travelmisssanny
Das können wir alles so bestätigen. Beachtet man dein Fazit, hat man in ganz Europa keine Probleme mit dem Freistehen. प्रकाशित कीता: 06.08.2024
Dear blog readers, here is a special feature for all those interested in the topic of boondocking and wild camping with a motorhome or van in Portugal!
In mid-May 2024, we embarked on our Portugal road trip with great reservations, as according to the majority opinion on the internet, boondocking in Portugal has become nearly impossible since the pandemic and violations are allegedly punished with high fines. Now, two months and 2,000 km later, we can say from our own experience: BOONDOCKING & WILD CAMPING IN PORTUGAL IS STILL POSSIBLE WITHOUT PROBLEMS!
What is the current legal situation regarding boondocking in Portugal? After a temporary tightening due to the influx of motorhomes during the pandemic, overnight stays (without camping behavior) in motorhomes for a maximum period of 48 hours (*) are again allowed. This is reflected in the amendments to Articles 48 and 50-A of the Portuguese Road Traffic Regulations. Furthermore, wild camping in protected areas, in immediate coastal or beach proximity, and in nature reserves remains prohibited.
(*) We have not personally experienced or heard of the 48-hour rule being enforced in any way!
In our two months in Portugal, we had 'contact' with the police (the G.N.R.) only once on a beach in the Algarve. The G.N.R. asked us (relatively politely) to leave the beach parking lot by 9 PM. However, we intended to leave anyway, as overnight stays were prohibited by sign, and other campers in the area had already been warned by the G.N.R.
How did we behave while boondocking to avoid stress or even fines?
Where was it most difficult to boondock in Portugal? Clearly in the Algarve, but even there, we could boondock almost every night except for two. In the inland areas and north of the Algarve, boondocking became increasingly easier!
Where did we park in Portugal? For example:
Disposal: The P4N app is very helpful here. Many municipalities in Portugal have now set up disposal and supply points. It is also very practical that many Intermarche supermarkets have a disposal and supply point. There are reserved parking spaces for motorhomes where you can sometimes also stay overnight (check beforehand!) and often very affordable gas stations.
Camping places and parking spots in Portugal:
In the two months in Portugal, we also occasionally stayed at a campsite or a paid parking spot. These are usually quite affordable (between €10 - 20). Here you can embrace the full camping experience, spread out, do laundry, etc., while also supporting the local economy!
The Park4Night app: Of course, also essential for us!! However, it is probably clear to everyone by now that P4N has led to many spots being 'burned' due to the resulting influx, as many behave like the proverbial lemmings with the P4N app. So caution with the ***** ratings! Often, it is better to make your own assessment on-site than to rely blindly on others' ratings. We often did well at spots with poor ratings because a) we are self-sufficient, b) apparently have different expectations and c) also have no problem standing somewhere alone. By the way, we learned that the police now also like to search on P4N to find wild campers… Google Maps is also very helpful for finding parking spots, e.g., to stay overnight at a sports field, in an industrial area (on weekends), or on a vacant lot of the municipality. One should be aware that all P4N spots have eventually been found by someone after more or less intense searching. You can also do this yourself.
Conclusion: The same applies to Portugal as in many other European countries. If you search for a parking spot for the night with common sense, do not massively violate prohibitions, behave responsibly, and do not set up a large camping lifestyle, you generally won't have a problem!
FEEL FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS IN THE COMMENTS!