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Suppose you are used to actively vacationing with your family or friends, discovering new places and changing several alternative locations for staying in nature during one vacation. In that case, it is time to consider a camping vacation, for example, in the campsites of Lakes Wolfgangsee, Mondsee or Garda. Or do you like mountain or Italian campsites, or Victoria Mobilehome in Istra Premium Camping Resort in Croatia? This can be defined by the term outdoor, often used in advertising. However, it will also be suitable for our vacation because its meaning is deciphered as an assessment of some action outside the premises. This is precisely the option that camping provides. Spending free time not in the hotel room but outside it. In a tent, in nature, in a specially designated place or a specially equipped car. Or combine several of these options into one, staying in a specially equipped camping area with fire pits, showers, toilets, containers for waste disposal, access to water, the ability to connect your car to electricity, etc. An important point is the presence of security. However, it depends on your financial capabilities.
Here you have to choose. Free camping provides a place to relax, while paid camping for a moderate amount saturates your life with the comforts of the open air. What is not an alternative to a vacation in a hotel?
Therefore, right now, it is worth talking about a comfortable vacation in mobile homes when you can load the maximum number of things for a comfortable pastime—without fanaticism, of course — in addition to your favorite bicycles, scooters, and sports equipment.
The history of the invention of the mobile home, which today is commonly called a motorhome, dates back to the end of the nineteenth century. Then, the Scotsman William Gordon Stables, a physician by training, drew up sketches for the Bristol Wagon Works Company to build a kind of schooner on wheels, which he called the Voyager land yacht. According to historians, the doctor liked to go on vacation in his caravan, with a pulling power of two horsepower. The interior decoration of the caravan corresponded to the pomp of that time. Expensive materials include a sofa, bookcases, water tanks for the wash basin, a folding table and even a piano. Over a thousand miles were covered on the first trip. This was a fantastic distance for such a unit at that time, considering the additional cargo – two passengers, a coachman, a faithful Newfoundland dog and a parrot.
For his followers, Stables published a book called The Cruise of a Land Yachtsman, and the restored crew of the first caravan is still preserved at the British Caravan and Motorhome Club.
It was the prototype of modern camping houses.
In the twenties of the last century, the famous Eccles caravan company went bankrupt and was bought by father and son Riley. They founded Eccles Motor Transport to manufacture caravan trailers on car chassis and individual vans. This started auto tourism in England.
By the end of the thirties, Eccles caravans had become famous worldwide. From this period, along with the production of premium caravans, emphasis was placed on developing more affordable models for the middle class. In recent years, there has been a real boom in the production of houses on wheels. Demand exceeded supply.
The thirties and forties of the last century gave impetus to the development of vans not only from the outside but also for internal improvement. At the end of the Second World War, the National Caravan Company began mass-producing caravans. This made it possible to make a quality product at an affordable price without losing the luxury status of a branded manufacturer. Since then, new technologies and projects have been introduced.
For the first time, cylinder gas was used to service kitchens in the campsite. Until now, gasoline and grease were used in stoves for pressure-type vodkas. It was a fire hazard, especially in accidents. At the same time, the first steam furnaces were put into operation.
Approaches to decorating salons have also changed. Epoxy resins, which were used for painting wooden surfaces, were replaced by synthetic enamels.
Progress also extended to the technical part. The chassis design was finalized. Light and practical aluminum products replaced the heavy and bulky cladding. Fabric trim was replaced with practical vinyl, and spring mattresses were replaced with rubber fillers. They started making carpets and electric pumps, installed folding beds, etc. Fiberglass was used for critical decorative elements. And with the advent of GRP, caravans, in addition to mobility, also kept a system of functionality.
Lighting the caravans remained a problem since, with the onset of dusk, electricity had to be obtained from the car’s battery. This was inconvenient even though premium vans were equipped with additional batteries. Using pressure lamps from leading companies Tilley, Coleman, and Aladdin did not help in this case either.
