touring northern spain and portugal
hello everyone! we are travelling across northern spain and down through portugal and wondered if anyone has any tips on places to stay and "must see" places. i have read guide books but i don't think you can beat experience!
Also, i have experience in using toll roads, but not in portugal, where some of them are prepay only. Are we better off buying a card and pre loading before we set off? or buying one from a garage / post office when we get there?
thanks, all advice appreciated!
Comments
-
We spend (health permitting) 6 months a year in south Portugal and have done the run down Portugal a couple of times. but on the coming of the toll system we decided to abandon the motorways as the system for paying is a total mess, even the average Portuguese don't use the motorways, but don't let me put you off, there is lots to see if you have the time to idle along at sort hop's.
Our preferred route now is down through Spain then turn right at Seville, mostly toll free but we do use the toll past biarrits, SanSebastian and over the mountains to Vitoria-Gasteiz.
With a bit of luck on my next med check we will be away this time next week, Yippy...
0 -
We did that journey in reverse nearly ten years ago, but before the current toll system was brought in. The old system was very erratic when towing. Turn up at a toll booth and the clerk would throw out a figure at random or phone head office!
Crossing Northern Spain you have the choice of coast or inland. Much depends on time of year. The coast can be very wet (the Costa Verde is green for the same reason as Ireland). June and July are usually OK, and if the weather is good the coast is great.
Most of the stops along the coast will provide fine beaches and easy day trips into the Picos. If the coastal weather is not good cross the Picos and travel across the north of the Castillian Plain. Burgos and Salamanca are both must sees, then head for
Santiago de Compostella, the target of so many pilgrims.Head south and cross the border at Tui and head for Porto. as well as the historic city and the port Bodegas, a trip up the Douro river is worth while.
South of Porto, Coimbra is the seat of one of Europe's oldest Universities and nearby is a large reasonably well preserved Roman City, Conimbriga. The coast near here is long sandy beaches with huge Atlantic breakers.
Lisbon is worth a visit, as are the Royal summer palaces on the coast nearby, at Sintra. Inland from Lisbon is Evora, another lovely old city.
If, as suggested above, you take the inland route through Spain, or use this as the return journey, my must sees would be Seville, Merida, Caceres and on to Salamanca.
We did a blog of our trip, which is a bit out of date now, but might help. Look at the entries for 2008, 2012 and 2014
0 -
ACSI is your best bet for campsites, I did a solo trip along the north of Spain into the Spanish Green coast and then into Portugal. However off peak sites are not in abundance. Be careful not to get caught out with the tolls in Portugal
Paul
0 -
We are just returning from north of spain and minho region of Portugal . Its wonderful. None of the sites take advance booking, we loved all of that northern coast, don't be in too much of a rush to get away from Santander. Santilliana del Mar and Comillas
are both lovely. Santiago is an amazing pilgramage city - so beautiful.once actually inPortugal we stayed at the Orbitur site in .caminha, just over the border. A lovely Portuguese town and possible to walk or cycle in from the site which is next to river and veach. There is another Orbitur site at Viana do Costello , a stunning
town. Have fun0
