Here, we’re going to look at the factors you should be considering when making your choice, as well as some examples of top campsites around Europe and how each can appeal to a different set of needs.
What to look for in a campsite
What makes the perfect campsite?
Your choice of campsite is likely to be closely tied to its surrounding area and what you’re looking for out of the trip in general. However, it’s wise to have a few criteria to help you narrow down your options, too. These can include the following:
Location: How close is the site to the main attractions of the area? Is the location accessible? Do you want to be in walking distance of towns, beaches, the woods, or anything else?
Permissions: Are you allowed to bring a dog with you, if you’re planning on it? Does the campsite allow BBQs and campfires? Are there strict noise rules?
Amenities: Are there showers and toilets? Are there cooking stations? Do they provide drinking water?
Price: Naturally, you want to make sure that paying to access the site itself meets your budget, too.
With some of the key criteria in mind, let’s take a look at some excellent European campsites and what makes them stand out as examples of what you should be looking for.
Camping Caravaning Aux Pommiers is a perfect example of one best suited to beginners who might be organising their first camping trip. This is in part due to the fact that it’s so close to the main attractions. It’s also packed with amenities, such as access to electricity, water, and drainage.
Meanwhile, the campsite also has access to a whole range of activities, such as a waterpark, games area, fishing lake, bike rental and more. Easy to rent a bike and simply ride out to enjoy some of the trails in the Mt St Michel area without worrying about having to go too far from your campsite and all your things.
If you want a campsite that is perfectly suited for families and visitors of all ages, then KIKO PARK Oliva might be the one for you. It perches visitors right on the edge of a gorgeous Blue Flag beach, just behind the dunes so you’re protected from the harshest of the sea breezes, as well. It’s an excellent site for not just those who love lounging at the beach, but also for families, due to the children’s pool, restaurant, and a host of site-run activities including dance classes and aerobics.
This all-year site provides a whole host of amenities, including toilets, heated showers, baby changing facilities, laundry, a supermarket, WiFi, car rental, bicycle hire and more. What’s more, it’s an accessible, flat site with bathroom facilities that are suitable for visitors with disabilities, as well.
Some people who want camping don’t necessarily need access to the excitement of a mountain or a Blue Flag beach. A friendly campsite that offers a much more relaxed, easy-going time, then Cofton is a family run park that offers a look over verdant fields and lush orchards. It’s a community of not just campers, but also holiday homes, cottages, and apartments, but never goes over the edge of being crowded. And, indeed, there’s plenty of room for solitude and peace thanks to the fishing available on site. The 50 acres of woodland in the Exe Estuary and two-mile walking trail over the varied surrounding terrain.
Amongst the amenities included as family bathrooms, shower rooms, hairdryers, laundrettes, gas, and extensive facilities for disabled visitors. Pets are also allowed on the site and are also welcome on the nearby beach.
If you’re feeling more adventurous and want something more adrenaline pumping, then you’re better off choosing a campsite that brings you close to an area that offers a little challenge. Camping Residence Sagemuhle does just that, leaving you at the foot of the imposing Stelvio National Park. The mountain is undoubtedly the main attraction here, but besides climbing, there’s also plenty to do at the site, with a panoramic swimming pool, childrens’ recreation grounds, trampolines, and a nearby village that’s very welcoming to tourists.
The campsite has recently been renovated with modern bathroom facilities, including top-notch sanitation standards. There are facilities for children, baby baths, as well as facilities for disabled visitors. Amongst the other amenities included are washing machines, a coffee bar, jacuzzis, gym and sauna, WiFi throughout, and a restaurant so you don’t need to worry about feeding yourselves too much.
If you’re looking for thrills but not exactly those that are too physically demanding, then choosing a beach that offers some excellent watersports opportunities could be a wise move. Feriencamp Biggesee looks like it’s on a standard tourist beach area, but the wooded surroundings offer it a sense of privacy and seclusion that can make it even more attractive. At the beach itself, you will be able to find opportunities for diving, windsurfing, surfing, and even sailing. What’s more, in the winter, the slopes nearby get covered in snow, making them perfect for skiing with the family.
The campsite has electricity available for all 200 touring pitches, all year round. Otherwise, there are heated bathroom facilities, special showers for children, facilities for babies, and accessible bathrooms for those with disabilities. Furthermore, it includes amenities like cooking facilities, laundry, a grill hut, a sauna, and even a dog shower for those of you looking to bring a furry friend along. Indeed, it welcomes dogs entirely.
What makes the perfect campsite for you?
What your standards are when it comes to choosing a campsite depends largely on what you’re looking for out of the trip. If you want a Spartan trip into the wilds with little to no creature comforts, that’s certainly available. However, if you want all the benefits of camping at excellent beaches, mountains, and other locations, but without the difficulty, then the examples above should prove that it’s certainly possible.
Situated on a gentle, south-facing slope that leads down to the water’s edge of the Biggesee, Feriencamp Biggesee blends in well with its wooded surroundings...
Rob has been involved in the leisure industry since completing a BTEC in Travel & Tourism in 1993. Previous roles have included the promotion of tourism in Yorkshire and running a motorcycle touring company in the Australian Outback.
He is the General Manager at Alan Rogers Travel Group, responsible for the ongoing development of the Alan Rogers website and the publication of the Alan Rogers Guides and 'Destinations' magazine.
He regularly travels with his wife and young daughter in their Dethleffs 'Campy' caravan. A keen cycling fan, Rob can often be found in a field in Belgium during the 'Spring Classics' season or riding his Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle.
