# Good campsites in southern coast of Portugal?



## peterthebruce (Jun 21, 2006)

We are drifting down to Portugal from Spain and will get there in February after visiting Seville. Any recommendations for good campsites would be welcome as we tend to prefer to stay on campsites rather than wild camp. Tavira has been recommended but which campsite? Then we will travel west to Sagres before moving north to the Alentejo and then back into Spain to Badajoz then to Salamanca for a couple of nights and then to Santander. Any recommendations at any of these places would be greatly appreciated. We are south of Cartagena at the moment and will set off for Portugal in the first week of February. We may stop at Torres de Mar on the way down. Thanks in anticipation of any suggestions!


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## alphadee (May 10, 2009)

Camping Regio at Salamanca was ok, very handy for town by bus. The highlights for us so far though have been the aires...Caceres (Spain) pleasant aire and lovely old town close by, Monsaraz and Almada D'Ouro Club at Alcaria (Portugal) both with STUNNING views (like you hardly ever get from a campsite).


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## Easyriders (May 16, 2011)

The PSP (police owned) campsite in Tavira is cheap and well situated, only 10 mins walk to centre.

Depends where you mean in Alentejo, but Camping Alentejo in Evoramonte is a great little site - wonderful helpful owner, free wifi, and cheap. Our favourite site in Europe.

Camping Regio in Salamanca is fine, and handy for public transport. Don't miss seeing the Art Deco museum.

In between, both Caceres and Monfrague are worth seeing. Caceres for the old city and palaces, and Monfrague for spectacular scenery and birds - eagles, vultures etc.

All these sites can be found on the ACSI website, though the Tavira one doesn't actually have anything to do with ACSI any more.


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## Garcia (Mar 5, 2010)

I've just returned home to a very cold South of France after a VERY pleasant 6 weeks in Portugal and Southern Spain.
I've posted this before , but it's worth saying again......
We were headed for the police site in Tavira or the Olhao site, but just before we left I was told about Ria Formosa at Cabanas , just 4 k east of Tavira, in the hamlet of Conceicao.
Friendly, cheap (at 9 e's a night including eleccy and WiFi and the dogs, if you stay a month !!).
Good campsite bar /resto (4.50 for the dish of the day!!!)
Good on-site mini market.
Supermarket 5 mins walk.
Great cycling on the Algarve coast path...Tavira about 20 mins by bike (and you arrive in Tavira right next to the Continente Hypermarket)
40 mins if you walk. Cabanas has loads of bars and restos and a pleasant waterfront boardwalk.
I was told Olhao was cheaper. I was told you can only get WiFi at the reception on the police site and not at your pitch. Strong WiFi all over the site at Ria Formosa.
I would (WILL ?!!!) go again.
Weather was good in the day for the whole month. Warm and sunny, but cool in eves and early mornings.
The weather on the Almeria coast of southern Spain is, in my experience, the best winter weather in Europe. BUt Spain is NOT cheap any more. We paid 30 euros a night at Benicassim for the same deal we paid 9 e's for at Ria Formosa .
Garcia


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## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

I will second Easyriders' suggestion for Camping Alentejo.

Our favourite site on the Algarve is Caravanas Algarve just outside Moncarapacho. It is small and situated in the orange groves. It is open so gets plenty of sunshine during the day and has superb views. Not the cheapest at €10 but I think the views are some of the best from any campsite. There is now on-site wifi. Does not cover all the site but the owner is in the process of having this sorted. Drawback is the distance from town - about 1.5miles. Co-ords: N 37deg 05.707 W 7deg 46.465.

Of the two sites near Tavira I prefer the one at Cabanas. I found the Police one a bit odd because everyone seems to park on the roadways and the 'infield' is generally not very level and has a fair few trees.

JohnW


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## peterthebruce (Jun 21, 2006)

Thanks for the replies. Weather good here near Mazarron at the moment. We will probably move next week. I will definitely try the sites at Travira and then Alentejo. I will research the other suggestions. Can't believe how nice the weather has been this year so far. So good to sit outside with a beer! 8)


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## suedew (May 10, 2005)

Armacao de Pera, reviewed on here, great site, easy walk to beach and town. When we were there it was cheaper to pay site prices than ACSI, like someone else, oops forgotten who   
we went to stay for a couple of nights and stayed several weeks.  

sue


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## Qnapper (Jul 26, 2012)

http://www.parqueautocaravanasalbufeira.com/

Stayed at the above site overDecember and early January this year and can recommend it 100% The owner Pedro is one of the nicest owners I have ever met to day. He will go out of his way to help.I understand on the last few weeks he is putting BBQ on each week for the MH owners.

7.5 euro a night including wifi and EHU.

John


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## lifestyle (Apr 27, 2008)

An Orbitur site we stayed at was Costa de Caparica not far from Lisboa.
A short bus ride to the ferry port,ferry takes you to Lisboa "lovely day out ." Also the Beach is a pleasant walk away from the site.Shops nearby.
Check out the ACSI book.

Les


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## alphadee (May 10, 2009)

*Manta Rota Aire*

Hi Peter,

I know you are looking for site recommendations (where as we tend to avoid them when possible!), but we found a very nice aire at Manta Rota, Algarve, about 15km from the Spanish border. Very well organised; take a ticket from the barrier on entry, register at the office when you are parked up, then pay at the machine on exit. The price is 4.50 a night, which includes a 3 hour slot of EHU, booked at the office. It is a 2 minute stroll through the sand dunes onto a beautiful beach with lovely walks in both directions, and a 5 minute stroll into the small town for shops, cafes etc. Wifi is normally available, but is being fixed at present. It is easily available at the bar on the corner right outside though. The baker calls every morning, also a laundry collection/delivery service, orange sellers etc. We loved the place!

