Get to know your campervan before driving in São Miguel
Driving a campervan on São Miguel is not difficult — but it is different.
This short guide will help you avoid the most common mistakes and make your trip smoother, safer, and a lot more relaxed.
This short guide will help you avoid the most common mistakes and make your trip smoother, safer, and a lot more relaxed.
A campervan is not a city dweller
Our VW Grand California is a comfortable and capable vehicle, but it comes with dimensions and limitations that matter on an island like São Miguel.
The van is:
It turns more like a small bus than a car and needs extra space for corners, slopes, and maneuvering. Roads that feel “almost fine” in a regular car can quickly become stressful — or damaging — in a campervan.
The van is:
- almost 6 meters long
- around 3 meters tall
- over 2.4 meters wide with mirrors
It turns more like a small bus than a car and needs extra space for corners, slopes, and maneuvering. Roads that feel “almost fine” in a regular car can quickly become stressful — or damaging — in a campervan.
Ground clearance and the hidden risk underneath
One of the most vulnerable parts of the campervan is the slide-out step, which sits very low — just 21 cm above the ground.
This step can be damaged by:
One of the most vulnerable parts of the campervan is the slide-out step, which sits very low — just 21 cm above the ground.
This step can be damaged by:
- sharp changes in elevation
- steep ramps
- potholes
- tight corners combined with slopes
- Damage often happens slowly and unexpectedly — not because of speed, but because the road geometry simply doesn’t suit a vehicle of this size.
Height matters more than you think
São Miguel is green, rural, and full of surprises.
The campervan is tall enough to:
• hit tree branches on agricultural roads
• collide with low roofs, balconies, or supermarket sunshades
• get stuck under structures that look harmless at first glance
These situations are far more common than people expect — especially when following GPS directions blindly.
São Miguel is green, rural, and full of surprises.
The campervan is tall enough to:
• hit tree branches on agricultural roads
• collide with low roofs, balconies, or supermarket sunshades
• get stuck under structures that look harmless at first glance
These situations are far more common than people expect — especially when following GPS directions blindly.
When in doubt, park and walk
One simple rule can save you a lot of stress:
If you’re unsure — park and walk.
Most viewpoints, waterfalls, and villages are just a short walk away. A five-minute stroll is almost always safer than risking:
Tow trucks on the island can take hours to arrive, and repairs are costly. Walking is often the smarter and more enjoyable choice.
One simple rule can save you a lot of stress:
If you’re unsure — park and walk.
Most viewpoints, waterfalls, and villages are just a short walk away. A five-minute stroll is almost always safer than risking:
- a broken step
- roof damage
- getting stuck with no space to turn around
Tow trucks on the island can take hours to arrive, and repairs are costly. Walking is often the smarter and more enjoyable choice.
Watch the full campervan walkthrough
To help you feel fully confident, we’ve prepared a detailed 30-minute video walkthrough where we explain:
👉 Get to know your campervan
We strongly recommend watching it before heading out, especially if this is your first campervan trip.
To help you feel fully confident, we’ve prepared a detailed 30-minute video walkthrough where we explain:
- how the campervan drives
- what to watch out for on São Miguel roads
- common mistakes and how to avoid them
👉 Get to know your campervan
We strongly recommend watching it before heading out, especially if this is your first campervan trip.
What’s next?
Now that you know how your campervan behaves, you’re ready to dive into the practical part.
We’ve prepared two separate guides covering specific locations and roads to avoid:
• one for the west of São Miguel
• one for the east of São Miguel
Each guide focuses on real places where campervans often get into trouble — based on experience, not theory.
Now that you know how your campervan behaves, you’re ready to dive into the practical part.
We’ve prepared two separate guides covering specific locations and roads to avoid:
• one for the west of São Miguel
• one for the east of São Miguel
Each guide focuses on real places where campervans often get into trouble — based on experience, not theory.
This publication was developed as part of a project funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU, under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR).
