Spain or Portugal pros and cons (1 Viewer)

[alasdairandannie]

Portugal is further away
Spain is nearer
Portugal toll roads not logical toll system
Spanish roads mostly free and tolls logical
Portuguese minor roads can be awful
Spanish minor roads generally good.

Depends what you like and want to do and see. Don’t understand what’s difficult about tolls in Portugal.
Food and wine good in both although wines maybe less familiar in Portugal.
Inland Portugal is lovely and far less busy than the coast.
Portuguese more challenging as a language.
Driving in Portugal a bit worse, from he perspective of a cyclist!!

 

[Carpmart]

We did two months touring in Portugal last Autumn and will be back down as part of this years itinerary.. way too much to see and do, so will there just over three months this autumn.

We overnighted a few times away from sites, in Portugal but mostly used sites as they are cheap as chips.

The same tour last year and up to June this year, we also spent five months in Spain. We love both countries, but we are most excited about touring Portugal again.

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi.
Portugal..Many of the small villages have " Village Halls " Ater moving over here,we used to do rides out and if anybody was about ask if it would be OK to park up for the night,explaining we were self efficient.......... At one,in a village one night we were invited in for a " Shin kicking ? " ....Dance .
Caution....When dancing out on the floor at one of these places, note where the windows and doors are. The Portuguese ladies work alongside the men folk,so any dance that involves " Spinning "........................ IF ...you lose hold, you can exit through one of those.......Rather than the wall . ( Memories of a pub in Ireland...)
Enjoy Portugal,its got something for everyone.
Tea Bag

 

[Emmit]

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.

I take it by ’northern' people, you mean those who live in Northamptonshire?

 

[VXman]

Came late to this thread and can't be bothered to read 4 pages so apologies if what I say had been said or if this thread has moved on.

Trying to play one country off against another is pointless. There are great things about Spain and great things about Portugal (and UK, and Morocco etc etc). Our approach is to try to sample as much of the world as possible and rarely revisit places.

Done Spain thoroughly in a 2 month tour in 2021. Also done many flying based and driving holidays to Spain over 30 years. This Autumn we will do Northern Spain and the whole of Portugal. It will be great I am sure!

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[VXman]

Wild camping in Portugal is now effectively illegal. Maybe you have just been very lucky not to meet police with outstretched palms. I have friends who have not been so lucky and, in one case, €100 lighter.

I hope you continue to avoid them.

I'm not going to risk it and would rather visit countries who make me feel welcome.

Not taken the MH to Portugal yet but when we were there in May on a walking holiday I noticed plenty of motorhomes parked up in various places.

For example here at Pinhao there were plenty and Park4night suggests there are no issues with it.

 

[rosalan]

Came late to this thread and can't be bothered to read 4 pages so apologies if what I say had been said or if this thread has moved on.

Trying to play one country off against another is pointless. There are great things about Spain and great things about Portugal (and UK, and Morocco etc etc). Our approach is to try to sample as much of the world as possible and rarely revisit places.

Done Spain thoroughly in a 2 month tour in 2021. Also done many flying based and driving holidays to Spain over 30 years. This Autumn we will do Northern Spain and the whole of Portugal. It will be great I am sure!

I do not wish to sound rude but the concept of doing any country in 2 months may not be a very great time for assimilating their culture, especially one as large and varied as Spain. Benidorm, Astoria, Andalucia, Madrid, San Sebastián, Cabo de Gato and the Costa Bravo are all in Spain but staggeringly different.

 

[VXman]

I do not wish to sound rude but the concept of doing any country in 2 months may not be a very great time for assimilating their culture, especially one as large and varied as Spain. Benidorm, Astoria, Andalucia, Madrid, San Sebastián, Cabo de Gato and the Costa Bravo are all in Spain but staggeringly different.

What a strange (not ruge but odd comment) It's a lot better than spending 2 weeks on a beach which is the experience of the majority of travellers! How many people ate able to spend 2 months exploring a country???. I don't claim to assimilate a countries culture. Haven't even done that after 60 years living in the UK!!!

I have probably 20 travelling years left in me if I am lucky. I have travelled to varying parts of Europe, North America, far east, Asia etc and lived in Hong Kong for 3 years. However, I have south America on my bucket list (doing 1 month in Patagonia in January), need to also do some of Africa, Japan, Australia and New Zealand in the next few years.

Not going to fully assimilate those cultures either but it's not going to stop me enjoying them!!!

 

[555 FRY]

Portugal is great but prefer the sites and the people in Spain. Each to there own.

 

[Tea Bag]

I take it by ’northern' people, you mean those who live in Northamptonshire?

