Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > Regional Forums > Europe
Europe Topics specific to Western and Eastern Europe, from UK to the Russian border, and south-east to Turkey.
Photo by Alessio Corradini, on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, of two locals

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Alessio Corradini,
on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia,
of two locals



Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 8 Dec 2002
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 188
Trip to Spain, Portugal and France

A friend and I are planning to ride through Portugal, Spain and France this summer with the entire trip taking two weeks or a little more. Some advice, please -
1. Portsmouth to Santander or Bilbao by ferry seemed a good idea until I read in the P&O brochure that the trip takes 35hrs. Perhaps Dover - Calais by ferry, then ride down through France on N-roads would be better.
2. I've been to S.E.Spain but know little about the rest of the country - Granada was excellent - so where else must we NOT MISS, and where should WE AVOID. 'Never been to Portugal.
3. Is there an Iberian (Spain & Portugal) equivalent to the inexpensive Formule 1 chain of motels - we're too old for camping!

Many thanks for any advice - oh, Pan European, I read with interest your comments on Spain and Portugal
(and,sir, England! ;-)

------------------
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 9 Dec 2002
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Batley West Yorkshire UK
Posts: 25
We have done France & Spain several times. Whilst the Portsmouth Bilbao ferry is quite expensive and takes 30 - 36 hours it is well worth doing, especially if you use that route to come home it's a good unwind after several thousand kilometres. P & O will do you different routes out and back so you could sail to France, ride down through France, tour Spain & Portugal and travel back on the Bilbao route. Check out Motorcycle News for a 30% discount on ferry prices.

Ally
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 9 Dec 2002
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Manchester
Posts: 54
There is another ferry from Plymouth to Santander ( I think ) which 'only' takes 24 hours. The ride through France isn't too expensive on the motorways,( I think we paid about 12£ Bilbao to Cherbourg ) and they are very well kept with frequent service stations .France has a lot to offer, too, not least the very positive attitudes to motorcyclists.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10 Dec 2002
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: ENGLAND
Posts: 30
Paul,

My wife and I have recently come back from the south of france & Spain.We spent six months over there.There is plenty to see and do, far too much to list here.Just relax and follow your heart.
F1 have got hotels in Spain, check it out here.
www.hotelformule1.com/formule1/gb/cartographie/espagne.shtml

Also, check out Accor (the sister company ) a little more expensive, but still good value for money,and they have a resteraunt & bar on the premises too which is useful after a long day explorin the locale.

Happy travels,
Griff.

[This message has been edited by GRIFF (edited 09 December 2002).]
__________________
Do\'nt dream it, do it!
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11 Dec 2002
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Oxfordshire, UK
Posts: 180
I'm think that all the ferries to Spain take 35 hours going and 24 coming back - the difference is due to tides etc. They do have a swimming pool, nightclubs etc.

I've ridden down a couple of times - recently, going across to Cherbourg overnight, sleeping on the ferry (book a cabin, its worth it), and then riding on A and B roads through Normandy, The Loire (spend some time riding along the river), Limousin, and then staying overnight in the Midi-Pyrenees. I found a good campsite at Cahors (with pool). Also good places to camp at Najac and (superb) Belcastel. This part of France should not be missed. And then the ride over the Pyrenees, which is itself superb - I prefer the ride through the gorges and the smaller roads rather than Andorra.

As for Spain itself, if you get down to Seville, spend a day lazing around in the gardens of the Real Alcazar. The ride up to Montserrat monestary near Barcelona is also good.

I have a trip report here: http://www.warwick.ac.uk/~cusef/BarcelonaReport.htm and photos here: http://www.warwick.ac.uk/~cusef/BarcelonaTrip.htm and more of France: http://www.warwick.ac.uk/~cusef/
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 13 Dec 2002
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 20
I'm heading down to Valencia (Spain) from London in early February. Looks like your route might be worth a second look.

