by Istrian Dreams, Croatia
Having cycled across Europe for almost two months, we’d be camping experts. Camp Natura Karli stands out as a peaceful oasis on the Istrian peninsula in Croatia. We would love to pitch our tent in an olive grove, after being welcomed with a gift of handmade products. The facilities were simple, but excellent, with a covered area and stove for cooking, as well as plenty of seating with a view. It is a peaceful location, with the coast about six miles away. After a great night’s sleep, drifting off to the gentle hum of insects, we set off with extra springs in our pedals.
Parking from €25
Mary
Solar power in Alentejo, Portugal
We only stayed one night at Bubulcus & Bolotas during our campervan trip in Portugal last summer, but I will remember it forever. The light, the landscape (huge boulders, Savanna-like landscape and holm oak dotted around) and the sounds of birds and insects make you feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere. The couple who run the site are passionate about nature and sustainability. All electricity comes from the sun, rainwater is collected and the beautiful pool is chemical free. The best part was star gazing – the milky way as clear as the naked eye – literally. The place is about a two-hour drive east of Lisbon, north of Évor.
Adult €6, pitches from €10
Lucy
Tips from Guardian Travel readers
Every week we ask our readers for recommendations from their travels. A selection of tips will appear online and may be printed. To enter the latest competition visit the readers’ tips homepage
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Perfect for a morning swim, Austria
The family-run Inselcamp Unterach is a relaxing retreat on the edge of Austria’s Attersee, in the heart of the Salzkammergut lake district. It’s the perfect spot for an early morning swim, with the surrounding mountains a perfect backdrop for a relaxing getaway.
Adult €2.40, pitches from €10.50
Florence
Cascading beauty, Switzerland
Without hesitation, our choice is Camping Jungfrau in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. With great facilities including a swimming pool, and stunning views of spectacular waterfalls cascading hundreds of feet from the mountains, it will be perfectly situated for walkers and families. There are easy, moderate and difficult walking routes that lead in all directions up and down mountains and through alpine meadows. Basic tent pitch from 31.60CHF
Kelvin
Pétanque, seafood and sunset, France
Huttopia Noirmoutier is our campsite for the first few days of longer camper van breaks across Europe. It’s the perfect place to decompress and relax into the holiday. Just off the northern Vendée coast, the island of Noirmoutier boasts long beaches, gentle seas, sun, and abundant seafood. The local market, about a 20-minute cycle along the sea wall from the campsite, is bursting with the freshest produce possible, and the painted white town wouldn’t look out of place in the Mediterranean. The campsite is on the beach – perfect for days of windsurfing and swimming – and the pétanque court, pizza and bar provides easy evenings as the sun shines over the sea.
Parking from €29.50
John
Tents and turtles, Zante, Greece
Camping Tartaruga on Zante (Zakynthos) has a heavenly calm setting that somehow transported me back thousands of years to the days of Greek mythology. Against a backdrop of olive trees and sparkling turquoise waters, the tents overlook the bay of Laganas. Snorkeling here is fantastic and sometimes loggerhead turtles can be seen on the sand.
Adult €7, pitches from €5
Bill
Fresh air and fresh bread, Switzerland
It was the sheet rain that announced our arrival at Camping Eienwäldli in Engelberg, central Switzerland. Any doubt about the location disappeared as the clouds lifted to reveal a stunning backdrop of snowy peaks above the Alpine meadows. The combination of impeccable functionality and stunning mountain scenery was the delight of Switzerland. When the rain came again we took cover in scrupulously clean shared kitchen facilities. There was no chance to try the spa and indoor heated pool as blue skies and sunshine beckoned us up to the mountains, fueled by freshly baked bread from the on-site shop.
Parking for caravan/motorhome and up to 6 people 500CHF for 7 nights
Helen Mewar
River sounds, Dordogne, France
Below Bergerac there are several campsites on the wide and slow Dordogne. We loved the wooded site called Camping La Pelouse, where we woke up enchanted to hear the sounds of flowing water cascading over the banks. Croissants from the on-site bakery and other treats included the famous foods of this part of Périgord such as truffles, rich dark Bergerac wines, juicy strawberries, walnuts and ceps. We had a romantic lunch of oysters in a restaurant near the site. After paddling upstream past a castle, we came to a white cliff, where we swam naked, out of sight, in a shallow pool.
Adult €4.80, pitches from €2.10
David Innes-Wilkin
Vibrant swimming, Austria
You can look out over two countries from the door of your tent at Camping Mexico, on Lake Constance, bordered by Austria, Germany and Switzerland. The site is at Bregenz, right next to the Mehrerauer Seeufer nature reserve and Bregenzerachmündung. I enjoyed a wild swim in the lively waters after days of walking and sightseeing and followed an easy, flat bike route that followed the shoreline. Grilled sausages and beer were waiting in the community kitchen on my return.
Adult €11.50, park from €9
Nigel
Winning tip: pine and wine, Piedmont, Italy
Last August we stayed just a few days at Yolki Palki near Domodossola, a small campsite in the northwestern Italian region of Piedmont. How I wish it could be longer. The staff were welcoming, the food and drink sublime and the surrounding views to die for. If you are a hiker, this is the perfect campsite for you. mapped trails running through the pristine pine forests; cold, sparkling springs and charming villages, hidden among the Alpine slopes. I would go back in a heartbeat.
Adult €8, pitches from €25
Helen Doel
Tell us about your favorite campsites in Europe in the comments
