious (Port) wine. We spent almost two months in Portugal. We take you along in this blog with of course (camper) tips and sights!

Our route

Through the south of Spain we entered Portugal and started in the Algarve. Via the Algarve we drove up along the west coast to Nazareth. From there we drove a bit east inland. Then we are through the south of Serra da Estrela Natural Park to Aveiro driven. Then we have the Douro Valley visited and it Peneda Geres National Park. Then we drove back to the east, to the coast and we crossed the border again in the north of Portugal Spain.

Places, places and areas

Tavira

We started in Portugal with a visit to Tavira (Location here). The town is ideal for people who travel with a camper, because there are many camper pitches. Stroll through the cozy streets in the center of Tavira, visit the souvenir shops, take a ride on the train, view the castle and walk along the salt pans. In short, there is plenty to keep you entertained.

Faro

We thought Faro not a must visit, but we still spent a week in (near) Faro. We got up Park Campismo (look at here). In the early and late season you get a discount here with the ASCI-card. The place can also be found on Park4night (ID #254402).

This camper place, where you can also spend the night in a tent in the summer, is located near the beach. You only have to cross the street and you have your feet in the sand. Next to the camper place is a surf school and a small supermarket. There are a number of restaurants nearby. You can take a lovely walk via the beach or the road. Keep an eye out along the way, because you have a chance to spot flamingos! To do this, turn left when you leave the motorhome.

Portimão

The fishing town Portimão looks cozy. What is there to do and whether it is worth it? We cannot tell from experience, because we only drove there with the camper to drink coffee. We encountered enough campers, so it may be worth a more extensive visit. If you're on the road like us and it's time for a coffee, bee Portimão Panoramic Point in Ferragudo (locationh here) you have a view of Portimão and at least drink your coffee in a nice place.

Lagos

We definitely think this is a must visit! It is a very pleasant and busy town. There are of course shops and terraces, but also a covered market hall to buy your fresh fish, fruit and vegetables. In addition, has Lagos a harbor with many boats, which you can view by walking on the boulevard. In short, if you feel like socializing and the weather is nice, pay Lagos a nice visit!

Sagres

You will find the town in the southwest of Portugal Sagres (Location here). A few kilometers away is the most southwestern tip of Europe, Cape Saint Vincent (Location here). There is a lot of surfing in Sagres and there are many surf schools.

Sagres is also popular among motorhome travelers. We were parked with many campers and vans in a parking lot, which can be found via Park4Night (ID #394911). Here we spent the night. There are no facilities except for a number of rubbish containers. With a few minutes walk you are on the beach or lie with your surfboard in the sea. After a beautiful day you will find the most beautiful sunset here, with a view of the cliffs and Cape St. Vincent. You will certainly not be here just to watch the sun sink into the sea. The sunset was truly magical in our opinion!

Don't forget to pay a visit to Cape Saint Vincent. And, if you like dishes, trays, porcelain, etc., then pay a visit Ceramica Paraiso. They have two locations close to each other in Sagres. Be careful, you won't go home empty handed!

Lisbon

The capital of Portugal, you should not miss if you are in Portugal! The city known for the yellow tram, the Pastéis de Belém and the bridge, Ponte 25 de Abril, which resembles the bridge that is in San Francisco can be found. In Lisbon you can enjoy yourself for one or more days. You can buy an OV card, which allows you to use all types of public transport for 24 hours. If, like us, you want to visit Lisbon in one day, then this is a must to get more out of your day.

You could combine a city trip to Lisbon with a visit to the places Cascais en Sintra. Unfortunately, we did not visit Sintra, because we could not find a suitable camper place. We read a lot about burglaries in parking lot reviews and we couldn't find a motorhome or campsite nearby that met our needs.

Obidos/Foz do Arelho

obidos is a medieval town, which is definitely worth a visit. There is ample parking for both cars and RVs. The camper place can be found via Park4Night (ID#6812). During the day you can park here for free and if you decide to stay overnight, an employee will collect €6 from you around 20.00 p.m. in the evening or the next morning.

The town is surrounded by city walls that you can walk over. This way you can view the town from above. Don't forget to look the other way, because you have the most beautiful views around the place.

Besides the fact that you can walk on the city walls, you can of course also walk through the town itself. You will find nice shops, cozy terraces and a number of churches. Don't forget to try a cherry liqueur in a chocolate container, which can be found all over town.

In addition to the above camper place, you can also park at a camper place on the water 20 minutes away. If you are ready for a day at the beach, then you are in the right place and you can spend the night cheaply. The sanitary facilities are currently being renovated. For the camper place, latest info and reviews, look at Park4Night (ID#1007).

Nazareth

In Nazareth the largest waves in the world have been measured. In addition, surfing events are regularly organized. We wanted to visit this town, but unfortunately it was not easy. You are not allowed to drive your camper everywhere in Nazaré and you are not allowed to park everywhere, so pay close attention to the signs! We have seen a small part of Nazaré, but unfortunately we were unable to visit the town in the way we wanted. There are options to park a little further away with a (larger) camper, but a bicycle or scooter to visit the town is nice.

Aveiro

Aveiro is also called it Venice called Portugal. Where in Venice you have the gondolas. Do you have in Aveiro the moliceiros. You can buy a ticket to explore Aveiro by moliceiro. But, you can basically see everything on foot.

