After a few days in Barcelona, it was time to continue our motorhome journey west across the Iberian Peninsula. Our next major destination was Porto, Portugal.
We were still travelling together — my wife, our child, our dog and me — so we decided not to drive the entire distance in one exhausting day. From Barcelona to Porto, depending on the exact route, we had roughly 1,150–1,250 km ahead of us.
Our route was:
Barcelona → Lleida → Zaragoza → Logroño → Burgos → León → Astorga → Bragança → Vila Real → Porto
This route took us across northern Spain before entering Portugal in the northeast.
Leaving Barcelona
We left our campsite near Barcelona at around 08:00.
Before departure, I did the usual motorhome routine: disconnected the electricity, filled the fresh-water tank, emptied the grey water, checked the toilet cassette and made sure everything inside the camper was secured.
With a motorhome, this last point is particularly important. A coffee cup left on a table becomes a flying object at the first roundabout.
We also checked tyre pressures and engine oil because we had already covered thousands of kilometres since leaving Finland.
The fuel tank wasn’t completely full, so our first job was finding a petrol station outside central Barcelona.
We filled up with diesel for approximately €1.45–€1.60 per litre.
With our camper consuming around 10–11 litres/100 km, I calculated that Barcelona–Porto would require roughly 120–135 litres of diesel.
That meant approximately €180–210 in fuel for this section of the journey.
Barcelona to Zaragoza
The first stage was:
Barcelona → Lleida → Zaragoza
Distance: approximately 310 km
Driving time: around 3.5 hours, excluding stops.
Leaving the Barcelona metropolitan area was the most stressful part. There were many lanes, motorcycles and exits, so I followed the navigation carefully.
Once we were outside Barcelona, driving became much easier.
We followed the main roads west toward Lleida and Zaragoza.
One pleasant surprise when travelling through Spain is that many major motorways that were historically tolled are now free.
However, I still checked our navigation settings carefully because some roads, tunnels and individual motorway sections can have charges.
Our First Fuel Stop
After roughly two hours we stopped at a large service station.
Instead of immediately filling the tank, we used the stop mainly for coffee and a break.
My wife stayed with our child while I walked the dog around the service area.
Coffee was around €1.50–2, while sandwiches were approximately €4–6.
We already had food in the camper, so we made our own lunch.
This is one of the easiest ways to reduce the cost of a motorhome trip.
Four motorway sandwiches, drinks and coffee can easily cost €30–40. Preparing lunch inside the camper costs a fraction of that.
Arriving in Zaragoza
By early afternoon we reached Zaragoza.
Instead of continuing immediately, we parked the motorhome and spent several hours in the city.
Zaragoza was a convenient stopping point because it divided the first part of our journey almost perfectly.
Parking a motorhome in a large Spanish city requires some planning. I avoided underground car parks completely because of height restrictions.
Our camper was simply too high.
I always searched specifically for:
“Área de Autocaravanas”
rather than normal parking.
Many Spanish cities have designated motorhome areas.
Prices range from completely free municipal parking to approximately €10–20 per night, depending on the facilities.
Zaragoza to Logroño
After our break, we continued northwest.
The landscape gradually changed. The dry countryside around Zaragoza gave way to greener areas as we approached La Rioja.
Our next destination was Logroño.
Distance from Zaragoza: approximately 170 km.
By the time we arrived, we had driven almost 500 km that day, which was enough.
We found a motorhome area and decided to stay overnight.
The parking cost us around €10–15.
There was no luxury, but we had what we needed: a safe place to park, water nearby and space to walk the dog.
Dinner in Logroño
Instead of cooking inside the camper, we went into the city for dinner.
Logroño is famous for its tapas and pintxos streets.
We ordered several small dishes rather than one large meal.
For the two of us, including drinks, we spent approximately €35–45.
Travelling with the camper allowed us to combine cheap nights with occasional restaurant meals. We weren’t paying €100–150 for a hotel room every night, so spending €40 on a good dinner didn’t feel excessive.
After dinner, we returned to the camper and went to sleep.