It was a transition to modern production. The period when products went beyond the country’s borders to international markets with output growth.
The mass production of vans began for domestic needs. Some manufacturers produced more than thirty thousand of them a year.
At this time, designers solved the problem of optimally increasing the internal living space of trailers while maintaining the appropriate dimensions for transporting a house on wheels. After all, he was considered a full-fledged participant in road traffic. The task of increasing and optimizing the area of the house while maintaining the permitted dimensions remains relevant even today.
Various ideas were offered at that time, some of which have survived to this day. For example, during the construction of the campsite’s base, double removable structures were mounted. This made it possible to expand the frame itself. The ideas of the second-floor superstructure were put into practice.
Along with improving comfort, vans’ technical characteristics also improved. They introduced an independent suspension, reduced the size of the wheel rims, which began to be equipped with tubeless tires, and installed disc brakes, which were later replaced by electric ones in most cases.
The end of the last century is a golden time for caravans. Specialized magazines, thematic product exhibitions and interest clubs for manufacturers and users appeared. At the first international motorhome exhibition at the beginning of 2000, manufacturers, dealers and other participants provided more than one hundred and sixty campers for viewing. More than eighty thousand people visited II. Interest in this topic did not fade away. Five years later, more than one hundred thousand visitors came to a similar exhibition. The names of well-known companies, Aline, Raven, Rallyman, Pioneer, Ambassador, Puku, Sable and others, appeared among the manufacturers.
Over time, the peak of trailer releases has declined. The competition put everything in its place. Some remained in the topic, some had to leave the market, and some manufacturers repurposed production into the production of mobile homes and tourist vans.
We live in an age of innovation and technological progress. And it seemed that nothing could add fresh ideas to the developed concepts of trailer manufacturing. What can be invented new? The Mehrzeller project, which appeared at the beginning of the current millennium, violated such confidence. He added a real drive to manufacturers and designers and touched the visual sensations of everyone who dreams of owning a motorhome. This is actually a virtual project designed to combine personalization, convenience, attractiveness, and an affordable price.
The Mehrzeller camper trailer is the Granz University of Technology graduate project by Austrian designers Christian Freissling and Teresa Kaltais. It was conceptually presented for the first time at the Caravan-Salon exhibition in Dusseldorf.
His idea is to develop a multifaceted cellular structure of the product with the possibility of personalization. For example, you can take part in creating your product. And this is not a computer game. This is reality. An online configurator was created at Mehrzeller, where potential buyers could optionally form their wishes. How many people do they want to accommodate in the camper, program the furniture arrangement, determine areas for living, cooking, relaxing, etc?
Although the project has not been brought to serial production, it is worth noting that this is not the end. After all, there are still very few designer trailers on the camper market, even though many people are looking for options for creating their products with individual and personalized designs. Let’s wait.
One of these options, improving old ideas, led to manufacturing trailers – cottages. Even those that can float on water. The German industrial designer Daniel Straub developed such a trailer on wheels. He endowed it with a lightweight, wide bottom and a slight draft for two adult men with the possibility of manually lowering it into the water and dragging it to the shore. In appearance, it is instead an amphibian made of a body lined with waterproof air chambers. It has a modular interior, a refrigerator, heating, a toilet, a folding roof and an electric motor.
It is important to understand what exactly can be attributed to the concept of a house on wheels and how to classify it. Today, it is customary to distinguish three main types of such products: folding camper, trailer, and mobile home. They differ significantly in dimensions, destination, price tag, availability of the appropriate category for the driver’s transportation, etc.
Let’s start with a motorhome, including a vehicle such as a van or pickup truck. Traveling by motorhome involves spending the night or resting in any convenient place by manually or automatically unfolding the roof, visor, and bed. This is a budget option with limited space and low autonomy. The advantages are maneuverability and low fuel consumption. Agree; satisfaction is not even theoretically comforting and inspiring.
