Camping, Propane Availability and Fuel Prices in
Central & Eastern Europe & Western Asia
Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Turkey
Updated September, 2013
General information:
Overnight Locations:
The following information is intended to be an addition to the existing literature on places to camp overnight in Central & Eastern Europe, including the Balkans and Turkey. It is by no means all-inclusive, but simply lists those places we utilized. We will be using a variety of online and printed materials to help us locate places to spend the night. Where applicable we will identify those sources. If our location description does not include such identification, that location is simply a spot we came across on our own or perhaps found based on information gathered from other travelers.
Listings are shown alphabetically by the name of the nearest town.
The numbers in parentheses indicate the (month/year) we were there.
GPS Coordinates: Different source materials use different GPS formats. In this log we have standardized all readings to the same format and these readings are our own actual locations. We also include elevation for most locations.
Propane (LPG or GPL) locations:
RVs (like ours) with chassis mounted propane tanks may go to a different location than those with removable tanks. In some regions one type of tank may be easier to fill than the other while in other areas the reverse may be true. Needless to say, in countries where there is any question about availability we try not to let the propane level get too low before filling.
Our motorhome utilizes the 1 3/4” ACME fitting that is standard fitting on FIXED propane tanks in the US and is frequently found at propane facilities throughout Europe. Removable tanks have different fittings.
Important: before you leave your home country, you should acquire an adapter that will connect to the inlet on your propane tank and then terminates in a pipe thread (of any common size) so that another fitting can be connected to the adapter. You should then obtain a 1 3/4” Acme adapter (male thread) for your first connection (this is if your tank does not already have a 1 3/4’ male Acme thread for its fill connection). Depending on which countries you visit, you should then be able to acquire a fitting that is used in a particular country once you are in that country and connect it to the fitting that fits your tank. You can also order all the adapters you will need from several online UK sources; this is the easiest thing to do.
For an article discussing propane systems and connection options Click Here.
For information about propane adapters used throughout Europe Click Here.
For more discussion of propane availability in Europe, a recent article is at www.magbaztravels.com
Fuel Prices:
These prices give the range of what we paid in each country. We have a diesel engine; the diesel prices are actual. We have included the estimated prices for regular unleaded gasoline. All fuel prices are shown with both the actual local cost and with that cost converted into US gallons and US Dollars at the time of our visit.
www. Travelin-Tortuga. com
Armenia:
Exchange rate: Armenian currency is the Dram or AMD. During our visit in June 2013 one Dram, the exchange rate was 415 Dram to one US Dollar.
Overnight parking regulations: We have no information regarding the availability of campgrounds in Armenia. We have not seen any and to our knowledge none exist at this time. Also to our knowledge there are no restrictions regarding overnight stays in open areas. We have had no trouble wild camping in rural areas and have also used parking spots in cities, generally based on comments from other travelers. Border areas may have an increased police presence.
➤ This symbol denotes a parking location that may be difficult to access for larger vehicles or those with limited ground clearance.
Fuel: Fuel prices vary only a small amount throughout the country. Prices are generally posted and Diesel is slightly cheaper than Gasoline. Prices are slightly less than in Georgia and much lower than Turkey, being only about half as much for Diesel and less than half for gasoline. At the time of our visit, Diesel was between 450 to 470 Dram/liter ($4.14 to $4.32/gallon) and regular gasoline was 480 Dram/liter ($4.40/gallon). Fuel stations are far less commonly seen than in Georgia and are all older and very small. We saw no new, modern fuel stations anywhere in the country.
Propane: LPG/GPL does not appear to be available in Armenia although Natural Gas stops are common. We have a report from other travelers that they were able to fill their removable tanks, but the sort of fuel station LPG dispensing pumps common in Turkey or Georgia are not present.
GPS Concern: Our Garmin Europe 2013 has no coverage for Armenia. It has only a very inaccurate base map information showing approximate locations of major highways and cities. If yours is the same you may have difficulty finding some of the places we stayed. If you plan to spend very much time in Armenia, researching to find additional GPS coverage would be wise.
Visas, Vignettes & Insurance: Unlike most European countries, it does cost a bit to enter Armenia. We had to pay for Visas (about $7.50 US each for 21 days, longer periods are available); a vignette or road tax for our vehicle (about $3.50/day US for as many days as you want up to the length of your Visa); and when we exited the country we had to pay another fee of about $18; I believe this was an exit fee for the vehicle. We also had to buy insurance at the border despite the fact that we had purchased coverage for all three Caucasus countries when we entered Georgia (about $43.50 US for fifteen days liability coverage). The border people said that we had to buy coverage there because we did not have the required blue window sticker and without the sticker the police would stop us and fine us on the spot. Money changing facilities and an ATM are available at the border; we understood that the Visas and Road Tax needed to be paid in Armenian Drams, but the insurance people would have taken either Dollars or Euros.
Drivers, Roads & Traffic: Armenian drivers seem to be a bit less of a hazard than those in Georgia. In part this is probably because the roads are so much worse that they must drive more slowly. You still have to be alert for dangerous passing on the open road, but city traffic and pedestrian problems are less than in Georgia. Road signage and site signage are both very poor. Road quality is very poor and while patching crews are evident, we saw very little in the way of actual road construction so things are not likely to improve any time soon.
Location, Type/Cost and Description
Akhtala Overnight Free N41 09.119 E44 45.830 725 meters
We parked for the night on the verge near the monastery on the edge of the village; this is roughly 10 miles south of the border crossing from Georgia. (6/13)
Areni area Overnight Free N39 41.070 E45 13.976 1510 meters
We spent a delightful night in the parking lot for the Noravank Monastery, which was terrific. it was level and spacious; quite perfect. Toilets available. Asked permission. (6/13)
Dsegh area Overnight Free N40 55.905 E44 38.294 1225 meters
On the secondary road up to Dsegh, off the M6 at the 4 Km marker, we found a large grassy area with a splendid view of the valley below. Lovely spot with picnic tables and shade covers. (6/13)
Dilijan area Overnight Free N40 48.136 E44 53.729 1345 meters
We turned off the road from Dilijan to Azerbaijan, onto the smaller road up to the Haghartsin Monastery. There were several picnic areas along the way which would have worked well for the night, but they were all in use (Friday afternoon); at about 5 Km up, perhaps 1 Km from the monastery, we found an open area next to a big ugly decaying building. Not charming, but the area is in lovely woods and next to a stream, so just ignore the edifice. Quiet night. (6/13)
Dilijan wi-fi Free
We had a hard time finding internet access in this town; couldn’t find the tourist office, etc. Then we spotted a Best Western Hotel of all things south of town on the road to Sevan. The manager, Manvel, and staff were extremely welcoming and charming. The hotel is quite new and very nice. (6/13)
Echmiadjin area Overnight Free N40 11.363 E44 18.492 894 meters
Leaving town, we were heading north to Ashtarak. About 2 Km out of town, we pulled over at a memorial beside the road. We assumed it would be quiet for the night; not really – too much traffic. But it will work if you are too tired to go on any further; the setting is nice, next to an apricot orchard. (6/13)
Goris area Possible Overnight Free 1520 meters
At the Tatev Monastery. No GPS coordinates available. If you decide to drive to the monastery, it’s a steep, partly paved 28 Km run, but quite doable. There is plenty of room near the buildings to park overnight. (6/13)
Gyumri area Overnight Free N40 51.835 E43 57.472 1734 meters
Along the road between Spitak and Gyumri, we found a dirt turnoff that led out into a field of wildflowers that was far enough from the road not to be very noisy. Quite lovely; approximately 16 miles west of Spitak. (6/13)
Lake Sevan area Overnight Free N40 30.063 E45 02.278 1914 meters
South of Sevan, along the lake, we turned off toward a bird sanctuary area. They wouldn’t allow us to spend the night inside, so we came back out and parked in the area. Okay, but lots of traffic. The next day we discovered there are better spots on the other side of the highway in this immediate area, but also excellent places further south along the lake, where you can park either in the open or under the trees. Also, at the Hayravank Monastery (N40 25.972 E45 06.414) it would be just perfect as a spot for the night; this is a bit further south along the lake, and there is a nice pull-off area. (6/13)
Yerevan Overnight Free N40 11.197 E44 29.284 1078 meters
We spent the night in the parking lot of the Genocide Museum and Memorial; asked permission. It was level and there was plenty of room. It was very busy and noisy until dark; the townspeople use the area for walking, etc. Also, the busses drop off and pick up tourists. But it’s a very nice area. If this doesn’t work for you, you can make your way across to the nearby Dalma Palms Mall (N40 10.793 E44 29.357); we know of folks who have spent the night in the parking lot behind the building. There is wifi in the food court there. (6/13)
www. Travelin-Tortuga. com
Bosnia i Herzegovina:
Exchange rate: Bosnian currency is the Km or Bam, which is often locally referred to as a Mark. It is tied to the Euro and runs around 2 Km to €1 Euro. During our visits in August & October 2011 one Km was approximately 73 cents US, or 1.37 Km to the dollar. Note that Bosnia uses Km, while in Croatia, the Kuna designation is Kn.
Overnight parking regulations: We have no information for Bosnia regarding the legal status of overnight stays in areas other than established campgrounds. We have had no trouble wild camping in rural areas.
➤ This symbol denotes a parking location that may be difficult to access for larger vehicles or those with limited ground clearance.
Fuel: Fuel prices vary a fair amount, much more than in surrounding countries. Interestingly, there seem to be dozens of companies operating fuel stations in the country; we’ve never seen so many different names on stations in any other country. As a result, stations are absolutely everywhere. Prices are generally posted and Diesel and Gasoline prices are very similar; frequently less for gasoline at any given station, but by shopping around you can get either one within the price range indicated. At the time of our visit, prices were lower than surrounding countries such as Serbia, Slovenia or Croatia; by about $.50/gallon for Diesel and $1/gallon for Gasoline. Prices for both ranged from 2.25 Km to 2.40 Km/liter ($6.25 to $6.65/gallon).
Propane: LPG/GPL is available at many fuel stations using the dish or cup adapter, often referred to as the Italian Dish. The designation is Auto Plin or LPG. Prices were lower than we’ve seen elsewhere in Europe at between 1 Km and 1.25 Km/liter ($2.75 to $3.45/gallon).
GPS Concern: Our Garmin Europe 2012 has minimal coverage for Bosnia. If yours is the same you may have difficulty finding some of the places we stayed. If you plan to spend very much time in Bosnia, researching to find additional GPS coverage would be wise.
Location, Type/Cost and Description
Note, the weather was hot during our August visit so each night we would try to find the highest place around in order to be cooler. Thus the elevations noted for our overnight spots do not reflect the average for the entire area we visited. When we returned in late September, the weather was cooler so we didn’t worry about elevation.
