Portugal

[Xander]

Hi all,
The Wife and i have 1 week off in march (week after the wales tour), to do something interesting. We are tossing around portugal or spain on the bike. But we dont want to spend the entire trip getting there..

SO do we have enough time, has any one done it?
Is there a ferry that does not take 2 days to santander?

All advice is welcome and needed as we need to decide and get prepping asap!
Cheers
Guys

[Whealie]

Portsmouth - Bilbao - still 24 hours though so same as Plymouth Santander. Nicer boat though and the Guggenheim in Bilbao as soon as you arrive.

[Dee Duble Yuh]

My PERSONAL experience of Portugal isn't good. Bumpy roads, loads of traffic and village after village with 50 km/h speed limits. However, Pete Rock posts some fantastic photos of his rides.

I guess your experience could be the same anywhere: I know many good roads around South Wales but a foreigner might pass through a few run-down towns and hate the place.

If you do team up with Pete Rock, make sure you have a proper bash plate!

[Jenna]

the fast ferry doesent come into service untill the second week of march....
http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/me...YSY-2007_1.pdf

check with the stenna website... ship is Pont Aven.
http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/in...m?articleid=68

As for northen Spain and Portugal I havent had any problems in the past (other than a drunk policeman jumping the lights and trashing a case car and trailer thankfully not damaging the £1/4M WRC on it )... roads are in general i found quiet and the route following the Douro River (Santander-Valladolid- Miranda Du Douro-Porto) really spectactular. Porto is a great city to explore and an easy ride from Santander in a 2 days or a a dash in one being 375 miles.

Although i havent done it (YET) i am told the northen coast road as a run back to Bilbao and Santander is not to be missed[/url]

[barryw33]

lived in spain for 4 years and visited portugal many times...

my advice.

Spain-> poor roads and poorer drivers, once past the north of the country, not very scenic.

Portugal-> you take your life in your hands everytime you get behind the wheel or on your bike. Officially the most dangerous place to drive/ride in Europe.

personally I would avoid both on a bike.

had a chain snap outside valencia on a motorway and not a single offer of help. cost me €1000 to have the bike grua'ed back to Malaga. This was after spending 6 days in France where the people where very helpful when I had a problem( over heating problem in Bordeaux and guy took me all through the back streets for miles to show me a shop that was open on a saturday afternoon, another guy at a paybooth on a payroad, getting his tools out to help with a chain rubber and many more...was riding a BMW that had seen better days)

only my opinion so please don't all gang up against me telling me that I am wrong and they are wonderful places to visit. Opinions where asked for!!!

[Robster]

Hmmmmm, I've done Spain and Portugal by bike and many times by car...cant say I've ever had any real problems.

Sure the driving of the locals is erratic, but then so is that of London drivers - you just take that into account and back off a bit.

Porto is great yeah, as is Sagres, but I doubt you'd get there and back in a week without thrashing it uncomfortably. Some gorgeous places around Northern Spain, Bilbao and Donostian San Sebastian definitely worth a look. Than I'd say hop over the border and have a night or two in Biarritz before making your way northwards.

[Pete Rock]

If you do team up with Pete Rock, make sure you have a proper bash plate!

I have never had any problems with traffic on the bike, it´s getting more relaxed these last couple of years I think.

I live 20kms south of Porto, if you want to drop by and go on any of my ride reports, I´ll either show you round or guide you if no work gets in the way.

One of my favourite rides is a 600kms one starting from home, heading to the Serra da Estrela and them making it back via twisty back roads, home for dinner.

[Jenna]

I live 20kms south of Porto, if you want to drop by and go on any of my ride reports, I´ll either show you round or guide you if no work gets in the way.

that anywhere near the big conference/exhibition center we used to use on Rally Portugal.. think it was Ezmoriz???

[Pete Rock]

think it was Ezmoriz???

Esmoriz, you used the Europarque?
Yeah, I live about 10 or 15kms away from the Europarque, and about 5 from Esmoriz, I live in Espinho

[Mervinh]

Pont Aven the ferry on the santander run when it is running takes 18 hours

merv