Northern Spain - Portugal

[Kahuna]

Hi Folks - at long last I've broken the chain holding me to my desk and I'll be off the ferry and in Santander on Monday coming (12th Sept). My route is across country to Compostela and then south through Portugal for a couple of nights in the Algarve, finishing in Cadiz. My plan initially is to take the N611 south from Santander to Aguilar de Campo and then west on the CL626 / Le231 across to Leon. Next day it'll be the A71 / A6 west and north to Becerra and then on to Santiago de Compostela on the Lu633 via Sarria.

Question: What should I be looking out for as a 'stop and gawp' type of moment along the route, or worth a small detour?

I have a couple of nights in Compostela so I guess a couple of castles and a fishing village or two will be in order - oh and the Cathedral of course!

Experiences of the area welcomed.

 

[Steptoe]

Hi Folks - at long last I've broken the chain holding me to my desk and I'll be off the ferry and in Santander on Monday coming (12th Sept). My route is across country to Compostela and then south through Portugal for a couple of nights in the Algarve, finishing in Cadiz. My plan initially is to take the N611 south from Santander to Aguilar de Campo and then west on the CL626 / Le231 across to Leon. Next day it'll be the A71 / A6 west and north to Becerra and then on to Santiago de Compostela on the Lu633 via Sarria.

Question: What should I be looking out for as a 'stop and gawp' type of moment along the route, or worth a small detour?

I have a couple of nights in Compostela so I guess a couple of castles and a fishing village or two will be in order - oh and the Cathedral of course!

Experiences of the area welcomed.

I've done that route. But it was in 1980 and be fecked if i can remember anything specific (apart from non stop rain all the way along the coast road of portugal to lisbon), and if i can i don't have a clue where it was.

I do remember a nice small hotel about 10 miles north of santiago which had a smashing restaurant and ended up staying four days instead of one

 

[Kahuna]

... and if i can i don't have a clue where it was.

I do remember a nice small hotel about 10 miles north of santiago which had a smashing restaurant and ended up staying four days instead of one

Lovely Jubly - get the vino out, have a look out the window and it'll all come flooding back to ya...

 

[bladerunner]

You could go straight West from Santander E70, then N621 into the Picos.


The parador de Fuente de is not too expensive and in a lovely setting
. Then the N 621 around Riano is good.

Santiago is interesting but full of self satisfied catholics who have walked a long way to get there and has some odd shops. The "monster" incense burner is fun.

The inlet around Vigo is very picturesque and every now and again the coast road goes across some deep pretty fiords.

Only potential problem is that that bit of Spain is known ad the Costa Verde and is green for a reason - think Cornwall or Brittany!

 

[bogman]

Get to the Picos, stunning, was there this summer & spent 5 days exploring about 70% of the roads that could be navigated, camped, hope to get back again

The other place of note is Evora in north central Portugal, Unesco World Heritage site in 1986