Bjelajce Overnight Free N44 26.228 E17 09.080 1200 feet
Small town on small road that cuts off to Mirkonjic-Grad off the E661 between Banja Luka and Jajce. Across from the lumber yard there is a clinic building with a soccer field behind it. Not pretty and not quiet, but it was getting late. (8/11)
Dobošnica Overnight Free N44 34.794 E18 29.679 600 feet
Heading east out of town into the countryside, there is a large area of waste ground i.e. not planted. Houses are nearby, but not adjacent and no one seemed concerned by our presence. This small town is on Rt 4, northwest of Lukavac on the road between Tuzla and Doboj. (9/11)
Dobrun area Overnight Free N43 40.300 E19 26.703 2756 feet
Just less than 7 miles south of town, on the road to Uvac, we reached the top of the short pass and entered a village. We spotted a church up on a hillside, which made an excellent place to park for the night. It was along the ridgeline and got a terrific breeze, as well as providing a tremendous view of this lovely area. We were welcomed by the villagers, who showed us the church and insisted upon sharing coffee with us. There is water available near the church. (8/11)
Kotor Varoš area Overnight Free N44 35.174 E17 35.589 2900 feet
Along the road between Doboj and Banja Luka, at the top of the pass is the Jotan Motel. Across the road is the entrance to the ski area; we followed an unpaved road about 7/10 mile past the ski resort to a large open meadow area with trailheads; there were other spots but we liked this location. Very quiet. (8/11)
Lišnja area Overnight Free N44 46.132 E17 34.207 1055 Feet
We stopped in a layby along the spine of the hills, somewhere east of Banja Luka; the road is not on our GPS and we’re not actually sure where we are, but the area is lovely. Some road traffic during the day. (9/11)
Mostar Parking/Overnight Pay N43 20.324 E17 48.546
Excellent, secure parking near the old town; expensive, but there wasn’t anything else. All the tour buses seem to park here as well, but it is a large area. We paid 5€ for the day, and were told it would be 10€ more for the night. (10/11)
Olovo area Overnight Free N44 13.332 E18 29.253 1520 feet
About 11 miles northwest of town, on the road between Olovo and Zavidoviči, which goes through a popular fly fishing area, there is a large pulloff into a wooded area next to the stream. Picnic tables available. Very trashy, unfortunately, but quiet and lovely. (8/11)
Srbljani Overnight Free N44 54.374 E15 56.240 1189 feet
Stayed in the parking lot at the fortress, about 3 kms above town, at km 12 along M14. (9/11)
➤ Srebrenik Overnight Free N44 42.184 E18 31.970 1600 feet
We followed the winding road up above town to the old castle ruins at the end. Very minimal parking and not very level; popular area for sunset viewing and day-trippers, so not quiet until late. May not be for everyone, but the view is stunning, and the castle ruins are quite nice. (8/11)
Turbe & Travnik area Overnight Free N44 18.750 E17 34.321 4130 feet
Into the mountains to the Vlašic ski area. We parked for two nights in front of the tourist info office (closed for the summer). Quiet at night, although we were a focus for people staying at the resorts there and walking around. We found excellent internet access at the Hotel Pahuljica, available for the price of a cuppa. Nice and cool at this elevation. (8/11)
www. Travelin-Tortuga. com
Bulgaria:
Exchange rate: Bulgarian currency is the Leva. It is tied to the Euro and runs around 2 Leva to €1 Euro. In September/October 2011 one Leva was approximately 73 cents US, or 1.37 Km to the dollar. In 2012, one Leva equaled 67 cents US. Note that the Km in Bosnia and the Leva in Bulgaria share a similar value; each is tied to the Euro at approximately a 2:1 ratio.
Overnight parking regulations: Bulgaria has few campgrounds and to our knowledge there is no problem with overnight stays in areas other than established campgrounds. We have had no trouble wild camping in rural areas, although this may not be true in heavily touristed coastal areas during the tourist season.
➤ This symbol denotes a parking location that may be difficult to access for larger vehicles or those with limited ground clearance.
Fuel: Fuel prices vary a fair amount and are generally posted. Diesel is slightly less expensive than Gasoline, usually by .03Lev/Liter ($.08/Gallon). At the time of our visit, prices for Diesel ranged from 2.34 to 2.45 Lev/liter ($6.50 to $6.80/gallon). As we’ve seen throughout the Balkans, many stations carry two grades of diesel fuel with different names for the grades used by different fuel companies. In all cases we had no trouble using the lower priced grade in our 2006 engine.
Propane: LPG/GPL is available at many fuel stations using the dish or cup adapter, often referred to as the Italian Dish. The designation is Auto Gas. Prices were similar to neighboring countries at between 1.25 and 1.29Lev/liter ($3.50 to $3.60/gallon).
Vignette: Bulgaria does require you to purchase a Vignette for ALL ROADS. This is a window sticker you can get either at the border crossing or at nearby fuel stations, ask at the border. As of 2012, a vignette good for one week was ten Leva; one month was twenty-five Leva or about $15.
Location, Type/Cost and Description
Beklemeto Overnight Free N42 47.284 E24 37.439 4425 feet
This is a ski resort area on Trojan Pass, about 18 miles south of Trojan; there are lots of possibilities in the area. There also were several spots at the top of the pass. (9/11)
Biser Camping Sakar Hills N41 52.235 E25 59.499 312 feet
Winter rate: 10€/night, including electricity (summer rate 12€. Showers and washing machine also available. Nice spot; run by Matt Jeffes, who is very helpful. He found us a mechanic who did excellent work for us. Nice area in southeastern Bulgaria. (10/11)
Biser Mechanic
Matt at Sakar Hills Camping took us to this fellow’s shop and called a friend to handle interpretation. Two guys did a very good job of maintenance and repairs for us at reasonable cost. Note that oils and other fluids were quite expensive here, better to bring your own if you can.
Despot area Overnight Free N41 38.636 E24 09.513 4000 feet
Lots of places to get off the road and park up for the night, particularly to the west of this town. (10/11)
Dragoman Fuel stop and possible O/N N42 54.782 E22 56.574 2420 feet
This is an excellent CEPA fuel stop about 8 miles south of the Serbian border. Large, paved TIR parking; cheapest fuel we saw in over a month in Bulgaria. (10/11)
Glozhene Overnight Free N42 58.494 E24 09.924 2680 feet
We stayed the night in the parking lot for the Gloženski Monastir, above the town; road is narrow but paved. Note that relying on the GPS coordinates for this site may bring you up a difficult unpaved road. We followed the directions in our Rough Guide and approached the site from the town of Malak Izvor; the paved and scenic road from here to the monastery is not shown on our 2012 Garmin Europe map; while the unpaved road from Glozhene is. (8/11)
Gotse Delchev Overnight Free N41 35.220 E23 43.327 1975 feet
Outside town we found a large open area on a side road. (10/11)
Kalotina area Overnight Free N43 00.675 E22 53.337 2216 feet
Very close to the Serbian border, 3 miles from the edge of town, and 5.2 miles from the highway. We climbed up into the hills to the east of the town to get some elevation, and found a little spot to pull off onto. We were visited by the police (border patrol), but they were friendly and only wanted to see our passports.
Kolofor Overnight Free N42 37.732 E24 57.160 2136 feet
On the outskirts of town, on the road to the monastery, we pulled off onto a piece of land between two sections of road. it wasn’t exactly quiet, with plenty of folks heading to and from foothill housing; but it was entertaining, and lots of folks gave us friendly waves and seemed to enjoy our presence. (9/11)
Pamporovo Overnight Free N41 39.237 E24 41.069 4920 feet
This is a resort area with lots of side streets and hotels; it was quite deserted when we were here and we simply found an open parking area without signage. (10/11)
Petrohan area Overnight Free N43 07.359 E23 07.328 4765 feet
At the top of Petrohanski Pass on highway 81 we turned up the road to the communications tower; about 3/10 mile up we found a wide spot where we spent two days; it was nice and cool in the forest. There are many open spaces at this highway junction but we appreciated the quiet and solitude of the spot we used. We did go all the way to the top of this road, but didn’t find any other suitable spots. (8/11)
Plovdiv Carrefour Hipermarket N42 08676 E24 46.795
One of only a very few Carrefours in the country, it is at the Galleria Mall and the signage is extremely confusing. On the south side of the mall there is an open waste ground area with a fair amount of parking that should take any size of vehicle. (10/11)
Rozhen area Overnight Free N41 31.924 E23 25.618 1900 feet
The Roženski Monastery above the village has lots of open parking areas. It was fairly sloping so we found a little spot along the road; it wasn’t all that great and we probably should have stayed up at the monastery. (10/11)
Sestimo Overnight Free N42 12.572 E23 55.751 2114 feet
Up above town, there is a huge open paved area which appears to be a former industrial site. We had a quiet night. (9/11)
Shipka Overnight Free N42 42.949 E25 19.667 2050 feet
We spent a quiet night (except for a few dogs) in the parking lot of the Shipka Memorial Church, getting permission from the souvenir vendors. (9/11)
Sliven area Overnight Free N42 38.758 E26 40.240 530 feet
Burger King is northeast of this town, at junction of Rts 7 and 6/E871, between Sofia and the Coast. Excellent wifi, nice folks and they were happy to have us spend the night in their parking lot, behind the hotel attached. (10/11) Updated 10/12)
Stara Reka area Overnight Free N42 50.896 E26 09.131 2060 feet
Heading southeast on Rt 53 out of Veliko Tarnovo, south of Stara Reka we took a road off to the right heading west toward Bozhevtsi; we went about 7/10 mile down that road and found a small clearing. The next day, in another 5 miles, near the top of the pass if you turn to the east, about 7/10 mile in there is an open meadow at N42 49.266 E26 10.627 (3125 feet) that would probably be a better choice although the presence of several fire pits indicates this might be a popular site at times. This pass is in the mountains north of Sliven. (9/11)
Teteven area Possible Overnight Free N42 53.211 E24 19.591 1635 feet
We observed many possible spots along the river that parallels road 358, both on the edges of town and then south along the Beli Vit River; if need higher elevation, continue on until you are east of Ribaritsa, where the road goes over a 4000 foot pass with overnight possibilities as you drop down the other side. (8/11)
Tryavna area Overnight Free N42 51.923 E25 31.945 2095 feet
Approximately 4 miles southeast of town on a small country road we found entry to an open field with a tree next to the road; used on two separate occasions; a really beautiful spot. (9/11)
Tsarevo area (Black Sea) Overnight Free N42 08.805 E27 53.009
About 2.5 miles south of town, on a minor coastal road heading south towards Ahtopol, we took a short dirt road to a bluff overlooking the Black Sea; lovely views over the water. The road eventually winds down to water’s edge; some traffic but mostly quiet. (10/12)
Veliko Tarnovo Bookstore 9 Opalchenska Street
The Book Cave has a large supply of used English-language books available at reasonable prices. If you are coming into town and email the owner in advance at bookcavebulgaria@gmail.com, letting her know what you are interested in, she’ll bring in books that are not on the shelves, as not all stock is on site. (9/11)
Veliko Tarnovo area Overnight 30Lev/night N43 03.971 E25 45.228 741 feet
Camping Veliko Tarnovo is about 10 miles east of the city. Complete facilities, including showers/laundry/pool/restaurant/free internet. We paid an additional 5Lev/night for electricity. This was our first campground stay since Morocco four months earlier. (9/11) NOTE: We have subsequently stayed at this campsite three additional times; once more in 2011, then again in September 2012 on our way to Turkey, and finally in July 2013 on our return from Turkey. It is indeed a great facility with a wonderful staff and terrific amenities. We recommend it highly. www.campingvelikotarnovo.com
➤ Vraca Overnight Free N43 11.430 E23 31.250 1720 feet
Leaving town we followed the road signed to the cave; in about 1.7 miles we took a turnoff that followed the chair lift. We came to a turn to the right that went up a short, steep hill to a broad relatively flat area where we parked for the night; great views. Possible clearance issues. (8/11)
Yundola area Possible Overnight Free N42 09.230 E23 46.548 6400 feet
In the Rila Mountains, north of Yundola, is the Belmeken Reservoir. We saw several motorhomes camped along the lake; this is a wide-open area for spending a few days. Honey and jam available at these GPS coordinates! (9/11)
Yundola area Overnight Free N42 04.123 E23 50.747 4820 feet
Along the road to the Reservoir, about 6/10 miles above town, we pulled off into a small picnic spot where we could get level. Tables and water available; level space for one small coach only. (9/11)
Zemen Overnight Free N42 28.032 E22 44.307 2217 feet
We spent the night parked beside the monastery, in a gorgeous setting in a quiet neighborhood. (9/11)
www. Travelin-Tortuga. com
Croatia:
Exchange rate: Croatian currency is the Kuna, which generally runs around 5 Kn to $1 USD, or 7.4 Kn to €1 Euro. During our visits in August & October 2011 one Kuna was approximately 19 cents US, or 5.22 Kn to the dollar.
Overnight parking regulations: Overnight stays in areas other than established campgrounds are officially NOT allowed in Croatia; you are expected to register with the local authorities either at a hotel, a campground or a tourist office. That said, we had no trouble wild camping in rural areas for three weeks in Croatia. Until, that is, the last night we were in the country. At that point we were visited by a very nice but very forceful policeman and were required to accompany him into town where we paid a fine of 500 kn (about $90 US) per person for camping in an unauthorized location. We were near the coast and only about 20 miles south of Dubrovnik, so a very touristed spot. Also, we had perhaps pushed our luck a bit as we had stayed two nights and a day at this spot and we were clearly visible, not hidden by trees or anything else. The deciding factor however, was that the chief of police ate his lunch at a restaurant nearby and saw us there in the middle of the day. So, we were very successful for a lot of nights of wild camping, but finally we got caught. This location was the Gruda listing below.
