I 've been 5 months on the road so far and I must say that free camping saved my budget.
So here are the best, most beautiful or most weird places I stayed during the last 5 Months.
When people are getting ready for a big trip and they really want to save some money on accommodation, they turn to Wild camping, or Bush camping or Free camping. In the most of the countries there is a law that forbids free camping but If you know how to hide and if you speak to the people in the area you can have an amazing experience, perfect views and all of this for free!
1. Vama Veche - Romania
This was a former hippie place that everyone could go to party and have a drink by the beach and stay there overnight. Even when Nicolae Ceucescu was in power Vama Veche was not forbidden to visit by the people of Romania. When I was there, it was a bit quiet. There were some people having their beers on the beach and some others doing yoga on the white sand. Everything was cool and nice and I really enjoyed it. There is an unwritten law that if you ever going to visit Vama Veche in Romania you have to free camp at the beach to boycott the touristic apartments and hotels that started to show up in the area.
2. Camping above Sighisoara - Romania
These camping spot is included in the list because it was really an amazing experience. I arrived in Sighisoara and it was getting already late so I started to climb the hill above the town. It was a small guesthouse there so I stopped and I asked if it was ok by them to camp in the area since I was thinking that they own the place. The guys there told me that I can stay as close to the guesthouse as I can so I can have internet sharing as well. I had a great view of the city by night and when I woke up in the morning an amazing surprise was waiting for me. I heard some noise and as I opened the tend door to check it out I saw 3 young deers, eating just 15 meters from my tent.
Unfortunately I wasn't very quiet trying to grab my camera but it was an amazing experience.
3. Camping on the side of the road
Many times I found myself riding until late enjoying the scenery and the places that I find. Without many hours of daylight left I camped a lot of times on the side of the road. Every time I have visitors that I dont expect, no matter how far I am from the main road. This picture is from a small dirt road in Hunedoara Romania, that I stayed, after I went about 1km deep and I could not see even one building. As soon as I pitched my tent three cars passed and the most weirdest was that at 5:00 a.m in the morning a guy was passing on foot. I don't know how and why they were there, but there was nothing around.
4. Gas station camping
Many times I found myself to camp at gas stations! The good thing abou them is that most of them in Europe they are 24 hours open, you can buy some food and drinks for your dinner, they have toilets and some of them they even have showers. And off course they do have power and Wifi to plan your next day or send messages at home. They aslo have cameras in case something happens which is extremely rare.
First picture: Gas station in Lithuania
Second picture: Gas station in Resita, Romania
5. Camping in an under construction lifeguard tower!
In Lithuania I found this under construction lifeguard tower with three floors and I went on the middle floor where i found this room and made it like my home. The best thing was that I had power as well to charge all my electronic equipment that I use on this trip. I had the best view ever to the Baltic sea from the balcony of the lifeguard tower and I did enjoy one of the best sunsets ever!
6. Panga cliffs - Estonia
The camping at Panga cliffs in Estonia was once again one of the best spots I found totally by mistake. I didn't research anything for that country and I just started to make the round of it and it's islands. Being in Panga cliffs at the right time was amazing to pitch the tent and sit to enjoy one more sunset in the Baltic!
7. Senja Island - Norway
While making the round of Senja Island in Norway I had very bad weather almost in the whole route causing the speed of my trip to be extremely low. For that reason I lost the last ferry to Lofoten Islands and I had to find a spot to stay for the night. I was so tired, hungry and upset in that day, but once I pitched my tent and cooked something to eat the sun dived behind those hills creating amazing colors on the sky and on the water.
8. Lofoten Islands - Norway
Camping in Lofoten Islands was one of the most amazing free camps that I done in this trip. In Norway and the rest of Scandinavia you can stay anywhere you want for 1 night. In this picnic site that I found I stayed for 2 nights because I really liked the view and I wanted to enjoy it more. I had my picnic table and toilets and some neighbors that were staying there for the night also.
9. The bridge of Bodo - Norway
I was in a ferry going from Lofoten to mainland Norway and I made a search on my phone for picnic places. As I was browsing I found a picnic place that was at the end of a dirt road and I marked it. When I was there the view was stunning.
Once of the most beautiful places I free camped.
10. Camping under the bridge - Norway
On my way South in Norway I met Kristian. A German guy who was travelling with a Transalp as well. He asked me where I stay and I answered him that I free camp around. After a long day riding with him we found this amazing spot under this beautiful bridge and camped for the night. That was my first wild camping with some company!