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We all love a good bargain, especially when it comes to walking the Camino. Walking gear, food, and general travel costs add up making a seemingly budget-friendly trip feel as expensive as any other type of travel.

It’s natural (pun intended!) to consider camping as a way to stretch your budget on the Portuguese Way. Plus, the great outdoors: the seclusion and escape of camping is perhaps the exact opposite of staying in a pilgrim hostel.

Spoiler — wild camping along the Portuguese Camino is illegal, and campsites are very limited. However, let’s look at all of the options you have and budget alternatives.

Save it for later! ↓

Have a question? Leave a comment at the bottom and I’ll reply right away 🙂

Wild Camping in Portugal is Illegal

No, you cannot wild camp in Portugal on the Camino Portugués. Pitching a tent on the beach, in a forest, or in a park is illegal. You can camp in designated camping sites or ask property owners to camp on private property.

Get help planning your Camino with my step-by-step planning guide.

Protected Land

What if you’re a rebel and are thinking about wild camping anyway along the Portuguese Camino? I see these posts online all the time: “I know it’s forbidden, but does anyone have advice for how to wild camp anyway?”

If you feel this strongly about wild camping, Portugal is not the place for you.

You are a guest. If you don’t plan on being a respectful one, then don’t go.

Even if it wasn’t against the law, much of the natural space is protected. In addition to being disrespectful of local laws, camping on protected land is detrimental to conservation efforts. There are signs up along parts of The Way that detail this both in Portuguese and with illustrations.

There are other countries in Europe with much more space (and the legal green light!) for wild camping:

• Norway. The “allemannsretten,” or the freedom to roam, grants access to wild camp on many public lands. Learn more here.
• Sweden. The “allemansrätten,” or the right of public access, allows the public to camp in many outdoor areas. Read up on the laws here.
• Romania. There are no laws prohibiting wild camping, or “camping sălbatic” in Romania (though follow these tips to do it ethically).
• Poland. You can sleep in designated areas thanks to the “Zanocuj w lesie” (spend the night in the forest) project. There are still restrictions, however: use Google Translate to read the rules.

Learn more in this wild camping guide to Europe. You can camp in designated camping sites or ask property owners to camp on private property.

On the Coastal Route and the Literol Route, you follow the ocean north into Spain from town to town. The ocean wind and sandy/marshy ground make this a less-than-ideal location for pitching a tent. The Central Route is also densely populated and, as the most popular route, it’s busy (particularly in the summer months).

The upside: camping gear is expensive to buy if you don’t have it already, not to mention heavy to carry. Who wants to bring more weight in their bag? Not me. Plus, Portugal is already a budget-friendly country to visit; cheaper than France and Spain, where the other Camino routes spend most of their time.

Negative Impact

Portugal has become a booming popular destination for expats and retirees, and that comes with a hefty responsibility: being a good guest.

“Free camping” isn’t free when it negatively impacts the community. At its most innocent, it becomes a headache for locals and law enforcement. At its worst, wild camping by irresponsible hikers hurts conservation efforts and sparks forest fires. Visitors following the rules make a big difference in the long-term effects of mass tourism.

Don’t Worry: Albergues Are Everywhere

Camping on the Camino is unpopular for a reason: albergues, or pilgrim hostels, are everywhere along the Portuguese Camino routes. Private albergues cost around €20 per night, while municipal albergues are even cheaper and often cost €10 per night. This is often cheaper than the cost of a tent pitch at campsites.

Albergues come with bunk beds, community and sometimes a fully equipped kitchen. Don’t worry though, you’ll still be roughing it a bit: bring your own sleeping bag liner and be prepared for squeaky bed springs as pilgrims toss and turn all night.

Other cheap accommodation options include private albergue rooms, guesthouses, or budget hotels.

Budget tip: Go with a friend and split a double room in a budget hotel. You can ask for two double beds, and it’s often the same price (or just slightly more) than an albergue.

Should you pre-book your Camino accommodation? Read here.

Enjoy The Pilgrim Perk

Municipal pilgrim hostels go by different names along different pilgrims’ routes, but they’re unique to this type of travel and are something to cherish (yes, for all the good and the bad).

When we started out walking the Via Francigena (Canterbury to Rome pilgrimage), Bert-Jan and I brought a tent because we thought it was the “pilgrim way.” We quickly realized that staying in the pilgrim-specific accommodation along the way was a much more unique and meaningful experience to us.

…even when the quality was questionable. One night in Italy, we stayed in a municipal pilgrim accommodation that had a sign translated into 4 languages that said, “We know it isn’t much, but it’s all we have.” I cherished that creaky bed more than any other cheap hostel I’ve slept in.

Albergues are a special part of the Camino experience. However, if camping is the one and only way that you want to experience a pilgrimage, there are other popular Camino routes that you can take instead of the Portuguese Way.

Camping On Other Camino de Santiago Routes?

The Camino Portugues is one of the many pilgrim routes leading to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. The route officially starts in Lisbon, but most pilgrims begin walking in Porto or Tui, Spain, and go north to Spain’s Galicia region. Other Camino routes start in Spain and France.

Is camping easy along the other pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela? Wild camping in any of the regions that the Camino passes through is illegal is Spain, and campsites are limited.

Here’s a closer look at some of the routes and resources available online:

• Camino Francés (AKA the Camino Frances/French Way): In forums, pilgrims occasionally say that they were able to camp outside of albergues (with permission), though I’ve heard from pilgrims that it’s not the norm.
• Camino del Norte (AKA the Northern Way): Wild camping is illegal, but there are some camping sites along the Northern Way to supplement albergues.
• Via de la Plata: According to forum discussions, formal campsites are limited but some people have found success by asking to camp on private property.
• Camino Primitivo: According to forum discussions, campsites are limited and a tent is unnecessary.

FAQ Summary

Buen Camino!

The Portuguese Camino route is a special journey that grants you constant access to nature while walking. In the evenings when you arrive in town, embrace albergues and the opportunity to meet other pilgrims and save camping for another hiking experience.