➤ This symbol denotes a parking location that may be difficult to access for larger vehicles or those with limited ground clearance.
Fuel: Fuel prices vary some, but not a lot and are only sometimes posted. At the time of our visit, prices were similar to Slovenia for Diesel, but slightly higher for gasoline. Diesel fuel is readily available and prices were 9.20 to 9.25 Kn/liter ($6.65/gallon); Regular gasoline prices were about 9.94 Kn/liter ($7.20/gallon).
Propane: GPL is available at some fuel stations using the dish or cup adapter, often referred to as the Italian Dish. The designation for LPG is Auto Plin or GPL. Prices were slightly less than Slovenia at around 4.98 Kn/liter ($3.60/gallon).
Location, Type/Cost and Description
Buzet Overnight Free N45 24.150 E18 57.866 135 feet
Sports field south of town just before you cross the river, on the road to Krušvari; there is a lot of open ground; WC available. (10/11)
Delnice Overnight Free N45 24.352 E14 48.712 2060 feet
A short way north of town on the road to the border there’s a large picnic area and park down the hill from a stream with a small dam; water available. Quiet night. (9/11)
Fuškulin area Overnight Free N45 10.991 E13 39.479 250 feet
We pulled off into a vacant field where we were hidden from the road. (10/11)
Gaj Overnight Free N45 28.383 E17 01.664 435 feet
In the village, turn off the main road to drive past the church and keep on going until you reach the cemetery. Nice and quiet. Some trees for shade. (8/11)
Gruda Overnight Free N42 31.916 E18 22.661 181 feet
About 20 miles south of Dubrovnik. Turned east out of town onto road into the hills. Parked beside a soccer field. Quiet; lovely area; but this is the spot where we got fined by the police. Might be OK for one night, but not more. (10/11)
Karlobag area Overnight Free N44 30.869 E15 08.104 2156 feet
Took D25 inland from town for about 6 miles, then up near the top we took a paved road (59123) south about a mile to a pulloff with a view of the water. A great spot; very quiet and secluded. (10/11)
Lozovac Overnight Free N43 46.761 E15 57.859 570 feet
We stayed the night in the parking lot of the post office, right at the turn to go off to Krka NP; this is the road in from Šibenik. A large, neat, graveled area that is also the town recycling center; very clean. (10/11)
Osijek Overnight Free N45 36.455 E18 47.296 300 feet
We stayed in the parking lot of the Kopački Rit Nature Reserve visitor’s center about 5 miles outside town. Can be difficult to find. Marking from the north side of the river, at about 3 miles you will see a large brown sign for the reserve; about 6/10 mile further on, in Bilje, there will be a right turn toward the visitor’s center, marked by a small brown sign among many others; this is at the INA fuel station. Parking lot is very quiet at night. The staff were friendly and happy to have us there. (8/11)
Osijek area Overnight Free N45 36.386 E18 43.618 300 feet
Outside town, in the Belje area, we turned down a road with truck-based businesses and went to the end. Shortly before the bar across the road is an abandoned parking lot that is very secluded; the only traffic was a fellow with a horse drawn cart. (8/11)
Plomin area Overnight Free N45 07.533 E14 11.867 700 feet
About two miles east of town, at the top of the hill, we took an old pull-off into the trees; this is on Rt 66. Noisy, but pretty private. (10/11)
Pula area Overnight Free N44 48.980 E13 53.935 Sea level
We parked along the coastline a few miles south of town; we were across the lagoon from Pomer. Site came recommended and was excellent. Lots of room. (10/11)
Ročko Polje Overnight Free N45 22.601 E14 04.927 1300 feet
Just east of town we turned off at the little train depot into open waste ground. (9/11)
Šibenik Parking Pay N43 43.777 E15 53.708 Sea level
Possible overnight as well. This parking is along the water close to the old town area. Sign said 20 kuna/hr for motorhomes and 5 kuna/hr for cars, but we only paid 5 kuna/hour. (10/11)
Trakošcan area Overnight Free N46 16.098 E15 55.191 880 feet
We entered Croatia south from Ptuj, and then turned toward Trakošcan on Rt. 508. Shortly after that we turned north onto a road into a wooded nature area. We found an abandoned sports field and parked there for two quiet nights. (8/11)
Trogir Overnight Free N43 35.007 E16 14.238 1225 feet
We went into the hills from town on Rt Z-6091; at the top of the hill we took a tiny road to the right and found a cemetery. Quiet. (10/11)
Varaždin Overnight Free N46 18.455 E16 23.685 560 feet
The tourist office sent us to this spot near a restaurant at Aqua City, a facility outside town that’s beside a lake. Owner allows motorhomes for one night only. Quiet; facilities inside restaurant. (8/11)
Varaždin Overnight Free N46 18.363 E16 21.779 560 feet
We spent a second night parked just outside the city, in an abandoned parking area that was quite deep and away from the road; it is on the south side of the road, just past the Renault dealer. This road is the one back into town from Aqua City. It was quiet, and nobody disturbed us. (8/11)
Varaždin Parking Free N46 18.507 E16 19.619
Free all-day parking (but no O/N) at the cemetery; not far from historic town center, and a pleasant walk. If you wish to be closer, there is one-hour (renewable for a second hour) parking near the center at N46 18.643 E16 20.318. (8/11)
Vocin area Overnight Free N45 35.446 E17 29.921 1200 feet
On Rt. 69, a few miles south of town, but still about 2.5 miles north of the pass, we found a large piece of waste ground on the east side of the road to park in for the night; road fairly busy but no problems. There is a smaller but adequate space just at the top of the pass at 1750 feet. (8/11)
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Czech Republic:
Exchange rate: Czech uses its own currency, the Kroner or CZK. The exchange rate in September 2013 was about 19 CZK to $1 USD.
Overnight parking regulations: The Czech Republic DOES have regulations restricting overnight stays in areas other than established campgrounds. Use caution in selecting locations to wild camp, ask permission when possible and use online resources to find places other travelers have used.
Fuel: Fuel is more expensive in Czech Republic than in neighboring countries. Prices varied quite a lot and are generally posted. Diesel fuel is readily available and prices were 35.9 to 40.9 CZK/liter ($7.20 to $8.20/gallon). Regular gasoline prices were about slightly higher. Most, if not all, fuel stations appeared to be manned as opposed to automated.
Propane: LPG, also Autoplyn, is readily available at many fuel stations using the Italian or French dish adapter. Prices were about 16.3 CZK/liter ($3.27/gallon).
Vignette: The Czech Republic requires a Vignette for use of Motorways only. They can be purchased at fuel stations near the border. We bought one once when we were simply traversing the country. Cost was 310 CZK ($15.90 US) and it was good for up to ten days.
Location, Type/Cost and Description
Kopřivnice Overnight Free N49 35.914 E18 08.550
City parking lot next to the Technical Museum. 2 hour parking during the day but free at night. (9/13)
Mlada Boleslav Overnight Free N50 25.101 E14 55.002
We obtained permission to spend the night in the parking lot of the National Technical Museum (aka Skoda museum) outside Prague. Wifi available in the café. (9/13)
Olomouc Overnight Free N49 35.775 E17 13.283 793 feet
We spent the night at the city cemetery, which had plenty of space. water spigot just inside the cemetery gates (which are locked at night). Busy during the day but quiet at night. (9/13)
Olomouc Pay Parking N49 35.303 E17 15.247
Excellent location for visiting old town; 20 CZK for 2 hours. (9/13)
Pernštejn Castle area Overnight Free N49 27.013 E16 19.226 1016 feet
We found a nice open pull off along the forest road near the small road up to the castle. Near Nedvĕdice. (9/13)
Pisek Overnight Free N49 18.495 E14 08.653 1185 feet
Spent the night in a quiet parking lot next to the river and near the old bridge; nice town to visit. (9/13)
Prague Overnight Free N50 06.972 E14 25.420
After asking the locals, we felt comfortable spending the night at the end of this small road fairly near the zoo and the tram into the city. also, bus #112 passes along the street we turned off of. It worked better than it sounds. (9/13)
Prague Overnight Free N50 05.840 E14 25.527
On weekends, the parking lot of the National Technical Museum is free. We asked and got permission to stay overnight on Saturday. However, they had a large number of busses arriving very early Sunday and decided we would be in the way, so changed their minds. Would have been a good location. Trams 8 and 26 into Republic Square stop about 3 blocks away. (9/13)
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Georgia:
Exchange rate: Georgian currency is the Lari or GEL. During our visit in May 2013 one Lari was worth approximately 61 cents US, or 1.62 Lari to the dollar.
Overnight parking regulations: We have no information regarding the availability of campgrounds in Georgia. We have not seen any and to our knowledge none exist at this time. Also to our knowledge there are no restrictions regarding overnight stays in open areas. We have had no trouble wild camping in rural areas and have also used parking spots in cities, generally based on comments from other travelers. The one thing we have experienced, particularly in remote areas or near borders is having the Police stop by to check on us, apparently wanting to ensure that we are fine. They have never asked us to move, but given the language difficulties it can still be an unsettling experience.
➤ This symbol denotes a parking location that may be difficult to access for larger vehicles or those with limited ground clearance.
Fuel: Fuel prices vary only a small amount throughout the country. Prices are generally posted and Diesel and Gasoline prices are very similar; frequently less for regular gasoline at any given station, but by shopping around you can get either one within the price range indicated. Prices are a welcome improvement over the high prices in Turkey, being only about half as much for Diesel and less than half for gasoline. At the time of our visit, prices for both Diesel and gasoline ranged from 1.90 Lari to 2.10 Lari/liter ($4.40 to $4.86/gallon). Fuel stations in more remote areas did not accept credit cards, but larger stations along highways did. We found that the Socar chain seemed to have consistently modern and excellent stations and competitive prices. We saw no automated stations; the station attendants pump all fuel.
Propane: LPG/GPL is available at many fuel stations using the dish or cup adapter, often referred to as the Italian Dish. Prices were once again lower than in Turkey. running around 1.70 Lari/liter ($3.95/gallon). Some locations also sell natural gas so don’t be confused by different prices for ‘gas’.
GPS Concern: Our Garmin Europe 2013 has no coverage for Georgia. It has only a very inaccurate base map information showing approximate locations of major highways and cities. If yours is the same you may have difficulty finding some of the places we stayed. If you plan to spend very much time in Georgia, researching to find additional GPS coverage would be wise.
Visas, Vignettes & Insurance: No visas or vignettes are required for Georgia, but your European Green Card insurance does not cover the Caucasus countries. We were not questioned at the border, but did arrange to purchase insurance while in Batumi. This coverage (liability or third-party only) is good for Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey, but we were still required to buy additional coverage when entering Armenia; see the Armenia section for details.
Drivers, Roads & Traffic: Georgia is the fifty-first country we have visited in our motorhome and we can state that the drivers here are absolutely the worst we have encountered. They make the drivers in Istanbul seem calm and disciplined by comparison. They pass whenever they want, they crowd you and honk their horn when you don’t move over for them. In the cities it is a complete free for all with large, plaza like roundabouts with no lane markings and no consistent way of telling who has the right of way. City driving is compounded by pedestrians who cross wherever they like, often getting to the middle of the road only to wait there for the chance to continue. We don’t know how they survive. Signage in cities is largely non-existent, making finding museums or other attractions extremely difficult. Even locating the route you want out of town can be a challenge. Rural driving is complicated by the presence of grazing animals, mostly cows, but also horses, pigs, sheep goats, chickens and just about anything else. Roads are generally not particularly good, but not terrible either and quite a lot of construction is underway. Highway signage is adequate and probably improving.
