2023 trip to Portugal

[Quique]

Covadonga might satisfy the religious aspect,

Indeed, the Virgen of Covadonga is one of the dearest ones in Spain. Other very worshiped Virgins on your way are the Virgen del Rocio and Virgen de Montserrat. Let your brother in law know, I think he would be interested, maybe you too, considering the cultural traits of those two Virgins.

 

[Quique]

Problem. In summer, all the south and east coast of Spain is crowded by traffic. You will get mad if you try to advance quick. There is the option of the motorway but this is boring. I would suggest to go inland, about 50 km off the coast. It is mountainous, not big mountains but enough to enjoy very curvy roads.

 

[Strummer]

Problem. In summer, all the south and east coast of Spain is crowded by traffic. You will get mad if you try to advance quick. There is the option of the motorway but this is boring. I would suggest to go inland, about 50 km off the coast. It is mountainous, not big mountains but enough to enjoy very curvy roads.

Thanks a lot Quique!!!
Much obliged

 

[Strummer]

I would suggest to play the four corners properly. Try Cabo de Gata in the southeast and Cabo de Creus (Cap de Creus in Catalonian) in the northeast. You will like both of them.

What about the others two?
Lol
I kinda of planned to stop close to Cabo de Creus but thanks to you I will try to find an accomodation there.
Gracias!

 

[Quique]

The four corners are Estaca de Bares, Sagres, Cabo de Gata and Cabo de Creus.
Adding more fun:
Fisterra. Finisterre in Castillian. This is where the Camino de Santiago ends. The Camino was Pagan before being Christian, and it ended when you cannot walk any more, at the sea in Fisterra.
Cabo da Roca and Tarifa.

You are very welcome. I am enjoying planning this trip with you.

 

[Strummer]

Thank you!
This coming weekend I will check on my road map and I will start to route the trip.
Hopefully one day I will be able to pay you back somehow.
Thanks again for your time and patience.

 

[sandro1973]

Places to check :
- Serra da Arrábida, near the town of Setúbal ( about 50 km south from Lisbon ), mountain roads, near some pretty awesome beaches surrounded by the mountain. Lots of places to eat well.





- Serra da Estrela, about 300 km up North from Lisbon, the tallest moutain we have, with amazing landscapes, mountain lakes and roads. Check a place called "Torre", at the highest point






As someone also mentioned, avoid highways and check one of our main national roads, called N2 ( Nacional 2 ), it goes across most of our country and goes through many nice places

 

[Boris]

Places to check :
- Serra da Arrábida, near the town of Setúbal ( about 50 km south from Lisbon ), mountain roads, near some pretty awesome beaches surrounded by the mountain. Lots of places to eat well.

View attachment 97344

View attachment 97347

- Serra da Estrela, about 300 km up North from Lisbon, the tallest moutain we have, with amazing landscapes, mountain lakes and roads. Check a place called "Torre", at the highest point

View attachment 97345

View attachment 97346


As someone also mentioned, avoid highways and check one of our main national roads, called N2 ( Nacional 2 ), it goes across most of our country and goes through many nice places

Nice photos. Particularly the first one.

 

[Strummer]

I was actually hoping that you would join this conversation...
I have put the two location already on my list because you have told me on a old post a year or so...
I will try to avoid motorway as much as possible but I will have to use them at some point....
Thanks a lot for the info!

 

[sandro1973]

I was actually hoping that you would join this conversation...
I have put the two location already on my list because you have told me on a old post a year or so...
I will try to avoid motorway as much as possible but I will have to use them at some point....
Thanks a lot for the info!

No worries, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

I'll try to help as much as i can. There are also a few nice coastal areas which are nice to ride, depending on how much time you have.

And if you do come here, let me know and we can meet up near Arrábida

 

[Bigguy136]

I shipped my s10 to Germany spring 2022. Went there end of May and rode a mix of main and side roads thru Spain to Morocco. A lot of nice riding but the heat was killing me. Consider your southern/ northern and mountain roads to help with the temps you prefer.

 

[Strummer]

Thanks
I appreciate all the information I can get.
Unfortunately I can take some days off only in August so I will have to cope with the heat....
If you don't mind telling me and simply out of curiosity...
How much would it cost to ship a bike over?

 

[Bigguy136]

Thanks
I appreciate all the information I can get.
Unfortunately I can take some days off only in August so I will have to cope with the heat....
If you don't mind telling me and simply out of curiosity...
How much would it cost to ship a bike over?

$1500 for everything. Dropped bike off in Orlando and was shipped to Germany. Very easy and highly recommended

 

[Strummer]

Thank you for the information!
Very kind of you sir

 

[Strummer]

No worries, if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

I'll try to help as much as i can. There are also a few nice coastal areas which are nice to ride, depending on how much time you have.

And if you do come here, let me know and we can meet up near Arrábida

So I have planned the route eventually...
I should be in Sintra on the 10th of August and then I will take a " day off " to stay somewhere in Setubal area....
If you are free we might meet for a beer being a Friday night.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Picos was fantastic and as others wrote, stay off the highways. The Police also tend to patrol the highways heavier. I used to ride the Pyrenees from south of Toulouse west toward the Picos. If the weather is bad drop over to the Spanish side and continue thru Basque country. The northern coast is nothing great. The southwest coast of Portugal is beautiful.

Watch your stuff closely because of the thieves. Definitely need a heavy chain and lock.

 

[Strummer]

Thank you for the tip sir.
I actually thought about carrying a lock or something but now I will definitely buy one!
Thanks a lot.

 

[Boris]

Thank you for the tip sir.
I actually thought about carrying a lock or something but now I will definitely buy one!
Thanks a lot.

Just my opinion……don’t stress over bike theft. Take a reasonable disc lock and use it. If staying in hotels, probably best to use places with secure parking. If thieves get through a disc lock, they were taking the bike anyway. I’ve travel by bike in Europe and lots of it, at least once a year since the mid 80s. Never had anything stolen and neither has anyone in the groups I travel with.

Le Mans and Bol D’or weekends are a different story, however it’s specifically targeted due to the huge numbers attending.

Where possible, park next to a KTM, GS or XR, they’ll nick them instead.

 

[bimota]

Just my opinion……don’t stress over bike theft. Take a reasonable disc lock and use it. If staying in hotels, probably best to use places with secure parking. If thieves get through a disc lock, they were taking the bike anyway. I’ve travel by bike in Europe and lots of it, at least once a year since the mid 80s. Never had anything stolen and neither has anyone in the groups I travel with.

Le Mans and Bol D’or weekends are a different story, however it’s specifically targeted due to the huge numbers attending.

Where possible, park next to a KTM, GS or XR, they’ll nick them instead.

lol,

when i was camping at the Bol D'or in 1990 a new gsxr1100 by my bike had the carbs stollen off it i was there on a new fzr1000 exup

rob

 

[Boris]

lol,

when i was camping at the Bol D'or in 1990 a new gsxr1100 by my bike had the carbs stollen off it i was there on a new fzr1000 exup

rob

I have great memories of Paul Richard Bol D’or trips, but back then I was in my 20s and early 30s, it was a massive adventure. Looking back though, god it was rough! Everything was on a budget, ridiculous miles per day to get there and back, very little sleep, but such good fun at the time. Me and a mate rode home from Bandol in one hit once. That was hard going.
Then there was the toilets…………..