Guide
The Complete Guide to Motorhome Travel in the Algarve
Written by the operator at Alentejo Park
·Updated January 2025
The Algarve is the most visited motorhome destination in Portugal, and for good reason. The weather is reliable, the roads are manageable, the food is good, and the landscape changes quickly from coastal cliff to flat agricultural interior. This guide covers everything a first-time visitor needs to plan the trip, and a few things that even experienced visitors get wrong.
Getting there
Most motorhome travellers arrive from Spain via the A22 tollway, crossing at Vila Real de Santo António opposite Ayamonte. The crossing is unmanned and takes ten seconds. The A22 is the fastest route along the Algarve coast and is the motorway you want for the first and last days of a trip. It is tolled — budget €15–20 for a full east-to-west crossing. The alternative is the N125, the old coastal road, which is slower, more interesting, and passes through every market town. Do not use it with a large vehicle on summer weekends.
Portuguese motorhome law (Law 66/2021)
Portugal legalised motorhome overnight parking in 2021, subject to conditions. You may park overnight in a motorhome outside designated camping sites if: (a) you are parked legally under the relevant road traffic rules, (b) you do not extend awnings, deploy chairs, or make the space look like a campsite, (c) you move on after one night, and (d) you are not in a protected area, national park, or area specifically signed as prohibited. The law is enforced inconsistently. In the eastern Algarve, enforcement is effectively zero. In the tourist centres of the western Algarve in high summer, enforcement is active. The safest approach is to use designated aires and licensed stopping places. Alentejo Park is a licensed stopping place.
The eastern versus western split
The Algarve is functionally two regions. The western half — from Faro to Sagres — is denser, more touristic, and more expensive. The roads narrow and the cliffs get taller. The eastern half — from Faro to the Spanish border — is quieter, flatter, and contains the Ria Formosa, the Guadiana river estuary, and the salt marsh towns of Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António. For motorhome travel, the eastern Algarve is easier and less crowded, especially from May to October. For scenery, the western Algarve has the famous coastline.
Best times to visit
The Algarve is a year-round destination for motorhomers. The peak of summer (mid-July to August) is manageable but hot — daily highs above 38°C are common in the interior, and coastal parking is competitive. The shoulder seasons of May–June and September–October are the best compromise: warm enough to swim, quiet enough to move freely, cheap enough to stay longer. November to March is snowbird season — the region fills with long-term northern European visitors who come to escape their winters. The weather is mild (15–20°C), the roads are empty, and every restaurant has a table.
What to budget
A licensed stopping place costs €16–22 per night at the time of writing (Alentejo Park prices; regional average is similar). Wild camping costs nothing but carries the risk of a fine. Food from a market costs €15–20 per day for two people. A sit-down lunch at a local restaurant costs €25–35 for two with wine. Fuel in Portugal is taxed at EU rates — diesel is typically 10–15 cents cheaper than in the UK, similar to France and Germany.
Looking for a place to stop in the eastern Algarve?
Alentejo Park is 5 minutes from the A22 junction at Castro Marim. Twelve pitches, full hookup, free dump station for guests. →Source: Turismo do Algarve — Official Regional Tourism Authority