Location, Type/Cost and Description
Abasha Possible Overnight Free N42 12.291 E42 12.237 22 meters
Parking lot for town hall; should be just fine. Next to a park in this nice little town. (5/13)
Achmeta area Overnight Free N42 03.512 E45 04.715 815 meters
We took the back road from Anunuri to Achmeta; it was horrible – about 25 miles of extremely bad road. However, it was also beautiful. We stopped for the night at about Km marker 18/111; this is about one Km west of the Kvetera Fortress. (6/13)
Akhaltsikhe area Overnight Free N41 37.383 E43 01.013 1219 meters
Outside town, it’s 5.4 miles to the top of the hill and the Sapara monastery; we stopped about 1.2 miles up the hill on a wide bluff overlooking the farmland and the valley below. There was a fair amount of traffic from the mini-busses going up and down the hill but they certainly weren’t a problem. Stunning view. Quiet night. (6/13)
Batumi area Overnight Free N41 34.320 E41 34.022
We have spent most of a week along the Black Sea in the area north of Sarti, shortly after you cross the border from Turkey. It has been quite pleasant; we’ve been the subject of curiosity but no one has bothered us here. There are expansive open areas available near the water; you’ll share the land with a few wandering cows. No services, but there are stores and fuel stations nearby. (5/13)
Batumi Overnight Free N41 39.194 E41 38.516
There is a commonly used area near the Alphabet Tower, open ground with plenty of parking. To locate the tower, simply follow the promenade north through town until it turns east toward the yacht harbor; you can’t miss the tower. We found it to be noisy at night, but adequate. Watch out for potholes and construction debris. (5/13)
Batumi Tourist Office.
Walk south from the Tower, past the Radisson Hotel, and proceed down Ninoshvili St. just before you get to the Avenue of Fountains colonnade on your right, you’ll pass the small TI office, it has a bank ATM on one side. They speak English, are helpful, and have a city map for you. (5/13)
Batumi Automotive Repairs N41 36.866 E41 36.744
Tegeta Motors is on the east side of the main road into town (E97/S2), shortly after you pass the turn to the airport as you come in from the south. We needed a routine service on the truck, and they were friendly and capable. One of the managers spoke sufficient English to make us feel comfortable. It’s a large, professional operation that was recommended to us by our insurance office. (5/13)
➤ Becho Valley Overnight Free N43 03.380 E42 36.710 1456 meters
Heading toward Mestia, after you cross the Dolma River you will see a sign turning you up to Becho. We traveled about 2 miles up the track, through the villages, and found a place to park on a bluff overlooking the river. Quiet, but you are still among the villagers, who will be curious. Also, there is an army post as you head up the valley, but they will be happy to let you through. Road is rough. (5/13)
Dzhvari area Overnight Free N42 56.421 E42 10.023 560 meters
Nice wide area along the road between Zugdidi and Mestia, about 16 miles north of Dzhvari, at about Km marker 68. (5/13)
Gelati area Overnight Free N42 19.666 E42 56.683 518 meters
We found a lovely wide grassy area along the road due east from Gelati to Tqibuli, just east of Satsire. (5/13)
Gudauri Overnight Free N42 28.126 E44 29.503 2160 meters
We parked at the ski resort above town; asked permission of the security fellows. Very quiet. Note: this is the end of the decent road; the rest of the way up the pass and then to the Russian border is pretty bad, at least at this time, although work is being done. (5/13)
Kobuleti Overnight Free N41 47.270 E41 45.775 sea level
About 2 miles south of town we turned off onto a track to the coastline. Quiet night. The next day, after traveling north through town, the roadway opens up and you can turn towards the water, where there are lots of areas for parking among and beyond the trees. Better places than where we stayed the night. (5/13)
Kutaisi Overnight Free N42 16.617 E42 42.173 (numbers are approximate)
We spent the night in the parking lot at the Bagrati Cathedral. it was terribly busy and pretty noisy. If you are looking for wifi in town, McDonalds is at N42 15.422 E42 40.245. (5/13)
Marneuli Services N41 29.209 E44 47.940 426 meters
Great town to stop and gather yourself before crossing into either Azerbaijan or Armenia. Coming into the main square (right on the main road through town), there are a McDonalds (opening soon), a Smart grocery store, and to the left of the Smart, a large municipal building which has excellent internet and wifi services, as well as a large bank. There is some parking behind the McDonalds building, where you could probably spend the night. (6/13)
Mestia Possible Overnight Free N43 01.755 E42 44.014 1860 meters
This spot is at the ski resort a few miles above town. Plenty of open space. Also, in town you should be able to park along the square. (5/13)
Mtskheta Overnight $1.85/night N41 50.560 E44 43.425 468 meters
We spent 2 nights in the parking lot to the east of the cathedral in this pretty town; cost was 3 GEL/night, which is just the normal parking fee. Not quiet until late in the evening, but great spot for walking to the various parts of town. The TI is on the other side of the cathedral and has wifi. (5/13)
Telavi area Overnight Free N42 04.149 E45 22.795 442 meters
Along the road between Alaverdi and Alvani, we turned off onto a road into Babanouri, and stopped along the verge before getting to the village. Very quiet night. (6/13)
Telavi area Overnight Free N41 42.877 E45 06.487 807 meters
On highway S-5, heading west from Saguredžo, we turned northeast onto a secondary road that goes toward Telavi, then found a spot off the road among the trees. Quiet night. (6/13)
Vardzia Possible Overnight Free N41 22.702 E43 17.291 1263 meters
Nice bluff with trees overlooking the Vardzia cave city; should make a good spot for the night. Services in the area. (6/13)
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Hungary: (We only spent one day in Hungary in September 2012, and another day in August 2013.
Exchange rate: Hungary uses the Forint or FT; exchange rate in September 2012 was 200 Forints to one USD.
Overnight parking regulations: We are not aware of any regulations restricting overnight stays in areas other than established campgrounds.
Fuel: Fuel prices varied only a small amount and are generally posted. Both Diesel fuel and gasoline are readily available and prices were right around 450 FT/liter ($6.74/gallon). Fuel stations appeared to be manned as opposed to automated.
Propane: LPG, was available in several fuel stations we passed but we did not see posted prices and did not stop to see what adapter would be used.
Vignette: Hungary requires a Vignette for use of Motorways only. They can be purchased at fuel stations near the border. We did not need one, but cost was listed as €7 for seven days.
Location, Type/Cost and Description
Tokaj area Overnight Free N48 12.401 E21 15.167 649 feet
A bit north of Mád we took a track leading off to the east into an open area near a vineyard. Quiet night with a nice view. (8/13)
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Macedonia:
Exchange rate in October 2011: Montenegro uses the MKD; with approximately 45 MKD to one Dollar.
Overnight parking regulations: We are not aware of any regulations restricting overnight stays in areas other than established campgrounds. During our short stay, we had no difficulty.
Fuel: Fuel prices vary some and are generally posted. Diesel prices are the lowest we found in the Balkans, even less than Bosnia. Fuel is readily available and prices were around 68.5 MKD/liter ($5.93/gallon); Regular gasoline prices were about 10 MKD/liter higher than diesel ($0.80/gallon).
Propane: GPL is readily available using the dish or cup adapter, often referred to as the Italian Dish. Prices were lower than most surrounding countries at 40 MKD/liter ($3.48/gallon).
Note: Truck problems shortened our stay in this country. We had planned to spend more time here than we did and hope to return.
Location, Type/Cost and Description
Negotino area Overnight Free N41 31.230 E22 01.725 810 feet
North of the small town we picked up a road that was supposed to parallel the highway and lead to the ruins at Stobi and we found a nice spot beside the road to spend the night. The road got worse and worse heading north the next day, but the countryside is very nice. If you come this way we suggest you spend the night and then turn right around and go back to Negotino and pick up the highway again. (10/11)
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Montenegro:
Exchange rate in October 2011: Montenegro uses the Euro; one Euro to approximately 1.38 Dollars.
Overnight parking regulations: We are not aware of any regulations restricting overnight stays in areas other than established campgrounds. During our short stay, we had no difficulty.
➤ This symbol denotes a parking location that may be difficult to access for larger vehicles or those with limited ground clearance.
Fuel: Fuel prices vary some, but not a lot and are generally posted. Diesel fuel is readily available and prices were around €1.27/liter ($6.63/gallon); Regular gasoline prices were about €.05/liter higher than diesel ($0.25/gallon).
Propane: GPL is readily available using the dish or cup adapter, often referred to as the Italian Dish. Prices were somewhat higher than surrounding countries at €.80/liter ($4.18/gallon).
Note: Weather and other factors shortened our stay in this country. We had planned to spend more time here than we did and hope to return.
Location, Type/Cost and Description
Kotor Parking/Overnight Pay N42 25.671 E18 46.108 Sea level
Parking lot next to old town; 1€/hour, 10€/day; 24 hour parking and overnight is permitted. (10/11)
Lovćen National Park Overnight Free N42 25.140 E18 48.594 3664 feet
Along the scenic drive through the park we found a nice pullout. There are more opportunities at the summit, at N42 23.769 E18 47.896, at 4400 feet (10/11)
Danilovgrad area Overnight Free N42 41.371 E18 59.276 1550 feet
North of town, along the road up to the Ostrog Monastery. There are two more spots higher up the hill but still below the lower church. (10/11)
Danilovgrad Overnight Free N42 33.223 E19 05.322 215 feet
Just north of town, we parked in the lot of the Hotel Perjanek, with permission. Excellent wifi available. (10/11)
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Poland:
Exchange rate: Poland uses the Zloty or PLN; exchange rate in September 2012 was 3.2 Zlotys to one USD. In August 2013 it was slightly lower at 3.14 PLN/USD.
Overnight parking regulations: We are not aware of any regulations restricting overnight stays in areas other than established campgrounds. During our short stay, we had no difficulty.
Fuel: Fuel prices vary a fair amount and are generally posted. Diesel fuel, also called ON on the signage, is readily available and prices in 2012 ranged from 5.74 to 5.99 PLN/liter ($6.74 to $7.03/gallon). Regular gasoline prices were about 0.12 PLN/liter higher than diesel ($0.15/gallon). Update 2013: Prices were a little lower in August 2013. Diesel ranged from 5.45 to 5.75 PLN/liter ($6.56 to $6.92/gallon); regular gas was now just about the same as diesel. All fuel stations appeared to be manned as opposed to automated.
Propane: LPG, also Autogaz or Gaz is readily available at both fuel stations and stand alone LPG only facilities using the Italian or French dish adapter. Prices ranged from 2.53 to 2.79 PLN/liter ($2.97 to $3.27/gallon). Update 2013: Prices for LPG had also dropped from the previous year and were now 2.25 to 2.55 PLN/liter ($2.71 to $3.07/gallon) This makes Poland just about the least expensive place to buy LPG in Europe.
Vignette: Poland requires a Vignette for use of Motorways only. They can be purchased at fuel stations near the border. We did not need one.
