Spain and Portugal

[PAMMYVAN]

Just heading to Portsmouth for Santander for a month touring Spain and Portugal does anyone know the fastest or best route into Portugal from Santander

 

[Barbara]

This is a useful site for Spain traffic. http://infocar.dgt.es/etraffic/Home?idioma=en_GB

I have not done to trip from Santander to Portugal but last time I was in Salamanca (in a hotel) I met a couple who were staying in a campsite near there but sorry I do not know where. However Salamanca is worth a visit and great for cycling.

 

[AlanC]

Depends on which part of Portugal you are wanting to go to.

We headed west into Galicia as we wanted to see Santiago de Compostela then headed south. Went over the border and onto Braga and stayed at a farm cottage. Have driven further down to Caldas da Rainha in the past.

All before the Cali though so can't help with sites.

BTW, Portugues drivers can be a bit wayward on the motorways. You do need to keep your wits about you if using them.

@BerndRos lives in Portugal and travels back to the UK a lot, so he may have more current information.

Alan

 

[ChrisandPenney52]

I’d endorse AlanC’s comments.

If you’re on limited time I’d stick to travelling between places on motorways.

Spanish motorways are usually cheaper than Portuguese, or free, but both are fine networks. On that basis if you’re going to the south or middle go for Salamanca and then head towards Cuidad Rodrigo on the A62 or Merida and Badajoz on the A66/A5. I don’t have any experience of going further south. Salamanca is fantastic but you need to stop two nights and take a full day.

The northern route is worthwhile if you want to sample the North Coast scenery and to take in Santiago de Compostela. We enjoyed Santiago, especially chatting to some of the pilgrims and finding out their motivation. On southwards from here into Portugal the motorways are fine. If the weather is good, though, you might be tempted to saunter through Northern Spain, which could blow your plans apart!

You could always go one way and then come back the other depending on your schedule.

Make sure you go into Portugal somewhere you can pick up a motorway pass. I did a post a while back elsewhere in the forum on this

 

[briwy]

Anywhere in the Pyrenees is excellent but one place not to be missed is Spains own Grand Canyon, The Ordesa Canyon. We went pre Cali days but I think thewre is a campsite near the bottom. We walked up the canyon high level on the left hand side and then back down by the river, stunning views. Be warne , it can rain heavily late afternoon in the Pyrenees and we got soaked cominhg back down.