A camping vacation remains affordable in Europe compared to many other forms of vacation. A family pays on average about €49 per night for a camping stay during the peak summer season.Especially camping in Northern Europe is particularly affordable: in Norway the cost per night averages €38, in Sweden €40, and in Germany €41. These countries are among the cheapest camping destinations in Europe in 2026.
Significant price differences within Europe are also noticeable in the luxury segment: while 5-star campsites in Germany are particularly cheap, prices are significantly higher in classic vacation countries. This is the current price analysis of PiNCAMP, the camping portal of ADAC, ANWB and TCS.
Europe remains a camping market with differentiated prices
The European camping market shows significant price differences between regions. While campers pay an average of about 49 € per night across Europe, some countries are well below this figure. Particularly affordable prices are found in Northern Europe: Norway (€38), Sweden (€40) and Germany (€41) are among the cheapest camping countries.
In contrast, camping is significantly more expensive in classic Mediterranean destinations such as Croatia (€73) or Italy (€63). Price trends are moderate throughout Europe: compared to the previous year, camping prices are increasing by 7 percent on average.
Uwe Frers, camping expert and managing director of PiNCAMP, ADAC’s camping portal, says, “Camping remains a relatively inexpensive form of vacation in Europe-in times of rising travel costs, it is an attractive alternative for many families to traditional forms of vacation,” adding, “Especially in Mediterranean countries with high demand, strong international demand meets limited capacity, which results in higher prices.”
Luxury camping: big price differences within Europe
Price differences are particularly evident in the luxury segment. Campgrounds with five stars (“Superplätze ADAC”) differ considerably in prices across Europe. While an overnight stay on one of these campsites costs an average of €57 in Germany, prices in the more popular resort countries are considerably higher:
- Spain: 98 €.
- Croatia: 95 €
- Austria: 92 €.
- Italy: 91 €.
“Those looking for a comfortable campsite with high-quality facilities will find very different price levels in Europe,” Frers says. “Only campsites with particularly high equipment and service quality receive in the uniform European ADAC classification five stars and thus the designation ‘Superplatz ADAC.
Coastal locations: often significantly more expensive in Europe
In many European countries, camping directly by the sea is significantly more expensive. At the European level, coastal sites are on average 36 percent more expensive than comparable inland sites. Some countries show particularly large price increases for locations directly by the sea. The price increase is particularly strong in:
- France: +49 %.
- Spain: +36 %.
- Croatia: +30 %.
Germany is an exception: campsites along the coast cost on average only about 1 percent more than comparable ones inland.
Low season: significant savings potential in Europe
Camping is especially popular among families with school-age children – consequently, demand is high in the main season of July and August. Those who travel outside the summer vacations can save significantly throughout Europe. On average, prices in the low season are about 29 percent lower than high season levels. The effect is especially great in classic summer destinations.
Conclusion: Differentiated market-Europe offers various price levels.
Uwe Frers, concludes by stating, “Camping remains a popular form of vacation in Europe, from simple, inexpensive resorts to high-quality premium complexes. Despite moderate price increases, the price level remains attractive in international comparison. At the same time, we see that many travelers are sensitive to excessive price increases and adjust their length of stay or travel destination accordingly “.
Source PiNCAMP https://www.pincamp.de.
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