Roadtrip from the Netherlands to Portugal in 7 days

A practical road trip to get to Portugal, where to stop, what it costs & how I did it.

When I began my van life adventure, Portugal was the first country I set my sights on. However, I needed to travel through Belgium, France, and Spain to reach it. In this blog, I’ll share the routes I followed, and the places I stayed (along with their costs), and write down what I would or wouldn’t do differently.

Day 1: Béthune

I started my journey on Monday, heading to Portugal via Belgium, France, and Spain. I had packed the van the day before to ensure I didn’t forget anything. Around 1 PM, I set off towards my first stop: Béthune, a quaint village near Lille. The drive took five hours, and for the last 40 minutes, my cat Neo managed to escape her travel backpack. To my surprise, I spotted her wandering across the bed as I drove at 100 km/h down the motorway. Though it was startling, she was just meowing and watching the cars. I didn’t pull over as it was getting dark and I wanted to reach our spot. Upon arriving at the camper park (p4night: 38582), I paid €12 and selected a spot atop a hill known for its hiking and activities. However, as it was nearly dark, I couldn’t appreciate much of the scenery. A few other campers were parked nearby, but it was otherwise quiet. Sitting there in the darkness, I felt strange—not sad, not happy, just neutral. The reality of being on the road hadn’t quite sunk in.

When I woke up, the weather was cold and rainy—not exactly what I had hoped for. However, I had a peaceful night. I would recommend this spot as a stopover, but not for a longer stay, as it didn’t feel particularly cosy to me.

Day 2: La Goulafriere

Eager to leave, I packed up and set off towards Alençon/Le Mans. Two hours into the journey, an orange warning light on the dashboard began to flicker. My heart sank—it was only the second day! How could the van be breaking down already? I pulled over on the motorway and called the ANWB, the Dutch roadside assistance service. They advised me to drive to a nearby town and park somewhere safe, as staying on the motorway shoulder wasn’t ideal. As I sat in the van, I held the little glass angel hanging by the window—a gift from a friend’s father meant to protect me on my travels. I said to myself, “Everything will be fine.” When I restarted the engine, the warning light disappeared! I took the next exit and contacted the service again, reporting the situation. They assured me it was fine to continue driving as long as the light didn’t reappear. Having lost some time, I decided to stop earlier than planned and used the Park4night app to find a charming campsite in La Goulafrière (p4night: 419954).

Upon arrival, a kind French lady greeted me, relying on Google Translate to communicate as she didn’t speak a word of English and paid her 14 euros for the night. After settling in and letting Neo explore on her leash, I relaxed for a bit. Later that evening, the lady returned to ask, through the translator app, if I’d like fresh bread the next morning. I ordered two croissants, and she went back to her house.

That night, however, my mind became a storm of bad thoughts. What if the van didn’t start tomorrow? What if someone broke in? What if Neo got run over? The fears lingered in my subconscious, haunting my dreams. But you know, I think that is just a bit what happens when you do this for the first time, as a solo female traveller. In the end, I slept great, and I would highly recommend this place as the people were super nice. The surrounding area is not that great, so I wouldn't stay longer than a night.

Day 3: Chazelles

Morning arrived, and I reminded myself that life is unpredictable, and while anything could happen, it likely wouldn’t. Resolving to have a good day, I planned a modest drive of 2.5 hours. However, upon reaching the next campsite, I felt completely out of place—it was dirty and poorly maintained, and the facilities weren’t operational. The gloomy, sunless weather didn’t help. I consulted Park4night and spotted a campsite I’d saved earlier, just two hours away. On impulse, I decided to head there instead. I called the owner, using my rudimentary French to ask if I could stay and texted him my arrival time of 4 PM. His cheerful “Oui, oui, merci!” sealed the plan. As I drove, the sun emerged, and “Adventure of a Lifetime” by Coldplay played on the radio. A wave of pure joy washed over me—it finally felt like my journey had begun. When I arrived at the stunning campsite (P4night: 93913), a man on a lawnmower waved me over and led me through freshly mowed grass to a beautiful open field where I could park anywhere I liked. With his limited English, he showed me the facilities before leaving me to enjoy the amazing surroundings. There was one other man, in a tent and he was very quiet. The surroundings were stunning and I would have stayed longer if I could. It was absolutely beautiful here.

Day 4: District of Dax

Today, I drove to Cabreton, a small village in the District of Dax. I planned to stay at a campsite near the sea, but unfortunately, everything was closed for the autumn and winter season. Using P4night, I discovered a large public parking lot (P4night: 3808) right by the ocean, equipped with some basic services, for a cost of 8 euros per night. Despite being November, the area was surprisingly busy.

The parking lot wasn’t ideal for letting my cat explore, as it was full of cars and dogs. Sensing this, she didn’t even try to venture outside, even though I would have let her. Later in the evening, I took a walk to the beach and witnessed a stunning sunset, which truly made my evening special. I couldn’t help but notice that, although many people were parked in the area, there wasn’t much openness for conversation. Everyone seemed quite focused on themselves, and no one appeared interested in connecting with others. I’m not sure if it’s always like this, but I enjoy chatting and meeting new people.

The night was quiet, and for the first time in a while, I had a restful sleep without my mind racing with endless thoughts.

Day 5: Zarautz

When I woke up, I didn’t feel like driving much that day, so I decided to find a destination within an hour’s drive. I came across a more expensive campsite in Zarautz, Spain (P4night: 25984). Although it cost around 30 euros for an ocean-view spot, the breathtaking views and added comfort made it well worth it for one night. When I arrived, the man at the front desk was incredibly friendly and guided me to my spot. Once parked, I noticed how sociable the neighbours were. One of them turned out to be a Dutch couple, and having not spoken to many people in the past few days, it was refreshing to chat with such a lovely, interested pair.

After Neo and I settled in, we both noticed the campsite was home to many street cats. Before long, Neo had made plenty of new friends! In the afternoon, I walked down the hill to do some grocery shopping and explore the town. It was a pleasant way to pass the time.

That evening, as I prepared for bed, I began planning where to stay the next night. Unfortunately, the options weren’t looking great. I was crossing Spain, and the stretch to Salamanca—a distant city—offered very little in between. However, if I wanted to reach Portugal in two days, I’d have to at least make it that far.

Day 6: Salamanca

The drive from Zarautz to Salamanca was probably the most boring four hours of my life—nothing but sand and dust as far as the eye could see! When I finally arrived at the campsite (P4night: 17449), it was nearly empty, dirty, and incredibly old. Despite that, I still had to pay 21 euros! Honestly, there’s not much more to say about this place other than how relieved I was that it was just for one night.

Day 7: Aveiro

Yes! The day had finally arrived—I was going to reach Portugal! I packed up as quickly as I could and started the car, eager to leave. Not an extra day here for me, haha. I chose a simple campsite (P4night: 30650) with basic services, where Neo and I could relax for a couple of days before starting to explore Portugal.

I remember feeling so incredibly happy during the entire drive. Out of the Netherlands, with sunshine, the ocean, and a sense of calm—it felt like pure freedom. It’s amazing how many thoughts you have in a day, but back in the Netherlands, where life is so busy, you tend to block most of them out. When you’re no longer rushing toward goals or tasks, those thoughts resurface. You get the chance to think them through, revisit them, find solutions, or even resolve lingering issues. Honestly, I think this process is so healthy.

When Neo and I arrived, we settled in and slept for 11 hours straight that night. We had finally made it.