Portugal (1 Viewer)

[Chockswahay]

Touring through Spain right now, we are using a mix of Camperstop Europe and the Camper contact (motorhome parkings app. One of the problems I find with the app is that it does tend to include a high percentage of unofficial stops that are often a bit 'dodgy' (that's the Dutch for you!). The Camperstop Europe is actually quite good. The other problem I find is that the reviews on CamperContact can be misleading, we have stayed in some very nice ones with a score of less than 5 and in some dodgy ones with a score of 7 or 8!

Actuals I do rather like the All the Aires books and will delight in using our Fench edition 4 on the way back through France.

Just sayin ......

 

[Chockswahay]

Just adding to this a bit more. CamperContact is unregulated and subjective. The reviews are biased depending on the authors individual needs (we are all different).

Choose your victim!

We favour Camperstop and All the Aires, mixed in with a little CamperContact ...... Hehe?

Your own level of experience helps ( we have used hundreds of Aires)

 

[Robert Clark]

We also have Campercontact, but we prefer the Aires books, and are yet to find an Aire that has been trashed. Personal preference I suppose.

Sorry for not being clear @Sundowners, what I was trying to say was that thieves have been known to target campers (rather than trashing Aires) and having up to date reviews, allows campers to warn other campers of this problem.

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[Sundowners]

Are

Sorry for not being clear @Sundowners, what I was trying to say was that thieves have been known to target campers (rather than trashing Aires) and having up to date reviews, allows campers to warn other campers of this problem.

Are you talking about the motorway Aires, if so, yes we have heard of a lot of problems with thefts, but ordinary Aires very few and far between, it can happen at any stopover from wherever the information was gained, anywhere, even campsites.

 

[Robert Clark]

Are


Are you talking about the motorway Aires, if so, yes we have heard of a lot of problems with thefts, but ordinary Aires very few and far between, it can happen at any stopover from wherever the information was gained, anywhere, even campsites.

Agreed re motorway aires, however by reading up to date reviews on other sites, including aires and campsites I've found it useful to be able to see what people are saying about them right now.
Here is an example of one place that I was reading about today.
http://www.campercontact.com/en/spa...arking-parque-de-atracciones-de-zaragoza.aspx

Not sure I'd stay there based on the mention of vandalism
I think Campercontact is great for the in depth info that you get from the reviews - yes, there are always going to be some bad ones, but you can normally discount those, and read about what a place is really like.
I don't think that any book can achieve this.
Its a bit like using TripAdvisor when you arrive somewhere, to find good local restaurants.

Regards
Robert

 

[dbailey2]

I looked at this thread because Mary and I are also travelling to Portugal for the first time next week. Unfortunately apart from Funflair nobody has really answered Neville's original question "Can anyone recommend any stop over sites" Everybody seems to reply by recommending different apps or all Aires books. These are great if you want to find out what's out there but they don't tell you how good the stops are, I am a great believer in personal recommendations.
If I could repeat Neville's question could anybody recommend any good stop overs either on the way through France and northern Spain or in Portugal I would be very grateful. Thanks.

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[Robert Clark]

I looked at this thread because Mary and I are also travelling to Portugal for the first time next week. Unfortunately apart from Funflair nobody has really answered Neville's original question "Can anyone recommend any stop over sites" Everybody seems to reply by recommending different apps or all Aires books. These are great if you want to find out what's out there but they don't tell you how good the stops are, I am a great believer in personal recommendations.
If I could repeat Neville's question could anybody recommend any good stop overs either on the way through France and northern Spain or in Portugal I would be very grateful. Thanks.

Campercontact tells you exactly how good a site/Aire is, based on 'real' users reviews
Take a moment to take a look

 

[keith]

Campercontact tells you exactly how good a site/Aire is, based on 'real' users reviews
Take a moment to take a look

But it is still only another persons opinion. Like the one we are on now, it had a poor review from a German motorhomer which said a 7m motorhome will have difficulty with the narrow approach which I do not understand as our is 7m and it was very simple getting here.
Just do not believe everything you read in reviews as we all see things differently.

 

[Robert Clark]

But it is still only another persons opinion. Like the one we are on now, it had a poor review from a German motorhomer which said a 7m motorhome will have difficulty with the narrow approach which I do not understand as our is 7m and it was very simple getting here.
Just do not believe everything you read in reviews as we all see things differently.

Exactly right - and that is why I'm suggesting actually reading the reviews and making your own decision
Choosing Aires and campsites is a bit like choosing a restaurant - one mans meat in another mans poison
Planning a trip takes a bit of time and effort and reading reviews to find the 'right' one for me is part of the fun

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[funflair]

Hi @dbailey2 chance for a bit of self promotion here I think, have you read http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/to-spain-without-tolls.123596/page-3

It might give you a few more ideas.

