Portugal Parking Fine

[Lenny HB]

What is it that motorhomers don't like about campsites. Makes life a lot easier to be an official visitor with all the facilities at arms length. What is the attraction with sleeping in car parks......?

I could ask what is the attraction of camp sites. Wilding doesn't have to be in a car park, we have stopped in some beautiful mountain locations.

 

[Lenny HB]

The last 2 years we have visited Portugal never had any problems wilding but we have not been anywhere near the Algarve.

 

[cruiser]

We have wild camped in the Algarve for some years we have rarely seen the police. we must just be lucky. But we also use campsites . We use the best of what is around.

 

[MinaRotter]

In my case I was just stopping for the night on the way to cross the border to Spain.

I had a run in with the GNR in the northern part of the country too, having just crossed the border from Northern Spain. The SatNav directed me up a small streed about 50 yards in length that I noticed as I made the turn, was one way. As it was deserted and very short, I decided to continue rather than try and turn around. Half way up a GNR car came around the corner! Bad luck or what?

Anyway, they folloowed me and then pulled me over. I don't have an issue with that, I had made a mistake and it was my fault. They ended up driving me to an ATM where I forked out 25 euro's. I'm perfectly fine with all that. What I did have an issue with, was the attitude of the trumped up, officious officer that had pulled up (he wasn't GNR but I'm not sure what department he was from) who started speaking fast in Portuguese. I don't speak Portuguese and apologised and told him this. He then started ranting at me (in perfect English) that I was in his country and he didn't speak English etc etc. That may all be true and I was willing to use my phone that has a translator app before he started ranting at me in perfect English. He was rude and obnoxious and obviously had a big axe to grind about something. I had only been in the country half a day and was fast going off it, even before the Manta Rota incident.

 

[Emmit]

I'll say right at the start of this post that I'm not putting myself as some sort of genie at the ways of the Police in Portugal but having been in their position,(so to speak) this is my take on their approach as to parking a motorhome on their patch.
If you are parked in a car park, as opposed to a piece of ground, providing there are no signs to the contrary, you may park. If you put your van anywhere else, especially if a local puts their oar in, then the GNR (other branches are available) are possibly going to give you a visit.
The above definitely applies in summer when someone's leviathan is taking up three spaces on the Beach car park.
In winter, the local mayor would rather you spent money in his town when there's little chance of earning an emu from anywhere else and, as a consequence he will have had a word in the local Police Commandants ear. (Other orifices are available)

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[Jimbohorlicks]

Do you have a special greeting between police forces Emmit. That let's you off the hook?

Evenin all.




Never had any issues in Portugal though, stayed mainly on Aires, some free some paid, parked up in beach areas as well. Seen plenty of police cars patrol by, never had an issue and felt a little more secure with patrols about. On the Algarve we tended to use paid Aires anyway as that's all we could find.

 

[Emmit]

Do you have a special greeting between police forces Emmit. That let's you off the hook?

Evenin all.




Never had any issues in Portugal though, stayed mainly on Aires, some free some paid, parked up in beach areas as well. Seen plenty of police cars patrol by, never had an issue and felt a little more secure with patrols about. On the Algarve we tended to use paid Aires anyway as that's all we could find.

The last time I had any interaction with Police from a different country was about three years ago, somewhere near Armagnac in south west France.
A young lady in a convertible Renault 'flashed' me. Mrs Emmit asked What was that for? I knew.
Around the corner three of Frances finest pulled me over.
Bonjour Mon Ami, says I. Felicitations Je suis le retraite gendarme, shaking hands all round.
What good did that do?
I'll tell you.
I was given the breath test tube as a souvenir and it adorned the front of the speedo. as a reminder for several months.
The short answer is therefore No. There is no Masonic type intro. that may get you out of the doo doo.

 

[Brakers]

Reading all this is kinda putting me off going to Portugal in a couple of weeks

Me to Pia I’m in Spain at the moment and was expecting to travel back through Portugal early in April to catch the ferry from Bilba, but having second thought. ??

 

[Sundowners]

Me to Pia I’m in Spain at the moment and was expecting to travel back through Portugal early in April to catch the ferry from Bilba, but having second thought. ??

Please don’t let any of this put you off Portugal, the country and the people are extremely hospitable and welcoming. If you stay within the law and are sociable you will have no problems. The country has provided many Aires, paid and free, park on these in built up areas or use campsites and you will have no problems at all. Once you get away to the mountains or in the middle of nowhere, you can wild camp as much as you like.
The problem is too many people want to be by the beach in the Algarve but there are too many motorhomes looking for a camping spot preferably one they don’t have to pay for. Stick to the rules and you will love the place, I’m sure.

If you ever visit our area, near Oliveira do Hospital, a couple of nice Aires near by, please give us a shout, you are more than welcome to join us for a cuppa.

We’ve made mistakes before, missing out seeing lovely places because we listened to scaremongerers, go and see for yourself then make up your own mind.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Second the above, we meandered through from the North to the south and Algarve of Portugal and thoroughly enjoyed it. Really nice people and no issues at all, even with the police. As said we saw several police cars, patroling Aires, but no issues for us, we will certainly do Portugal again
.

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