Touring Europe on a Budget – Have You Considered Camping?

While much of Europe is too cold to camp except during warm summer months, there are large portions near the Mediterranean where it’s actually warm enough to camp most of the year. No matter what time of year you want to do a bit of touring in Europe, the cost could be more than you can afford after buying airline tickets for the entire clan. Have you considered camping? Check out some of the reasons why camping your way around Europe might be the most fun, even if you had the funds to stay at 5-star hotels!

 

First – We’re Talking Camping NOT Glamping

Some people cross the ocean only to rent an RV to tour with. That’s not camping and surely not the best way to tour countries you’ve never been and would like to learn more about. You can get almost any size tent online at sites like My Family Tent, even if you need to sleep ten people. Believe it or not, some tents are amazingly functional for an extended stay and can be easily broken down and reassembled when it’s time to move on.

Top European Countries for Camping

Once you’ve decided to camp your way around Europe, you’ll most likely want to know what other travelers have found to be the best countries for camping. According to one seasoned camper, these are some of the best places to pitch a tent in Europe:

1. Norway – Camping in Norway is highly popular, especially with Europeans. Enjoying the great outdoors is actually interwoven with the national identity, so you will find plenty of spots where you can camp for free or at a very low cost. Many private lands are open to campers and you’ll be happy to know that more Norwegians speak English than Americans can speak Norwegian!
2. Scotland – According to the same backpacker, Scotland is “one of the easiest places” to arrange a camping vacation. Camping on public land is allowed as long as you are at least 100 meters (328 feet) from a roadway and there are also a great number of campgrounds around the country (mainland) as well as on some of Scotland’s small islands.
3. France – The French have long been welcoming to campers and have many established campsites that actually have what they call “pre-constructed sites.” As a nation, the French are a fun-loving people who will gladly talk to visitors and share a glass of wine, of which the country is world famous for.

Those are just a few of the better-known European countries where camping is amazing, but Latvia, Estonia and Georgia (in the former USSR) are also said to be welcoming to campers and also very friendly people by nature.

Whether you are truly on a budget or would just like to see the real country without all the usual tourist traps, camping can make for a marvelous European vacation if you plan ahead. Make sure you know where you are going and book a car for getting around from campsite to campsite. This will be one vacation you’ll never forget – just don’t forget the camera!