Mayor of Vila do Bispo welcomes motorhomes but says they must respect the rules
With motorhomes increasingly being parked where they shouldn’t – from natural parks to school zones – the municipal council of Vila do Bispo is taking steps to bring the situation under control.
The municipality, famous for its stunning coastline and peaceful interior, is preparing new regulations to guide motorhomes and campervans towards authorised areas.
“What we want is for things to be organised and legal,” Vila do Bispo mayor Rute Silva told Lusa news agency. “We welcome tourism that aligns with our goals – tourism that brings cleanliness, good hygiene and strong public health.”
While most of Vila do Bispo lies within the Southwest Alentejo and Vicentine Coast Natural Park, where overnight parking has long been prohibited, enforcement has been practically inexistent, the mayor laments.
There is also a school car park which is frequently occupied by motorhomes parked overnight, creating a drop-off nightmare for parents taking their children to school, Silva explains.
The council has already installed signage to direct visitors to appropriate parking areas and is now launching a public discussion of new regulations to apply the same approach to urban areas as is already in place in the natural park — guiding campers to designated service areas and campsites within municipal limits.
“What we need is to create more infrastructure, such as service areas or campsites, so that motorhomes can go to the right places,” the mayor insists.
The municipality is already licensing more service areas for motorhomes, which during the peak summer season overcrowd beachside areas, some of which are already difficult enough to access.
Although the law clearly bans overnight stays in protected areas, limited manpower has hampered regular inspections. “We know the GNR and ICNF carry out checks, but they can’t always guarantee compliance due to staffing,” Silva says.
According to a GNR police representative, most of the people who seek Vila do Bispo during the summer are young foreigners “looking for contact with nature, who come to surf and arrive from all over the world in search of these idyllic spots”.
While authorities always try to raise awareness first by informing people of the rules, the situation has “reached a point” where further action is often needed and fines are handed out, said Francisca Albergaria, commander of GNR’s Portimão Territorial Detachment.
According to GNR data, 346 administrative offences were recorded in 2024 during 11 operations involving 129 officers. Two arrests were also made – one for drug trafficking, another for driving without a licence. So far in 2025, seven operations have taken place, resulting in 171 infractions.
The challenge, authorities insist, lies not only in enforcement but also in information. Much of the behaviour stems from a lack of awareness about local rules. “The main issue is that this type of tourism often doesn’t align with national regulations,” said Captain Hugo da Guia, head of the Maritime Police in Lagos.
There are currently two service areas or campsites that can accommodate caravans in the borough, with three more due to open soon. Still, local business owners believe that raising awareness of the rules among campers is vital.
Joaquim Lourenço, director of Salema Eco Camp, agreed, stressing that around 98% of the borough’s tourists are “probably foreigners” and adding that even Portuguese visitors sometimes don’t realise they’re in a protected area. “When you drive in from Faro, you might not even see a sign saying you’ve entered the natural park,” he noted. “They’re missing, they don’t exist.”
Despite the complications, local officials and business owners say motorhome tourism can be a positive force – as long as it is managed properly.
There is a website (www.autocaravanalgarve.com/en) that provides information in Portuguese, English and French on all the motorhome and campervan-friendly sites in the Algarve.
