Spain or Portugal pros and cons (3 Viewers)

[HKF]

Portugal have 3 different toll systems. They record your number plate or you can pay in advance or carry a device recording your motorway use. A few of the entrances to Portugal have possibility to register your credit card. Fine comes to UK if not paid.

Oh, ok. It sounds ok to me

 

[GoldenVision]

Portugal has clamped down (really heavily) on wild camping, forcing people into overcrowded campsites and Aires. It's still a wonderful country to tour (but not as wonderful as it used to be).

Spain will probably go the same way.

 

[JJ]

Portugal has clamped down (really heavily) on wild camping, forcing people into overcrowded campsites and Aires. It's still a wonderful country to tour (but not as wonderful as it used to be).

Spain will probably go the same way.

Interesting...

"clamped down (really heavily)"

I have yet to experience this... and I live in my van fulltime in Portugal (and have done so for decades!)

I just don't know where Folk get these scare stories from... maybe from ex-pat newspapers.

JJ

 

[Solwaybuggier]

We love both - when we very first went into Northern Portugal from Spain, the first thing we noticed was how much calmer and quieter it seemed. And things happen earlier in the evenings.

 

[jumar]

Having toured Europe since the early seventies, I had a good idea where we could retire too, at the end of the nineties, we chose Spain. Without doubt one of the most diverse European countries I know.
We have spent so much of our leisure and sporting time in Portugal, integrated well and have many friend there....
Portugal is a interesting place, the language is challenging the people are quite open, but they can be serious too.
And in parts of Portugal it's possible to see a top of the range BMW parked in a village adjacent to a field being ploughed with horse or bullock...there is a mix of wealth and poverty there.
So to sum up....Spain gets my vote...

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[TONCAZ]

C

Are you staying on the Aire there or the site?

Camping Zaragoza till Sunday morning.

 

[PaddyM]

Travelled extensively through both countries and Portugal just edges it for me , though Spain is fantastic .

 

[scotzsue]

Does Tam like drag acts ?

Now Now Trevor.
rosalan we love both and the toll system isn't all that bad we set off for Spain every year saying we will give Portugal a miss but never do, sometime wish it was possible to do the other
We did leave Portugal last year as it got too hot and headed for Murcia. Again.
To be fair we did try a fair number of places we hadn't been to before.

 

[scotzsue]

Not long got the book a look through and 90 percent

not that long we have all the aires and not many stood out. Just my opinion

We had one a few years ago, hardly worth the paper it was written on. many out of date or last reviewed many years ago. i much prefer Search4sites and do look at park4night
Bought a new French All the aires, used some but should have saved my money for a few bottles of nice wine.
However we are all different, there are places i love and others hate, some i dislike and others love and many i can take or leave.
hopefully means we all get somewhere to go.

 

[rosalan]

I find the national loyalties odd as an English person. One place we stayed 8k from Spanish border the campsite owner would not shop in Spain,where he admitted goods were cheaper.
We broke down in Portugal where nationally repairs were not available and breakdown service could not phone Spanish dealer as at the time they had nobody who spoke Spanish.

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[jumar]

I find the national loyalties odd as an English person. One place we stayed 8k from Spanish border the campsite owner would not shop in Spain,where he admitted goods were cheaper.
We broke down in Portugal where nationally repairs were not available and breakdown service could not phone Spanish dealer as at the time they had nobody who spoke Spanish.

No way does this apply to French people...the shops, towns and villages that border Spain are rammed with bargain hunters..
I have noticed a little coldness between Spain and Portugal in the past... especially in Sporting events....

 

[Northernraider]

Does Tam like drag acts ?

I do as it happens but what's that to do with this thread

 

[Northernraider]

No way does this apply to French people...the shops, towns and villages that border Spain are rammed with bargain hunters..
I have noticed a little coldness between Spain and Portugal in the past... especially in Sporting events....

And Scottish lol. When I toured the east side of Portugal I crisscrossed back and forth over the border to buy diesel and food shopping in Spain lol. I like Portugal but the supermarkets are shit. And the fuel was considerably more expensive, also much harder to find free parkups on the coast. So Spain gets my vote for now

 

[bigtree]

Does Tam like drag acts ?

This comment from Landy Andy.

 

[bigtree]

And Scottish lol. When I toured the east side of Portugal I crisscrossed back and forth over the border to buy diesel and food shopping in Spain lol. I like Portugal but the supermarkets are shit. And the fuel was considerably more expensive, also much harder to find free parkups on the coast. So Spain gets my vote for now

I love Portuguese supermarkets, great wine, bread and proper chicken. Also you get Aberdeen Angus beef that you don’t get in Scotland plus Porco Preto.

