We often write about 'caravan sites' on this blog, but what exactly is a caravan site? What is the difference between a site and a campsite - and does it look different in different countries? We thought we'd try to clarify the concepts.
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ShareLuxury pitch or basic camping?
A motorhome park is a place where you can stay with your motorhome overnight, which is usually more simple than a campsite. However, there is a big difference between pitches, just as there is a big difference between campsites.
Down in southern Europe there are some campsites that are so fresh and have so many services that they almost resemble campsites. At the same time, there are campsites that are extremely simple. We have made a small table below based on our experiences from Sweden, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Poland - both in high and low season.
Different in different countries
In Sweden, small berths in marinas are quite common. In France, car parks are often automated. Either you pay to drive through a barrier, or the parking is free while you have to put coins in a vending machine to get water and electricity. In Portugal and Spain, it is common to have large car parks with reception and staff.
In Poland there are mostly simple campsites, but we have also found private pitches in someone's garden. In Sardinia and Sicily, we've found slightly smaller sites, with reception or where we've had to pay in a bar. So what should you choose - a pitch or a campsite? Well, it depends on what you are looking for and what you want to pay!
You might also like:
Real estate list - landscape by landscape in Sweden
Campingbio goes on tour this summer - free cinema on campsites
10 great campsites in Sweden that we visited this year
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BP says:
Here I have learned something else:-) I must say that you really have a varied blog with a lot of info even for a non camper / motorhome / caravan owner.
30 July 2015 - 19:02
Ditte says:
I had partly understood from your previous posts the difference between caravanning and camping, but now it became very clear.
Perhaps you will write a book with your experiences of different camping and caravanning sites and other things you experienced during the trip.
I hope you are now well enough to relax for a few nights.
30 July 2015 - 21:37
admin says:
BP, hehe you non-campers just happen to be camping-savvy 😉.
Ditte, haha, who knows? Maybe we should start working on such a book idea? 😉
31 July 2015 - 8:09
Inga M says:
Now I have read your blog again. There has not been much time for blogging during our summer. It has been filled with children and grandchildren. But it is fun to follow your journey and of course we are jealous of your nice weather. The summer in Sweden you can be happy to have avoided. It has been more like a harsh autumn. But right now we have some nice days. The mushroom harvest has started unusually early so we are going out today to look for some.
Interesting to read how you can rent a cabin at a campsite for a cheap price. Since there are more people sharing, it becomes a very cheap holiday and directly at the beach!
31 July 2015 - 9:53
Anders and Birgitta says:
It's fun to compare pitches and campsites in different countries, it must also be fun to compare travelling with the motorhome in different seasons of the year. We have now been down in Germany during part of the holiday period and it is completely different from being there in the low season, it has both its advantages but also a lot of disadvantages. You must have experienced that too.
31 July 2015 - 13:14
admin says:
Inga M, nice to see your children and grandchildren! We understand that the summer in Sweden has been miserable. Hope you get some summer in August!
Anders and Birgitta, there is a big difference between high and low season! We probably like the mid-season, like May - June. July and August are a bit too hysterical, stressful and expensive 😉.
31 July 2015 - 21:40
Lars-Göran says:
I'm just an amateur on the subject, but I feel that camping is more advantageous because you have a "plot" where you can unfold the awning and set up a table and chairs, a barbecue, etc. You rarely have that opportunity with a pitch, but as you say, the location is usually better if you are visiting cities, etc.
31 May 2018 - 8:56