As a family from New Zealand or Australia, we often travel with a certain expectation of space. We’re used to vast, open roads, wide parking bays, and what we call ‘campervans’ that could comfortably house a small party. But when planning a journey by motorhome in Europe, the first and most critical decision you’ll face—one that will fundamentally shape your entire travel experience—is size.
The good news? We’ve bought a motorhome in Europe TWICE – and we’ve had both big and small motorhome experiences.
Europe’s infrastructure, charming as it is, was built centuries before the invention of the RV. The roads are tighter, the historical centres are restricted, and the campsites are compact. For a family used to the roominess of a typical Oceania camper, downsizing can be a jarring necessity.
This guide breaks down the essential trade-offs, sharing our experience with both big and small and provides a practical roadmap for selecting the perfect size motorhome for your adventure through Europe.
Hey! We are AWAY WITH THE STEINERS. Want to know more about buying a motorhome in Europe?
The Great European Compromise: Comfort vs. Access
The rule is simple: The more comfort you gain inside, the more limited you become outside.
In New Zealand, we prioritize internal space—large lounge areas, permanent double beds, and massive garages. (Plus we call it a campervan in NZ). But in Europe, the priority shifts to mobility and manoeuvrability. Every centimetre over seven meters (about 23 feet) brings escalating complexity:
- City Access: Many historic cities enforce ZTLs (Limited Traffic Zones) or simply have alleyways too narrow for large vehicles.
- Parking: Standard European parking bays are designed for small cars. A large RV often requires two spaces, or worse, prohibits parking entirely.
- Campsites and Aires: European campsites, especially in popular countries like France and Italy, have smaller pitches than their oceanic counterparts. Finding an available spot for an 8-meter monster can be a major challenge during peak season.
For a traveling family or a couple heading to Europe, finding the right balance—where everyone can sleep comfortably without sacrificing the ability to explore that cute medieval village—is the key to a successful journey.
Contact EuropeRoadtrip.com and use our code: AWAYWITHTHESTEINERS to receive a €100 discount on the Essentials Package for buying a motorhome in Europe.
Understanding Lengths and Categories: Buying a Motorhome in Europe
European motorhomes fall broadly into three categories, defined mainly by their body style and, consequently, their size.
They have different names to what we would call them at home too! But names aside, the size of these vehicles does make a difference:
1. The Campervan (Van Conversion)
- Length: 5.4 to 6.4 meters (17.7 to 21 feet).
- The Steiner’s Take: The smallest and most agile option. They handle and park almost like a large van. They are perfect for couples or families with one small child who prioritize stealth camping and city access above all else. They often feature pop-up roofs or minimal interior room. For a full family, storage and internal space will be a constant battle, but you will have maximum freedom to roam.
2. The Semi-Integrated (Medium Motorhome)
This was the size of the second motorhome we bought in Europe; which we preferred! We found parking and everything much, much easier.
- Length: 5.5 to 7.5 meters (21.3 to 24.6 feet).
- The Sweet Spot: These are the most common and arguably the best option for a couple or for families of three or four. They retain the original cab of the chassis (Fiat, Ford, etc.) but feature a bespoke coach-built rear.
- Benefits: This range offers a crucial amount of interior living space, a proper bathroom, and dedicated sleeping areas (often a fixed bed and a drop-down bed over the lounge). They are manoeuvrable enough for most country roads and are generally accepted at campsites without issue. For families, focusing on 5.5 to 7.0 meters is highly recommended.
We actually rebuilt the bathroom in ours and took out the back single seat and table and remade it as a semi-permanent double bed.
3. The A-Class (Fully Integrated)
- Length: 7.5 to 9.5+ meters (24.6 to 31+ feet).
- The ‘Mansion’: These are the largest, offering the highest level of luxury and space, with the cab fully integrated into the living area. Well, luxury depending on the age and make of the vehicle!
- Drawbacks: This size is best reserved for long-term travellers who plan to stay primarily on large, well-equipped campsites and avoid city centres entirely. Driving and parking are stressful, fuel consumption is high, and manoeuvring through mountain passes or small villages can be genuinely challenging. This is generally not recommended for first-time family travellers in Europe.
However, this was the first motorhome we bought in Europe. All these things are absolutely doable! Because let’s be honest, there are hundreds of these vehicles out there. But remember Gavin is a professional driver and is used to driving large vehicles – which definitely makes a difference!
The Reality: Buying a Motorhome in Europe
When you choose your length, remember what that means for navigating the continent:
Tight City Centres and Parking
Driving a 7.5-meter RV into a historic Spanish town or a medieval Italian village is often impossible. If you want to visit attractions near the centre, you’ll spend precious time hunting for oversized parking lots outside the city limits and relying on public transport—negating the freedom motorhoming is supposed to provide.
