UPDATE: The trip is gonna happen in October 2023. For now it's a 15 days trip (maybe 20) and then I need to go back to work

Hi, all you beautiful people, I'm new here and need your help. Idea is to get from Ireland to Faro, get to Roscoff by a ferry and drive through France to Spain and jump in Portugal and get to Faro. All I know is I'm avoiding highways and tolls as much as possible. Any recommendations on where to go and what to see on the way.
That's a plan for a next year and maybe it's gonna be on Honda Shadow 750 2004. I know it's not an adventure bike but I just love to drive on a chopper
Thanks

Hi, I have some proposal. Take what you want and leave the rest.
Spain

- Bilbao
- Follow the cost west to A Coruna
(detour to Burgos if you want to see a beautiful cathedral)
- Down to Santiago de Compostela (Pilgrim place. Special)
- Detour to Cape Finisterre (End of the world !)

Portugal

Enter via Chaves.
- Follow N2 to Faro
- When you pass the Douro river. Take the time to Cruise the Douro Valley
(N222)



N2 links

Roadtrip on EN2
https://www.allaboutportugal.pt/en/a...outh-in-4-days


N2, The Ultimate Portugal Road Trip
https://juliedawnfox.com/n2-the-ulti...orth-to-south/


Motorcycle Diaries EN2
https://motorcycle-diaries.com/en/ro...km-chaves-faro


N 222 Links

https://www.allaboutportugal.pt/en/a...ad-in-portugal

https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/n...tugal.1369814/


I have done the Spain part as part of a trip from Sweden to Portugal.
And the N2+N222 part as a separate trip.
Travel story for this is only written in Swedish.
You can do N2 in two days. If you just want to tick it of.
I used one day in Chaves after 5 riding days from Faro to Chaves,
EN222 takes like 3 days (at least)

But I have stored pictures :
N2
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmX7Fj2u

N222
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmX8ubk5


Let me know if it is useful.
And if the links work.
I still have maps and list of places that I visited along N2 and N222.
That I could provide

Camping or hotels? How long have you got to take the trip?

Thanks!!!! I'll look at that and grab what i can
Thanks for help!!!

The plan is about 15 days and stay in camps hostels and everything that cheap

The cost and the amount of people/traffic is very dependent on season.
At least in the south and other touristic places.

July and August are "worst"
May and September also rather touristic. But less.

Outside of May-Sept, it will be easy to find cheap accommodation.
But in July-Aug it is more difficult

During my trip in Portugal during October last year, I spent an average of 30 € per night for hotel room. Cheap, but very OK hotels.

=
We are a large group in Algarve, that makes a monthly ride together.
But we do not ride in July and August. Mainly due to high temperatures. But also due to traffic. May and September are much better. (And the rest of the year)
https://algarveseniorbikers.com

=
I have no experience from Pyrenees. But the ones that have, are very positive. Depending on your taste. You could ride some passes, when crossing from France to Spain.

https://www.adventurebikerider.com/a...-passes-route/


==
Your bike fits very well for the back roads in France and Portugal. You can ride twisty and pawed roads. You often end up with an average speed of 50-60 km/h.
So no need for a lot of hp.
Or Enduro bike. As long as you don't use the TET or similar.

Are you going to the Faro bike rally?
I ask because, going the most direct route, it’s just over 4000km return. Take a few days at the rally and you might need to ride a few motorways unfortunately, unless you’re a iron butt rider

My thoughts, for what they’re worth:
Allow time to go through Brittany on both legs - not only is it lovely but there are few main roads, except the coast which will be busy in summer.
Over St Nazaire bridge, Pornic is nice as is Ile de Noirmoutier.
Just south of Nantes is this campsite https://www.vendee-tourism.co.uk/cam...apdl085v500l0y
A very quiet farm campsite, the owners are bikers and you will receive a warm welcome.

The whole of France is a fantastic place to ride but the least fantastic area is the lower west side - this is where we generally make up time and stick to the main roads.
The Basque coastline is stunning, even from the main roads. Orio has a campsite, a little commercialised but the town is lovely and has some nice restaurants. North west Spain has some of the best food on offer in the world - not just my opinion - especially if you like seafood.

If you’ve never been, then the Picos de Europa is worth at least 1 days riding. From there we usually head west through the mountains dropping down to the coast for lunch, an afternoon swim and to find a campsite. There are lovely fishing villages/towns all the way along - Cudillero stands out for me and there are some superb restaurants in Luarca.

From here I would head south for the Rue da Gasparona on the Portuguese border and follow it, then generally head south through the countryside till you hit the Douro river then follow it as close as you can to Porto - as someone has already said ‘stunning’.

A route from here down to Faro may well be dictated to by time.

On my route home I would cross into Spain and head up to Caceres - I would get there in time to have a good walk round the city - it is quite something.

There is a green corridor between the high flat plains of Madrid and Valladolid that leads to Soria where there is some lovely woodland campsites and a glass of Rioja of course (should you want one).

Obviously there’s numerous passes over the Pyrenees - there’s a good, bike friendly campsite in Jaca.
Any route back up through France, from here is nice:
Carcassonne - a medieval walled city.
Millau bridge
2 motorcycle only campsites - great fun and very friendly
https://www.camping-rendezvous-moto....l-uk.php?lg=en

https://www.motocamp.com/.

That’s just a few thoughts from me - whatever you decide, have a great trip

Thaaaanks!!! Route plan is getting bigger and bigger now hahahah