A trailer or caravanner is the type of motor home that most people are familiar with. This is a ready-to-go covered trailer fully equipped for long trips. It is enough to stay in an accessible city or at a campsite, connect to an autonomous or fixed power supply, and that’s it. You can get comfort and a good mood from the trip. The main features of this system are automatic independence and self-service. With the possibility to stop at the planned places while having maximum convenience. In specially designated areas or on the campsite territory. Such a car is in the perceived price-quality range.
Regarding the disadvantages, the car is heavy, and you need to anticipate serious fuel costs. In addition, when planning a trip, it is necessary to take into account its limited speed range.
It is worth talking more meticulously about a house on wheels. These are small apartments with all the amenities that can accommodate many people. Of course, by purchasing such a house, you automatically get the opportunity to travel with maximum comfort. Of course, for much money. Because the price of such pleasure often corresponds to the cost of a good apartment. This is a fully-fledged home, reduced in size, with a portable shower, toilet, kitchen, and comfortable beds.
The mobile home has proven itself well for family vacations, business trips, and trips with children. The main requirement can be considered a good driving record and a positive attitude towards traveling by car.
At the same time, it is worth pointing out a few typical mistakes that should not be made when vacationing in a motorhome.
An important point is water, which they try to completely fill all the motorhome tanks when leaving for a trip. This is unjustified and not rational. On the road, every extra kilogram increases fuel costs and makes driving more difficult. Remember, you are not in the desert. Fill in exactly enough to comfortably reach the planned point on the route. It will be cheaper to replenish these stocks there.
When preparing for a trip, don’t try to pack everything you see. Take only what is necessary. Place the load correctly by loading heavy objects on the central axles. This will ensure the correct balance and stability of the car.
Write a list of necessary things and their locations, which will help you not to forget anything. Securely secure all items in the trailer, cover the stove’s burners, and securely lock the boxes with items.
Choosing a parking place is accessible only at first glance. Don’t park in open sunny spots; you can park in the shade. Remember, the house will heat up quickly in the sun, which will cause problems.
Monitor the cost and proper use of available resources. This will make it possible to replenish water supplies in time, charge batteries, and control electricity and gas consumption. And of course, pay particular attention to the fullness of the tanks where the water drains after washing dishes, from the shower, toilet, etc. They need to be emptied, especially before leaving the campsite. This is a priority. The problem, in this case, is not related to the trailer’s weight. If you ignore this advice during the trip, everything focuses on the smell that will spread in the trailer.
If you decide to spend the night at a campsite, don’t forget to stock up on small coins of various denominations. Remember, this small saving will save you much time. Most campsites use old machines for payment, which only accept cash in denominations of fifty cents and one- and two-here coins for using the washing machine, shower, electricity, etc.
And the last. It is not the biggest mistake many people make when leaving the campsite. After everything is packed and, as it were, cleaned, And here you should go back to the list and recheck everything. Don’t be lazy; go to the parking lot before sending. Look at everything around the car. They may have automatically forgotten to remove the antenna or ladder. This is not critical, but it will cost you dearly. If everything is fine, then let’s go to new heights.
When preparing for a trip and planning to spend time at European campsites, you must have a complete idea of what camping is. How do you get there? Where do you search, choose and book a place, and what do you pay for? This is extremely important if you want to receive services that are already familiar to you. Access to shower, washing machine, kitchen, toilet, internet connection, electricity, security, and the possibility of keeping pets on the territory.
Let’s start with camping, a place for motorists to park on vacation. Now, we are talking about an officially registered parking lot, equipped with the possibility of providing services for the use of a motorhome or tent, such as water, electricity, Internet, etc. For money, of course. Although a stop here will cost you much cheaper than in hotels, the system of work and service in different countries can be radically different.
If you do not like the quality of comfort and the provision of services at a campsite, you should choose glamping for outdoor recreation with full hotel service.