Location, Type/Cost and Description
Auschwitz II Overnight 8 Zł/24 hrs N50 02.128 E19 11.015
This is the parking lot for the Birkenau site. We chose it over the ones at the Auschwitz museum area as being much quieter and cleaner. It did not have services, if this is important, but we recommend it. There is a free, frequent shuttle between the two sites. You might consider arriving here (by 5pm), staying the night, going to Auschwitz early the next day, then coming back on the shuttle to see Birkenau – to avoid some of the crowds. (9/13)
Jasionowka Overnight Free N53 23.730 E23 02.261
Church parking lot; on Rt 671, off A16 between Augustów and Baiłystok. It was along the road through town, but quiet at night. (9/12)
Jastkowice Overnight Free N50 36.459 E22 06.124
We spent the night at the back of a large, unpaved parking lot for the church in the hamlet. We were on a small road running parallel to and north of the San River. This road runs east into Zarcecze. (9/12)
Jelenia Gora area Overnight Free N50 50.182 E15 47.395
We parked next to the cemetery, a decent distance away from the road (Rt 367), about 5.6 miles south of town. (8/13)
Krakow Parking 3.5 Zł/hour N50 03.927 E19 55.828
Excellent location for visiting the old city center. Also can be used for overnight, but would be expensive. (9/13)
Krakow Parking 3 Zł/hour N50 03.112 E19 56.121
Very close to the Wawal area; excellent location along the river. Also available for overnight parking; free on weekends and after 8pm during the week. (9/13)
Krakow Overnight 20 Zł N50 02.079 E19 52.612
This is a stellplatze at the ElCamp motorhome dealer, about 4 miles south of the center. Electric, water and dump also available (5 Zł each for electric or water, dump free). Excellent free wifi. (9/13)
Nowy Saçz area Overnight Free N49 23.436 E20 44.888 1315 feet
Parked beside the river, on Rd 971 about 6 miles beyond Piwniczna-Zdrój; roughly 15 miles south of Nowy Saçz on Rd 87 then off on Rd 971. Lovely spot. (9/13)
Pszczyna Overnight Free N49 59.102 E18 56.823
We spent the night in a small parking area at one entrance to an old cemetery. Okay, but a bit noisy as it is close to the road. (9/13)
Zarzecze Overnight Free N50 31.136 E22 11.189
Very noisy, but worked out all right. This is a pulloff next to a bridge just before the San River if you are heading north on Rt 19 towards town. (9/12)
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Romania:
Exchange rate: Romania uses the Leu, abbreviated RON; exchange rate in September 2012 was 3.45 RON to one USD. When we returned in July 2013, the rate was around 3.35 RON to one USD.
Overnight parking regulations: We are not aware of any regulations restricting overnight stays in areas other than established campgrounds. During our stay, we had no difficulty.
Fuel: Fuel prices varied only a small amount and are generally posted. Diesel fuel is readily available and prices ranged from 6.00 to 6.20 RON/liter ($6.59 to $6.80/gallon). In 2013, diesel prices were 5.87 to 6.04 RON/liter ($6.67 to $6.86/gallon) Regular gasoline prices about the same, varying up or down only a small amount either slightly less or slightly more than diesel. Fuel stations are manned as opposed to automated.
Propane: LPG, also GPL Auto is readily available at some fuel stations and also at stand alone LPG points using the Italian or French dish adapter. Prices ranged from 2.95 to 3.50 RON/liter ($3.18 to $3.78/gallon).
Vignette: Romania does require you to purchase a Vignette for ALL ROADS. They do not use a window sticker, but just give you a receipt that shows you’ve paid; apparently the enforcement is by traffic cameras that read your license plate. You buy the vignette at the border crossing. As of 2013, a vignette good for one month was 31 Leu ($9.23 USD).
Location, Type/Cost and Description
Maramureş & Moldavia - 2012
Bârsana Overnight Free N47 48.376 E24 02.234
We parked on some waste ground on the edge of a field not far out of town. Spent 2 nights and stayed the day in between. Very quiet and peaceful area. (9/12)
Cârlibaba Overnight Free N47 34.356 E24 07.401 Elev: 948 m
Parked on the main street through town; this is on Rd 18 east of the Prislo Pass and Borsa. Noisy but okay. (9/12)
Chiril Overnight Free N47 22.807 E25 34.702 709 m
We stopped along the river beside a play area on DN17B in a community area near town. A couple of horses for company. Quiet at night. We passed another similar spot a few miles further south, but below that things get more developed. (9/12)
Gheorgheni Overnight Free N46 42.888 E25 36.168 820 m
We stayed the night at a MOL fuel station going south out of town. Awfully noisy and busy, but it worked; GPL and water available here. (9/12)
Gruiu area Overnight Free N44 44.352 E26 12.579 84 m
This turned out to be a mistake, but under other circumstances should have been fine. We stopped at some waste ground near the farming community of Gruiu, off Hwy D1 between Ploesti and Bucharest. Unfortunately, what we thought was an unused maintenance area was, indeed, in use – until late that night. But we managed. (9/12)
Humor Monastery Possible Overnight Free N47 35.658 E25 51.396
They collected money for parking during the day (3 Leu), but said we could stay the night for free. It was small and a bit noisy and crowded, so we moved on. (9/12)
Moldovita Monastery Possible Overnight Free N47 39.354 E25 34.323
This is a pretty small parking lot, but we know folks do stay here. (9/12)
Săpânta Overnight Free N47 58.365 E23 41.737
We spent the night on a street near the cemetery; it was noisy on a Saturday night, so I would suggest you try to find something in a quieter area. (9/12)
Solca Overnight Free N47 41.332 E25 51.067
On the outskirts of town there was a nice, new Stati Carburantie fuel station in a quiet location; we stayed the night quite happily. We were on Rd DN2E, between Rds 17 and 17a, east of Campulung Moldovenesc. (9/12)
Sucevita Monastery Possible Overnight Free N47 46.746 E25 42.576
Looked good, with large open gravel lot; it was too early in the day for us. (9/12)
Voronet Monastery Possible Overnight Free N47 31.053 E25 51.882 Elev: 516 m
Nice large parking areas at the monastery and also in town on the way to the monastery. (9/12)
Transylvania & Wallachia - 2013
Alba Iulia Overnight Free N46 03.998 E23 34.448 (approx.)
Spent a quiet night parked in a triangular area opposite a children’s playground on the east side of the citadel. Excellent location for visiting the citadel. (7/13)
Beius-Brad area Overnight Free N46 25.833 E22 31.449 417 meters
Traveling on E79/76, south of Lunca but about a mile north of the pass that is above Cristioni de Jos, we found a nice wide spot off the road where we had a quiet night. (7/13)
Braşov Parking and Possible Overnight N45 38.693 E25 35.788 1900 feet
There is good city parking near the top of Republica in the old town area; the roads go along both sides of an oval park; parking is free on Sundays, otherwise is metered 8-8. Be sure to have coins for the meter; it takes no paper money. The parking spots are longer on the side of the oval nearest the old town. Plenty of parking available either early or late in the day, but not otherwise. Would be very noisy at night, but the tourist office said it would be fine. The tourist office is located within this same oval area. (7/13)
Braşov area Overnight Free N45 35.306 E25 31.432 2910 feet
We spent three nights parked to the west of the Poiana Braşov ski resort area (which was far too busy to be useful) about 12 km out of the city. we found a small trailhead on the north side of the road; it was quiet and lovely. There are a couple more good spots a bit further on up towards the summit. (7/13)
Cârta Overnight Free N45 47.501 E24 34.032 1373 feet
Spent the night along the “square” near the church ruins. It was okay, but there’s no good shade or breeze and it was terribly hot; also a fair amount of traffic for such a small village! (7/13)
Curtea de Argeş Overnight Free N45 09.429 E24 40.444 1316 feet
We spent the night in the parking area at the monastery; we parked over near the vendors, but saw other RVs parked in the “official” lot. Lots of activity, but it got quiet later in the evening. (7/13)
Curtea de Argeş area Overnight Free N45 24.690 E24 37.736 2879 feet
Along the Transfăgăraşan highway, towards the north end of the lake, a very nice overlook just right for a couple of motorhomes. We stopped there to visit with friends and then went on, but they were stopping for the night. (7/13)
Feliceni area Overnight Free N46 15.661 E25 20.071 2027 feet
Traveling on DJ137 about 5 km south of Feliceni, we turned west onto a paved secondary road and found a layby where we spent the night. Quite narrow, but a very quiet road so it was fine. (8/13)
Gheorgheni area Overnight Free N46 42.014 E25 30.191 2413 feet
In the village of Joseni, right off Hwy 12, a short distance west of Gheorgheni, we spent the night parked near the church, along the square. Very quiet after about 9:30 pm. (8/13)
Gheorgheni area Overnight Free N46 50.556 E25 34.298 3439 feet
We turned eastward into the mountains at Ditrău, perhaps 15 Km north of Gheorgheni, taking a secondary road (DJ 127) towards Tulgheş. At the top of the pass, we found a large open grassy area near the road. Quiet except for locals using the area as a passageway on up the hill; lots of cows and hay carts. We stayed 2 nights. We then moved a couple of miles further along, although the pavement ends just past our first stop. We found a second place (N46 51.855 E 25 35.624) that was just as nice, and quieter during the day; more difficult to access, however, as it is much rougher. (8/13)
Novaci area Overnight Free N45 15.540 E23 41.810 5150 feet
Desperate to get to a higher elevation to avoid the heat, we traveled up the Transalpina Highway until we reached altitude. Difficult to find a place to get level. Where we stopped, the road follows along a saddle; you can see the ski resort ahead, but are not near it. There is a parking area here, with vendors; we went a ways up a secondary road towards a satellite dish maintenance station and found a place to stop part way up; where we were needed 4-wheel drive, but down closer to vendors would not. Spent two nights; cool and lovely; great views. (7/13)
Prejmer Overnight Free N45 43.364 E25 46.414 1600 feet
We spent a quiet night parked behind the fortified church. There is also a “real” parking lot closer to the entrance. If you’re lucky, you’ll see a van marked “Let’s Pizza” and you can make arrangements for him to bring you lovely, yummy pizza for dinner! (7/13)
Seica Mare Overnight Free N46 03.693 E24 12.018 1036 feet
Outside the village we found a lovely quiet spot along the secondary road that leads to Agnita. (8/13)
Sibiu Overnight Free N45 45.361 E24 07.089 1413 feet
The tourist office had recommended this location, across from the open air museum, south of town. We managed, but it was terribly noisy – all night. (8/13)
Sibiu Parking Free N45 47.635 E24 09.205
On the east side of the citadel area, we found a few small parking areas; there was space available at 9:30 am. (8/13)
Sibiu area Overnight Free (GPS not working)
We went southwest out of the city up towards the ski resort (Păltiniş) and found a place for the night along the road, near the top. There are numerous possible locations though on weekends many may be occupied by locals having picnics. (7/13)
Sighisoara Parking 1 lei N46 12.578 E24 47.027
This parking area is on the west side of the citadel area, at the foot of the hill and in shade. Long spaces and room for tour buses. (8/13)
Târgu Jiu Possible Overnight Free N45 02.383 E23 15.843 204 meters
Across the canal that is next to the park with the Brancusi statues, there is a small parking lot where I believe you could stay the night; this is also close to the enormous open market for great produce shopping, etc. Excellent for day parking, which is what we did. (7/13)
www. Travelin-Tortuga. com
Serbia:
Exchange rate: Serbian currency is the Dinar. During our visits in August & October 2011 one dollar equalled about 71 Dinar. This ratio leads to lots of big sounding numbers that take a little time to get used to. 10,000 dinar for 20 gallons of fuel for example.
Overnight parking regulations: We have no information for Serbia regarding the legal status of overnight stays in areas other than established campgrounds. We had no trouble wild camping in rural areas during our ten day visit.
➤ This symbol denotes a parking location that may be difficult to access for larger vehicles or those with limited ground clearance.
Fuel: Fuel prices vary only a little. Prices are generally posted and diesel and gasoline prices are similar. Two grades of diesel fuel are available, Dizel D2 and Euro Dizel, with about 10 Dinar/liter ($.50/gallon) difference between the two. We used Dizel D2 in our 2006 engine with no problems. At the time of our visit, prices were higher than in Bosnia and about the same as in either Slovenia or Croatia. Prices for Dizel D2 were about 126 dinar/liter ($6.65/gallon), while both Euro Dizel and regular gasoline were around 136 dinar/liter ($7.20/gallon).
Propane: LPG is available at many fuel stations using the dish or cup adapter, often referred to as the Italian Dish. The designation is Auto Gas or TNG. As in Bosnia, we also came across Auto Gas only facilities. Prices were similar to neighboring countries at around 62 dinar/liter ($3.29/gallon).
Shopping: Serbia is the first country in Europe we’ve visited where large grocery supermarkets are not common. A few chains are active, but their locations are mid sized at best. The main one we saw was Idea; we saw a sign for Maxi in one town, but did not find the store; in another town we saw a Maxi truck, but again did not find the store. Most shopping seems to be done in locally owned corner stores or street markets.
