Holidays in RV - Spain and Portugal [COSTS]

We spent Christmas in a camper once again. In 2019 we were in Italy. In 2020, we went to Portugal because there was more sun and fewer restrictions. We spent 26 days in the camper. We set out on December 13 from the south of Poland. We traveled a total of 9,000 km with two small children on board. Was it worth it? Yes, yes and yes again. We fell in love with Portugal and will definitely come back here more than once. In the article, we discuss the detailed costs of traveling by camper to Portugal, share places where we stopped overnight and suggest what to eat and buy along the way.

In 2021, we knew without hesitation that we wanted to go south again, but this time the restrictions in Spain were smaller, so we decided not to go to Portugal anymore. We spent 31 days in the camper. Our route was similar, but we visited slightly different places, so I added new stopping points and some details about fees here.

To Spain by camper. Camper around Europe – route

“Which way did you go to Spain?” - this question appeared very often among our posts on Facebook, Instagram and in private messages. Honestly, we don't plan our flight routes in any particular way. If we want to get somewhere quickly, we simply check what Google Maps is currently offering.

We knew that we wanted to go through Zgorzelec, because that's where we arranged to travel this route with Camper-System. They suggested that we should not go to Portugal through northern Spain, but through Costa Brava and Andalusia. Thanks to this, we were faster in the south of the peninsula.

We crossed Germany in one day, France the second day and spent the third day of the journey under the palm trees in Roses near Girona. We returned in a very similar way, but at the height of Nuremberg we turned towards the Czech Republic, because the highway through the Czech Republic costs us EUR 4, while the same section through Poland would cost us PLN 80.

Visited campsites and camper parks

I only included paid but safe places to stay on the map. I didn't include the places we didn't like here. I also didn't include free parking lots at the beaches. Most of these parking lots have official prohibitions against staying overnight with campers. Some of them cannot be accessed during the day either.

Each of the places on the map has a camper service. Some are typical camper parking lots. The rest are high-standard campsites and 5-star gems. Campervan holidays in these places will certainly be successful.

During this holiday season, the prices for stay were as follows:

Camper parks : from EUR 10 to EUR 15

Campsites: from EUR 23 to EUR 36

This is the price for a camper, 2 adults and electricity. Electricity consumption at campsites in Spain and Portugal is not additionally billed.

Is it possible to sleep wild in Spain and Portugal?

Until December 2020, it was possible to sleep rough in Portugal without any problems. This means in places such as parking lots at beaches or tourist attractions. This changed mainly due to the pandemic. Many campers who spent the winter in Morocco were forced to stay in Europe. Most of them chose Portugal. In many cases, campers left a lot of mess behind. Residents filed complaints and laws were quickly introduced banning wild sleeping. You can read more in our article " Portugal - no more wild camping" . After January 6, 2021, this act was amended again. Currently, you cannot sleep in a camper anywhere except in designated areas.

Fuel and highway costs

We traveled in a camper with a GVW of 4.5 tons . All fuel and highway costs amounted to EUR 2,000.00 , and in detail it looked like this:

Highway costs:

Poland: PLN 88

Germany: 0 EUR

France: EUR 268.90

Spain: EUR 66.20

Portugal: EUR 20.00*

*Here I have to make a small digression regarding the highway in Portugal. To the south there is a motorway with automatic toll collection. There are no gates, cameras read license plate numbers and deduct fees from your account. We registered an account and bought a loan for EUR 20. The system never recognized our plates. No amount has been debited from our account. However, I include this amount in my expenses because we made the prepayment. These cards are purchased at highway entrances, gas stations or post offices. You can register up to 3 days after crossing the highway gates for the first time.

Fuel : PLN 549 and EUR 1,284.00

Gas : PLN 68 and EUR 142.60

AdBlue : EUR 22.60

Fuel consumption at 110 km/h is 13.5 liters.

An extensive test of the camper in the form of an article and a film made during the trip can be read here: " Niesmann-Bischoff Arto 77e - a beautiful camper [TEST CampRest] ". We tested this camper for a dealer of this brand in Poland, the mCamp company from Dzierżoniów.

In 2021, we tested another camper on this route: Concorde Carver 790L. It was also a camper with a GVW of over 3.5 tons , but it was much higher, so we also paid more for highways in France . One way, the cost was €50 more.

What to take for a winter camper trip to Spain and Portugal?

The Costa del Sol and Portugal are a paradise for surfers. It's worth remembering this when packing your camper for a vacation and taking your wetsuits. There are many windsurfing schools open all year round, where you can also rent equipment. If you don't want to try your hand at standing on a board, you can always choose a bodyboard.

In addition to swimming accessories, it is worth taking beach gadgets with you. After a whole day at the beach, a broom may be useful to clean sand from your feet and shoes. And by the way, do you know what also collects sand from your feet? Body powder!

Even though the temperature felt high during the day, even 20 degrees Celsius, the mornings and evenings were cold and humid. Remember this when packing your wardrobe. You will certainly need more warm clothes than beach clothes.

It is definitely worth taking camping chairs and a table with you. The evenings are warm enough that you can successfully spend time outside in your jackets, having a barbecue and a glass of grape juice.

What to eat on holiday in Spain and Portugal?

During the Christmas trip, we ate the most tangerines, the harvest of which was ending at that moment. Returning in January, we noticed that there were only oranges hanging on the trees.

It is worth eating bacalao - dried and salted cod,

Be sure to try Manchego cheese, available in every supermarket. We were delighted with the variety and form of sales of frozen seafood in the stores. See the photos below.

Both in Spain and Portugal, roasted corn kernels are very popular. While they can only be bought in health food stores or online stores, they are available in every supermarket.

What to bring from your holiday in Spain or Portugal?

Leave yourself a few kilograms of load capacity for Portuguese ceramics. We did our shopping in Sagres, but there are plenty of ceramics shops throughout Portugal. We bought a dozen or so things in total, but I still regret not buying more. It is worth preparing not only for the additional weight, but also for a longer time spent in the store. The choice is huge! From plates, bowls, cups, to mugs, Azulejos placemats, bathroom accessories and ceramic magnets.

While bringing Spanish or Portuguese wine to Poland may not make much sense, because many good wines can be bought in popular discount stores, it is worth bringing something that is not so popular, i.e. 43 liqueur. Cuarenta Y Tres is a sweet liqueur that is said to combines as many as 43 flavors. I received messages from our readers that apparently it tastes very good with coffee. We haven't tried it yet, but we have a few bottles to test :)

We also brought salt, algae and chips from Spain in 2022 ;) in the photo you will find the best nacho dip we have found!

Is it worth going to Portugal with 3 weeks?

Personally, I think that it is most profitable to go to Portugal with at least three weeks of vacation. If you have less time, it is worth omitting Portugal from your trip plan. It's definitely worth getting to Andalusia, but if you only get to Alicante, you'll like it too. It is worth mentioning that the weather on the Costa Brava or Costa Blanca was comparable to that in the south of Spain.

However, we know people who completed the route to Andalusia and back to Poland in a week, including not only relaxing on the beach, but also skiing on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada! I strongly encourage you to choose Spain and Portugal for your next holiday with a camper or trailer - not only during Christmas.

If I haven't convinced you yet, visit our Fajne Campingi group on Facebook and talk to others who have already visited Spanish and Portuguese campsites.

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