Istrian dreams, Croatia
Having been cycling across Europe for nearly two months, we’d become campsite connoisseurs. Natura Camp Karli stands out for being a tranquil oasis on the Istrian peninsula in Croatia. We loved pitching our tent in an olive grove, having been welcomed with a gift of handmade products. The facilities were simple, but excellent, with a covered area and stoves for cooking, as well as ample seating with a view. It’s a peaceful location, with the coast about six miles away. After a wonderful night’s sleep, drifting off to the gentle hum of insects, we left with an extra spring in our pedalling.
Pitch from €25
Mary
Solar power in Portugal’s Alentejo
We only stayed one night at Bubulcus & Bolotas during our Portugal campervan trip last summer, but I will remember it for ever. The light, the landscape (huge boulders, savanna-like landscape with holm oaks dotted around) and sounds of the birds and insects make you feel like you are truly in the middle of nowhere. The couple who run the site are passionate about nature and sustainability. All electricity is from solar, rainwater is collected and the beautiful pool is chemical-free. The best part was the stargazing – the milky way so clear with the naked eye – spellbinding. The place is about a two-hour drive east of Lisbon, north of Évora.
Adult €6, pitches from €10
Lucie
Guardian Travel readers' tips
Every week we ask our readers for recommendations from their travels. A selection of tips will be featured online and may appear in print. To enter the latest competition visit the readers' tips homepage
-
Perfect for a morning swim, Austria
The beautiful family-run Inselcamp Unterach on the edge of Attersee in Austria, in the heart of the Salzkammergut lake district, is a serene spot. It’s the perfect place for an early morning swim, with the surrounding mountains providing a wonderful backdrop for some tranquil escapism.
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 an adventure playground, bar and restaurant, and fantastic views of spectacular waterfalls cascading hundreds of feet off the mountains, hikers and families will find it perfectly located. The lovely outdoor Lauterbrunnen swimming pool is a 15-minute walk away. There are easy, moderate and difficult walking routes that set off in every direction up and down mountains and through alpine meadows.
Basic tent pitch from 31.60CHF
Kelvin
Pétanque, seafood and sunsets, France
Huttopia Noirmoutier is our go-to campsite for the first few days of longer campervan breaks around Europe. It’s the perfect place to decompress and ease you into the holiday. Just off the coast of the northern Vendée, the island of Noirmoutier is all about long beaches, gentle sea, sun, and plentiful seafood. The local market, about 20 minutes’ cycle along the sea wall from the campsite, is bursting with the freshest possible produce, and the white painted town wouldn’t look out of place on the Mediterranean. The campsite is on the beach – perfect for days of paddleboarding and swimming – and the pétanque court, pizzas, and bar provide for easy evenings as the sun sets over the sea.
Pitch from €29.50
Iain
Tents and turtles, Zante, Greece
Camping Tartaruga on Zante (Zakynthos) has a calm, celestial setting that somehow transported me back thousands of years to the days of Greek mythology. Against a backdrop of olive trees and shimmering turquoise waters, the tents have a view of Laganas bay. Snorkelling is wonderful here and loggerhead turtles can sometimes be spotted on the sands.
Adult €7, pitches from €5
Bill
Fresh air and fresh bread, Switzerland
Sheeting rain heralded our arrival at Camping Eienwäldli in Engelberg, central Switzerland. Any doubts about the location disappeared as the clouds lifted to reveal a stunning backdrop of snow-capped peaks above Alpine meadows. The combination of flawless functionality and stunning mountain scenery was pleasingly Swiss. When the rain set in again we took cover in scrupulously clean shared kitchen facilities. There was no chance to try the spa and heated indoor pool as blue skies and sunshine tempted us up into the mountains, fuelled by freshly baked bread from the on-site store.
Pitch for caravan/motorhome and up to 6 people 500CHF for 7 nights
Helen Mewar
Sounds of the river, Dordogne, France
Below Bergerac are some campsites on the wide slow River Dordogne. We loved the wooded site called Camping La Pelouse, where we woke up enchanted to hear the sounds of flowing water lapping the banks. Croissants from the site’s bakery and other treats included the acclaimed foods of this part of Périgord such as truffles, rich dark Bergerac wines, succulent strawberries, walnuts and ceps. We had a romantic lunch of oysters at a restaurant near the site. After paddling upstream past a castle, we came to a white cliff, where we swam naked, unseen, in a shallow pool.
Adult €4.80, pitches from €2.10
David Innes-Wilkin
Invigorating swimming, Austria
You can look out at two countries from the door of your tent at Camping Mexico, on Lake Constance, which borders Austria, Germany and Switzerland. The site is at Bregenz, right next to the Mehrerauer Seeufer and Bregenzerachmündung nature reserve. I enjoyed wild swimming in the invigorating waters after days of walking and sightseeing and also followed an easy, flat cycle route that followed the shoreline. Grilled sausages and beer awaited at the communal kitchen area on my return.
Adult €11.50, pitch 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 north-western Italian region of Piedmont. How I wish it could have been longer. The staff were welcoming, the food and drink was sublime and the surrounding views to die for. If you’re a hiker, this is the perfect campsite for you. Mapped trails running through the pristine pine forests; cool, sparkling springs and charming villages, hidden among the Alpine slopes. I’d go back in a heartbeat.
Adult €8, pitches from €25
Helen Doel
• This article was corrected on 28 June because Camping Jungfrau does not have its own swimming pool. The village swimming pool is nearby, however
Please tell us about your own favourite campsites in Europe in the comments