Martin

 

[dbailey2]

Robert,
I hear what you are saying but wouldn't it be easier if fellow funsters who wanted to reply, recommend one or two places they had visited, wouldn't it save a lot of time for everyone. On this thread alone there have been about thirty odd replies talking about different apps, instead we could have had thirty odd places recommended.

Doug.

 

[Robert Clark]

Robert,
I hear what you are saying but wouldn't it be easier if fellow funsters who wanted to reply, recommend one or two places they had visited, wouldn't it save a lot of time for everyone. On this thread alone there have been about thirty odd replies talking about different apps, instead we could have had thirty odd places recommended.

Doug.

Hi Doug
With respect you aren't hearing what I'm saying
I honestly believe you'd be better doing your own research on Campercontact, reading the opinions of tens or even hundreds of other people who have used the site your considering, rather than the opinion of a single Funster, who may not like the things that you like.

Here's another idea which may help
Why not invest a few minutes reading the Portugal section of the forum

Alternatively, if you drop me a PM I'll tell you all the sites I'm going to in Portugal this year
All planned out in the correct order, door to door, from Calais and back

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[Sundowners]

I believe you should look for one yourselves, it's all part of the planning, then you can decide whether it suits you, cause it may not suit someone else. We like Aires in the middle of nowhere, perhaps beside a lake, others prefer them in town so they can visit it and maybe find somewhere to eat. We nearly always cook in the van so are not looking for restaurants etc.

I can give you the co-ords of the ones we stayed at coming down, but they may not suit you. The Aires book I mentioned gives you an idea of where they are, accessibility and what is available locally.

We usually look when we stop for lunch, cause by then we know roughly whereabouts we are going to be, we pick about three, so if the first doesn't suit or is full, we just move on to the next one we picked.

I am more than happy to tell you where the ones we stayed at are. The route we took may not suit you. So give us a shout if you want me to post them here. The amount we have to pay for the books certainly pays for itself, well we believe it does.

 

[dbailey2]

Hi Robert & Sundowners

I would certainly be interested in knowing the places you have visited or intend to visit on your way to and from Portugal so I will send you both a PM once I find out how to do it. Thanks

Doug

 

[Robert Clark]

Hi Robert & Sundowners

I would certainly be interested in knowing the places you have visited or intend to visit on your way to and from Portugal so I will send you both a PM once I find out how to do it. Thanks

Doug

To send a private message...
In the menu bar click INBOX
Then start s new conversation, entering the name of the person you want to chat with
Hope this helps

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[Robert Clark]

Hi Robert & Sundowners

I would certainly be interested in knowing the places you have visited or intend to visit on your way to and from Portugal so I will send you both a PM once I find out how to do it. Thanks

Doug

Hi Doug
Have replied to your PM with our planned 2 trips to Portugal
Hope this helps
Regards
Robert

 

[peterc10]

In Portugal Aires at Marvao, Castro Marim, Alvor, Albufeira, Portimao, and Terrugem are all good. The Aire at Monsaraz is a must do - the view out of your window is breathtaking and the fortified hill village is pretty. But arrive early because it does fill up by about 4pm. All of these are in the Vicarious Aires book and on Campercontact.

In addition there are good places to stop (unofficial) at Elvas (World Heritage Site - stay in the huge car park by the aqueduct), Silves (by the swimming pool), Armicao de Pera (next to the beach N37 06 02.51, W008 21 20.98), Sagres (overlooking the ocean N37 00.374, W008 56.380) and Carrapateira (quiet beach N37 11.554, W008 54.158)

 

[dbailey2]

Peter,
Your reply is excellent, this is the kind of response that I was hoping for, thank you very much,

Cheers,

Doug.

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[glastry]

i know that this post is a few months old-but ,just thought you should be aware that from april next year,the Portuguese Tourist board are planning new routes for motorhomes.These will be clearly marked in the middle of the road and so far, the blue painted lines will be for vans that want to get directly to the crowded Algarve area,the green lines will be for vans that want to be away from the sea (in the forests,beside the lakes),and the white lines for vans that can go anywhere they want.
this will of course reduce the queues in the tourist offices and in many cases will make maps and aires books unnessary.
it will have the added advantage that you will be able to follow the same line back home.The uk tourist board are considering a similar
scheme but due to Brexit are underfunded.
We are considering a fund raising scheme to support this at home
and would appreciate cash rather than cheques -to reduce administrative costs and tracibility.-happy travels

 

[peterc10]

i know that this post is a few months old-but ,just thought you should be aware that from april next year,the Portuguese Tourist board are planning new routes for motorhomes.These will be clearly marked in the middle of the road and so far, the blue painted lines will be for vans that want to get directly to the crowded Algarve area,the green lines will be for vans that want to be away from the sea (in the forests,beside the lakes),and the white lines for vans that can go anywhere they want.
this will of course reduce the queues in the tourist offices and in many cases will make maps and aires books unnessary.
it will have the added advantage that you will be able to follow the same line back home.The uk tourist board are considering a similar
scheme but due to Brexit are underfunded.
We are considering a fund raising scheme to support this at home
and would appreciate cash rather than cheques -to reduce administrative costs and tracibility.-happy travels

Is it the 1st of April already.