It is not nearly as big as Venice. Find the well-known colored houses, take a seat on a terrace by the water or go shopping in the shopping center with many well-known chain stores. Just like in Venice, Aveiro has many bridges. Couples often hang locks on bridges. In Aveiro these are colored ribbons which gives a cozy and colorful street scene.

Are you visiting Aveiro with the camper? Then you can park here (and spend the night) in a parking lot where there are even facilities. You can find the place via Park4Night (ID #235612).

Douro Valley

Do you say the Douro Valley, then you say wine and Port! It is an incredibly beautiful area to drive in. We constantly felt like we were driving through a painting. The area has a lot of fruit trees, vineyards and olive groves and lots of beautiful views. With the camper it was sometimes a bit of a search for a place where we could park safely to take a picture or drink coffee. It is mainly a lot of narrow roads, with many bends.

The highlight of our visit to the Douro Valley was a tour and wine tasting at Fifth from Padrela. It is a very hospitable family with a lot of knowledge and a passion for wine. We have never before had so much information during a visit to a winery. Highly recommended!

The tour and wine tasting are free and afterwards you have the opportunity to buy their homemade wine and olive oil. You can even spend the night here (also free) with the camper. There is one toilet and shower, you can fill water, but not empty gray and black water. For a few euros you can use electricity. This fantastic place is also on Park4Night (ID #41700).

Peneda-Geres National Park

The National Park Peneda-Geres is a very beautiful area, full of fantastic nature. Here too it is a lot of driving on fairly narrow roads, again with many bends. It was easy to do with our camper (6.90 m long). It was sometimes a bit more difficult to park, because there are few (spacious) parking spaces.

Our tip for this area is to just drive and pay attention to the information signs along the road what to do. Park the camper every now and then and visit the many picnic areas, viewpoints, waterfalls and lakes. Hiking enthusiasts are also in the right place in this area. There are many hiking trails to be found. These are also indicated with signs along the road and at parking spaces. Of course you can also use an app such as Komoot of AllTrails.

N2, Portuguese Route 66

The N2 is a 738 kilometer route that runs from the north to the south of Portugal. You will pass numerous highlights along the route. We have not driven this route ourselves, but we have parked at a motorhome along this route.

If you drive the route, we would definitely recommend the following small-scale motorhome stop. Currently the price per night is €10 including electricity. You can use the shower, toilet, camper facilities and the swimming pool. For a fee you can use a washing machine and dryer. Fresh bread rolls will be hung on your camper in the morning! The owners come out Belgium and are very friendly. The camper place can be found via Park4Night (ID #44120).

Other tips for camper pitches

Algarve Motorhome Park Falésia

A very popular place among motorhome travelers. From the place you can walk straight onto the beach and you can take a walk on the beautiful cliffs. Reservations are not possible, but on the website you can see whether and how many places are available. The place can be found on Park4Night (ID #12758).

wild camping

We spent one night at a wild camping spot that can be found via Park4Night ID (#346840). Wild camping is at your own risk. Check carefully whether there are prohibition signs, make sure you are not in a National Park and read the latest reviews. As far as we are concerned, opinions are very different as to whether or not wild camping is allowed in Portugal (and in which places).

In advance we had good hopes that wild camping was allowed again and that we would do this a lot. In practice, we found this disappointing… Many pieces fall under a National Park, where wild camping is prohibited anyway. In addition, we have noticed that along the coast, motorhome travelers are being sent away with a warning or fine from the police. Through our Instagram page we are in regular contact with other motorhome travelers who warned us or told us they had been sent away!

From the place above, where we stayed without any problems, you can walk to the starting point Seven Hanging Valleys Trail (Location here) to walk. This route is an absolute must! It is a beautiful walk that gives you the most beautiful views along the way! The route runs from Praia da Marinha to Vale Centianes beach. Put on sturdy (walking) shoes, take some food and drinks with you and if the sun is shining, don't forget your sunscreen. And of course your camera!

Also read: What is the best camera for a world tour? And why?

Quinta do Rossi Caravan Park

The place can be found on Park4Night (ID #177331). You pay €9 per night for a motorhome with two people without electricity. There are toilets and a shower. The welcome here was very friendly and the pitches are spacious. They have a donkey and two pigs. We found this a relaxed place as a stopover.

Quinta do Vale Verde / Lourical do Campo

This place can be found if you search through Google or Instagram for Quinta do Vale Verde and on Park4Night (ID #399109 Lourical do Campo).

Michel and Mirande are Dutch people who emigrated to this beautiful place in Portugal. You can spend the night with the camper on their site if you are self-sufficient in exchange for a donation or you can help by doing some work / chores. They have a huge piece of land, where a lot of work has already been done, but because it is so large, there is still plenty to do. Michel and Mirande hope to eventually become completely self-sufficient. They have great plans!

We chose to give them a helping hand when we were there and are a unique experience richer. We were warmly welcomed by Michel and Mirande. Thanks again and good luck and fun with your project!

What do we think of Portugal?

We think Portugal is a fantastic and diverse country! From the busy Algarve, where we sometimes queued with the camper to get a spot, to the rugged and beautiful west coast to the beautiful nature inland.

Portugal is a camper-friendly country, there are plenty of (small) campsites, (free) camper pitches and facilities. Unfortunately, we have been less free here than hoped for, as described above.

In short, Portugal is beautiful! Obrigado!