Location, Type/Cost and Description
Blace Overnight Free N43 16.721 E21 19.262 1295 feet
Fuel stop 2 miles southeast of town. We thought it was deserted, but found someone there. Police checked on us early in the evening, but were simply making sure we weren’t having a problem. Quiet night. (10/11)
Brzeće area Overnight Free N43 19.647 E20 51.293 5310 feet
At Kopaonic NP, first we parked at the noted location, which was superb, on the top of a ridge; total isolation with a terrific view. However, a major storm came through, with strong winds and heavy rain, and we moved a little further on, to a more protected spot in the parking lot of a nearby ski resort area (N43 19.011 E20 50.178 – 5760 feet). This is a beautiful national park. (9/11)
Irig Overnight Free N45 07.601 E19 50.753 900 feet
The Novo Hopovo Monastery is just outside of town. There is a large parking area right at the complex, but there is also overflow parking on a bluff slightly above, which is where we spent a delightful and quiet night; this is a lovely area just outside Fruška Gora NP and the monastery is one of the nicest we’ve seen. (9/11)
Kosjerić area Overnight Free N44 02.819 E19 55.013 1540 feet
North of town about 5 miles, we found an unused quarry just before a small bridge. There was some road noise and an occasional (quiet!) train. (9/11)
Nova Varoš area Overnight Free N43 23.126 E19 50582 4195 feet
About 10 miles east on M8 towards Novi Pazar there is an unmarked but large turnoff into gravel. One branch of the road goes under the highway, but we took the branch into the woods, going west from the highway; we stopped in a meadow area for two nights; lovely and quiet. This is one of the nicest spots we have found anywhere; morning sun but afternoon shade, very little traffic, a small herd of wandering cows passing through, idyllic; we stayed two nights. (8/11)
Satrinci area Overnight Free N45 02.656 E19 56.681 426 feet
Roadside pull-off on small road in open farmland area, near a small dam; peaceful. (9/11)
Studenica Overnight Free N43 29.292 E20 31.806 1610 feet
We spent the night in the parking lot shared by a motel and the monastery; we did not feel the need to ask permission. It was very quiet, with afternoon shade. (811)
Topola Overnight Free N44 15.006 E20 40.928 1023 feet
On Oplanec hill, there is a cemetery before you enter the wooded area and climb up to the church and museum. We parked there and spent a quiet night. This is a lovely town. (8/11)
www.Travelin-Tortuga. com
Slovak Republic:
Exchange rate: Slovakia is on the Euro; exchange rate in September 2012 was $1.23 USD to one Euro.
Overnight parking regulations: Slovakia DOES have regulations restricting overnight stays in areas other than established campgrounds. Use caution in selecting locations to wild camp, ask permission when possible and use online resources to find places other travelers have used.
Fuel: Fuel prices varied only a small amount and are generally posted. Diesel fuel is readily available and prices were about €1.50/liter ($6.98/gallon). Regular gasoline prices were about €1.61/liter ($7.50/gallon). Most, if not all, fuel stations appeared to be manned as opposed to automated.
Propane: LPG, also Autoplyn, is readily available at many fuel stations using the Italian or French dish adapter. Prices were about €0.75/liter ($3.50/gallon).
Vignette: Slovakia requires a Vignette for use of Autostrada (Motorways) only. They can be purchased at fuel stations near the border. We did not need one.
Location, Type/Cost and Description
Bardejov Overnight Free N49 17.450 E21 16.087 938 feet
Excellent parking area near the old city; produce market underway while we were there on both Thursday and Friday - may be daily. Easy walk to the plaza and shopping nearby. (9/13)
Stropkov Overnight Free N49 13.914 E21 40.284
Parking area near a fishing pond out in the country between villages; about 2 miles from Stropkov, on Hwy 15. Nice area. Someone stopped by and asked us to move down off the berm around the pond; indicated that otherwise we were fine. (9/12)
Stropkov area Possible Overnight Free N49 03.514 E21 41.534
We had a lead on somewhere to get water, and located it at this rudimentary camping area along a reservoir, about 17 Kms south of town; it was closed for the season, but the camping area was quite available. The toilet block was locked, but there was a water spigot near the building, and the water was on. We would have felt comfortable camping there, but it was early in the day. There is a second camping area a couple of miles further south, but it was right on the highway and very trashy; there was no water available there. (9/12)
Želina Overnight Free N49 14.236 E18 44.072 1073 feet
We asked for permission to stay the night in the parking area of the Budatin Castle. It was very quiet after dark; earlier lots of folks were walking in the grounds. Excellent spot. (8/13)
www.Travelin-Tortuga. com
Slovenia:
Exchange rate in July 2011: One Euro to approximately 1.44 Dollars.
Overnight parking regulations: Overnight stays in areas other than established campgrounds or aires are allowed in most areas. They are not officially allowed in Triglavski National Park although one of our listings is for a small trailhead within the park. We passed many parking areas in the park that were signed for no overnight parking, but also some with no signage, such as the one we used, or parking areas attached to restaurants or hotels that might be available with permission.
➤ This symbol denotes a parking location that may be difficult to access for larger vehicles or those with limited ground clearance.
Fuel: Fuel prices vary some, but not a lot and are generally NOT posted. The major fuel supplier is Petrol, and their stations are uniformly some of the best we have ever seen, with water and air available free at all locations we saw. At the time of our visit, prices were considerably less than in Italy. Diesel fuel is readily available and prices ranged from €1.21 to €1.23/liter ($6.60 to $6.70/gallon); Regular gasoline prices were about €.05/liter higher than diesel ($0.25/gallon).
Toll road services: We found that along the toll road, east of Ljubljana, at the Petrol fuel station there was a dump station, free electric and water, and free internet access. We suspect that other Petrol stations on this road also will have these facilities.
Propane: GPL is available at some fuel stations using the dish or cup adapter, often referred to as the Italian Dish. Prices ranged from €.71 to €.73/liter ($3.85 to $3.95/gallon). Fewer stations have propane than in Italy and many of them are along the major limited access (toll) highways. We asked at a Tourist Office and they located a station not far away that was not on the highway.
Location, Type/Cost and Description
Begunje na gorenjskem Overnight Free N46 23.766 E14 13.188 2300 feet
We went up a narrow road above the town and past the ruins of the castle. You could also stay in the cemetery parking lot in town, but we wanted elevation in hopes of cooler temperatures. Road became gravel shortly before we came to a large wide spot where we parked. (7/11)
Breginj Overnight Free N46 15.996 E13 25.251 2100 feet
The hillside up behind the town has a church off all by itself; it is up a narrow winding road that is a dead end. This town is on a back road into Italy that comes off Hwy 102 west of Kobarid. There are other O/N possibilities on this road as well. (7/11)
Cerkno Ski Center Overnight Free N46 09.286 E14 02.971 3069 feet
North of the Bolnica Franja Partisan Hospital, on Hwy 912, there is a ski resort, where we found a large paved parking lot for a good overnight. (7/11)
Kamniska Bistrica Overnight Free N46 18.360 E14 36.556 1823 feet
Public parking lot across from the Velika Planina ski area. (7/11)
Kranj Propane N46 13.758 E14 21.284
We were able to fill our tank at the Petrol station here, using the Italian dish. We were told there was a second spot nearby, along the main road into Voklo. (7/11)
Lipica Overnight Free N46 10.002 E14 20.435 1135 feet
At the cemetery, there is an official parking lot right off the main road, but it has a 2.0 meter barricade. We drove down to the bottom of the cemetery, where this is a second, quite large parking area, which is where we stayed. Lots of activity, but no one questioned our presence. Quiet overnight (7/11)
Ljubljana Overnight/Parking Pay N46 03.473 E14 29.970 987 feet
Excellent overnight in the parking lot for Tivoli Gardens. Easy walk to the historic area. Parking is free on Sunday, and then starts up at 6:00 am the next morning. There is a pay kiosk for exit; cost is .60€/hour. Traffic in the city seems to be very light; we came in on a Sunday, left the next day and then drove back through the following Saturday. No traffic problems at any time. (7/11)
Nova Štifta Overnight Free N45 44.700 E14 39.770 2070 feet
At the Church of the Assumption, there is a large parking lot off to the side, an excellent spot for the night; beautiful setting. (7/11)
Ptujska Gora Overnight Free N46 21.069 E15 45.542 1040 feet
We spent the night below the fire station, alongside the sports field. Not perfect; a nice large gravel/grass area, but this is where the town’s recycling area is. We had wanted to spend the night in the large parking area of the basilica, which would make an excellent spot, but we couldn’t get level. (7/11)
Škofja Loka Parking N46 10.025 E14 18.522 1120 feet
This is a large parking lot in the center of town; excellent spot. Too noisy for us to spend the night, although others did, so we checked around (see below). Excellent wifi at the tourist office nearby, and they are open every day. This is a beautiful town.
Škofja Loka area Overnight Free N46 09.825 E14 18.605 1120 feet
We ended up in the suburb of Puštal, where we parked next to a sports field. Quiet overnight, and within 10 minutes of the center of town. Excellent! (7/11)
Soriška Planini Overnight Free N46 14.461 E14 00.598 4210 feet
Ski resort area north of Sorica on Hwy 909. Quiet night; no services. (7/11)
Stična Overnight Free N45 57.346 E14 48.386 1190 feet
Parking lot at the monastery made a good overnight. (7/11)
www.Travelin-Tortuga. com
Turkey:
Exchange rate: Turkey uses the Turkish Lira, abbreviated TL; exchange rate in October/November 2012 was about 1.80 TL to one USD. We returned to Turkey in April 2013 and the exchange rate had not changed.
Overnight parking regulations: We are not aware of any regulations restricting overnight stays in areas other than established campgrounds. Turkey does have active camping organizations and actual campgrounds can be found if desired. During our stay, we had no difficulty with overnight parking. In Eastern Turkey we had occasional difficulty with begging children so we began staying more frequently in fuel stations.
Fuel: Fuel is very expensive in Turkey; the highest in Europe; yes, even higher than Norway. Prices are generally posted and vary a lot, so it pays to watch prices and fill up when you see a good one. There are an amazing number of both fuel chains and individual stations; they are literally everywhere, although they do become a bit more scarce in the back country as you would expect. The bigger name brand chains consistently have diesel prices in the upper end of the range (4.20 to 4.30 TL/liter), but many smaller chains will frequently be much less (3.69 to 3.89 TL/liter). Diesel fuel, called Motorin or Dizel, is readily available and prices ranged from 3.70 to 4.30 TL/liter ($7.75 to $9.02/gallon). Regular gasoline prices run between 0.40 to 0.60 TL/liter ($0.85 to $1.25/gallon) higher. All fuel stations we saw were manned as opposed to automated and attendants pump all the fuel for you. Another important point is that the banking system in Turkey appears to be quite fragmented. Stores and fuel stations typically have several different card machines tied to specific banks; I’ve seen as many as eight lined up on the counter. It seems that only some banks honor foreign credit cards so on occasion our card won’t work at a specific station. This may be less of a problem at major stations but I can’t say. Given the dollar plus per gallon price difference we use the lower cost stations and try to carry enough cash reserve to cover the cost of a fill up if necessary.
Propane: LPG, also OtoLPG or Otogaz, is also expensive but readily available in Turkey. It can be found at most fuel stations as well as some stand alone facilities using the Italian or French dish adapter. Prices range from 2.39 to 2.83 RTL/liter ($5.00 to $5.92/gallon).
Visas, Vignettes & Insurance: You do have to buy a visa at the border in order to enter Turkey. Visas are good for ninety days and must be purchased with either US Dollars ($20.00 per person), or Euros (€15.00 per person. Turkey has toll roads rather than using a vignette. There are areas, such as Istanbul or Izmir, where it simply is not possible to get around without using the toll roads, so you pretty much have to buy into the system. The systems for collecting the tolls have changed over the past few years from manned booths where you pay a toll, to a prepaid card system where you stop and insert a card in a machine, to the current system using a prepaid window sticker and license plate recognition. We registered and bought a sticker in the first town after crossing the border; this is done at a PTT (Post Office) that is combined with a bank. It was a bit of a hassle but not too bad; the stickers are purchased at one of several approved banks. Information is available at the Turkey Travel Planner website. Based on information from other travelers we prepaid 50 TL ($27.50); you can add money at any time if needed. Note that when we returned in April 2013 we stopped to check and discovered that we had used 28 Lira but still had 22 remaining. Your European Green Card insurance should be good in Turkey.