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[busby]

The only good things about Spain is that it gives you access to Portugal-Morocco, and gives tattooed northern people who like drag acts somewhere to go on holiday.
Portugal is very nice though.

Think there is far more to Spain than The Costas..BUSBY.

 

[busby]

We have looked at Portugal the aires look naff

Been on some great Aires in Portugal..BUSBY.

 

[Northernraider]

This comment from Landy Andy. View attachment 925687

Ah that explains a lot.

The muppets were out

 

[JJ]

I might be mistaken but it seems to me that Mr Simon Meadwell has given advice to a thread asking about Spain and Portugal based on what he saw in a book.

Apparently the aires look naff in Portugal.

They might not all be as good as ones in Stockport I but I know dozens and dozens of super Portuguese "aires".


JJ

 

[WillysMB]

Did both at the begging of the year ...set Waze and sat nave to avoid tolls ..no issues. easy peasy re Airs and camping and just streets ahead of the UK and mostly free or a few euros ....5-6E so not bank breaking and some of the big supermarkets provide places with Free EHU in Spain.

WE DO NOT DO SITTING ON A CAMPSITE so moved constantly from one village to another and loved it, Evan as Spanish speaker I have to say Portugal was brilliant and the Portuguese so friendly the villages open to motorhomes.
Would have no qualms recommending both countries.

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[Barriesimpson]

Spain will probably go the same way.

No, I doubt it very much. The law recently changed in Spain and it is now legal to park up anywhere the van will fit and sleep inside. You are not allowed to put out awnings, tables, chairs or BBQs, but you can live in your van. There are a few places where it is specifically prohibited, but there are signs saying so. Other than that (using common sense of course) you can park where you wish.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

I do as it happens but what's that to do with this thread

Nothing wrong with a good drag act

 

[Landy Andy]

Nothing wrong with a good drag act

A good drag act doesn’t exist

 

[Wanders from Glos]

A good drag act doesn’t exist

Very broad minded of you

 

[Simon Meadwell]

I might be mistaken but it seems to me that Mr Simon Meadwell has given advice to a thread asking about Spain and Portugal based on what he saw in a book.

Apparently the aires look naff in Portugal.

They might not all be as good as ones in Stockport I but I know dozens and dozens of super Portuguese "aires".


JJ

No need fot that checking where i live then having a poke and its Simon not Mr Meadwell. Just my opinion thats all. And for your info we use the aires book take a look and tell me they look great.

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[GoldenVision]

Interesting...

"clamped down (really heavily)"

I have yet to experience this... and I live in my van fulltime in Portugal (and have done so for decades!)

I just don't know where Folk get these scare stories from... maybe from ex-pat newspapers.

JJ

From experience!

Last two winters - admittedly high season - turned away from several full sites and Aires were, without exception, full to bursting. I suppose it's different if you want to risk fines (and always payable in cash, of course) or stay in places nobody wants to go.

When we'd visited Portugal several years previously it was a very different (and considerably more relaxed) story.

Outside high season may well be different, but after Portugal, Spain was very welcoming.

 

[GoldenVision]

No, I doubt it very much. The law recently changed in Spain and it is now legal to park up anywhere the van will fit and sleep inside. You are not allowed to put out awnings, tables, chairs or BBQs, but you can live in your van. There are a few places where it is specifically prohibited, but there are signs saying so. Other than that (using common sense of course) you can park where you wish.

Well that's good news - maybe Spain still does see the benefit of encouraging people to contribute to their economy (unlike their westerly neighbours).

 

[JJ]

...turned away from several full sites and Aires

I am afraid I really don't understand how being turned away from sites and aires which are full constitutes as "Portugal clamping down on wild camping (really heavily)".

All I can say is I have "off-site motorhomed" all over Portugal (and still do) and no one has "clamped down" on me.

Then, of course, maybe it is because I don't use apps or guide books to find where to park up...


JJ

 

[JJ]

No need fot that checking where i live then having a poke and its Simon not Mr Meadwell. Just my opinion thats all. And for your info we use the aires book take a look and tell me they look great.

Have you actually visited Portugal?

I might pay more attention to your "opinion" about the country if you have...


JJ

 

[Simon Meadwell]

Have you actually visited Portugal?

I might pay more attention to your "opinion" about the country if you have...


JJ

No not been yet my opinion was clear and only about the aires not the country pay attention.

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