Ericeira Camping, Portugal

Perfect for discovering Portugal, Ericeira Camping is a coastal campsite with electric hook-up pitches. Sandy beaches are nearby and Portugal's capital, Lisbon, is only 30 miles away.

Ericeira is an old fishing town on the Atlantic coast of Portugal, somewhere to unwind after a hectic time in Lisbon (30 miles away) or Sintra (18 miles). It is worth exploring the old town’s narrow streets of whitewashed houses and cafés and taking a peek inside the beautifully tiled little chapels of São Sebastião and of Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem, from where the royal family of Portugal left for their exile in 1910.

The campsite at Ericeira Camping, situated just north of town, is a large one, but well laid out, and seems spacious. Bungalows, mobiles homes, teepees, touring motorhomes, caravans and tents all have their separate zones accessed by good roads. 

The motorhome zone has large gravel pitches, each with electric hook-up if you need it. The sea is visible from your pitch, while you are sheltered by the trees. 

There is a motorhome service point, a sanitary block and laundry room. Use of a washing machine is free but there is no dryer – washing lines are strung out between the pines, perfect in fine weather.

A surf school offering lessons and equipment rental is located just outside the gate and is very well reviewed, although we didn’t use it. Bike rental is also available there. 

Surfing beaches are just across the road: Praia da Empa, Pedra Branca and São Sebastião. The sand disappears when the tide is in, leaving you with only rocks. 

About 600 metres north of the campsite is a roundabout called Rotunda do Surf, with a metal sculpture of a surfer in a wave. It makes for a fun photo, but it’s safer to walk to it rather than trying to snap it as you drive past. 

About 400 metres further is the viewpoint for Ribeira d’Ilhas with a great view over Praia Ribeira d’Ilhas, a sandy beach which is also part of the World Surfing Reserve and the location for a world championship event while we were there. The photogenic village on the clifftop above has a restaurant and bar, making it a good stop before returning along the coast path to the campsite.

A great coastal campsite in an ideal location to discover Portugal's capital city, but offering a relaxing retreat to return to after a day's exploration.