How do these lines know where we want to go, rather than where they want us to go?

 

[glastry]

Is it the 1st of April already.

How do these lines know where we want to go, rather than where they want us to go?

Ah-I can see that you are not taking this post seriously,the project is of course in it infancy and may require further development!
(thats why we need some cash)
there will be optional routes but with the clear understanding that
if for instance,you are following the blue route that you will eventually get to the Algarve-even though everybody may not have come the same way-its about choices and almost total freedom from having to think about what direction to go in.
Now if we had your bank details and sort code we would keep you updated on the Scheme Progress! (maybe even before April)
best wishes
Think of it as a sort of handrail down through Portugal.

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[2657]

This is Portugal we are talking about!!

Whilst I love the country and it's people, spend more of my time there than anywhere else it has to be said that organisational skills are not high and actually getting things done.......well!!

The roadworks on the N125, the main non toll road along the Algarve, were suspended in June for the tourist season, good idea you may think!

Over the Summer the contractors and sub contractors appeared to have upsticks and left because of non payment with no sign of a resumption to the work.

As they say 'don't hold your breath'

 

[glastry]

This is Portugal we are talking about!!

Whilst I love the country and it's people, spend more of my time there than anywhere else it has to be said that organisational skills are not high and actually getting things done.......well!!

The roadworks on the N125, the main non toll road along the Algarve, were suspended in June for the tourist season, good idea you may think!

Over the Summer the contractors and sub contractors appeared to have upsticks and left because of non payment with no sign of a resumption to the work.

As they say 'don't hold your breath'

Might i just say that yours is a very mean -spirited reply to a serious problem.Not everyone knows the country as well as you.
My team has spent many hours on this Project and comments like yours may drive away the sort of investors we so badly need.
You should be ashamed of yourself-you clearly lack vision and faith in what the Portuguese Roads Agency can achieve.
I suppose on a kinder note -what can be expected from someone who is content to camp in the Cabanas.

 

[JJ]

If anyone starts painting lines on the roads leading to my favourite places, there will be trouble!

JJ

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[peterc10]

Too right I am not taking it seriously. And thanks but I don't think I will be giving you cash or my bank details.

And do you know I actually managed to find my way to Portugal and the Algarve without this.

Although I suspect this can only be a

 

[PhilandMena]

Thanks for the information will study it and plan my route. Motorhome Fun best ever.

Neville

A couple of points if I may! Camper Contact is excellent buy the full version for around £5.00 and you can download maps then use off line. Great if you have no internet connection.
Portugal, is a fantastic place with loads of free and very cheap stopover places in some great locations. However, Feb and beginning of March mean you will need wet suits as it's proximity to the Atlantic results in a shed load of rain during this period.
If your planing to overwinter down here, then consider Spain, (Murcia (Benidorm) and Almeria region for these months as it will be a lot drier and warmer. (Plenty of cheap places here too in Camper Contact). You can then move into Portugal mid March when the weather will be improving.
Safe Travels.

 

[PhilandMena]

Lenny, yes I am referring to campercontact. Want to use something that does not need to be online. We are off South in a month or so's time, just not sure where South yet!

You may also want to consider the pro version of Park4night. This too can be used off line after downloading all the map and review's updates. cost around £6.00. My only criticism is you cannot translate the none English reviews/comments which appear to be around 95% of the content, mostly in French.
You would have thought, like Camper Contact they would have a translate button for all non English comments.

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[glastry]

If anyone starts painting lines on the roads leading to my favourite places, there will be trouble!

JJ

SORRY JJ-but its too late, the tourist board have funded the Roads Agency,and they have bought the blue paint first.So the first of the "followers"-will probably be in the Algarve about December.
If you have not contributed before 1st April i am afraid you will have missed
out on the investment of a lifetime and of course any say in where the blue lines may lead too.
Sadly I too have decided to leave this scheme,as there has been a fatal setback - i am of course colour blind and have bought a new sat-nav to get me to the ferry.

 

[2657]

Might i just say that yours is a very mean -spirited reply to a serious problem.Not everyone knows the country as well as you.
My team has spent many hours on this Project and comments like yours may drive away the sort of investors we so badly need.
You should be ashamed of yourself-you clearly lack vision and faith in what the Portuguese Roads Agency can achieve.
I suppose on a kinder note -what can be expected from someone who is content to camp in the Cabanas.

I think you must be seriously taking the piss

I think they call it realism

Am I the victim of my own irony

Have a nice day

 

[Robert Clark]

Sunset in Portugal tonight

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