Portugal - so sad

[laurieash]

Whoops sorry I mean Dutch vans.

 

[laurieash]

It's weird and wonderful how different folks have different views of the same thing. We are enjoying our first trip to Southern Iberia in our first motorhome and haven't had an issue booking any of the sites we have found and wanted to visit...none have been on the coast near the tourist hotspots as that really isn't us. We are now on a small site a few miles west of Lagos in Portugal and it is lovely. Space for perhaps 30 MoHos and there are about 20 here. Cycled on back roads into Lagos yesterday and the road was no worse than any in the UK and travelling at moho speeds wouldn't have been an issue at all. We move east towards Loule tomorrow, still inland and the site gets great reviews. There seem to be more and more small sites popping up that weren't there 2, 3 or 5 years ago (judging by Google maps and chatting to the owners) I wish the new businesses well and hope they succeed.

Can you pm me the site near Lagos as I have not been for about 6 years.
We used to stop on the old football parking.
Laurie.

 

[Carpmart]

Upon arrival at Villasol for our booking, we tried to book our pitch for Feb - April 2025. "Sorry, all the large MH pitches in that block, are fully booked already for the same period."

Good luck those trying to book.

Jock.

Madness isn’t it Jock! When I raised the issue a few months back, I think people thought I was mad… the world (in SE Spain at least) has gone mad!

 

[Carpmart]

Hello fellow Funsters, we are off in MH to Portugal on April 15th for 90 days. Nothing booked just winging it. Newhaven to Dieppe. Then slowly meandering down west coast of France, Northern Spain. Not been to Portugal before. Chasing the sun.

You won’t have to chase too hard… will be scorchio when you get into Portugal.

 

[Raul]

I can recommend Obidos for a day at the castle, campismo £6, and lots of restaurants and gift shops.

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[chesterfield hooligan]

But haven't super pitches always been booked early I know people 8 to 10 years ago booking for the next year that's nothing new a little like teabags and toilet paper, LOL

 

[JockandRita]

I can recommend Obidos for a day at the castle, campismo £6, and lots of restaurants and gift shops.

Ditto that.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[bobnick]

Obidos. On me list.

When i went on to Villasol website i got 3 options, 2 i could book there and then, the 3rd was a fancy plot that required a bit extra filling in. I went for that but don't have a clue what i'm getting other than Leccy, water on the pitch, room for 8 mt MH, trailer AND car.
Was about € 135 or €145 for 5 nights.

 

[HugoBNB]

We are just going to wing it. Starting at the top zig zagging down. Got all the go to places on a list, maybe we will get there maybe not. Who knows, who cares.

We will keep an eye out for you and any other funsters. Silver Hymer for us. Registration is our name.

 

[bobnick]

We will keep an eye out for you and any other funsters. Silver Hymer for us. Registration is our name.

We will be entering the top bit of Portugal on or about 4/5th April.
Dark Gray Bailey towing a Fiat 500 on a trailer.

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[HugoBNB]

We will be entering the top bit of Portugal on or about 4/5th April.

We will be leaving France on the way home then. Have a cracking time!

 

[Orion]

Which apps or websites do people find most useful for locating stopovers or camping in Portugal?

We’re off at the end of February for 6 weeks via St Malo and plan to put some miles under the wheels before slowing up in central Spain and heading over to and down the coast in Portugal. I was tinkering with the idea of booking a week or so on a site somewhere around Sagres, but it’s not our usual way to have a totally set plan.

 

[bobnick]

Which apps or websites do people find most useful for locating stopovers or camping in Portugal?

We’re off at the end of February for 6 weeks via St Malo and plan to put some miles under the wheels before slowing up in central Spain and heading over to and down the coast in Portugal. I was tinkering with the idea of booking a week or so on a site somewhere around Sagres, but it’s not our usual way to have a totally set plan.

We have mostly used the one that's built into our sat nav. Found some really nice ones.

 

[Offagaingr8]

We’re on the tunnel 10 March, heading to Vale Parra / Gale, take about week to get there away for 90 days with a slow meander back to the tunnel early June.