Now, a few words about proper planning. We plan the route and the places where we want to stop. We determined the departure time and the number of passengers and started the search. Of course, we use aggregator sites. You can pay attention to paid options – camping.info or pitchup.com. Free parking can be found at park4night.com or ioverlander.com. Then, we fill out the appropriate questionnaire.
More advanced users can search for points of interest (POIs) and use a GPS navigator. This is a good system when you can download campsite coordinates and import them through the appropriate site, for example, archiescampings.eu. In Google Earth. You will see the result on the map.
You can shorten and simplify the search procedure in Google Maps by specifying search conditions through the appropriate filter. The search results will be automatically marked on the map in a few clicks.
Then everything is simple. After all, before choosing a campsite, you have already read about your location, what awaits you there, and for what money. Moreover, it is advisable to reserve seats in advance on the company’s official website or aggregator website.
Residence. As a rule, the cost of stay is paid upon check-in or check-out for each adult, sometimes also for children, for a place for a tent or motorhome, electricity, internet, use of kitchen, shower. They will charge a certain fee, as experience shows, for your dog or cat if they are riding with you.
You should understand that each campsite has its own life and is according to specific rules. Each area has marked areas for trailers, tents, and sometimes bicycle areas. There are general rules for living in the territory, for the cleanliness of which you are also responsible. Do not disturb and respect your neighbors; save water and the like.
There is no need to worry about safety for paid campers. Valuables can be left for storage during your vacation to the safes. It is essential that the territory is protected from wild animals and that sanitary treatment against rodents, insects and parasites is carried out systematically. This does not exempt you from personal responsibility, so close and check your tent or camper. Do not leave shoes outside; carefully inspect them before putting them on.
You will always find a playground among the entertainment, and in camps with a higher star bar, there may be pools, beaches, attractions, and more.
And one more thing, your costs will directly depend on seasonality, geographical location, proximity to the city center, attractions, etc.
Finally, we note that there are more than twenty-three thousand campsites in Europe. Most of them are located in France – almost nine thousand. They are often less in Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Austria, Croatia, Switzerland, Montenegro, and Denmark.
For information, there are more than two thousand campsites in the relatively small Kingdom of the Netherlands. Visitors are attracted by the variety of terrain, historical charms, and service. This is not surprising. It is convenient to get here through the territory of Germany and Belgium for recreation on the shores of the North Sea. There is also something to see on the islands of Saba, Bonaire, and Sint Eustatius in the Caribbean Sea.
It is natural that most campsites in Europe, if there is a sea or lake, are located near the water: on Lake Geneva, Lake Constance, Lake Garda, Lake Wolfgangsee, or the Adriatic.
Some points should not be forgotten. For example, campsites are small and simple in England, Scotland, Iceland and Ireland.
And in Italy, you will be surprised by such agrocampings, where you will stay on a farm.
If you have chosen Madrid, Paris, Rome or London for your vacation, tune your nerves to a lyrical tone while driving a bulky camper on these metropolises’ traffic-filled roads.
The quality of accommodation at European campsites is not very different. But there is a difference in the price range. Switzerland, Croatia, Italy, and Spain are more expensive. France, the Netherlands, and Germany are in the middle of the price segment. It is cheaper in Latvia, Iceland, Slovenia, Portugal, Lithuania, and Latvia. At the same time, if you wish, you can always find a more affordable place to relax in the fresh air.
Suppose you are interested in hanging out and active recreation. In that case, you can pay attention to Europe’s most prominent German camping recreation center, Grav-Inzel, near the Ruhr region, designed for more than two thousand camping places.
Seasons and holidays on wheels are also limited. Europe mainly offers active holidays from April to November. Northern countries usually open at the end of May or the beginning of June. Of course, if you want to, you can find a place to rest in early spring and winter.
Finally, for the first short break of the year, many camping centers offer free entry for the Easter holidays, from Good Friday to Easter. Take advantage of this offer.