Hi Emmit.
" Northamptonshire " is not noted as being a " Home County ". .
Northampton...Good nights out at the " Lamp Lighter/Lamplighter.?" mid 70's If stopping there overnight.
Tea Bag.

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[Tea Bag]

Not taken the MH to Portugal yet but when we were there in May on a walking holiday I noticed plenty of motorhomes parked up in various places.

For example here at Pinhao there were plenty and Park4night suggests there are no issues with it.

View attachment 929035

Hi.
Super place to park up for the night. Did you go on one of the River " Mini cruises ? " We did,watching tractors working in the vinyards on an almost verticle slope,took the growler on board with us.. Enjoy.
Tea Bag

 

[VXman]

Hi.
Super place to park up for the night. Did you go on one of the River " Mini cruises ? " We did,watching tractors working in the vinyards on an almost verticle slope,took the growler on board with us.. Enjoy.
Tea Bag

Yep - we took a boat down the river for an hour or so. The whole holiday was waking the the valley and hills around there and staying at the vineyards. Had a great time.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

Came late to this thread and can't be bothered to read 4 pages so apologies if what I say had been said or if this thread has moved on.

Trying to play one country off against another is pointless. There are great things about Spain and great things about Portugal (and UK, and Morocco etc etc). Our approach is to try to sample as much of the world as possible and rarely revisit places.

Done Spain thoroughly in a 2 month tour in 2021. Also done many flying based and driving holidays to Spain over 30 years. This Autumn we will do Northern Spain and the whole of Portugal. It will be great I am sure!

Couldn’t agree more about playing one off against the other. It’s always down to personal choice but people’s opinions are always interesting.

Impressed you managed to do Spain in two months, we have toured there for much more than that now and still feel there is a lot left to see.

We will take the motorhome to Portugal for the first time in September and are looking forward to it. I expect we will do a blog. I have to admit some confusion over the toll system and am hoping my Fulli tag will work on all the toll roads as some have suggested it will.

 

[Whippetsontour]

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.

Yes don’t I just know it ! £60 fine , I was on a toll road

 

[jumartoo]

Couldn’t agree more about playing one off against the other. It’s always down to personal choice but people’s opinions are always interesting.

Impressed you managed to do Spain in two months, we have toured there for much more than that now and still feel there is a lot left to see.

We will take the motorhome to Portugal for the first time in September and are looking forward to it. I expect we will do a blog. I have to admit some confusion over the toll system and am hoping my Fulli tag will work on all the toll roads as some have suggested it will.

We've lived in Spain for many years. Over the last few years (since Covid) we've explored our own region (and neighbouring regions). We can easily spend two months, or more, in each region, and still not seen everything on offer.

As for heading north. We'd need another lifetime to see everything. We're doing the best we can though

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[Tea Bag]

Couldn’t agree more about playing one off against the other. It’s always down to personal choice but people’s opinions are always interesting.

Impressed you managed to do Spain in two months, we have toured there for much more than that now and still feel there is a lot left to see.

We will take the motorhome to Portugal for the first time in September and are looking forward to it. I expect we will do a blog. I have to admit some confusion over the toll system and am hoping my Fulli tag will work on all the toll roads as some have suggested it will.

Hi.
Big yes for Fulli tag..... Only seen the " Tag Rejected " sign once.....Midnight 'ish.... M6 Toll Had seen my sister waggle her bank card at a car park exit and it opened.....So lent out of the w/dow ( RHD PVC ) and waggled my card... Through the darkness and concentration of waggling the card ALL over the face of the machine,a voice was to be heard....... " MOVE! MOVE !!! The lights gone Green and if you don't MOVE we will be stuck here forever.......MOVE !!!! " Jennifer.......... Now we have been married 61 yrs........... The Tone of her voice rang alarm bells................. I MOVED... ".....as a couple of nights in A+E would have been worse. "
Had Emovis ? tag before with NO problems,but FULLI cover more countries. Happy safe miles.
Tea Bag

 

[Kevin R]

.....and if you don't use the motorways?

I very rarely use the motorways in Portugal as you miss so much.

 

[Tea Bag]

I very rarely use the motorways in Portugal as you miss so much.

Hi.
While out on a jaunt,went off the main road for a jingle down a little coastal track/lane ( In a PVC ) a bit up from Nazare keeping the sea on our right. The views were outstanding and we ended up following along behind a herd of goats between two villages...... not a person in sight,but they seemed to have known where they were going. The little villages all seem to have a Bar/shop/Cafe combined...... " Open all hours ? ".... Go ON..take a drive on the wild side.
Tea Bag

 

[WillysMB]

Out of interest are you in a big Moho as I have Waze for the car but it doesn’t cater for Moho??