Day Two: Logroño to Burgos
The next morning, after coffee, we continued toward Burgos.
Distance: approximately 120 km.
This was an easy section.
We weren’t in a hurry because our plan was to reach Portugal either that evening or the following morning.
Near Burgos, we stopped at a supermarket.
Our shopping included water, bread, meat, cheese, fruit, baby supplies and some snacks for the road.
The bill was around €45.
Supermarket parking was also much easier with the camper than trying to find parking in the historical centre.
Burgos to León
From Burgos we continued west toward León.
Distance: approximately 180 km.
This section of northern Spain was very comfortable for motorhome travel.
Long open roads, large service areas and relatively light traffic made the kilometres pass quickly.
There were also many trucks travelling between Spain and Portugal.
At one service station I finally filled the tank.
Diesel was approximately €1.50 per litre.
I put in around 60 litres, paying roughly €90.
Before leaving, I checked the tyres again because the camper had been heavily loaded throughout our journey.
Overnight near León
We reached León in the afternoon.
Originally, I wanted to continue another 100–150 km, but travelling with a baby and dog changes your plans quickly.
Everyone was tired.
We therefore found another Área de Autocaravanas and stayed there.
Our overnight parking cost approximately €12.
There were basic motorhome service facilities where we could empty grey water and refill fresh water.
That evening we cooked inside the camper.
Pasta, meat, vegetables and a bottle of soft drink cost us less than €15 for dinner.
León to Astorga
The following morning we had breakfast inside the camper and left León.
The drive to Astorga was short — roughly 50 km.
From there we continued toward northwestern Spain and the Portuguese border.
The terrain became increasingly mountainous.
This was where I started paying more attention to fuel consumption.
On flat Spanish motorways our camper used approximately 10 litres/100 km, but in mountainous areas consumption could rise to 11–13 litres/100 km.
On long descents, I also avoided constantly holding the brake pedal and used engine braking whenever possible.
Crossing into Portugal
Our chosen border crossing took us toward Bragança.
There was no dramatic border procedure.
Spain and Portugal are both in the Schengen Area, so normally you simply drive across the border, although temporary police checks are always possible.
The road signs changed, Spanish disappeared and Portuguese appeared.
We had reached another country.
But Portugal introduced another question:
How do we pay Portuguese motorway tolls?
Portuguese Motorway Tolls
Portugal’s toll system deserves some preparation, particularly when travelling in a foreign-registered vehicle.
Depending on the motorway, you can encounter conventional toll booths or electronic toll systems.
Before using Portuguese toll roads, I checked how our foreign number plate could be linked to a payment method.
For visitors, options can include systems designed for foreign vehicles and electronic toll services.
I didn’t want to enter an electronic toll motorway first and only later discover that I had no way to pay.
For that reason, I arranged the payment option before continuing deeper into Portugal.
For the drive toward Porto, we budgeted roughly €15–30 for Portuguese tolls, depending on the roads used.
Bragança – Our First Stop in Portugal
Our first proper stop was Bragança.
After hundreds of kilometres across Spain, it was nice to stop somewhere smaller and quieter.
We parked the motorhome and went for coffee.
A coffee in Portugal immediately seemed inexpensive compared with some of the motorway service stations we had visited earlier in the trip.
We paid around €1–1.50 per coffee.
We also bought a few Portuguese pastries.
It was supposed to be a 15-minute stop.
It became almost an hour.
That’s motorhome travel.
Fuel in Portugal
We still had enough diesel, but I stopped at a petrol station before heading toward Vila Real.
Fuel prices varied considerably between stations.
Diesel was roughly €1.55–1.70 per litre during our trip.
Motorway service stations were generally more expensive, so whenever possible I refuelled away from the motorway.
We added approximately 35 litres, spending around €55–60.
That was more than enough to reach Porto.
Bragança to Vila Real
The road from Bragança toward Vila Real was one of the most interesting parts of this section of our trip.
The landscape was completely different from eastern Spain.
There were mountains, valleys and long descents.
