One of the most common questions we get concerns where to camp in Portugal.
Now there are many excellent campsites throughout Portugal especially in "tourist areas" but we like to break free of the crowd and drive the road less travelled, fortunately there is probably no better place than Portugal to do this.
Especially on the West Coast there are off road areas often next to beaches or lakes where free camping is not only tolerated but actively encouraged, often by businesses that want the custom.
As long as you respect the area and pay attention to rules regarding fires in summer you will generally be left well alone. Especially in the Autumn there are many surfers travelling in vans all along the coast. Often they will form small groups around surf breaks and beaches. There is no better way to beat the crowd to the waves than to be there at first light.
With a few exception most areas are very safe though we would encourage you to be aware that there are some break-in hotspots and make sure your valuables are safe.
Take a look on Google Maps, you will see dirt roads leading to some incredible parking and camping spots, try to leave nothing but tyre tracks to allow others to enjoy the spot when you move on