Carinthia, Styria, Tyrol, Vienna. There’s plenty to see with six hundred campsites in this small country. Camping in Austria is always associated with beautiful tourist destinations, mountain Alpine serpentines, challenging tourist routes, and beautiful landscapes in summer and winter.
In summer, you can hike from warm lakes to towering glaciers. Here, along with age-old castles, historical places, and art galleries, you will discover many national parks, waterfalls, rivers, lakes, and endless alpine meadows with untouched nature.
You can spend your vacation at the campsites near the Austrian lakes. On the Klopeiner See in Kantyria, see Wörthersee and Weißensee, feel the gentle breeze in the Salzkammergut lake region, visit the waterside town of Hallstatt—and that’s not all you’ll like. Only in Carinthia are over a thousand picturesque lakes.
Something about trips on Austrian roads. From early June to September, studded tires are prohibited on Austrian roads. You can use it during this period by sticking the appropriate sticker on the car. In cold weather, you must have proper chains for the wheels. All highways are tolled, as evidenced by the vignette on the windshield, or you will be charged a toll on some sections of the road. The speed on autobahns is limited to one hundred kilometers. This does not apply to electric cars.
It should not be forgotten that unauthorized camping in wild parking lots is prohibited in Austria. There is an exception: Wild camping and free parking are allowed in some private territories. However, wild camping is prohibited in Tyrol, Burgenland, Carinthia, and Lower Austria.
Violating these rules can result in a fine of up to five hundred euros. This amount reaches more than fourteen thousand euros for unauthorized camping in national parks, nature, and special reserves.
According to surveys, Austria’s best federal land for recreation is the Carinthian and Styrian Alps.
formidable Tyrolean Alps. Located in the west of Austria, on the border with Italy, it has always been a good place for camping.
Especially around Lake Achensee. Here, you can rock climb, ride mountain bikes, and participate in the annual Chill & Jump show.
In the south of Austria, in the federal state of Carinthia, campers can enjoy the architecture of old castles throughout the year and conquer the peak of Grossglockner, the country’s highest mountain.
It is worth stopping at the Ossiacher See Lake between the Herlitzen Alps and the Ossiacher Tauern.
Camping on Lake Constance is located on the border of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. On a small boat, you can visit and get to know the culture of three states in a short period of time.
Fans of sailing, surfing, diving, or fishing can park at the campsite near Mondsee, a UNESCO heritage site.
Tyrol is primarily about history, nature, more than fifteen thousand trekking routes, small, neat settlements, and preserved national culture. You can visit the National Park Hohe Tauern, where there are many interesting tourist attractions, including the beauty of the two hundred sixty peaks of the three thousandths and the Grossglockner panoramic highway.
Tyrol will give you a sense of freedom, regardless of how you organize your vacation—whether in a motorhome, tent, or caravan. Almost ninety popular campsites in this region offer such a vacation.
In the summer, walk in the mountains, try out your bicycles, and hike skis, sleds, and ice skates in the winter. All this is possible at the Arlberg and Seefeld ski resort campsites. However, the Arlberg mountain resorts only offer almost three hundred kilometers of trails in winter.
The Leutasch campsite, near which the historic Innsbruck is located, provides a good rest. The Austria Parks campsite in the Tyrol region of St. Anton am Arlberg also provides a full range of services. This applies to the Austria Parks Leutasch campsites and the village of Reindlau in the north of Tyrol, to the Aufenfeld campsite near Aschau in the Zillertal, and the Comfort Camping Tiroler at the foot of the Zugspitze.
Camping Tyrolean camp in Fiberbrunn offers, in addition to accommodation, the services of a health center, swimming pools, gondola lifts, sports grounds, etc.
In conclusion, one wonders what the future holds when one considers vacationing in trailers and getting the maximum urban comfort in a small camping site. Changing the interior and exterior of our mobile home, increasing comfort due to the introduction of intelligent technologies, and minimizing and saving costs for maintaining this home. Maybe.