Pamela & Colin.


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## Garcia (Mar 5, 2010)

We cycled past that aire at Manta Rota and had a beer in the bar just outside. I have to say it looked very impressive. Well organised and a great location.
There's another aire just north of Villa Real de Sant Antone, at Castro Marim. Can't speak to it's quality but can say it was packed when we went past it. So I guess it's at least OK.
Garcia


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

Parque de Gale at Gale (surprisingly) is a great site at 6.50 per night with good WiFi / elec / hoses near each van so you dont need to move your vehicle.

Lagos has a very cheap (used to be free but I beleive it is a couple of Euros) and that has free Wifi too. No leccy though.

Sagres beach/car park is no longer an Aire but we stayed a few days without any bother. Not really any services there. You can visit my blog for a full list of places that we stayed at last year


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

In particular - this page...

http://paulandalisons2012tour.wordpress.com/2132-2/


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## peterthebruce (Jun 21, 2006)

Thanks Pamela & Colin for the Manta Rota tip. Sounds fascinating. We will be passing it so must give it a try. Also thanks to Paul and Alsion for your info. I looked on your wonderful website and see you stayed some time at this site. I have bookmarked the website and intend to have a good read of it when I have done the chores. I feel quite humbled as a relative newbie when I see the scale of travelling that others are doing.

We are off to Torre del Mar while the scooter gets its first service at Malaga and then we will work our way towards Portugal after that. I must admit, I am looking forward to it. Sounds great. Thanks again to all who have contributed. Any further suggestions more than gratefully received. Now let's get the jobs done and read Paul and Alison's blog... 8)


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

peterthebruce said:


> Also thanks to Paul and Alsion for your info. ..
> 
> ... I feel quite humbled as a relative newbie when I see the scale of travelling that others are doing.
> 
> Now let's get the jobs done and read Paul and Alison's blog... 8)


It was our first big big trip - prior to last summer the most we managed was a month in Portugal in 2010 (on blog also). You may have gleaned that we are off again in a few weeks following a brief visit to Scotland 

I've been out polishing the roof of the motorhome in preparation for the 2013 tour - hence why its now raining 

Give us a PM if you have any specxific queries 

Paul


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## TerryL (Feb 19, 2009)

Hi Peter. Don't quite know where you are at the moment, but we're currently working our way eastbound along the Spanish coast from Portugal, presently at Rio Jara, 3km NW of Tafira. We've just spent a great week at Camping Las Dunas at El Puerto de Santa Maria, just across the bay from Cadiz. Signposted through town.

Quite a busy site with a lot of Brits, some long-term. Right on the beach, easy walking distance of the town, supermarkets and the catamaran to Cadiz - worth the trip. ACSI card accepted. Big local market Tuesday.

Just before that we stayed a couple of nights at Manta Rota, and before that we had a week at the Orbitur site at Quarteira (also ACSI) - big but very quiet site only about half full and easy walking distance of the town. Bus to Faro just outside the gate.

Terry


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## peterthebruce (Jun 21, 2006)

TerryL said:


> Hi Peter. Don't quite know where you are at the moment, but we're currently working our way eastbound along the Spanish coast from Portugal, presently at Rio Jara, 3km NW of Tafira.


We are in Torre del Mar as I had to take the scooter in for its first service in the Honda dealer in Malaga. We will be working westwards on Monday. We'll wave if we see you travelling in the opposite direction! Thanks for the tips. Fancy that site you mentioned near Cadiz as we have just been recommended to visit Cadiz by some neighbours. Enjoy your trip! 8)


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## WildThingsKev (Dec 29, 2009)

We've only flitted through this area but we did find a lovely small (British owned) campsite near the fantastic mountain top village of Marvao. Very very rural and quiet, great walks.

Camping Asseiceira


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## peterthebruce (Jun 21, 2006)

TerryL said:


> We've just spent a great week at Camping Las Dunas at El Puerto de Santa Maria, just across the bay from Cadiz. Signposted through town.


Thanks for the tip about Las Dunas Terry. Got here today after an expectedly windy day at Rio Jara. Nice site hear at El Puerto de Santa Maria and convenient for everything. Will probably stay a few days or so as forecast is good.

Stayed at a quiet site near La Linea for a night so we could pop into Gibraltar. Odd experience. We bought some tea bags and other supplies in Morrisons and then had liver and onions and mash in Morrisons cafe. Bizarre!


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## rugbyken (Jan 16, 2006)

Arrived at manta rota today just my luck price went up Monday now 6:50euro a day 3 hr slots of leccy apparently plenty left Monday when the price went up but still pretty full makes some of these sites look more attractive at 7:50 etc ,
Had a couple of days on the way down at mina de s Domingo beautiful spot also monsaraz stunning views high up over the barragem, and a walled town to boot ,


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## peterthebruce (Jun 21, 2006)

We have ended up for now in Camping Ria Formoso near Cabanas east of Tavira. Great site and good value. The camp restaurant is good, the owners are very pleasant and the free wifi is a bonus. It is a half mile stroll down to the boardwalk with pleasant bars and good walks along the coast. There is a station next to the site but little train noise. We caught a train into Faro for the day. It stops at Tavira which is a lovely little town. Also there is a bus service to Tavira. We are enjoying our first visit to Portugal and are surprised how different it feels from Spain. The weather is a bit maritime at present but it is not cold. Thanks folks for your tips and we will try some other sites in Portugal before we return to the cold places!


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## oly (Jan 27, 2011)

If you intend to drive through Portugal on your way north we found a lovely little site in the country outside Tomar also handy if you plan a visit to Fattima. We loved it here and is one site we intend to return to. Very friendly owners who love their site. www.campingpelinos.com


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