 

[Raul]

We used P4N, lots of agroturismo sites are on P4N, and best are private. farms owned by expats. We stayed at a orange orchard 30 with acres, run by a Dutch family, just a bit inland north of Faro. Anyone interested i can PM the whatsup no, Lady speaks good english.

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[HugoBNB]

Which apps or websites do people find most useful for locating stopovers or camping in Portugal?

We’re off at the end of February for 6 weeks via St Malo and plan to put some miles under the wheels before slowing up in central Spain and heading over to and down the coast in Portugal. I was tinkering with the idea of booking a week or so on a site somewhere around Sagres, but it’s not our usual way to have a totally set plan.

We prefer Search4Sites paid version. What I tend to do is sit at home before we go and look at potential stops along our, sort-of, route and add them to a list if they look interesting and have decent reviews. Then, when on the road, I bring up that list. It saves trawling through reviews when actually there.
Good luck and happy travels

 

[Riverbankannie]

We are on ferry 24 March with Portugal in mind. Planning to be inland western Spain Easter so hopefully ok.
Looks like there should be Funsters about.
Perhaps we should meet up at JJ s place

 

[Abacist]

Foz Do Arelho has a nice aire beside the estuary and the beach is fabulous and the village and promenade have some nice restaurants and pretty close to Obidos.

Nazare, further north, is the town famous for its record breaking waves for surfing due to the underwater convergence of two valleys which doubles the height of the waves. The town has excellent fish restaurants and they dry fish and octopus on stands on the beach. There is a surfing museum on the cliff to the north of the town.

Praia da Luz, Lagos, Alvor and Portimão all good resorts on the coast of the Algarve.

Much farther north are the 3 famous marble towns, the largest of which is Estremoz where you can find most of the town fitted out in the locally mined marble, such as kerb stones, street lights, buildings etc.

Monsaraz is an inland clifftop fortified village overlooking one of Europe's largest inshore reservoirs which is worth a visit hard on the Portuguese/ Spanish border.

 

[cliffanger]

Lots of Funsters will remember Pedro and his family - wonder if he’s still going …. ?

 

[Orion]

We are on ferry 24 March with Portugal in mind. Planning to be inland western Spain Easter so hopefully ok.
Looks like there should be Funsters about.

Maybe too early for your planned arrival but we are in Sevilla for part of Easter week to experience the parades with the statues of the Virgin Mary. Really looking forward to it.

Easter Week in Sevilla. 22/03/2024. Fiestas in Seville | spain.info

From 22/03/2024 to 31/03/2024. Easter Week in Sevilla. What to see in Seville and more on Spains official tourism website | spain.info

www.spain.info

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[JJ]

Perhaps we should meet up at @JJ s place

My place welcomes the very few Funsters who are able to pass the stringent tests and like the total absence of anything exciting to do...

Just peace and quiet under the magnificent oak tree...


JJ

 

[Abacist]

If you fancy straying into Spain then Avila is a town within a castle with 50+ turrets.

Segovia has an intact Roman Aquaduct, nearly 2000 year old, that crosses the town and rises to a height of nearly 100 feet with 167 arches. The foundations are evidently 6 metres deep! Makes Stonehenge look like a ruined garden shed!

Most Spanish large towns and cities have fabulous cathedrals e.g Burgos, Santiago de Compostela, Seville etc.

 

[jongood]

We have travelled the world, been to every continent (bar Antarctica), lived in the far east, Americas and Europe, we have been to almost every country in Europe (including Andorra, Lichtenstein and Monaco), but neither of us have been to Portugal !

So we are going for a month in April/May.
We have the ferry booked but nothing else yet.
We like looking at old stuff, castles and cathedrals, museums and art galleries.
We like cycling and walking.

Where would you start ?

Wont you be starting in Rotterdam??

 

[bobnick]

If you fancy straying into Spain then Avila is a town within a castle with 50+ turrets.

Segovia has an intact Roman Aquaduct, nearly 2000 year old, that crosses the town and rises to a height of nearly 100 feet with 167 arches. The foundations are evidently 6 metres deep! Makes Stonehenge look like a ruined garden shed!