Location, Type/Cost and Description
Adana area Overnight Free N37 06.028 E35 06.739 Sea level
Along the D01-75, the road to Karaisali (between Tarsus and Adana). Just before you cross the river (going north) turn off to the right into a quarrying area. Salbas is on the other side of the river. Quiet night. (4/13)
Adana Chevrolet dealer Mechanic N36 59.017 E35 22.895
They have just moved to a new location on Girne Blvd No. 273 in the Yüreğir neighborhood. Terrific folks; one of the service writers spoke good English. They spent a long time diagnosing and fixing an electric problem for us, and charged us nothing. We love them. (4/13)
Adana-Osmaniye area Overnight Free N37 00.157 E35 42.218 Sea level
We stopped at a rest area along the motorway, between these two cities. We had a surprisingly quiet night. This was a nice spot, with lots of trees and space. There is a restaurant here, picnic tables, and some facilities; might be able to get water. The security guard came by to introduce himself (and would have liked a little whiskey or cigarettes for his trouble), but otherwise left us alone. (4/13)
Adiyaman area Overnight Free N37 27.973 E38 15.681 390 meters
Along D875, about 25 miles east of Adiyaman, you cross the Euphrates River, a short distance west of the turnoff to the Dam; this is on the road to Nemrut Daği from Sanlıurfa. We parked along the west side of the river, and enjoyed a quiet night (except for some continuing traffic on the bridge). Beautiful spot. (4/13)
Ağlasun/Sagalassos Overnight Free N37 39.709 E30 31.509 1234 meters
We drove part way up to the Sagalassos ruins, then parked for the night on a piece of level waste ground; owner was nearby and said we were fine. Quiet. You could easily find a place to park in town. The next morning, when we arrived at the site, it was clear we would have had difficulty in finding a spot for the night there due to a very small and unlevel parking area. Also a wonderful site. (4/13)
Amasya Overnight Free N40 39.022 E35 49.204
Parking lot in the heart of the city, right off Yavuz Acar Cadessi; not quiet but great location; walk into town to see all the sights. (10/12)
Ankara Overnight 10TL/24 hours N39 56.568 E32 51.814
Secure parking (police impound lot) in the city, not far from the Museum; it is located on Benderes Cadessi, at the foot of the north side of the fortress. Chaotic and noisy, but a great location. Regular parking lots nearby seemed very crowded but we had plenty of room. There is a museum parking lot at the top of the hill, but this is much better. (10/12)
Aksaray area Overnight Free N38 24.317 E34 07.761 1160 meters
About 6 miles from town, shortly after the turnofof into Ihlara Valley, we spotted a large open area below the Mamasin Baraji (dam). Very quiet. (11/12)
Anamur area Overnight Free N36 05.518 E32 35.870363 meters
Traveling along D400 wet of Anamur, we had trouble finding a spot off the highway. Finally we found a loop of old road that curved behind a hill, shortly after passing Uçari. Not perfect, and too close to the dump nearby, but great views. We were joined by locals several times up until dark, then had the place to ourselves. (11/12)
Antioch ad Cragum Possible Overnight Free near N36 09.627 E32 25.905
This ruin site is difficult to find, as currently there is no signage at the highway (D400). The turnoff is at N36 10.144 E32 26.690. The posting above will help you keep on the right road. The ruins are about 2 miles beyond that point. There should be plenty of spots for an overnight; the locals are quite friendly. (11/12)
Antalya area Overnight Free N36 50.987 E30 49.684
Lara Beach. A good spot is at the eastern end of Lara Beach, about 5-6 miles south of town. It goes for miles, and there are many places that would be appropriate. We spent a total of 3 nights there, with no problem. Water is available from a tap at N36 50.959 E, about half a mile west. All the toilet facilities seemed to be at water’s edge, and not close enough to be useful.
Lorry park at west end of the bay, near the sea port at Konyaalti has a small fee, but it was jammed full so we moved on. N36 50.586 E30 36.706
Along the D400 at the western end of the bay, there are several restaurants; one had a parking area off the road. We asked permission and stayed the night. It was noisy but it worked. N36 50.841 E30 37.127
Roughly 4 miles further east on D400, east of PortoBello Hotel, there are two official Otoparks that were quite available, and would be a good bet, as they are further off the road. There is a small fee perhaps. Sorry, no coordinates! (11/12)
Antalya automotive repair shop Delta Oto N36 55.362 E30 38.462
Good diagnostic center in an auto repair area. Owner spoke excellent English. (11/12)
Aphrodisias Overnight 10TL N37 42.853 E28 43.875 546 meters
The cost was to park in the lot for the ruins/museum; they said we were fine to stay the night. Quiet and comfortable. Toilets on site, as well as a snack bar. Wonderful site. (4/13)
Bitlis area Overnight Free N38 07.465 E41 41.385 741 meters
We stopped for the night at a StarPet fuel station; it was on D360 on the west of the town of Veysel Karani, just west of the turn south on the new road to Siirt. They made us very welcome. (5/13)
Black Sea Coast west of Sinop (along Hwy 010)
This is a lovely coastal drive and well worth your time. The road is not bad and is being improved. (10/12)
Melenağzi Overnight Free N41 04.370 E30 57.972
We parked along a quai reached by a small dirt road just before crossing the bridge to the west of the village. Quiet.
Amasra Overnight
Parking available along the western end of the harbor - 10TL/night.
Hisar Overnight Free N41 49.836 E32 40.328
We parked along the edge of the harbor; boatyard across the lagoon; playground close by. Spent two nights.
Kuruçasile Possible Overnight
Excellent paved parking area at harbor.
Rumluca Possible Overnight
Lots of parking available along the water, although it is close to the road.
Cide Possible Overnight
At the west end, in the village of Kalafat there is a long beach area, which has some access. Probably could find a spot here. The harbor in Cide itself is very commercial.
Doğanyurt Possible Overnight
Large parking area in the harbor; should be good for overnight.
Özlüce Overnight Free N41 59.182 E33 36.999
Plenty of room for quiet overnight at the harbor at the eastern edge of town; able to get away from the road.
Inebolu area Possible Overnight Free N41 58.378 E33 50.397
East of town the road widens and there are more pull-offs than further west, including this spot we noticed. The town itself has a large harbor but it’s quite industrial; probably not good.
Evernye Possible Overnight
Small harbor, but it had good parking areas.
Abana Possible Overnight
West of town there is a large new harbor with lots of room to park.
Çatalzeytin Possible Overnight
Large spacious harbor; should be excellent for overnight.
Ginolu Possible Overnight
Harbor is good for overnight.
Türkeli Possible Overnight Free N41 57.045 E34 22.478
East of town, along the water there is a quiet open area; may be temporary.
Ayancik area Possible Overnight Free N41 52.930 E34 33.650
About 4 miles west of town, there is a lovely large pulloff between Sofu and Kiran.
Bodrum area Overnight Free N37 06.985 E27 31.581
Heading towards Bodrum, about 9 miles short there is a layby along the cliff. Best approached as heading toward town, because the road is divided with few turnarounds. If you miss this one, within the next mile there are at least two more possibilities, but this one got furthest away from the road. If you are leaving Bodrum, go past this location and there will be a turnaround about half a mile later. (12/12)
Bodrum parking Free N37 02.265 E27 25.364
Parking is difficult here. We followed along the one-way road that goes along the harbor until we found a right-hand turn that was marked towards an Otopark. We went up this side street, past that parking area (pay location), and further on found street parking available. This was about 9:30 am; would be increasingly difficult later in the day. This location was still within good walking distance of the castle and museum. (12/12)
Boyalica area Overnight Free N40 32.755 E29 31.497
We spent the night in this quiet, pretty valley on Rd 595 heading for Iznik over the hills from Karamürsel on the Sea of Marmara. Quite lovely. (4/13)
Çavdarhisar Overnight Free N39 12.112 E29 36.603 About 950 meters
We spent the night in front of the Temple of Zeus at the Aizanoi (Aezani) ruins in town. A marvelous spot, although this is a road out of town, and there was some traffic. The caretaker at the ruins called the police station to get us permission. This is a great historic site southwest of Kütahya. (4/13)
Çavusin Overnight Free N38 39.753 E34 50.501 1100 meters
We found a wide pull-off on one of the dirt roads about a half-mile outside town. (11/12)
Çorum area Overnight Free N40 21.267 E35 08.084 631 meters
Along road 19, a scenic small road between Amasya and Çorum, we turned off the road into some waste ground about 15 miles east of town (and 5 miles west of Ibek. (10/12)
Çorum area Overnight Free N40 21.372 E34 48.093 920 meters
We found a nice wide spot near a small reservoir next to Hwy 795 about 17 miles south of town; turn off at the sign for Babaoğlu. (10/12)
Cynaceae ruins Possible Overnight Free N36 14.727 E29 48.829 670 meters
We didn’t stay, but it would be super; go to the top of the ruins; there is a wide open area that would be perfect. Any car can do this, with care; the top is about 4 kms up; there is a split in the road about 3 kms up – be sure to keep climbing and not take the road that drops down (it says Kyanai). (11/12)
Derik Overnight Free N37 25.564 E40 19.799 1056 meters
On Rd 47, the scenic cutoff from E90 towards Diyarbakır, a few miles north of town, we pulled off onto a wide open area with a great view. Quiet night. (4/13)
Didium area Overnight Free N37 23.983 E27 22.082 Sea level
We had trouble finding a place to overnight in this area. We finally settled on a gravel area next to the edge of the beach, about 3-1/2 miles short of Akbük. It was okay, but lots of traffic throughout the evening. (12/12)
Digor area Overnight Free N40 08.217 E43 38.347 982 meters
Along D070, about 3 miles north of the junction of D070/D080, going west to Kaziğman and heading for Digor; the spot was 7 miles north of Tuzluca. (5/13)
Diyarbakır area Overnight Free N37 48.669 E40 19.833 602 meters
At junction of D950/D370, about 12 miles south of town, we spent the night at the S Oil fuel station. Noisy, but it worked. (5/13)
Diyarbakır Daytime Parking Free N37 55.024 E40 14.114
Just outside the north gate, heading north, it was easy to park at 8:45 am; later quite congested. (5/13)
Diyarbakır area Overnight Free N38 03.998 E40 34.248 675 meters
Heading east on D360/E99 for about 22 miles, we pulled off just before the bridge; either side of the road has areas down by the river where you could park. We turned north and went up towards the dam, finding open ground along the way. This area was just shortly before reaching Oğuzlar. (5/13)
Doğuzagaç Overnight Ahtamara Camping N38 18.517 E43 01.549 1652 meters
We spent the night in this campground; he asked for 20TL but we settled on 10Tl with no services. There are toilets, shower, and wifi on site, as well as a small restaurant. Lovely spot right on the water near Akdamar Island. (5/13)
Elmali area Overnight Free N36 34.259 E29 57.045 1015 meters
We stopped about 7 miles above Gölcük, about 12 miles before Elmali; there is a large open wasteground area here beside the lake. A couple of miles further on there was a small park on the left which would probably make a better overnight spot. Cold at night due to the elevation. (11/12)
Eğrider area Overnight Free N38 20.029 E31 01.093 1017 meters
Along D-320, on the north side of the lake, about 15 miles west of Yalvaç, we found a place to park off the road, almost directly across from the Teco fuel station. Quiet, but chilly. (4/13)
Ermenek area Overnight Free N36 32.682 E32 57.909 870 meters
South of Ermenek, we went through the tunnel and then across the dam. A short ways beyond we came to an overlook where we parked for the night; nice views of the lake. (11/12)
Fethiye Overnight Free N36 37.246 E29 05.609 Sea level
Friends suggested this spot right along the water at the far end of the harbor; it was somewhat small, but very quiet overnight and within walking distance of the town center. You take a sharp right turn down to the water directly after passing a small school. (12/12)
Fethiye area Overnight Free N36 39.315 E29 06.658 Sea level
We spent the night along the water at Çaliş Beach, north of Fetiye about 4 miles; great view. Fair amount of traffic until very late, including police patrols. Might want to explore other possibilities. Toilets, but locked for the winter. (12/12)
Fethiye The Pork Store N36 38.493 E29 07.452
If you’re desperate for some ham or such, there is a store along the road between Fetiye and Çaliş. Imported from England, presumably. Check it out. (12/12)
Finike Overnight Free N36 17.729 E30 08.993 Sea level
As you make the turn towards the marina, make a sharp left just before entering the marina proper, and then keep following it around to a long open area; excellent spot. (11/12)
Göbekli Tepe Possible Overnight Free N37 12.129 E38 56.246 600 meters
Down below the site there is a wide open area that should work well. Also other opportunities in the area. (4/13)
Göynük Tatil Köyleri Overnight Free N36 40.834 E30 34.220 Sea level
This is a great free beach spot; we spent 2 nights here. About 30 miles south of Antalya; if coming south, might want to continue past the site, cross the bridge, go about 1 mile further to the roundabout, and return. You can also turn off at the 3rd exit for Beldibi/Tatil Köyleri, then quickly turn right and keep going through the building complex, ending up at the beach. Lots of activity on the weekend, but it quiets down at night. (11/12)
Gülşehir Overnight Free N38 44.482 E34 37.154
We had arranged for permission to stay the night in the lot for the nifty St. Jean Church, but the jandarma showed up and preferred that we come on into town and they led us to the otoger, where we had a quiet night. (11/12)
Istanbul Overnight Pay N41 00.115 E28 58.646
We stayed for 3 nights in this lot right along the water on Kennedy Caddesi, close to the old town area and just below the Blue Mosque. Perfect for visiting the sights, although it has no services. This is not a secure lot, although it is manned 24 hours/day. There is another lot along Kennedy; reportedly it is secure and has a shower block. Coming from the west, as you first come onto the water, the secure lot will immediately be on your right, quite close to the ferry terminal. To reach the second lot, continue along, heading for the white tower; it is just at the eastern end of the grassy park area between the road and the water. We felt quite comfortable where we stayed, and enjoyed the exchange of being with the locals. We were told the cost would be 40 TL/night when we arrived, but were only charged a total of 60 TL for all 3 nights as we left. (10/12). Update (4/13) – still fine, but price has increased to 30TL/night.
