How much does it cost to stay at Shamwari Hilltop Retreat?

From $44.49 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.

Shamwari Hilltop Retreat

View prices & book Last booked one day ago 2 reviews

New

Relaxed rural site a 15-minute drive from Alcoutim, in Faro District
Praia Verde 40 minutes’ drive; Mértola 45 minutes
Outdoor pool; snack bar terrace with country views; communal fridge

Surrounded by lush hillsides, Shamwari Hilltop Retreat occupies a rural corner in the northeast of Portugal’s Faro District. It is a top choice for those who are into wild camping – but not too wild. Indeed, this family-friendly site a 15-minute drive from the town of Alcoutim comes with a few key luxuries, first among them toilets and showers. Shamwari Hilltop Retreat goes one (and possibly two or three) better, with an outdoor pool and a snack bar serving inventive dishes on a covered terrace from where diners can survey the valley below. When night falls, this is a top spot to gaze at the stars speckling the dark sky. Meanwhile, those who prefer to cook their own meals head to the barbecue area (any foodstuffs can be stored in the communal fridge/freezer). Nature trails and bike paths lead north to the Rio Vascão, which marks the border between Faro and Beja districts, or east to the river Guadiana, which marks the border between Portugal and Spain. Mind you, although Spain looks tantalisingly close, if you fancy an evening of tapas in Huelva Province, you’ll have to drive 35 minutes to the Guadiana International Bridge to cross the border. On a hot summer day it might be difficult to resist the lure of spectacular Algarve beaches such as Praia Verde (40 minutes’ drive), Praia da Manta Rota (45 minutes) and Praia da Ilha de Tavira (55 minutes). If that feels like longer than you want to spend in the car, there’s a river beach (10 minutes) on the outskirts of Alcoutim.

Campground type

Open all year

Please note

Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
Your dog must be tattooed or microchipped.
The campground/park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro) and/or any of the following: Staffordshire bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Rottweiler, any Mastiff or Tosa.
No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.
The outdoor swimming pool is open between 15/06 and 15/09 (subject to weather conditions).
At least one of the party members must be aged 21 or over.
A cable measuring at least 5 metres is needed for the electric hook-ups.
Units longer than 9.5 metres are not allowed.
Units heavier than 4000 kg are not allowed.
Minimum spacing of 2 metres between pitches.
This is a quiet campground/park: no music is allowed.
Guests are advised to bring a good quality torch with them as parts of the campground/park are unlit.
Bookings must not consist of more than 2 different households.
No naked flames are allowed inside the hired accommodation units.
No charcoal barbecues allowed.
Please note that the shower facilities are unisex.
If reception is closed on arrival: please contact the number provided on your booking confirmation.
Fires, barbecues and/or firepits will not be permitted in dry, windy and/or hot weather conditions.
The charging of electric vehicles is not permitted on site.

Languages spoken

Dutch

English

French

German

Spanish

Site types & availability

Reviews

would recommend this campground to a friend

would stay here again

Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Der beste Platz einer 4 monatigen Reise durch mehrere Länder

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	10
Facilities / Activities	No rating
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	No rating
Cleanliness	10
Wifi	No rating

Tobias R. Apr 2025

Hilltop Park power optional grass and earth caravan site

Liked: So macht das Reisen Freude. Das war der schönste Platz auf meiner 4 monatigen Reise. Da passt alles. Absolut ruhig gelegen, alles da was man benötigt, eine tolle Aussicht, alles sauber und die Gastgeberin ist einfach wunderbar und hat dort einen extrem tollen Platz geschaffen.
Danke
Ich komme wieder!

Disliked: ---

Recommend to friends Visit again

Wonderful!

Overall	10/10
Location	10
Value for money	10
Accommodation	10
Facilities / Activities	10
Customer service	10
Child friendliness	No rating
Cleanliness	10
Wifi	No rating

Fiona D. Mar 2025

Hilltop Park power optional grass and earth caravan site

Liked: Everything! Shamwari is a very special place indeed, we arrived and didn’t want to leave. Helena has created a perfect retreat in the most stunning setting, the site blends naturally into the surrounding hills and environment. The Cafe is a fantastic addition offering wonderful views, the pizzas are incredible and at 62 years old I can honestly say they are the tastiest I’ve ever had and I’ve eaten a lot of pizzas! Every evening we went down for supper and a glass or two of local wine, so relaxing and a total joy not having to cook for a few nights. Great walks and bike rides down to the river and a local town, hilly though so we were grateful for our electric bikes. On a practical note, spotless toilets and showers, washing machine and plenty of drying lines.
I will definitely remember our holiday here and think of it often.
Thanks Helena for creating this gem for us and many more to enjoy! Oh…definitely order the bread rolls for the morning, they’re fab!

Disliked: Us not having enough time to stay longer.

Recommend to friends Visit again

From the manager: Fiona, thank you so much for your wonderful review. It was a great pleasure to meet you both and I'm so happy you enjoyed your stay with us. If you are back this way we look forward to seeing you both again. Best regards Helena

Features

Dogs allowed

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Covered terrace area Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available Car parking by site/unit Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundry Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Picnic table Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise Wild camping Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities Communal freezer Communal fridge Dump point Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby

Type

Small (11-25 sites)

Accessibility

Bathrooms: Large spacious shower Bathrooms: Large spacious toilet Dedicated quiet space Level campground, no steep slopes Site close to accessible bathrooms Smooth, hard roads e.g. tarmac Uneven terrain; gravel or loose mud Well-lit path

Nearby leisure

Canoeing/kayaking nearby Cycle hire nearby Cycling nearby Mountain biking nearby Outdoor pool nearby Restaurant nearby

