Surprises & Lessons After 5 Weeks In Portugal (Van Life Europe) 🇵🇹

During March and April of 2022 we spend 36 days traveling through Portugal in our motorhome. We have travelled extensively by motorhome in France, Spain, Italy and some other European countries but this was our first time in Portugal.
Portugal is a wonderful motorhome destination and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there.
We briefly discus the following topics in this video and hope to share some insight and tips with you from our experience.
0:00 Introduction
01:19 Experience Driving and Portugal Roads
04:02 Overnighting in your Motorhome in Portugal
10:25 Portugal General Van life
12:01 Food in Portugal
14:31 Sightseeing
15:59 Language
16:20 Best season to visit Portugal
18:26 Motorhome Practicalities in Portugal
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Welcome! We’re Andre and Lisa. A married South African couple who have been travelling together for almost 20 years, to more than 40 countries. In 2017 we took stock of our life, made the decision to 'retire early' and gave up our professional careers and all our personal possessions in order to explore the world as full-time nomads. Over the past two years, we have been travelling through Europe with our 20-year-old Motorhome. Please subscribe to follow along and join us on our adventure! You can find our blog at www.wewillnomad.com where we post regularly about the destinations, we visit along with travel tips and what we spend on travelling.
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#wewillnomad #vanlife #portugal

[@dougharris4853]

Probably one of the best video blogs on european travel life

[@WeWillNomad]

Wow! Thank you so much! 🤩🤩

[@cashandramara2867]

I recognised the familiar accent instantly. How awesome is it to stumble upon a vlog made by Saffers touring Europe while I'm considering van life in Europe. For many reasons we don't explore our own country that way...sadly, safety is one. Tolls are cheap there also. Bon voyage guys.

[@WeWillNomad]

Hi Cashandra! Welcome to our channel and thanks for your comment! It's remarkable how easy it is for Saffers to pick out the accent 😋 We usually get confused for either Dutch, Australian or sometimes even German.

[@WeWillNomad]

Portugal was amazing and we'll definitely be back as soon as possible! ❤

[@MinhaEstrelaNoMundo]

Adorei a série de Portugal. Espero que voltem em breve. Abraço 😘

[@WeWillNomad]

Muito obrigado. Nós voltaremos. ❤

[@fionacarter4500]

thank you this is extremely helpful.

[@marcbashaw2348]

Amazing video, thanks for all of the detailed information!

[@WeWillNomad]

Glad you found it helpful 😎

[@daniellecrida5016]

What a wealth of great tips, thanks guys. That data deal sounds really good value!

[@WeWillNomad]

In France it's as simple. Find a FREE Mobile kiosk and you can get a SIM with 210Gb for 20 Euro - We're using FREE to roam in some EU countries as well but prefer to get a local SIM when possible.

[@clairegrundlingh2495]

Great video folks, you did amazing to keep your nightly costs so low. Look forward to Spain and France! Already jealous of all those french bakery goods you'll have access too! 🥖🍰

[@lisa_the_nomad]

Thanks Claire! I'm trying my best to run away from all the delicious baked goodies but it's not working very well! 😂😜

[@davidfriesen805]

Great video. Thank you. We are going at the end of September for 3 weeks.

[@WeWillNomad]

Thanks! Enjoy your trip! September should be a perfect time

[@rosemarymassey1612]

Whirlwind trip, you missed sooo much . 6mth trips are the best October- March . Enjoy the rest of your journey.

[@WeWillNomad]

Thanks you! We'll be back. There's a lot to see and do in Europe and this time round we wanted to get to Scandinavia before July. No doubt you can spend years in every country, and it still won't be 'long enough'. We hope to be back in Portugal by the beginning of October next year.

[@embraceyourescape]

Thanks so much for the Portugal insights. We're currently in England in our old lady Betty, our motorhome. After starting our travels in North America, and with that our vlogging on our channel as well, we came to Europe to finally discover the continent we actually grew up on. We for sure will follow your journey. Thanks for the vlog!

[@WeWillNomad]

Awesome! Europe is just brilliant for motorhome travelling. Have a great time!

[@mathiasaj3820]

Thank you very much for your video, finally a clear explanation about wild camping definition! Reading on the internet we were about to cancel our trip to portugal because it seemed impossible to overnight outside a camping area.

[@WeWillNomad]

Glad you found it helpful! Sitting in Norway now as I type this, we long back to those cheap Portuguese campsites! it's a brilliant destination and you're sure to enjoy your trip!

[@ShaneandAneVanLife]

Great information guys!! We are heading to Spain in a few months:)

[@WeWillNomad]

Thank you! Spain is great and you will love it!

[@lth1072]

Nice video guys. I guessed Lisa's accent straight away. Andre had me puzzled for a moment 😂 . I guessed correctly as Italian and then checked your bio. Good luck guys

[@WeWillNomad]

😋 Thank you! Our accents can be a bit confusing at times.

[@april7_]

Looking your map for trip, you just missed best places in Norway and Finland (traveled both over 20 times south to north) but it just leaves something to the next time as we always say! Great tips! Just planning to be next winter 6-7 months in Portugal-Spain region! We are from Finland!

