Camping in Europe — The most beautiful campsites

Camping in Europe — Why tents and campervans are the best way to travel

Over the past few years, I've stayed in hundred-euro hotel rooms and five-euro campsites. And honestly? Some of my best nights were spent in a tent—with the sound of the sea as my sleep soundtrack, morning coffee with a mountain view, and the feeling that Europe is yours when you wake up at 6 a.m. and are the only person for miles around.

Camping in Europe is booming, and rightly so. It's cheaper than hotels, more flexible than Airbnb, and takes you to places no Booking.com knows about. In this guide, I share my favorite campsites, practical tips, and an honest breakdown of costs after a year of camping across Europe.

The most beautiful campsites in Southern Europe

Praia da Arrifana, Algarve, Portugal
The campsite is perched on a cliff overlooking one of Europe's best surfing beaches. Waking up in the morning, making coffee, gazing out at the Atlantic – mornings don't get any better. The site is basic (shower, toilet, nothing else), but that's precisely its charm. A pitch costs €12 per night. In the off-season (October–May), you'll practically have the beach to yourself.

Camping Sikia, Peloponnese, Greece
Right on the beach, under olive trees, with the clearest water I've seen in Europe. The Peloponnese is Greece's best-kept secret—all the tourists go to the islands, but the peninsula is at least as beautiful. €15/night, taverna right on the square with fish for €8.

Camping Villaggio dei Fiori, Liguria, Italy
Terraced camping in the hills above the sea, overlooking the Ligurian coast. The Cinque Terre are 30 minutes away, but this campsite is ten times more relaxed and half the price. Pool, restaurant, beachfront location. €22 per night in high season—a bargain for Italy.

Camping Čikat, Lošinj, Croatia
Island camping in a pine forest bay. The water is so clear you can see fish from the shore. Lošinj is one of the few Croatian islands that hasn't yet been overrun by mass tourism. €18/night. Tip: Take the ferry from Rijeka and enjoy the coastal road.

Wild camping spots in Northern and Central Europe

Lofoten Islands, Norway
Thanks to the right of public access, you can camp almost anywhere in Norway. The Lofoten Islands are the highlight: pitch your tent on the beach between jagged mountain peaks, enjoy the midnight sun from June to July, and buy cod directly from the fishermen in the morning. My favorite spot: Uttakleiv Beach – a sandy beach with a mountain panorama, and it's free. Restaurants in Lofoten are expensive, but with your own cooking equipment and fishing gear, you can get by cheaply.

Scottish Highlands
Scotland has similarly liberal camping laws to Scandinavia. In the Highlands, you can pitch your tent almost anywhere as long as you leave the site clean. My spot: on the shore of Loch Cluanie, between Fort William and Inverness. Morning mist over the loch, deer on the shore, absolute silence. It's free, and all you need is a good sleeping bag (even in summer, temperatures drop to single digits at night).

Black Forest, Germany
Wild camping is officially prohibited in Germany, but bivouacking (one night without a tent or with a tarp) is tolerated. In the Black Forest, there are also official trekking sites for €10 per night—right in the middle of the forest, accessible only on foot, with a fire pit. These must be reserved online and fill up quickly. My favorite: the site at the Glasmännlehütte.

Dolomites, South Tyrol
Waking up at a campsite at the foot of the Dolomites is a dream. Camping Olympia in Cortina d'Ampezzo has a pool with a view of the Tofane group—absurdly beautiful. €25/night. Or Camping Vidor in Pozza di Fassa, cheaper (€18) and right on the hiking trail to Catinaccio.

Camping Equipment — What You Really Need

equipment	My recommendation	Price approx.
Tent (2 persons)	MSR Hubba Hubba NX	~400 €
Sleeping bag (3-season)	Sea to Summit Spark SP III	~250 €
sleeping mat	Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm	~200 €
cooker	Jetboil Flash	~110 €
Headlamp	Petzl Actik Core	~50 €
Power bank	Anker 26800mAh	~45 €

My tip: Invest in a good sleeping mat. Not the tent, not the sleeping bag—the sleeping mat determines whether you wake up refreshed or exhausted. On a bad mat, you'll freeze from below, no matter how warm your sleeping bag is. The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir completely transformed my camping experience.

Camping apps and tools I use daily

Park4Night: The best app for campsites and wild camping spots. Community-based with photos, reviews, and GPS coordinates. I found 901 of my overnight spots here.

iOverlander: Similar to Park4Night, but more international. Especially good for Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, where Park4Night has fewer listings.

Campercontact: Specifically for motorhomes and campervans. Detailed information on electricity, water, and waste disposal at each site. The premium version (10 euros/year) is worthwhile.

Maps.me: Offline maps with hiking trails and points of interest. Essential if you're in areas without mobile network coverage — and that's exactly where the best campsites are located.

Practical camping tips for Europe

Take advantage of the off-season: May/June and September/October are the best months. Less crowded, cheaper, more pleasant temperatures. In July and August, popular destinations (Croatia, Sardinia) are often booked out for weeks.

ACSI Camping Card: For €16 per year, you pay a flat rate of €12–22 at over 3,000 campsites during the off-season — regardless of whether the site normally costs €40. It paid for itself after three nights for me.

Save water: A 5-liter canister plus a water filter. That will get you through 3-4 days without needing campsite facilities. My lifesaver: A Katadyn BeFree filter (40 euros) — with it, you can drink from almost any stream.

If you want to make camping a full-time lifestyle, read my article about Van life costs — the boundaries between camping and van life are fluid.

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions about Camping in Europe

Where am I allowed to camp wild in Europe?

Legal: Sweden, Norway, Finland, Scotland (Right of Public Access/Allemansrätt). Tolerated: Baltic States, parts of Spain, Portugal (outside of nature reserves). Forbidden but tolerated: Germany (one-night bivouac), France (off roads). Strictly forbidden: Greece, Italy, Croatia (enforced). Rule of thumb: Set up inconspicuously, leave early, leave no trace.

How much does camping in Europe cost per night?

Campsites: €10–30 per night for a pitch (tent or campervan). Scandinavia and Switzerland are more expensive (€25–40), Eastern Europe and Portugal cheaper (€8–15). Wild camping: free, but you need your own water and sanitation facilities.

Which is the best camping country in Europe?

For me: Norway. Right to roam, spectacular scenery, zero restrictions. For beginners: Portugal — cheaper, sunnier, simple infrastructure. For families: France — best campsite infrastructure in Europe with pools, restaurants, and an entertainment program.

Want to photograph remote campsites from above? Then check out my Drone recommendations Camping and drones belong together like a tent and a sleeping bag.