The Wintercamping Experience

The underrated season of winter

Unfortunately, it can’t be summer all year round, and there’s nothing we can do about that. But does that mean “summer over = camping over”? Another chance next year? Of course not! Just swap the cold beer for some punch, the flip-flops for snowshoes, and the shorts for a cozy blanket, and nothing will stop you from enjoying the winter camping experience!

Tipps for your next Winter-vacation

If you’re not yet 100% convinced to try camping in winter or want to convince your travel companions, here are our top 5 reasons for camping during the winter season. We’ve also put together some great ideas on where to go on your next winter vacation and tips for winter camping newbies.

2. It’s not that crowded!

Whether it’s the campsites or the ” attractions” – in summer, the European vacation regions are packed. In the fall and winter, you will experience how pleasant it is to be able to choose one of the most beautiful pitches on the campsite and to be able to take a leisurely stroll along the beach or through beautiful towns. The relaxation is pre-programmed!

3. There is a lot to experience!

Grape harvest on the Moselle and in Tuscany, mushroom picking on the Mecklenburg Lake District, great hiking tours in the golden fall in South Tyrol – once the leaves begin to fall, the outdoor fun is far from over! Quite the opposite: those who “venture outside” after the main season are rewarded with magnificent natural spectacles (and don’t have to share them with so many other people)!

4. A different kind of wellness!

A growing number of campsites have expanded in recent years and now offer wellness. First a walk by the sea, then pamper your body and soul with a sauna, swimming pool and massage. And in the evening – after a delicious meal in the great campsite restaurant – make yourself comfortable in your cozy motorhome. Couldn’t be any better!

5. Take the caravan to a winter wonderland or to the ski slopes!

The Alps and popular ski resorts have also undergone some changes in terms of camping infrastructure in recent years. The cozy motorhome is a great alternative to huts and hotels, especially when it comes to your wallet. The peace and quiet in a landscape muffled by a thick blanket of snow is simply wonderful!

As if there weren’t enough reasons (there shouldn’t be more than five in a list like this, should there?), it’s also much cheaper to travel in the fall and winter than during the high season.

Great camper van destinations for the winter

Enjoy the Northern Lights in Scandinavia

Seeing the green, blue or red shimmering northern lights in the clear winter sky is a dream come true for many people. The best way to do this is to head far up north. The best chances to see the natural spectacle with your own eyes are in the periods from October to November and February to March in northern Norway or Sweden. In Norway, it is best to drive directly to the North Cape, where the Nordkapp Camping site awaits sky-gazers. If you don’t want to stay quite so far north and also less cold, it’s best to head to Tromsø or the Lofoten Islands.

In Sweden, the area around Abisko National Park is the best place to go in search of the Northern Lights. The Riksgransen Campsite, for example, is very close by.

Christmas markets with the camper van

How about a short tour to one or more of the most beautiful Christmas markets during the time before Christmas? Christmas markets and winter camping simply go well together. Take a nice walk in the snow in the afternoon, then head to the Christmas market for a glass of mulled wine and a delicious meal. And when it gets dark, snuggle up in your cozy motorhome – now that’s what a perfect winter’s day looks like!

You will find many beautiful Christmas markets near campsites and pitches on Isa’s website. For those who don’t want to pick their own: our favorite is the Canaletto Market in Pirna. In addition to the actual Christmas market, there is a great light show on the facades of the old half-timbered houses every evening. You can find a parking space at Pirna Castle Park, approx. 800m from the Christmas market.

Two other highlights outside Germany are the Christmas markets and the surrounding area in Bruges and Luxembourg City, where there is also a campsite nearby – in Bruges it is Camping Klein Strand and in Luxembourg City Camping Simmerschmelz.

A winter camping wellness vacation

An increasing number of campsites which are open in winter are offering their guests various wellness packages. After all, when it’s freezing cold and snowy outside, there’s hardly anything more enjoyable than pampering yourself in the sauna and perhaps with a massage. Our first recommendation for this is the Neuharlingersiel campsite. Here you can enjoy nature, which is rarely visited in winter, and let the refreshing North Sea air blow around your ears. Afterwards, you can warm up again in the sauna and indoor pool directly adjacent to the campsite.

Further south and usually with more snow lies the vacation paradise Schwarzwälder Hof, where you will find a great wellness offer. And the Black Forest also offers many opportunities to get active in nature in winter and enjoy the cold season in all its facets. For example, snowshoeing or tobogganing.

You can find our last recommendation in Austria, more precisely in Nenzingen in the Alps. With a winter wonderland guarantee and a wonderful wellness landscape, a visit to Alpen Camping Nenzingen almost guarantees a fantastic winter camping wellness vacation!

Sauna im BadeWerk Neuharlingersiel

Alpencamping Nenzing im Schnee

To the ski resort by camper van

It is no longer a rarity, which is why many campsites in the mountains have adapted to winter sports guests. The campsites are often located right next to a ski area or a ski bus stop and offer modern, heated sanitary facilities, drying rooms and, in some cases, wellness facilities. Camping and skiing vacations are therefore a wonderful combination!

Winter campsite highlights in South Tyrol and Zillertal

The range of suitable winter campsites is huge. That’s why we have selected two absolute highlights for all those who don’t want to spend a long time searching and instead want to book their winter camping vacation straight away.

The 5- Sterne Caravan Park Sexten is located in South Tyrol and is ideally equipped for an unforgettable winter camping experience. In addition to drying rooms, three restaurants and shopping facilities, there is also an indoor pool with a fantastic view and several saunas.

The second recommendation takes you to the beautiful Zillertal – where you will find the Natürlich Hell campsite. The free ski bus will take you to all the ski areas in the valley and you can get the right ski pass directly at the reception of the beautiful winter campsite. And after a long day in the snow, you can relax in the indoor pool and sauna area!

Caravanpark Sexten

Campingplatz Hell im Zillertal

Now you know where to go for your first or next winter camping trip – all that’s missing is our …

Checklist for a winter vacation with the camper van

  • Especially for vacations over Christmas and / or New Year, it is advisable to reserve a pitch, as the campsites open in winter are often fully booked at these times
  • When choosing your campsite, make sure that it is also open in winter – the majority of campsites close in winter (even in southern Europe)
  • Ideally, book a campsite with a power supply – in winter in the camper, consumption is higher and the batteries are less powerful in the cold. Lay the power cable so that it cannot be damaged by snow clearing vehicles
  • Prepare for winter – in addition to warm clothes and sturdy shoes, consider, for example, a hot water bottle & thermos flask
  • You should definitely have snow chains on board, especially if you are heading into the mountains. Snow chains are compulsory on some Alpine passes(VANTOPIA will of course provide you with the right snow chains when you book with us).
  • When you arrive at the campsite and have parked your camper, put it in gear and release the handbrake. This will prevent it from freezing
  • To prevent freezing in tanks or pipes, use the waste water tank heater. And leave the camper heater on a low setting when you are not ‘at home’
  • Regularly check the gas level to ensure you’re not surprised by the heater running out- we’ll be happy to advise you on the best way to do this
  • To avoid a steam bath in the camper in winter, do regular shock ventilation (open all storage compartments) and hang damp clothes in the drying room of the winter campsite rather than in the camper

Are you convinced to give winter camping a try?

If you want to book your very own winter adventure with our Dreamer or our Traveler – both of course fully equipped for winter with auxiliary heating, internal or heatable water tanks and sleeping roof insulation – go this way.

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If you have any questions or would like a little winter camping advice, please contact us at any time!

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