Wilding in portugal

[WellWornTraveller]

Hi Gang,

Back from two month in France/Spain and we are planning our Autumn trip to France/Portugal. Whilst we are well informed about France the situation in Portugal seems to be a bit fluid. In Mays' issue of three M,s (page 10)there is a letter about someone being fined for wild camping in a carpark at Falesia Beach. They did not know they had been done until they got back home and there was the fine with photographic evidence on the mat. In the picture it appears to be daylight. How did the GNR know they were wild camping? There have been several anecdotal stories like this. Is it true that, now more licences for aires and private aires have been issued, you can no longer wild camp in Portugal. I already know that it is illegal to wild camp anywhere on the Algarve. If it is not true and anybody out there has some wild camping spots that are current and they are prepared to share please p.m. or publish them on this thread so that all can share.


Bernie

:dog:

 

[Pauljenny]

The word got round that Portugal was a good place to wildcamp , There were plenty of undeveloped open spaces and the cost of living was low. That was valid until about 10 years ago.

The developers moved in , building on cheap land near to towns and beaches . Budget airlines, Baby boomers retiring to places where they'd spent holidays , TV programmes like " Your Place in the Sun ", More motorhomes being bought..... Satnavs and internet pointing out POI s.

Then the Arab Spring and it's knock on effects, meant the French were avoiding N. Africa and tourists are not flying to Sharm, Greek Islands or Turkey. The last 2 winters have seen a huge influx of motorhomes, many being Massive A Classes with trailers. The French and Dutch, particularly , don't like staying and paying on campsites.

If you had bought, or rented, that lovely expensive villa, overlooking that dream beach and woke up to a see a shanty town of motorhomers hanging their washing out between you and the beach..... You'd be complaining.

The police have to follow up complaints and calls for " something must be done ".. They find easy targets and rich pickings from these inexperienced foreigners who keep on doing the bleedin ' obvious.

Yes you can wildcamp in the Algarve, if you stay away from the developed areas, avoid conglomerations of vans that stay for more than a couple of days.

Keep moving, check the inland towns and villages .. Avoid Albufiera and it's clones.

 

[n brown]

i think that many people who know nice wildcamping spots are unlikely to share them with the world via t'internet. but anybody willing to do a bit of exploring around the many rivers ,barragems and lesser known beaches will be ok

 

[pochaie]

Quite agree....

....As long as you consider other people's properties and there views, the local inhabitants, you should not have any problems. Try and go off the beacon track and you will be amazed at what you can find.The whole of Portugal has many interesting and beautiful places.In the last 6 years of travelling there I have I had not one problem. To put it in a nutshell CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS Happy travels...

 

[candpdoyle]

We got back 2 weeks ago and spent roughly 5 weeks in Portugal... all wild camping using ********** app... never had a problem from anyone some of poi's were out of date and had been height barriered.... but mostly all were good.. there are still several good spots on the Algarve, but they are busy.

Most of the people getting problems are spreading out the police do crack down on camping, but parking is considered fine.... so keep your stuff inside or sit on the beach away from your van


Chris