Most Spanish large towns and cities have fabulous cathedrals e.g Burgos, Santiago de Compostela, Seville etc.

Like the look of that Avil.
Putting it on the list for next time.
Rough plan sorted for this up coming trip.

 

[jongood]

Foz Do Arelho has a nice aire beside the estuary and the beach is fabulous and the village and promenade have some nice restaurants and pretty close to Obidos.

Nazare, further north, is the town famous for its record breaking waves for surfing due to the underwater convergence of two valleys which doubles the height of the waves. The town has excellent fish restaurants and they dry fish and octopus on stands on the beach. There is a surfing museum on the cliff to the north of the town.

Praia da Luz, Lagos, Alvor and Portimão all good resorts on the coast of the Algarve.

Much farther north are the 3 famous marble towns, the largest of which is Estremoz where you can find most of the town fitted out in the locally mined marble, such as kerb stones, street lights, buildings etc.

Monsaraz is an inland clifftop fortified village overlooking one of Europe's largest inshore reservoirs which is worth a visit hard on the Portuguese/ Spanish border.

Love Foz de Arelho. Coast around Aveiro is pretty nice and Sintra for some nice palaces. Nice little aire over the river at Peso de Regua but funny levels so only if your overhangs arent too long ( you would probably struggle Robert, as I think I would in this MH)

Plenty of nice places on the Alentjo but sounds like they re out of bounds now.

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[pjay]

Which apps or websites do people find most useful for locating stopovers or camping in Portugal?

We’re off at the end of February for 6 weeks via St Malo and plan to put some miles under the wheels before slowing up in central Spain and heading over to and down the coast in Portugal. I was tinkering with the idea of booking a week or so on a site somewhere around Sagres, but it’s not our usual way to have a totally set plan.

Service areas

CampingCar Portugal - O Portal Português de Autocaravanismo

campingcarportugal.com

Pete

 

[Raul]

If you fancy straying into Spain then Avila is a town within a castle with 50+ turrets.

Segovia has an intact Roman Aquaduct, nearly 2000 year old, that crosses the town and rises to a height of nearly 100 feet with 167 arches. The foundations are evidently 6 metres deep! Makes Stonehenge look like a ruined garden shed!

Most Spanish large towns and cities have fabulous cathedrals e.g Burgos, Santiago de Compostela, Seville etc.

We are at Avila now, just been in for some souvenirs, tomorrow will explore a bit more by bike. We came up from Caceres on the N110, what a site. The night before we stayed at a site to run a mile from.

 

[Lenny HB]

Which apps or websites do people find most useful for locating stopovers or camping in Portugal?

We always find Camper Contact the most reliable, Search for Sites is not that good in Spain and Portugal only lists a few of the stopovers.

Foz Do Arelho has a nice aire beside the estuary and the beach is fabulous and the village and promenade have some nice restaurants and pretty close to Obidos.

Foz is great for a relaxing few days & Obidos is well worth a visit.

 

[Itsme]

Had a very enj

We are visiting the Algarve in the van this year for the first time as part of a 6 week trip. We’re leaving on the 5th March . We booked a campsite for 10 days as it includes the Easter period. Got into Touriscampo. We booked within the last month BF crossings as well. I’m sure the Portuguese people will be as lovely as those I’ve met on my many visits to Porto plus my wonderful dentist Francisca. Maybe not the wingeing motorhomers though

Harvey Carpmart is right about the campsites being busy, we like to stay in one place relax for a bit so wanted a couple of weeks in one place first. We have managed to get 2 weeks at Cabopino but only just. We are having to really motor from Santander to get the spot. Obviously we are booking late but very little about along the coast. We wanted a change from the Beni area especially as we were heading across to Portugal.

3 weeks at Cabopino

 

[Raul]

The most important think to do at least a day before you enter Portugal, is to tegister with portugaltolls dot com, for easy toll. Wait untill you get a email registration confirmation, before you enter motorways with electronic payment.

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