[@WeWillNomad]

We might just see you in Spain next winter! 😁 Yes that map was a bit of a thumbsuck route and we didn't stick to it, especially around Scandinavia. Time always seem to run out faster than anticipated.

[@doddalandabulger4128]

Juat found your channel! Love the info. In America we call wild camping boondocking!

[@WeWillNomad]

'boondocking' is such a fun word! 😂😋 Thank you for the comment!

[@pedromeneses1643]

You need to explore Minho region. Parque nacional Gerês, Soajo, arcos de Valdevez, ponte de Lima, Viana do castelo and Braga (my town). You will enjoy it.

[@WeWillNomad]

Thank you for your recommendations! We'll be sure to return to Portugal soon.

[@pieternaessens2815]

In Australia we call retired motor home/caravan travellers “the Grey Nomads”😊 Thanks for the videos! I’m researching to spend about 12months in a motorhome with my family and taking a break from the rat race..

[@WeWillNomad]

😂 That sounds like a good new KZbin channel name! All the best with your planning, it really can be a great experience! 😊

[@BMWMav]

Enjoying your videos. I’m an ex South African living in the UK, my wife lived there most of her life although was born in England. Plan to travel Spain, Italy, France etc. during our retirement years (which are not too far away). The videos you guys make are definitely inspiring 👍

[@WeWillNomad]

Awesome thanks for the comment! We really love travelling Europe like this - although we hope to escape winters from now on. Our South African bodies struggle to cope with the cold.

[@waketv]

Very useful video. Thanks guys. I’m in Portugal and I was wondering if I should rent an RV. So you have answered all my questions :)

[@WeWillNomad]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you for the comment! ❤

[@davidadebruyn2653]

Wow, thank so much for a lot of very good info.👌 We were thinking about August, but perhaps September would be better then, 🤔I just don't want cold or wet weather in Portugal.🙈 I better start saving for my Pastei de natas. Enjoy France, we will be watching🤩 Stay safe 🙏

[@susie9893]

Was interesting to watch this experience cos, if you notice, Andre comments about Portugal having unseasonably dry winters the last couple of years. I'm sure, when they made this plan, they read all the same things I have, that predict wet miserable winters for Portugal (unlike Spain) and usually fine in March (although more rain in April). They've been really unlucky. Similar to my experience in Ireland. I put a lot of research into when would be the best time to visit in terms of crowds, costs, weather and foliage, and opted for May. But when I went it was unseasonably wet and I got to hear, EVERYWHERE I went, about their unseasonably dry April that year 🤨 Good ol Murphy But I like their attitude about making the best of things. In general I agree except all that wet for my Ireland trip made me sick and it becomes a struggle to stay positive when you're sick. So they've been lucky in that respect ALTHOUGH that's another advantage vanlife has when travelling - you're kinda doing your own isolation to an extent. I was backpacking so public transport and hostels all the way - total opposite to isolation 😏

[@WeWillNomad]

Thank you! ❤The longer we're away from Portugal the more we we miss it - already! The weather is already much better. This weekend I saw forecasts for 30+ in some parts of Portugal. We're already deep into France and it 'almost' feels like summer.

[@susie9893]

@@WeWillNomad enjoy while you can. Scandinavia bound to be a different story

[@WeWillNomad]

Having our own wheels make a big difference yes, as you say Susie. One can also adapt your planned route on the go. I think we've been a bit unlucky but you can only work with the info you have at hand at the time when we made our choice. It's especially hard when you want to travel shoulder or off-season.

[@lisa_the_nomad]

@Davida I think September would be perfect, less crowds and cheaper than August but should really still be good weather (trust me, I know what you mean about wanting it to feel like summer!!). Maybe check the school holiday dates and time it for just as they end... Enjoy! 😊

[@TheNextLife]

Best beaches - you should come to Australia….it would change your thinking. By the way love your channel.

[@WeWillNomad]

Would love to see some Australian beaches. 😁 It's pretty subjective though.. If I really had to pick a country we've been to with the 'best' beaches, it would be almost impossible.

[@charmainegarcia951]

How did you find all these cool stopover places? We traveled throughout Spain in 2017 but it was rushed (3 weeks). Would love to do it, again but more organized. Love your journey and adventures! Keep them coming guys, you are both adorable. All the best!

[@WeWillNomad]

Thank you! Appreciate your comment. It's probably less about being organised and more likely to not rush. A country like Spain is impossible to experience in one go and perhaps its better to concentrate on a specific region at a time. You really don't need to plan out every stop and having the flexibility to stop at a nice place makes all the difference. We just start with a general direction and a few major way points. The rest is determined by weather and our mood. 😎😀

[@WeWillNomad]

Oh and please check our blog for how we found stops in Spain here www.wewillnomad.com/post/travelling-southern-spain-by-campervan-2021-2022

[@albertzweistein7934]

I dont speak english very well but YT gave me a translation so I can follow you. Very symphatic and interesting. I am in the south of Portugal these days (December/Januar) and I can tell the weather is changing a lot. If the sun is shining its like springtime with about 18 to 20C but at night it could go down to 6C. This year it was raining a lot and then the night was at 17C! Some days are sunny some are rainy and some are cloudy. Its winter but its much much better than in Germany 😜 What I dont like is that they flood the south coast with beton. I was here 37 years ago and it was a totally differnt country. People sometimes rode a donkey and there were really no cars at the countryside. That changed completly. I feel little sad about that but time is running on 😅 Next time you visit Portugal you should take E-Bikes with you and take your time 😏✌️Thanks 4 sharing your trip! I did an abo 😋👍

[@WeWillNomad]

Thank you for your wonderful comment! We really hope to get back to Portugal this year.

