Your Way Away
Campervan Europe
Europe by campervan, without fines or stress
Europe is the cradle of motorhome travel: campsites, StellplÀtze and aires are almost everywhere. But the rules differ from country to country. In some places you can sleep in a car park; in others it costs a fine of hundreds of euros. Here is what applies, plus four routes planned specifically for a campervan.
Before you go
Licence and weight
A category B licence lets you drive a motorhome up to 3,500 kg total weight. Heavier vehicles need C1. When renting, check the weight in the registration papers.
Tolls over 3.5 tonnes
Above 3.5 t, Czechia, Slovakia and Austria charge distance-based tolls instead of a vignette. In Austria the technically permissible mass (field F.1) decides, and since December 2023 many âdownratedâ motorhomes need a GO-Box. Germany exempts motorhomes from its truck toll.
Emission zones
French cities need a CritâAir sticker, German ones a green Umweltplakette, Spain has low-emission zones in big cities and Italian old towns are often ZTL zones with cameras. Better not to drive a motorhome into city centres at all.
Parking is not camping
Almost everywhere the rule is the same: you may park where a car may park, but once the awning, chairs or levelling legs come out, you are camping. Outside campsites and designated areas that is usually not allowed.
Water, waste and gas
Empty grey water and the chemical toilet only at service points (Ver- und Entsorgung, aire de service, ĂĄrea de servicio). LPG filling adapters differ across Europe; carry a set.
When to go
May, June and September are best. In July and August seaside campsites are full, so book ahead. Out of season some campsites and service points close.
Where you may sleep: country by country
A summary from official and specialist sources as of 8 Nov 2026. Municipalities and national parks often have stricter rules of their own: follow the signs on site.
Sleeping in the vehicle toleratedDepends on the placeBanned outside campsites
Czechia
Depends on the place- You may sleep in your vehicle where parking is allowed. In national parks sleeping outside designated places is mostly banned; protected landscape areas are more lenient, but check the specific place.
- On private land only with the ownerâs consent.
Germany
Depends on the place- One night in a car park where parking is allowed is tolerated to ârestore fitness to driveâ (about one night). Repeated stays or camping (chairs, awning) are fined.
- Easiest are WohnmobilstellplÀtze, often near towns and winemakers.
Austria
Banned outside campsites- State laws restrict or ban camping outside campsites, for example Tyrolâs camping law. Stay at campsites or designated StellplĂ€tze.
- Above 3.5 t technically permissible mass, a GO-Box instead of a vignette.
Italy
Depends on the place- A motorhome may park wherever a car may (Italian highway code). On the road you may not âcampâ: no levelling legs, awning, tables or draining water.
- Aree di sosta for motorhomes are convenient, often near towns.
France
Depends on the place- A motorhome may park where a car may, and a mayor cannot impose a blanket ban. Local bans at specific places (beaches, centres) do apply.
- A dense network of aires de camping-car, often cheap or free.
Spain
Depends on the place- Under the 2023 DGT instruction âparking is not campingâ: if only the wheels touch the ground, nothing sticks out and nothing leaks, you may even sleep inside.
- Regions and towns often have their own bylaws, especially near beaches.
Portugal
Banned outside campsites- Since 2021, overnight stays (22:00â07:00) in a motorhome are banned in protected areas, Natura 2000 sites and coastal zones unless the place expressly allows it. Elsewhere a maximum of 48 hours in one municipality, unless local rules say otherwise.
- Reported fines are âŹ60â300, âŹ120â600 in protected areas.
Croatia
Banned outside campsites- Camping and overnight stays outside campsites are banned, and police and inspectors actively check in season.
- Campsites line the whole coast; book in summer.
Slovenia
Banned outside campsites- Overnight stays outside campsites and designated motorhome stops (PZA) are usually not allowed, and banned in Triglav National Park.
- Julian Alps municipalities have stepped up checks and fines in recent years.
Norway
Sleeping in the vehicle tolerated- At rest areas and where parking is allowed you can usually also sleep (watch time limits on signs). Under the right to roam, at least 150 m from homes and at most two nights without the landownerâs consent.
- Driving off-road is not allowed. Some municipalities, such as in Lofoten, set their own limits.
Four campervan routes
Norway: fjords and mountain roads
- Oslo, via Lillehammer to Lom
- Geiranger and the Eagle Road above the fjord
- Trollstigen and the Atlantic Road
- Ă lesund, ferries across the fjords
- Sognefjord and FlÄm
- Bergen and back over Hardangervidda
Ferries and tolls are charged automatically by number plate. Some mountain roads open only in summer.
Portugal: the Atlantic off-season
- Porto and the Douro valley
- Aveiro and the Silver Coast
- NazarĂ© and Ăbidos
- Lisbon (leave the van outside, take the train in)
- Alentejo: Ăvora
- Algarve: Lagos and Sagres
Because of the coastal overnight ban, plan a campsite or årea de serviço for every night.
Italy: the Dolomites and Tuscany
- Over the Brenner to Bolzano
- Dolomites: Seiser Alm, Tre Cime, Cortina
- Lake Garda
- Tuscany: Florence (by bus from the campsite)
- Val dâOrcia and Siena
- Back via Venice or Verona
Donât drive into old towns: ZTL cameras fine foreign cars too.
Slovenia and Croatia: lakes to the sea
- Bled and Bohinj
- The SoÄa valley and Bovec
- Postojna and Ljubljana
- Istria: Rovinj
- Plitvice Lakes
- Zadar and Ć ibenik
Campsites and designated stops only in both countries. Buy Plitvice tickets online with an entry time.
Where to find a place for the night
- Campsites: filter their websites and apps for motorhome pitches and service points.
- StellplÀtze, aires, aree di sosta, åreas de autocaravanas: designated stops, cheaper than campsites, often with water and a dump point.
- Community apps (park4night, Campercontact and similar) are useful but not official: the rules on site always win.
FAQ
Can I drive a motorhome into a city centre?
Often technically yes, but we donât recommend it: narrow streets, low bridges, emission zones and ZTL cameras. Leave the van at a campsite or P+R and take public transport.
What if I just park and sleep inside?
In Spain and Italy that is fine if you follow the parking rules; in Germany once, to rest. Not in Croatia, Slovenia, Austria or Portugalâs protected areas.
Will you make me a tailored guide for a motorhome?
Yes. Mention in your order that you travel by motorhome: we plan the route, campsites and stops around your vehicleâs length and weight and each countryâs rules.