# Following the River Douro through Portugal.



## deckboy (Sep 14, 2011)

This year, for part of our trip to Spain and Portugal, we fancy following the River Douro, either Porto to Spanish border or other way round.
We have been to Portugal quite a few times and prefer Aires/Areas in towns where we can enjoy the local cafés/bars with a campsite every 4-5 days to freshen up ourselves and the leisure battery.
Any favourites you are willing to share with us


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I have very limited knowledge of camping in Portugal but will be very interested in the thread.

Ray.


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Have you found the book that has been written about wildcamping in Portugal? Can't remember the name but it lists lots of lovely places to overnight. We picked it up in a launderette, run by some Dutch people in Tavira. Most were by barajems but some on the banks of rivers etc.
We found some of our own by parking up and taking the dog for a walk.
Sounds a lovely plan so will follow your travels if you care to share.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

What a lovely idea for a trip! 

Like others I would love to hear about it.

Andy


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Spotted this online.....

http://www.motorhomeandaway.com/europe_11_04.html

Terry


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

We went up river from Porto to the Spanish border and back 10 years ago. I'm afraid I didn't keep a log so can't help much other to say it was a wonderful trip. The roads (off tolls) can be fairly narrow and extremely steep in place especially in the Port areas. We wild camped quite a and found it quite easy. It was February and we found it difficult to find campsites open.

It was our first ever outing in a camper. A try out before we bought, flew out to Porto hired locally (through an agent in ROI) a bit of a whirlwind but a great trip.

Dick


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Where is 'Rayrecrock' when we need him? He used to do a lot of fishing on the Douro.

Come on Ray, give us your input, please.

Geoff


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

For an R and R type of campsite I recommend the municipal at Castro Verde. 
Maybe not the most scenic of sites but the facilities are superb. 100 % hardstanding and immaculate facility block with unlimited piping hot water. Reception staff very friendly and inglese she is spoken!
Plenty cafés etc within walking distance and municipal swimming pool opposite.
For something much more scenic, almost wild, the Camperstop Messines is unbeatable. Situated at the end of a dirt road beside a stream amongst eucalyptus trees and hills. Set up and owned by a charming and extremely helpful Dutch couple who are mines of endless local information. No EHU but there is the usual motorhome facilities plus washing machine and piping hot solar powered showers. So comfortable that we have spent several months on end here.

Just north of Portolegre is another informal site, Quinta dol Pomerinho. Again very rural but with EHU washing machine and showers. Great views and close to the hilltop town of Castella da Vide.


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

I have a very dear Portuguese diving buddy who lives in a lovely town called Vila Nova De Cerveira in the north of Portugal, the river Mino border runs down the side of the town with Portugal and Spain on the other bank. There is a bridge across a short walk down the river to drive across into Spain and the Spanish come across to the market where you can buy just about anything, want a monkey? you can get one at the market..
The town is good with easy walking to all the bars and restaurants, or go over the bridge to the same stuff on the Spanish side, the route home is easy over the High Mountains and onwards to Where they do the Bull running and all the good villages and scenic stuff.

In V N Cerveira there is a very large carpark where we used to wild camp on, it was a gravel carpark and the local youths used it as a race track and place to do doughnuts, this is now tarmacked and only used on Market days, the council have put in place an Aire at the side of the Buss Depot with free electric, water and black/grey water disposable place. It takes about 6 vans but when we are there usually March we are the only ones there, we have been going there for the last ten years or so and know the place well especially as my mate takes us out in his Jeep to different parts up in the mountains at the back of the town, He lives in an enormous log cabin in the forest near his mother who has an enormous house in the mountains, they are the biggest brewer? of Port in Porto and we always come away with a load of vintage port..

Try putting 41 .56'.16.98" N 8.44'49.10" in google earth and that should take you to the Aire..

ray.


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## Garcia (Mar 5, 2010)

Camperstop Messines is lovely but nowhere near the Douro !!!! 
It’s in the south!
In the Douro try the free Aire in Braganza and the cheap paid Aire about 20k west of Braganza
Sorry can’t remember the name but I posted about it on here so you’ll find it in the Portugal posts.
Near the Braganza Aire is an awesome resto....!!!!!
Garcia


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## Garcia (Mar 5, 2010)

The paid Aire at Braganca is called O Tempo Paros. Great spot.
G


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## homenaway (Jul 27, 2005)

dghr272 said:


> Spotted this online.....
> 
> http://www.motorhomeandaway.com/europe_11_04.html
> 
> Terry


 Hi,
As the author of that website 😁 I can fill in a bit more about our drive along the Duoro. The banks are very steep and the road is often some distance away and high above the river with limited views although scenic at the few places where it was possible to stop. We decided to miss out the higher reaches, and the aire at Peso da Regia wasn't our sort of place in the middle of blocks of flats. The Michelin road atlas shows a green road N222 along the south bank to the east of Peso.

We enjoyed inland Portugal and Guimaraes was interesting - the only place where we have taken a cable car DOWN from the campsite at Penha to the city. Another pleasant place was Ponte de Lima further north.

Enjoy your trip

Steve


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## Glandwr (Jun 12, 2006)

Coming back to me now, Guimaraes was very interesting and well worth a visit. We stayed on the large car park behind the Castle. Equidistant between two large churches both had elaborate and loud chimes for the hour. It might have been bearable if they were in sync trouble is they were 10 minutes out. Very shallow sleep that night! :laugh:

Dick


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