[@webgibs]

Great Blog thanks for all that help. Planning a trip in January from eurotunnel to Algarve ..Apprehensive over the drive , do we need winter tyres or even chains? going to go west coast past Biaritz, be grateful if you have any knowledge , I have never driven past the Vendee region in France before.

[@WeWillNomad]

Awesome! Requirements depend on the region. All season tyres are probably the best bet but if you don't have them fitted it's best to carry chains. It's a legal requirement in many areas over the winter. For France some toll roads are worth taking. (check about-france.com/tourism/no-tolls-routes.htm). As long as you bypass the Pyrenees you should be able to avoid snow. We drove from Porto, Ourense, Burgos, Donastia in April last year and it's mostly flat.

[@webgibs]

@@WeWillNomad Thankyou for the tip happy travels 😀

[@susie9893]

First contribution to the pasteis de nata estimate - I'm guessing 30. That's total (not each) - every video I watched you seemed to be eating them. Sometimes you'd share 1 but sometimes you'd have at least 2 in 1 day. So I'm guessing 30 for your 35 days in Portugal, and I think that's a conservative estimate 😏. (And I'm also going to guess at LEAST the same again for icecream cos you seem to have that every day and NOT share 😆). But, as usual, it was just nice spending time with you guys

[@WeWillNomad]

Thanks Susie! I hate so admit your estimate is definitely a tad conservative... Not a bad guess though. We never kept track of ice-cream but it probably wasn't that much. We found gelato massively expensive - relatively speaking to Italy.

[@lisa_the_nomad]

🤣🤣🤣 I'm Italian, of course I don't share my ice-cream!! 😝

[@AltLiving]

Great info!. How are the internet speeds? Good to see SA's!

[@WeWillNomad]

Thank you! Generally we've had no problems with internet in Europe. On the odd occasion signal can be a bit weaker but that's usually if we park in a slightly more remote location. We really should fit a cell booster on the roof as inside the van it's even worse!

[@luisagra385]

Hello! Great u liked portugal! Would u mind sharing a link of where u informed yourselves of legal affairs?

[@WeWillNomad]

Sure. If you search for Portugal Highway code 66/2021 you should find more information. The Portuguese extract is available here: dre.pt/dre/detalhe/lei/66-2021-170083315 Also worth reading: www.vicarious-shop.com/blogs/vicarious-view/portugal-policy-prohibits-long-term-motorhome-parking-with-pricey-penalties

[@luisagra1829]

@@WeWillNomad thank you!

[@mikeyben-chetrit4303]

Was your sized van/rv difficult to drive in the cities? I am worried about driving a larger vehicle in the cities, should I be?

[@WeWillNomad]

We made a video a while back which might help kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmisnZR8ebmJbNk Our van is 6.25m long without the bicycle rack. 2.22m wide and 2.95 high including the maxxfan. What we like is that you can still fit into a normal parking width wise and if there is space for the rear overhang. Larger also means heavier and in many places around Europe you will find a 3.5t limit.

[@elenbarnett5389]

Hi guys, which site did you stay in Porto please? Thanks 👍

[@WeWillNomad]

😎 You can find details on our blog www.wewillnomad.com/post/vanlife-portugal-travelling-by-campervan-2022

[@dougharris4853]

Just curious. Sounds like you bought your campervan. Which country did you buy it in. And which internet service provider did you use

[@WeWillNomad]

We have Italian passports so bought our Campervan in Italy. It would depend on your circumstances where it's possible. Germany has a big selection and Spain possibly the simplest purchasing process (no residency required)! In Portugal we used "meo" for internet. Thanks for watching! 😊

[@alpantanjung4824]

Andre and Lisa, would you like to visit Malang, East Java, Indonesia. I'll be your tour guide in Malang. Malang is a nice city. It is called apple city, student city, and flower city.

[@WeWillNomad]

Wow that would be amazing. We cannot wait to get back to Indonesia! For sure when we make it back to Java we must meet. All the best!

[@AtomicSubatonic1566]

So, if i'm understanding it right. Unlimited data for 1 euro a day called Meo Enjoy?

[@WeWillNomad]

That was the case when we were there. On their website it now shows as 40 EUR for 30 days unlimited data.

[@AtomicSubatonic1566]

@@WeWillNomad thank you so much for checking the website out for me!! Even 40 EUR is very doable.

[@Frpar123]

Roads are reasonable? And you come form the UK?

[@WeWillNomad]

No, we're not from the UK