Thanks!
Rob

------------------
http://www.robstravels.com
__________________
http://www.robstravels.com
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 13 Dec 2002
Registered Users
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: currently in Panama
Posts: 59
Portugal is a great place to visit. I don't know about motels and prices, but it should be similar to Spain. Must see places in Portugal:
- Lisbon and area, unless you're not into
cities
- Algarve, but try to stay away from tourist
traps. Sagres, the interior and close to
the spanish border is less touristy
- Evora. This is an enclosed city with a lot
of charm. There are many such examples spread over the country
- the atlantic coast. Pretty much anywhere, the coastal villages and resorts are great
- the interior country and the many small villages

To see everything, you need a few months. Why, it's such a small country? Yes, but a long history says it all.
__________________
Nelson Oliveira
RTW 2003-6
Around a Mote of Dust
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 22 Dec 2002
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Pasco, WA, USA
Posts: 3
In September my wife and I traveled from London, took the Dover/Calais ferry, rode through France to Spain, toured central Spain, toured the Picos de Europa in Northern Spain, and took the Santander/Portsmouth ferry back to UK. The Santander/Portsmouth ferry is a faster ship than the Bilbao/Portsmouth ferry and takes 24 hrs. I recommend getting a cabin. I am glad we did the ride down through France to begin the tour. You might check out my website for a better explanation and lots of pictures of the whole trip (including some helmet camera videos). http://webpages.charter.net/rodpowell/

Quote:
Originally posted by Paul Narramore:
A friend and I are planning to ride through Portugal, Spain and France this summer with the entire trip taking two weeks or a little more. Some advice, please -
1. Portsmouth to Santander or Bilbao by ferry seemed a good idea until I read in the P&O brochure that the trip takes 35hrs. Perhaps Dover - Calais by ferry, then ride down through France on N-roads would be better.
2. I've been to S.E.Spain but know little about the rest of the country - Granada was excellent - so where else must we NOT MISS, and where should WE AVOID. 'Never been to Portugal.
3. Is there an Iberian (Spain & Portugal) equivalent to the inexpensive Formule 1 chain of motels - we're too old for camping!

Many thanks for any advice - oh, Pan European, I read with interest your comments on Spain and Portugal
(and,sir, England! ;-)

Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 27 Dec 2002
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 188
Quote:
Originally posted by Mr Yuk:
In September my wife and I traveled from London, took the Dover/Calais ferry, rode through France to Spain, toured central Spain, toured the Picos de Europa in Northern Spain, and took the Santander/Portsmouth ferry back to UK. The Santander/Portsmouth ferry is a faster ship than the Bilbao/Portsmouth ferry and takes 24 hrs. I recommend getting a cabin. I am glad we did the ride down through France to begin the tour. You might check out my website for a better explanation and lots of pictures of the whole trip (including some helmet camera videos). http://webpages.charter.net/rodpowell/

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="">quote:</font><HR><font face="" size="2">Originally posted by Paul Narramore:
A friend and I are planning to ride through Portugal, Spain and France this summer with the entire trip taking two weeks or a little more. Some advice, please -
1. Portsmouth to Santander or Bilbao by ferry seemed a good idea until I read in the P&O brochure that the trip takes 35hrs. Perhaps Dover - Calais by ferry, then ride down through France on N-roads would be better.
2. I've been to S.E.Spain but know little about the rest of the country - Granada was excellent - so where else must we NOT MISS, and where should WE AVOID. 'Never been to Portugal.
3. Is there an Iberian (Spain & Portugal) equivalent to the inexpensive Formule 1 chain of motels - we're too old for camping!

Many thanks for any advice - oh, Pan European, I read with interest your comments on Spain and Portugal
(and,sir, England! ;-)



</font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Rod
I enjoyed your website a great deal, and your overuse of the word 'wonderful'. When I was in the US this May and June, I felt exactly the same as you did in Europe, ie there was so much which was wonderful. Your website is food for thought and I'll bear it mind when planning our trip. Thanks again,
Paul
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 7 Jan 2003
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: kiel, germany
Posts: 3
Hi Paul,

