Fines for Free Camping in Portugal
Ali Kingston
January 2016
Introduced by Barry
and Margaret Williamson
In the Greek
Peloponnese
Having just left Portugal for Spain, Ali has just published
the following article on her website and given us permission to reproduce it below. Although based on limited anecdotal evidence, it is a
warning that heavy fines may be imposed on individuals, given the widespread
abuse of free camping opportunities in Portugal. In the worst case, as Ali describes,
you could be fined without your knowledge and then have the penalty doubled for
not paying it immediately. One couple only discovered all this in a letter
waiting for them on their return to the UK.
Here in the Greek Peloponnese,
they have the opposite problem to that of Portugal: there are virtually no
motorhomes present. Most campsites are closed, the few that are open are either
literally empty or with just a very few die-hard motorhomers in place. Even the
usual free camping spots are empty, although there are no fears of fines here
and locals extend a warm welcome to any visitors. Indeed, the police are also
missing, perhaps all in Athens and elsewhere keeping the lid on potential
unrest, or 'encouraging' hundreds of thousands of migrants to get on their way
north to Macedonia. However, beneath all that, the Greece we love goes on,
albeit rather more slowly.
On fines for free campers in Portugal, Ali writes:
“I left Mike to set up home in
the van just after we arrived at Parque da
Palmeira aire in Albufeira and went round to say hi to Beryl and Dave,
full-timers we met there in 2013. I made arrangements to meet up with them in
the bar for their regular 3.00pm slurp and went back to our van to find Mario
and Denis had popped in for coffee. What a social whirl! It was great to catch
up on the local news and gossip from them and others we have met over the
years.
For those that haven't been to Portugal for a while there has been a change in
the free/wild camping situation and other friends (who I didn't ask if they'd
mind being named, so I won't) filled me in on their personal experience. They
had parked at Falésia beach last winter (on map below), the GNR (police)
turned up for a chat - mainly the English Premier League and left. When they
eventually got home to the post in the UK they found a fine for 252 Euros and a
letter explaining that they had been illegally parked at Falésia beach and
there was photographic evidence. Nasty policeman! Fancy lulling them in to a
false sense of security like that? Anyway, because there were no bank details
on the letter they couldn't pay using a bank transfer and without a European
bank account they had no way of paying the fine with a cheque. Fearing further
repercussions they popped 200 Euros in an envelope, posted it off and hoped for
the best. When they got to Albufeira a couple of weeks ago, they went in to the
town hall, their envelope with the 200 euros inside was retrieved from under
the counter, so they paid the balance and left.
So why share this tale? We have heard from a few people about the GNR issuing
on the spot fines (Mario and Denis were caught at Paderne - that cost them 125
Euros). Portugal is one of the poorest countries in Europe and they don't have
the infrastructure to cope with the vast influx of motorhomes on the Algarve
each winter. The councils have issued licences for aires and there is now a
plentiful supply of council and privately owned ones operating at many
locations. Whilst it's nice to be able to park up on a deserted beachfront and
stay the night, responsible motorhoming has to mean that we stay respectful of
our host country. How would you like it if you couldn't see your favourite view
from home, or not get parked at the sports centre because of a sea of
motorhomes? These aires are inexpensive. Parque Da Palmeira, for example, is 8
Euros a night including electricity, fresh water, dump, wi-fi and hot showers.
Not bad for just over a fiver is it? Us northern Europeans turn up in our
campers expecting a cheap and warmer winter than the one we would get further
north and at these prices - in some cases less than the council tax - certainly
less than the heating bill. The aire at the marina in Portimao is only 70 euros
a month, so with a solar panel and careful use of electrical appliances indoors
you could stay there and contribute to a local enterprise. I also share this
with you because the authorities now have the ability to write to you at home.
Incidentally, the fine doubles if you don't pay on the spot. So the Belgians that
Mike met who were hiding from the police on an Aire to avoid paying their fine
could well be on a hiding for nothing!
If you can't afford to pay for an Aire, all is not lost. There are still large
areas in Spain where free camping is tolerated. I know it's annoying when
things change, particularly if it means you can no longer afford to do
something. But that's the price we pay collectively for motorhoming having
become so massively popular over the past 15 years. When we came into this,
there were none of the pressures on local communities as there are now.
Incidentally, there are still people free camping on car parks in Portugal, we
wouldn't do it though now. It's just not worth the risk in my view. I can think
of much better things to spend 250 euros on than a fine.
Cautionary tale over. Enjoy Portugal - its a beautiful country but expect to
pay to stay. Motorhoming isn't just about free, it's also about being a
responsible fellow European citizen. Also, if you do some maths £250 Euros
divided by 8 equals 31 nights on an aire.”
Ali and husband Mike have also published two books for
motorhomers (putative and actual) through Amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ali-Kingston/e/B00L73CBTW
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