Driving a fully loaded motorhome here required more attention.
I kept a larger distance from vehicles ahead and avoided excessive speed downhill.
We stopped at a viewpoint for almost half an hour.
This is something we rarely did when travelling by normal car.
With the motorhome there was no rush.
We parked, made coffee, opened the side door and simply sat looking at the Portuguese mountains.
Vila Real to Porto
From Vila Real we had roughly 100 km remaining to Porto.
As we approached the coast, traffic increased.
The motorway became busier and navigation started showing more junctions.
I deliberately avoided driving directly into Porto’s narrow historical streets.
A large motorhome and medieval Portuguese streets are not a particularly good combination.
Instead, we headed toward a camper-friendly parking area outside the historic centre.
Finding Motorhome Parking in Porto
Porto requires some planning if you’re travelling in a motorhome.
Wild camping and overnight stays are subject to Portuguese regulations, and simply parking somewhere does not necessarily mean that camping behaviour is permitted.
For peace of mind, we preferred an official motorhome area or campsite.
Around Porto and neighbouring Vila Nova de Gaia, motorhome parking and campsites can generally cost approximately:
Basic motorhome parking: €10–20 per night
Motorhome area with services: €15–25
Campsite: €25–45+ per night
Prices increase during the busiest travel periods.
We chose a campsite because we wanted electricity, showers, water and somewhere comfortable for our child.
It cost us approximately €35 for the night.
Parking the Camper
Once we arrived, I parked the camper, switched off the engine and connected the electricity.
Then came our standard routine:
fresh water connected or refilled, electricity connected, windows opened, dog walked and chairs taken outside.
After more than 1,200 km from Barcelona, we had finally reached Porto.
Going into Porto
Rather than driving the motorhome into the city centre, we used public transport.
This removed the biggest headache — parking.
Porto is a city that is much more enjoyable on foot anyway.
We walked around the historic centre, saw the Dom Luís I Bridge and eventually crossed toward Vila Nova de Gaia.
After several days on Spanish and Portuguese motorways, sitting beside the Douro River felt completely different.
Dinner in Porto
For dinner we wanted something local.
I ordered a francesinha, one of Porto’s most famous dishes.
My wife chose something lighter.
Including food and drinks, dinner cost us approximately €40–50.
Afterwards we bought coffee and pastries for another €7–10.
Then we returned to the campsite.
Our child was asleep, the dog immediately found a place under the table, and I finally had time to calculate what this section of the trip had cost us.
How Much Barcelona to Porto Cost Us
Our approximate expenses were:
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| Diesel | €180–210 |
| Spanish motorway/toll costs | €0–20 |
| Portuguese motorway tolls | €15–30 |
| Motorhome parking/campsites | €60–90 |
| Groceries | €70–100 |
| Restaurants and coffee | €80–120 |
| Camper services/electricity | €10–20 |
| Total | approximately €415–590 |
The largest expense was once again diesel.
Travelling by motorhome isn’t necessarily cheap when you calculate fuel, tolls and campsites, but accommodation and transport are combined in one vehicle.
For a family travelling with a child and dog, that flexibility was extremely valuable.
Barcelona to Porto: Distance and Time
Our route was:
Barcelona → Lleida → Zaragoza → Logroño → Burgos → León → Astorga → Bragança → Vila Real → Porto
Distance: approximately 1,200 km
Pure driving time: around 13–15 hours
Fuel required: approximately 120–135 litres
Recommended travel time by motorhome: 2–3 days
Countries crossed: Spain and Portugal
We could technically have driven from Barcelona to Porto much faster.
But that wasn’t the point of this journey.
We stopped in Zaragoza, ate pintxos in Logroño, crossed northern Spain, slept near León, entered Portugal through the mountains and had our first Portuguese coffee in Bragança.
By the time we parked our motorhome near Porto, we had crossed almost the entire Iberian Peninsula from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic.
The next morning, standing near the Douro and looking toward Porto, we knew we had reached one of the major destinations of our European motorhome journey — but the road still wasn’t over.