But on the other hand Europe does have amazing public transport and especially in the cities.
If you keep your length under 7 meters you will maximize your chances of finding roadside parking without blocking entire streets.
Fuel Costs and Road Tolls
Fuel is significantly more expensive in Europe than in Oceania. Every meter you add increases your weight and wind resistance, dramatically raising your operating costs.
Furthermore, many toll roads base their fees on vehicle height and length. Sticking to a compact size helps keep tolls reasonable.
The Campsite Challenge
Many classic European campsites are rustic and beautiful but were designed decades ago. Pitches for vehicles exceeding 7.5 meters are fewer and often cost significantly more.
If you plan to travel spontaneously, a compact size ensures you can fit into almost any available pitch, including the designated parking areas (Aires or Stellplätze) often reserved for smaller RVs.
Though in fairness we found plenty of incredible freedom camping spots in Europe!
Matching Size to Your Adventure Needs
While size limits mobility, internal space must still meet your fundamental needs:
| Need | Compact (Under 7m) | Large (Over 7.5m) | The Compromise |
| Sleeping | Bunks/Drop-down beds required. Requires nightly setup. | Fixed bed for parents, separate beds for kids. No setup. | Look for permanent rear beds and a drop-down bed over the lounge (often found in 6.8-7.2m models). |
| Storage | Minimal. Everything must be organized and multi-purpose. | Ample space for luggage, gear, and toys. | Utilise space under fixed beds and look for models with garage space accessible from outside. |
| Water/Waste | Smaller tanks mean more frequent servicing (2–3 days). | Larger tanks allow 4+ days of dry camping. | Prioritize clean water capacity. Servicing in Europe is generally easy, but larger tanks provide flexibility. |
Buying a Motorhome in Europe – Our Decision(s)
For a family of four, the consensus among experienced European RV travellers is that the 7-meter mark is the sweet spot. It provides enough length to accommodate a fixed rear bed (a sanity saver for parents), a decent kitchen, and a separate seating area, all while remaining manageable for narrow roads and finding parking outside major tourist zones.
Albeit I’ve got to say this is what we believed (or rather, trusted!) when buying a motorhome in Europe the first time round. But for us this was too big for a campervan around Europe. Even as a family, we found the 7-metre too big and bulky. It genuinely was unnecessary for us and we wanted to get out and about a bit more.
So after a few months travelling Europe and spending the winter in Morocco we headed back to the Netherlands to purchase our second van.
This time round we got a smaller motorhome that was just under 6-metres in length.
Contact EuropeRoadtrip.com and use our code: AWAYWITHTHESTEINERS to receive a €100 discount on the Essentials Package for buying a motorhome in Europe.
Conclusion: Buying a Motorhome in Europe
Trading the wide-open spaces of New Zealand for the historical density of Europe requires a strategic mindset. (Even if you are a fulltime travel family that is used to backpacking – trust your gut and go with what YOU initially want!).
While your instincts might scream for the largest A-Class model. Or rather, hearing the advice of all travel companies selling motorhomes in Europe and offering these bigger and ‘more luxurious’ motorhomes, choosing a motorhome under 7 meters (ideally 5.8 – 6.5m, we reckon) will vastly improve your experience.
Embrace the smaller size; it forces you to pack lighter, spend more time outside, and, crucially, gives you the freedom to spontaneously explore the hidden gems that larger vehicles simply cannot reach.
Your motorhome trip through Europe will be defined not by the size of your lounge, but by the unforgettable places you were actually able to visit. Choose wisely, and enjoy the adventure!
Arriving to Amsterdam to buy your motorhome? Check Ibis Schiphol, Hyatt Place Amsterdam Airport and Radisson Blu Hotel Schiphol to start your trip.
Read More About Travel & Buying a Motorhome in Europe
- Choosing The Perfect Morocco Itinerary For A First Trip.
- 20 Things To Do In Bucharest, Romania.
- Driving, Motorhome Parking & Finding Free Camping In Spain.
- 20 Things To Do In Podgorica, Montenegro.
- 14 Things To Do In Belgrade, Serbia.
- Border Crossing: Serbia to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Border Crossing: Bosnia to Montenegro.
Useful Links for Your Travels In Europe and Beyond
These are the companies we use and can recommend for planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. It is easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally.
- 12GoAsia – Book trains anywhere online.
- Skyscanner– This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world. Everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Make sure you have insurance before embarking on the adventure of buying a motorhome in Europe!