I´ll go to Northern Spain and Portugal in May/June 2003 with my XF 650. If your are there in this time send a mail and let´s have a coffee overthere.
Greetings Norma (Germany)
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 30 Jan 2003
Contributing Member
HUBB regular
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Espinho, Portugal
Posts: 89
If you´re visiting the North of Portugal you should visit one of the more beatifull rivers there are, the Douro. You start in Porto, or Oporto, and follow the Douro upstream towards Spain, it is really worth the ride.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 17 Jun 2003
Jem Jem is offline
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Aberdeen, Scotland
Posts: 14
Well, dunno about you, but I was driving around N Spain/Basque Country last summer and busting to get back to that beautiful area with it's amazing roads on 2 wheels this time- and yup, come July, that's where I'll be on my Af Twin. (But, shhhh, don't tell anyone OK? let's keep it quiet)...
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 18 Jul 2003
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 188
Well, after a great deal of thought, I'm a mere seven days away from embarking on the trip through France to Spain. Here are my plans -

From Calais, ride on autoroutes to Rouen (old GP circuit),then E-roads to Le Mans (enough said), Saumur (excellent sparkling wine), Perigueux, Cahors, Toulouse, Andorra then Barcelona.
Wife flies out from UK to Barcelona.
After a couple of days, ride back to Andorra, then following the excellent story in Rider magazine ( February 2003) on to Arties, Lourdes, Jaca and Pamplona. Then to Madrid, Galizia and back to the Cantabrian Mountains to our ferry at Bilbao (to Portsmouth) A big rush is 12 days but we can always return another time.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 22 Jul 2003
Steve Pickford's Avatar
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Oxford, UK
Posts: 994
Brittany Ferries go from Plymouth to Santander - I took this route in Aug. 2000. It took 24 hours, sailings are limited, twice per week each way. I was by myself and did not use a cabin. I had a reclining seat and paid a refundable deposit for a blanket and a fresh towel (£5.00 each) s there's a small shower / fitness room in the depths of the ship. Generally, I found Brittany to be preferable to P&O.

The one problem you'll find at this time of year is making a booking. A friend had great difficulties recently, their phone number is: 08705 - 360360.

Last September we could not get a booking, so sailed to Cherbourg & travelled through France to Spain, Andorra & Portugal - glad we did it! Would recommend the Pyrenees, Basque region, Picos de Europa and anywhere in north and n/west Spain - you cannot go wrong. Frech campsites are crap, use Formula 1 or Etap hotels. Spanish campsites are far superior, with good facilities (washing machines etc).

Enjoy the trip.

Steve
__________________
My photos: www.possu.smugmug.com
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 25 Jul 2003
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: England
Posts: 106
Sorry Steve - can't agree on "French campsites are crap".I've used them on and off for a long time. They are often cheaper than UK (I've just returned from Chamonix - me and 3 kids in 3 tents for £14 total per night. Showers etc, baker's van on site in morning) They do get crowded in Summer, but the French are a lot better at being quiet at nights than people in UK.
I've rarely been disapointed.Seems like you might have had some bad luck.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now
, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

ALL Dates subject to change.

2024:

  • California: April 18-21
  • Virginia: April 25-28
  • Germany Summer: May 9-12
  • Québec: May 17-19
  • Bulgaria Mini: July 5-7
  • CanWest: July 11-14
  • Switzerland: August 15-18
  • Ecuador: August 23-25
  • Romania: August 30-Sept 1
  • Austria: September 12-15
  • France: September 20-22
  • Germany Autumn: Oct 31-Nov 3

2025 Confirmed Events:

  • Virginia: April 24-27 2025
  • Queensland is back! May 2-4 2025
  • Germany Summer: May 29-June 1 2025
  • CanWest: July 10-13 2025
  • Switzerland: Date TBC
  • Ecuador: Date TBC
  • Romania: Date TBC
  • Austria: Sept. 11-15
  • California: September 18-21
  • France: September 19-21 2025
  • Germany Autumn: Oct 30-Nov 2 2025

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

Adventurous Bikers – We've got all your Hygiene & Protection needs SORTED! Powdered Hair & Body Wash, Moisturising Cream Insect Repellent, and Moisturising Cream Sunscreen SPF50. ESSENTIAL | CONVENIENT | FUNCTIONAL.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook

"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.




All times are GMT +1. The time now is 21:52.