6.5 m and slimline

 

[bobnick]

Yet another fine through the letterbox today. The 5th. 4 for the MH and 1 for Dolly. Only €13 and it all tallys.
Got to be the last one surely.
Won't be going to Portugal again that's for sure.
Not got the balls to BIN it. We have checked and re checked, they are gen.

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[Barriesimpson]

There are no relaxation in rules in Spain regarding overnighting...

jumar, may I suggest you read the changes?

Autocaravana Estacionada:

• Ocupa la misma superficie que lo haría circulando y permanece sobre las ruedas con las que circula habitualmente.
• R.D. 1428/2003 Reglamento General de Circulación. Capítulo VIII Articulo 90 a 94.
• Instrucción PROT 2023/14 de la Dirección General de Tráfico.

 

[jumar]

jumar, may I suggest you read the changes?

Autocaravana Estacionada:

• Ocupa la misma superficie que lo haría circulando y permanece sobre las ruedas con las que circula habitualmente.
• R.D. 1428/2003 Reglamento General de Circulación. Capítulo VIII Articulo 90 a 94.
• Instrucción PROT 2023/14 de la Dirección General de Tráfico.

Read it....what can you see as being different to the previous Ley....all I can read is that it explains the situation differently and it says that they are trying to make it clearer to avoid the confusion...

 

[Barriesimpson]

Read it....what can you see as being different to the previous Ley....all I can read is that it explains the situation differently and it says that they are trying to make it clearer to avoid the confusion...

Ok, may not be a change exactly, but it is a change in the application and / or interpretation of the law. Either way it has to be good for us. I have a sticker on the van explaining it, for the benefit of the non-understanding officers.

 

[jumar]

Most of us have the downloaded information, like you, some have the sticker on the van..
The rules which each region have adopted have been brought together and put in one national document.
In the 25 years we have had a motorhome in Spain, the only official that has moved us on was not the Guardia Civil, Police Local but Media Ambiente...and that's after me arguing for half an hour...but giving in finally..

 

[Barriesimpson]

Most of us have the downloaded information, like you, some have the sticker on the van..
The rules which each region have adopted have been brought together and put in one national document.
In the 25 years we have had a motorhome in Spain, the only official that has moved us on was not the Guardia Civil, Police Local but Media Ambiente...and that's after me arguing for half an hour...but giving in finally..

I think I would have suggested they call the police, however, if it was Seprona, they are the police. But surely they have to know and abide by the laws. I don't understand why it has to be so difficult (even after 43 years living in Spain).

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[jumar]

I think I would have suggested they call the police, however, if it was Seprona, they are the police. But surely they have to know and abide by the laws. I don't understand why it has to be so difficult (even after 43 years living in Spain).


43 years living in Spain but new to motorhoming...when you are here on the mainland with the van you will notice many things that can make your blood boil...
I get very angry with how the visitors treat Spain, the countryside and are very inconsiderate to other motorhome users.They don't read the rules and those that know them prefer to ignore them.. Enjoy your freedom..

 

[MichaelT]

Most of us have the downloaded information, like you, some have the sticker on the van..
The rules which each region have adopted have been brought together and put in one national document.
In the 25 years we have had a motorhome in Spain, the only official that has moved us on was not the Guardia Civil, Police Local but Media Ambiente...and that's after me arguing for half an hour...but giving in finally..

What's the media ambiente please?

 

[jumar]

What's the media ambiente please?

Countryside Wardens....they protect the countryside....they have a fair amount of powers and laws...

 

[Barriesimpson]

Countryside Wardens....they protect the countryside....they have a fair amount of powers and laws...

Environment Police.

 

[Tea Bag]

Yet another fine through the letterbox today. The 5th. 4 for the MH and 1 for Dolly. Only €13 and it all tallys.
Got to be the last one surely.
Won't be going to Portugal again that's for sure.
Not got the balls to BIN it. We have checked and re checked, they are gen.

Hi bobnick.
£13......... ONE night on a Club site money..? ....Come on...... I will print this again. £ 13 speeding fine......... IF you divide ALL the times you have been speeding and NOT caught,by 13............... It may work out that they owe you money............ MISS PORTUGAL for the sake of £13 ?
" DON'T BE AWAY ' TILL YOUR BACK !!!! " .
Tea Bag...........

Yet another fine through the letterbox today. The 5th. 4 for the MH and 1 for Dolly. Only €13 and it all tallys.
Got to be the last one surely.
Won't be going to Portugal again that's for sure.
Not got the balls to BIN it. We have checked and re checked, they are gen.

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