# Info required on travelling in Austria, Hungary or Romania



## 102706 (Jan 29, 2007)

Hi,
We are planning a trip, travelling from Portugal, through Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary and Romania. Does anybody have any info or travelling experience of Austria, Hungary or Romania?
Thanks
Jane & Bob


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

Hi,

Not sure exactly what you need to know.

Austria...........if travelling on motorways will need to buy a vignette or if you are over 3.5t will need a GO Box.

Hungary............. again a vignette for motorways. Camping Aranypart near Siofok is good for Lake Balaton.
Camping Fortuna is quite a way from Budapest (at Torobalint) but buses/trams available and tickets from Reception. Also a large Cora supermarket not far away.

Never been to Romania.

If going through Slovenia.............Camping Bled very good. Also near to the Hungarian border..........Camping at Hotel/Thermal Baths at Lendava which is very good as once in the camping area you are free to use the baths as often as you like at no extra charge.


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## 102706 (Jan 29, 2007)

Thanks for that, any information is gratefully received, will keep a note on the places you mentioned. We're also looking for any info regarding, wild camping, cheap campsites, does and don'ts, places to avoid but also places not to miss.


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## chrisgog (May 17, 2005)

Can't help your request but as we are going to Portugal in July August where would you recommend us to go in the Northern and inland area?

Do you think we will be able to get away with not booking?? We will be two motorhomes travelling together from Bilbao.

Hope you don't mind the questions?
Chris


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## 102706 (Jan 29, 2007)

*info on Portugal*

Hi Chris

We don't mind your questions at all. Not really sure what you mean by, "Do you think we will be able to get away with not booking" Do you mean on the campsites? If so, we toured around central and northern Portugal on the bike last year and never pre booked a campsite. Most of the inland sites we stayed on in August we surprisingly empty. This is because August is the Portuguese holiday month when most of the Portuguese make a mass exodus for the coast, normally the Algarve.

There was one site however that is best given a very wide birth in August, it's the campsite Municipal de Vila Flor, GPS NA-41º 17' 39" WY-007º 10' 18" We stayed there one night and struggled to find a place for the tent and bike. However, if you are in that area a nice little site to call on is Santa Luis at Miranda do Douro, GPS N-41º 20' 07" WY-006º 17' 03" It's very basic but has adequate facilities and is very well priced. 6€ - 7.50€ depending on the size of your camper including 2 people. Electric 1.25€ and its once price all year. The town of Miranda do Douro is well worth a visit and the border crossing into Spain is quite spectacular.

There is a good guide book for all the campsites in Portugal called ROTEIRO CAMPISTA Camping Portugal, web site address www.roteiro-campista.pt It is a good comprehensive guide to over 200 campsites in Portugal. All campsites have a telephone number listed and most receptionist speak English to some degree. Our advice would be to maybe telephone a day or two before to check the fullness of the site if you are planning to stay on a costal campsite.

Some places not to miss are Serra da Estrela, definitely take a drive around the Parke Natural. A must of a drive, is through a place called Manteigas ,where on the approach to the small town you drive through an amazing Glazier valley. If you approach Manteigas from the south and then take a left after Manteigas and head in the direction for Gouveia, for about 10 kilometers you don't go anywhere, just up. Very windy bendy but well worth the effort. There is a campsite just before you enter the Glazier valley but don't plan on staying there, there is no vehicular access to it. Vehicles are left parked by the road and you have to make your way to the campsite on foot. Obviously catering for climbers and walkers.
There are however a number of other campsites around the area. We stayed at one just outside Gouveia near the tiny village of Nabainhos. Campsite Quinta das Cegonhas GPS N-40º 31' 15" W-007º 32' 29" The site is ran by a dutch couple and is a lovely little site in a beautiful location. We found it a bit on the expensive side by Portuguese standards and the site could have been better lit at night. Nevertheless it was a nice stay and had a good Restaurant.

Other places/areas well worth a visit are, Trása os Montes in the North of Portugal. This area is less developed than the southern parts of Portugal. Serra do Gerêz which is in a beautiful national park, although some of it was destroyed by fire last year. The west coast is well worth a visit, especially below lisbon for its really rugged and dramatic coast line and it is vastly different from the coast of the Algarve in that there's no big holiday resorts there. The Alentejo is different again to the rest of Portugal with its low rolling hills and vast openness. One word of advice though if you do wild camp in July or August, make sure you have some shade and have a compass to check which way the sun comes up. It can be mercilessly hot, especially inland.

Hope this information has been of use to you or anybody else that reads it. If you want to know anything else or have any other questions, just ask, we don't know it all but will help if we can.

Happiness & Goodluck
Jane & Bob
x x x

P.S. During the hot dry summer months in Portugal and even more so in inland areas, wild fires are a major problem. It is illegal to light fires between June and October, although BBQ's using charcoal are permitted as long as they are on a hard standing or the area is totally clean around them and you have water available for any wayward sparks. It is also illegal to throw cigarettes out of car windows as this is how many of the fires start.


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## chrisgog (May 17, 2005)

Jane and Bob
The information you gave is really, really appreciated and thanks for taking the time to reply. This makes planning our route easier as we never like to make bookings as we want total freedom to go where and when we want. All singing, all dancing campsites are never on our intinery but some of the ones you mention sound good.

Will use the links you gave me to research further.


Thanks ever so much
Chris


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## chrisgog (May 17, 2005)

PS
Looks like I am going to have to purchase that Satnav I have always considered?
Chris


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## 102706 (Jan 29, 2007)

Hi Chris
We'll let you into a secret, we don't have satnav either!! Its just part of the information given on each page of the book we mentioned. I'll be listing some of the smaller campsites we've been to in Portugal under the campsites option on this site. We're not into all singing all dancing either. 

Hey, how did you get your Welsh flag on your details? I'm Cardiff born and Cardiff bred and when I dies, I'll be Cardiff dead!


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## chrisgog (May 17, 2005)

Ha ha, an amusing reply. Glad I am not the only one who still likes their maps.
Just had a look at "my account" and for the life of me I can't see how I got the flag? I must have done something once. It is worth asking a moderator how to do it.
Just received some camping details and brochures from Portugese tourist office and also my Spanish and Portugese language tapes so I am really getting prepared for this trip now.
I purchased a book called "camperstop" at one of the shows and they use satnav codes so I think the time is coming for us to invest in one soon. I may get to look out of the window then instead of having my head in a book.
I am not knowledgeable about the countries you are going to but do know about France and a very nice area to stop if you are travelling along the south coast which is not all singing and dancing but free or a couple of euros if you want to stop on a secure aire.
Let me know. I owe you
Chris


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## 102706 (Jan 29, 2007)

Hi Chris
Will ask a moderator about the flag, got a good Welsh and Proud one we'd like to put up, although Jane, (whose English) has a feeling it may be generated from entering your location in member map. When you are trying to crack the first steps of the Portuguese language give us a shout if you get stuck, it's a nightmare until you get into it. Regarding finding campsites in Portugal, All Portuguese campsites are sign posted once you are in the general area. Normally these consist of a blue finger post either showing a symbol of a tent or saying parque de campismo and are normally signposted right up to the actual site. We are definately interested in the places in France you mentioned. When you have the time, we look forward to the details of these.


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## chrisgog (May 17, 2005)

Bob and Jane just sent you a PM
cHRIS


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