PORTUGAL

[Mickt]

I am in the process of planning a trip to the Algarve. Going over via Calias then down to Spain , heading for El Rocio then along the coast to the Algarve. Should be away for about 8 weeks.

I hope to come back up through Portugal to Northen Spain then home.

What places do you recommend to see and what places to avoid.

[starvin marvin]

There are simply loads of places if you free camp, just get down to the coast roads and keep what my wife calls her "Vandar" going, she can spot a parked m/h from miles away.

 

The places we avoid are always the same: cities, museums, & art galleries. If I never see another museum, art gallery or in some cases churches in my life then I've certainly seen enough.

 

Give us a beach and a G&T/beer anytime, happily its a shared view, seconded by the dog. Nearly forgot a good walk.

[flicka]

Hopefully not going too far off-thread.

An article in Feb issue of Caravan Club magazine regarding new tolls on former toll-free roads in Portugal & only payable with a pre-purchased card.

http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/news-and-events/news/overseas-news/2010/oct/new-electronic-tolls-in-portugal

[BillytheKid]

Don't know about your journey because I've never done it, but I've spent lots of holidays in the Algarve. I highly recommend Castelejo beach for surfing (if you're into that kind of thing) or for a more serene beach try Ingrina beach (I think that's how you spell it)... Very pretty beach and the sea is as still as a millpond so safe for kids to swim etc.

[smifee]

I have wildcamped a bit in the eastern Algarve. Once I get off the main roads I only meet the locals. You seem to be able to walk anywhere. They don't have a 'get off my land' attitude.

 

If you like walking & wildcamping try the village of Pessegueiro. I parked behind what I think is a Hunter's Social Club on the edge of the village and walked to the cafe. Walked up to a new dam outside the village but the streets are so narrow & turns so sharp that my van wouldn't make it. Would make a good stopover for a Panel Van though. After a walk through the hills I returned to the cafe for lunch & parked right outside. Meal of 2 steaks, chips, salad, bread, beer & coffee €12.50. Travelling Greengrocer stops in village opposite cafe.

 

Neither the lady in the cafe nor the greengrocer spoke English. She spoke German but with a dictionary we got by. He spoke French which I can speak a bit so no problems there either.

 

The only thing about walking in the hills is to beware of a gathering of vehicles, mostly pickups, cos they are probably shooting. I usually have my HI-viz jacket in my rucksack and put it on if I hear guns. The dog goes on the lead as she hasn't gota Hi-viz *-)

 

There are lots of wildcamping spots around that area. I didn't use the Social Club car park as I was leaving the area that day but I'm sure it would have been OK. Several sources of water too.

[Mickt]

Thanks all for the help and thanks Flicker re the autoroutes

[Barbarian]

Hi Mick, we went to Portugal from 20 Sept. to 30 Nov. 2009 and stayed on The Algarve. These are the places we stayed, all Motorhome friendly.

Vila Real de Santo Antonio, There is a full facility free Aire, black & grey waste dump + fresh water or 'wild' camping near the river, walking distance to the town not far from the Spanish border bridge.

Lagos, Campismo Trindade 9 euros per night (2009) inc. elec. showers, coin op laundry. Small shop on site, fresh bread every morning very close to the town and good restaurants within walking distance. Security guard 11pm to 7am no vehicular movement between those times. This was the only site we stayed on but we had to as met up with family members on holiday in Lagos.

Boca do Rio (Mouth of the river) stayed a week on a beach 20ft from the sea. But there was talk of a marina developement there?

Silves, a big old historical town.

Quarteria, bit too touristy for us, stayed only 1 night.

Islas de Faro, keep Faro airport to your left, straight on until you come to a one way bridge with traffic lights cross and park on the big car park, has toilet, cafe's etc. also regular bus service to the big shopping area in Faro.

Pedras D'el Rei, waterside parking near a holiday home developement.

 

All places were listed in a European map book we bought on the Ferry.

Hope this is of some use, we are heading back to the same areas before the end of this month for 2/3 months.

 

Safe and Happy travels, regards barbarian

[Bojitoes]

Hi Mickt

We did he same trip last year, hope you have beter weather than us. El Rocio is nice but there are only 2 very small supermarkets there with minimal stock, so you need to go to Ayamonte, 10 miles away for decent shopping. If you are staying at La Aldea its a good site but, except at weekends El Rocio is a ghost town. The shrine is magnificent and there is an old palace some 4 miles out of town that has a good exhibition. A ttrip to Huelva to see the monastery from where Christopher Columbus set forth is a definite must. Going into the Algarve Lagos is a nice town with a big marina and Loule also worh a visit. No trip to Porugal is complete without a visit to Lisbon, one of he nicest & cheapest European capitals. The architecture & free art that you can see are incredible. There is wild camping available beside the river Douro or, if you prefer a site there is an Orbitur camp the other side of the Douro but you need to catch the ferry which although dirt cheap only runs every hour. There are other super sites to see, if you want to PM me I can let you know some more. We are near Jerez at he moment and the weather is super, we may head up towards Seville(another must see) later next week.

Bob

[Randonneur]

We returned from 3 months in Portugal. We started off at Castro Marim, couple of free Aires there. Then we stayed in Lagos, Camping Trindade for 3 weeks but unfortunately it is now 14.60 euros from 9 euros last year. We then went to Camping Ria Formosa, Cabanas, near Tavira for the rest of the time, it was £246 for 30 days inclusive of everything. Whilst we were there we had a look at Villa Real de San Antonio where there were about 100 motorhomes wildcamping near the ferry port, we also went to Altura but there was only about 6, then Manta Rota and again there was about 80 motorhomes wildcamped, beautiful place and very flat and near the beach. We also looked at Pedras Del Rey where there where about 12 motorhomes wildcamped. If you use the trains in Portugal and are 65 or over you get the fare at halfprice, it is so cheap to travel, we went to Faro from Cabanas and it was less that 5 euros.

 

At the moment there are no tolls on the A22 motorway along the Algarve and the local people are putting up posters against the proposal.

 

On the way through Spain, coming back, we stayed at Camping Olimpia, just north of Salamanca, junction km225. It is a very small site and holds about 24 vans. Family run with electric, showers etc and 15 euros a night, it would be worthwhile staying a couple of days if the weather was kind. We then stayed at Hendaye Aire, near the railway station.

 

Although after Christmas we had glorious sunny weather, when we set off back it got progressively colder as we went through Spain but there was no snow, thank goodness.