If there’s one thing I LOVE about travelling Europe in a motorhome, it’s just how easy it is to get out into the middle of nowhere.

I love visiting mountains, lake, National Parks and I especially love staying somewhere with incredible views which would cost you a small fortune in a hotel.

We're lucky to have some beautiful National Parks in the UK and Europe, so I thought I'd share a few of my favourites when touring with a motorhome (no- they're not all vehicle friendly!)

Although, as always, there are a few important things you need to know about…

🇭🇷 Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

If you’ve ever seen photographs of Croatia with turquoise lakes, wooden walkways and waterfalls everywhere, there’s a good chance they were taken here.

Plitvice is made up of 16 interconnected lakes, with trails and boardwalks taking you through the landscape.

And it’s actually surprisingly motorhome-friendly.

There are dedicated campsites around the National Park and some offer transport to the entrances, so you can leave the van behind rather than worrying about parking.

You CAN also park a motorhome at the official visitor car parks during the day.

Important to know: You can’t just park up and camp overnight inside the National Park itself.

Dogs ARE allowed though, as long as they’re kept on a lead — including on the park’s boats and panoramic vehicles. So Mac was able to come along. 🐶

I’d definitely consider visiting in Autumn if you can. Apart from avoiding the summer crowds, those lakes surrounded by autumn colours were spectacular.

🇪🇸 Picos de Europa, Spain

This area doesn’t get talked about nearly enough.

The Picos de Europa are in northern Spain, not too far from the ferry ports at Santander and Bilbao, which makes them VERY easy to incorporate into a motorhome trip from the UK.

They're full of enormous limestone mountains, gorges, pretty villages and some seriously impressive scenery to enjoy while you're driving.

However, some of the mountain roads and villages aren’t always large motorhome-sized, and overnight parking is restricted in parts of the National Park, so do your research before visiting.

🇩🇪 Berchtesgaden National Park, Germany

I love the Black Forest in Germany, but this NP is possibly even more spectacular,

Berchtesgaden is right down in the southeastern corner of Germany, beside the Austrian border.

The big attraction is Königssee — an absurdly beautiful lake surrounded by steep mountains.

You can take one of the electric boats across the lake to St Bartholomä, or there are plenty of walks around the area if you’re feeling energetic. You can also visit the Eagle's Nest here, which allows you to see even more of the incredible views if the weather is nice.

It’s also a brilliant area to combine with an Austria/Germany road trip.

🇳🇴 Hardangervidda, Norway

You KNEW Norway was going to make this list somewhere. 😂

Hardangervidda is enormous (it’s the largest mountain plateau in Europe) and it’s one of those places where the drive itself is part of the experience.

It has all the bits you associate with Norway- huge landscapes, lakes, waterfalls, mountains…

The famous Vøringsfossen waterfall is on the edge of the plateau and is absolutely worth stopping for, and there are loads of hiking opportunities if that's your thing.

But the usual Norway warning applies:

Do not underestimate the weather.

You can leave somewhere in sunshine and find yourself needing waterproofs and several extra layers remarkably quickly, particularly once you’re at altitude.

🇫🇷 Écrins National Park, France

Another area I think a lot of people drive straight past.

Écrins is in the French Alps, but it’s considerably less famous than its neighbours like Chamonix.

Which is exactly what I like about it.

The scenery is stunning- mountains, glaciers, valleys and hundreds of kilometres of walking trails, but it feels so much quieter, even in peak season.

There are some spectacular places to base yourself around the edges of the park and explore from there.

BUT…

Dogs are NOT allowed in the core area of Écrins National Park.

Not even on a lead.

That’s something which catches people (including me!) out in several French National Parks, so never assume that because somewhere is outdoors and you’re allowed to walk there, your dog is too. I tend to stick to the edges of the parks, avoiding the large & popular hikes in the heart of the NPs and I've never had any issues.

🇮🇹 Cinque Terre National Park, Italy

And finally, a slightly different one.

Cinque Terre isn’t about parking your motorhome beside a mountain and disappearing into the wilderness.

It’s five ridiculously pretty Italian villages clinging to the Ligurian coastline:

Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore.

There are walking trails connecting the villages, plus trains which make getting between them relatively easy.

Important: Do NOT attempt to explore Cinque Terre by driving the motorhome from village to village.

Seriously. Don’t. The roads are tiny and parking is very limited.

This is one where I’d deliberately find a campsite or motorhome area outside the villages, leave the van there and use the trains and walking trails instead.

Dogs are allowed on the trains and trails but need to be kept on a lead.

A quick warning about National Parks & motorhomes…

Most National Parks do not allow wild parking.

In fact, protected areas are often places where overnight parking and camping restrictions are strongest.

The rules vary enormously between countries — and sometimes even between different areas of the same park.

So before visiting, be sure to check:

• Rules for overnight parking/ camping
• Is there a campsite or official motorhome area nearby?
• Are there height/length restrictions on the roads?
• Are dogs allowed?
• Are there seasonal restrictions? (Roads closed in winter etc)

Have you visited any brilliant National Parks in your motorhome?

Hit reply and tell me your favourite — I’m always looking for more places to add to the (never-ending!) list.

Safe travels,

Follow the adventures and get FREE info & resources: ​Website | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram​ *my emails may contain affiliate links to products and services we think you'll find helpful. We may earn from qualifying purchases. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

​

P.S. The Amazon October Sale starts on Tuesday, but Early bird deals have already started! 🎉

​See the EARLY BIRD deals and discounts here​

🎉 You can also get 40% off Ecoflows here​

If you're not already a member, sign up FREE and test it out for 30 days.