Touring and motorhomes

Motorhome service point

Location

Shamwari Hilltop Retreat

Estrada Municipal M1054

km2

Monte Vascao

Alcoutim

Portugal

8970-028

Directions

Timezone

Europe/Lisbon +0100 (GMT+01:00)

GPS

37.51127°N
-7.52496°W

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

Overlooked by the 13th-century Castelo de Castro Marim, Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António Marsh Natural Reserve (35 minutes’ drive) is a protected area of salt marshes that attracts avocets, pink flamingoes and other water birds. A hilltop town of whitewashed houses on the river Guadiana, Mértola (45 minutes) is crowned by a medieval castle that houses a museum. Fragments of mosaics portraying lions, ducks and intricate geometric patterns are among the items on display at the Basílica Paleocristã - Museu de Mértola Cláudio Torres. When in Faro (one hour and 15 minutes), check out the Chapel of Bones, decorated with monks’ bones and skulls, or (for something less macabre) the Igreja de Santa Maria, with its colourful ceramic tiles and elaborate altar. Take a selfie in front of the Faro Sign on the marina before joining a cruise to the Ria Formosa Natural Park.

Water quality at nearby bathing waters

Name	Distance	Type	2020	2019	2018	2017
Cabeço	37.7 km	Sea	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Monte Gordo	37.7 km	Sea	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Praia Verde	37.8 km	Sea	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Alagoa-Altura	38.1 km	Sea	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent
Lota	38.5 km	Sea	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent

Data source: European Environment Agency

Policies

Booking terms and conditions

Pitches

A cable measuring at least 5 metres is needed for the electric hook-ups.

Admission

Admission is only permitted after registering at reception.
All guests spending the night at the park must present their ID at the reception desk and sign registration forms.
At least one of the party members must be aged 21 or over.

General

Bookings are nominative and non-transferable.

Changes to your holiday

Bookings cannot be amended within 7 day(s) of arrival.

Occupancy

Bookings must not consist of more than 2 different households.

Dogs

Dogs must be kept on leads and supervised at all times.

Safety

Firearms are not permitted.
Fires, barbecues and/or firepits will not be permitted in dry, windy and/or hot weather conditions.
Guests are advised to bring a good quality torch with them as parts of the campground/park are unlit.

Hired accommodation

Hired accommodation: EUR500.00 ($821.12) damage/cleanliness/bracelet deposit is required on arrival and will be refunded on departure after inspection of your unit should no damage/losses be found.

Reception

If reception is closed on arrival: please contact the number provided on your booking confirmation.

Arrivals and departures

Late arrivals must notify the park as soon as possible. Your booking will be held for 24 hours. After this period the management reserves the right to relet your unit.

Taxes

Local city/eco tax is included in the rate.

Pitches

Minimum spacing of 2 metres between pitches.

Extras

Motorbike(s) can be brought instead of the car(s) included.

Safety

No charcoal barbecues allowed.

Occupancy

No hen/stag parties permitted via Pitchup.com.

Hired accommodation

No naked flames are allowed inside the hired accommodation units.

Arrivals and departures

No refunds/discounts for inclement weather, late arrivals or early departures.

Vehicles

No vehicle movement between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m..
Only one car is to be parked by the pitch. Extra vehicles must be parked in the designated area.

Pool

Only park guests are authorised to use the pool.

Safety

Open fires are prohibited.
Please do not touch or feed the animals.

General

Please note that the shower facilities are unisex.

Pool

Please note there is no lifeguard on duty.

General

Quiet hours must be respected between 10:30 p.m. and 8:30 a.m..
Radio, music and TV players must be kept at a low volume. Car doors and boots must be closed quietly.

Pool

Swimsuits are obligatory and swimming shorts or Bermuda shorts are not permitted.

Dogs

The campground/park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro) and/or any of the following: Staffordshire bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Rottweiler, any Mastiff or Tosa.

General

The campground/park is not liable for any refund in the event of force majeure.

Vehicles

The charging of electric vehicles is not permitted on site.

Hired accommodation

The damage/cleanliness/bracelet deposit required on arrival can only be paid for in cash.

General

The management reserves the right to deny access or terminate the stay of those guests whose behaviour is deemed unsuitable. No refunds will be offered.

Pool

The outdoor swimming pool is open between 15/06 and 15/09 (subject to weather conditions).

General

This is a quiet campground/park: no music is allowed.

Admission

Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.

Vehicles

Units heavier than 4000 kg are not allowed.
Units longer than 9.5 metres are not allowed.

Arrivals and departures

Units will be allocated on arrival.

Pitches

You must follow the management directives when pitching your tent/unit and related equipment.

Dogs

Your dog must be tattooed or microchipped.

Hired accommodation

Your unit must be left clean and tidy; a fine of EUR120.00 ($197.07) will be charged for unclean units upon departure.

Payment terms

Offers

Conditions apply - see site type section for details

Nearest campgrounds

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable campgrounds.

Frequently asked questions

Does Shamwari Hilltop Retreat have a swimming pool? Yes View all features
Is Shamwari Hilltop Retreat dog friendly? Yes View all features
What attractions are near Shamwari Hilltop Retreat? Overlooked by the 13th-century Castelo de Castro Marim, Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António Marsh Natural Reserve (35 minutes’ drive) is a protected area of salt marshes that attracts avocets, … Read more

When can I check in and check out of Shamwari Hilltop Retreat?

Camping and caravan
Arrive:	10 a.m. –	9 p.m.
Depart by:	noon
On-site accommodation
Arrive:	2 p.m. –	9 p.m.
Depart by:	noon

How much does it cost to stay at Shamwari Hilltop Retreat? From $44.49 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.