Kahramanmaras area Overnight Free N37 27.064 E37 05.423 620 meters
South of town on D835, about 5 miles or so above Narli, we pulled out onto a huge waste ground area on the south side of the road. Hard to get level, but otherwise just terrific; lovely quiet night. By the way, just as we were leaving town, heading south, we passed the Mado Factory, with a great ice cream parlor (N37 32.485 E36 58.427) (4/13)
Karabṻk Overnight Free N41 09.372 E32 30.890
Along Highway 030, east of Yenice through several tunnels, we pulled off the road onto some wasteland on the south side; we were able to get quite far back from the road. There was a spot on the eastern edge of Yenice, opposite two fuel stations, where we considered staying. But the area was junky, noisy and quite smoky; the GPS for that spot is N41 11.892 E32 23.045. (10/12)
Kars Overnight Free N40 36.799 E43 07.786 1767 meters
This is a busy area, but we got a good night’s sleep at the QPet fuel station on the road into the town center. If you are coming from Ani, cross the ring road and head straight on in. (5/13)
Kaş area Overnight Free N36 11.495 E29 39.117 Sea level
Büyük Çakil beach is a short distance east of town along the coast. It’s a pretty little spot with a couple of beach restaurants available; also showers. Rather small, but quite pretty. We spent one night; it’s a public beach. (11/12)
Kazkalesi area Overnight Free N36 28.824 E34 10.445
We parked for several nights along the beach about 2 miles east of town, in a deserted camping/parking area for the Oceanside half of the Elaiussa-Sebaste ruins. It was lovely; there are washrooms here, and fresh water. We had heavy rains, but the ground is firm and drainage is good; no problems. (11/12)
Konya Overnight Free N37 52.190 E32 33.007 1005 meters
This is the most awesome spot ever! The Konya Karatay Belediyesi Karavan Park, on the east side of town and directly off the ring road, is free, has water, electric, shower and dump facilities. You can stay as long as you want. There are busses that stop in front that go into town, which is about 2 miles away. This is a city-owned area with a zoo, community gardens, etc. Delightful. We stayed for 5 days. (4/13)
Konya Otopark Pay N37 52.349 E32 30.261
We drove the Tiger in and parked here. The cost for 4 hours was negotiated down to 7TL. This is a handy spot on the east side, within a comfortable walking distance to the tourist office, the old part of the city, the Mevlâna complex, and plenty of shops. Worked well for us. (4/13)
Limyra ruins Possible Overnight Free N36 20.579 E30 10.141
There is parking near the entrance to the Byzantine area of the ruins, which are open at all times and have no entry fee. (11/12)
Mardin Parking lot/possible Overnight N37 78.811 E40 44.112 1070 meters
We parked here for the day (10TL), but I suspect if you asked you could stay the night. it was an excellent location for seeing this interesting town. (4/13)
Midyat area Overnight Free N37 29.177 E41 32.869 978 meters
North of town on D956, then turning east to follow directions to Anıtlı village with Syrian Orthodox church. We stopped for the night at the side of the small road. Very quiet and lovely. (5/13)
Narince area Overnight Free N37 54705 E38 48.359 835 meters
Leaving Nemrut Dağı, and taking the road south through Karadut, we parked along the river near the bridge; about 3 miles north of Narince. (4/13)
Niğde area Overnight Free N38 01.799 E34 40.040 1489 meters
We found an open area along Hwy 765 coming down from the pass, coming southeast from Güzelyurt; about 4 miles north of town. (11/12)
Nizip area Overnight Free N37 03.317 E37 32.309 837 meters
Again, along the motorway. This is a relatively new rest area, with no trees or anything to recommend it. But we had a quiet night, never even saw the security folks (but we parked quite a ways from the center of the action). Restaurant and fuel station on site, along with rest rooms. (4/13)
Ovacuma Overnight Free N41 28.686 E32 39.693 239 meters
North of town about 5 miles on highway D755, we pulled off down onto the riverbed; lots of trees; a little close to the road but pretty. If you are going north, it’s just before a small bridge going off on the right that crosses the river. (10/12)
Pamucak area Overnight Free N37 58.572 E27 15.311 Sea level
Leaving Selçuk and heading toward Pamucak, turn right at the traffic lights about 5 km after the turn to Ephesus, heading toward Menderes. There is an excellent beach area to the north. It’s a long, open area, with several cars parked here and there. We saw one VW van stuck in the sand, so we parked back aways from the water, on grass. Spent several nights. (12/12)
Patara area Overnight Free N36 17.591 E29 15.824 Sea level
We took the turn off D400 toward the Patara ruins, and then followed the first right turn (about one mile in) which was a gravel track; we followed it to the end, about 3-1/2 miles, a rather nice spot on the edge of a lagoon. There is lots of available area here; it’s remote lthough patrolled by jandarma. We stayed 3 nights. There is no overnight parking at the ruins. (12/12)
Priene Overnight Free N37 39.700 E27 18.271
After visiting the ruins (terrific!) we spent the night at the otogar down below, in the village. Very quiet and pleasant. (12/12)
Safranbolu Possible Overnight Costs Unknown N41 14.840 E32 41.604
As you drop down into town you will come to this school parking lot; it is available at night but not during the day. Keep going down the hill and turn right just before the mosque and follow the signs to an official 24-hr parking lot. A third option would be to go on through town to the top of the hill heading east out of town and stay in the 24/hr Otopark (N41 14.553 E32 41.822). (10/12)
Sanlıurfa area Overnight Free N37 09628 E38 54.224
About 2-3 miles east of town on D400 we stopped at Starpet fuel station for the night. (4/13)
Sanlıurfa grocery N37 10.877 E38 48.472
Migros store. (4/13)
Şavşat area Overnight Free N41 16.385 E42 15.218 700 meters
Driving along the D-010, west of Şavşat about 6 miles, but still east of the turn orth to Meydancik, we found a small road going down to the river and to an unused or at least out of season camping area. It was a terrific choice. No services at the time of our visit. (5/13)
Selçuk area Possible Overnight Free
Along the road between Selçuk and Söke (D525?) we spotted a large open area back off the road a piece, with trees and grass; looked perfect. (12/12)
Selim paşa area Possible Overnight N41 02.733 E28 24.435 Sea Level
Exposed and close to the road, but there is possible parking along the malecon by the water, for an overnight before attacking Istanbul from the west. (4/13)
Şereflikoçhiser area Overnight Free N38 56.489 E33 37.729 1120 meters
Parked beside the river just after turned onto a small road toward Evren, off road 06 out of town in the direction of Ortoköy; Cappadocia area. (11/12)
Seyitgazi Overnight Free N39 27.234 E30 40.941
Just before entering town, along Rd 665 coming south from Eskişehir, there is a short loop off the road, on the right side. We spent a fairly quiet night here. No one bothered us, but there is a fair amount of traffic on the highway. (4/13)
Sinop Auto Repairs N41 59.512 E35 05.590
This shop is on the old road heading east out of town toward Samsun; a new road was under construction when we were there. There is an industrial estate that is primarily auto related; it is easily visible from the new road. Sinop Otomotiv is the first shop on the right. The guys were awesome, though they do not speak English. (10/12)
Sinop area Overnight Free N41 47.331 E34 57.603 640 meters
Going south on Hwy 785, shortly after leaving the coast road, between Sinop and Boyabat there is a nice wide pull-off; this is about 20 miles south of Sinop; we think it might have been a parking area for a hotel (?) up a nearby side road. (10/12)
Tatvan area Overnight Free N38 33.585 E42 21.455 1673 meters
About 5 miles on around Lake Van to the north of town, on D965, we left the road and dropped down into a wide, open area of dirt roads among the grass, all leading down to the lake. Stayed 2 days. Quiet; sheep passing through. (5/13)
Tatvan Overnight Pay N38 29.766 E42 17.256 1646 meters
We stopped in the parking lot behind the Carrefour mall. He asked for 2TL when we arrived, and nothing more even though we stayed the night; seemed quite happy. Quiet at night, but busy during the day. (5/13)
Termessos Milli Parki Overnight Free N37 01.119 E30 30.513 400 meters
Open parking areas just inside the park gate; they were happy to have us spend the night after visiting the ruins, although staying at the ruins themselves is not allowed. Water and toilets available. (11/12)
Uşak area Overnight Free N38 21.602 E29 12.577 683 meters
We stopped and spent 2 days here near these ruins along Rd 64-54 between Uşak and Duldan. We turned off at a historic sign which led to the ruins. (4/13)
Üskṻp Overnight Free N41 42.125 E27 20.601
We turned off the highway (020) towards this town, and stopped in a grove of trees less than a mile off the highway and about 4 miles short of the town. Quiet. (10/12)
Uzuncaburç area Overnight Free N36 42.615 E33 43.787 1300 meters
On Rd 33 out of town heading for Mut, about 8 miles outside of Kirobasi we found a great pull-off overlooking this terrific canyon. We were 31 miles from Mut. (11/12)
Van area Overnight Free N38 19.771 E43 11.339 1692 meters
We stopped at the Petline fuel station 2 miles south of Bakimli on D300, just east of the junction of D300/D945; 30 km west of Van. Noisy at first, but became quiet; owner was extremely nice and helpful. (5/13)
Van area Overnight Free N38 51.434 E43 26.294 1654 meters
On D975, heading north out of Van we found a spot next to the water about 16 miles east of Uluşar; this is after you go over the pass and rejoin the lake. Spent two nights. (5/13)
Yenişarbademli area Overnight Free N37 44.468 E31 26.262 1132 meters
We spent the night on the west side of Beyşehir Lake in the parking lot for the ruins of Kubat-Abad Sarayi, on a side road off D32, near the town of Yenişarbademli. (4/13)
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