Carcassonne, Pyrenees, down to Madrid and across to Santiago de Compostelo

Most big cities are great, I live in the middle of one.

You don’t have to ride through them all day. Just find a hotel, park up and buy a rover ticket for the public transport, exploring on foot. I really like the Green Michelin guides for days like these, not least as they often have easy to follow walks. I should do more of it really. I think bods often think Michelin is just for maps and guides to restaurants and hotels (from the pre-internet days) but it is so much more.

Very true, the Michelin guide to Spain is really good and I wouldn't travel here without it - its concise history of Spain is a work of considerable genius!

Although the connurbation sprawls horribly the actual city is quite small so if you have a central hotel you can do it on shank's pony. As I happen to have friends to stay with in Guadalajara I first discovered the city from there, taking the commuter train into the lovely Atocha station each day - and very late into the night! - but more recentlky I stayed with another friends who, not being able to afford atronomic property prices, lives out in one of the 'barrio's where it was actually more time consuming and difficult to get around - after a brilliant gig at one of Madrid's most famous jazz clubs we couldn't get a taxi for l or m and ended up walking about six miles home ...
 
I agree with Quinten, the Millau bridge is defo worth a visit. I went over it in the dead of night in what was slightly misty conditions and never even realised I had been over it (signage aside of course), but I have been over, and under, it since in sunshine and it is a fantastic engineering marvel.
Using the old road down through the town in the pre-bridge days must have been a chore.
But it isn't near the route that started this thread.....
 
We know :beerjug:

And yes, the old route underneath across the valley was indeed a chore.

It was indeed a chore on a bike. I used to feel sorry for the car and lorry drivers, crawling along, at least we could nip through the traffic
 
2808db931cecae28df6cc32dc3a42187.jpeg


March 2009
 
Parador la seu d'urgell never seems to get a mention either.

Have stayed there a few times and a lovely building, underground parking and close to some very good roads.

I stayed there in 2019 and the parador is very nice, but the town is a bit of a dump.

We ended up having a very nice meal in the parador restaurant and a nice chat over a few beers with a very entertaining retired British couple who were stopping there (ex-pats living in France) :beerjug:
 

Attachments

  • 190D4CDC-27FA-4F06-867F-CBD5772B53E4.jpeg
    190D4CDC-27FA-4F06-867F-CBD5772B53E4.jpeg
    121 KB · Views: 159
  • 04A95493-FE50-41DF-BB4E-46A40D38D9EB.jpeg
    04A95493-FE50-41DF-BB4E-46A40D38D9EB.jpeg
    157 KB · Views: 139
  • 7B634E72-62B2-441F-893C-5605DA8DC71E.jpeg
    7B634E72-62B2-441F-893C-5605DA8DC71E.jpeg
    80.5 KB · Views: 138
  • FDA18D3B-09CF-407A-82FF-D22DBC806696.jpeg
    FDA18D3B-09CF-407A-82FF-D22DBC806696.jpeg
    99.5 KB · Views: 141
Very true, the Michelin guide to Spain is really good and I wouldn't travel here without it - its concise history of Spain is a work of considerable genius!

Although the connurbation sprawls horribly the actual city is quite small so if you have a central hotel you can do it on shank's pony. As I happen to have friends to stay with in Guadalajara I first discovered the city from there, taking the commuter train into the lovely Atocha station each day - and very late into the night! - but more recentlky I stayed with another friends who, not being able to afford atronomic property prices, lives out in one of the 'barrio's where it was actually more time consuming and difficult to get around - after a brilliant gig at one of Madrid's most famous jazz clubs we couldn't get a taxi for l or m and ended up walking about six miles home ...

I've made a note of that for when I can over there again. Ta.
 
Segovia was on my list for last year.

Yes, it's on my list too! I've been to Toledo but not to stay and the ring road with the famous view over the city is worth the detour as they say, but accommodation there can be phenomenally expensive!

ftoledo1.jpg
 
Yes, it's on my list too! I've been to Toledo but not to stay and the ring road with the famous view over the city is worth the detour as they say, but accommodation there can be phenomenally expensive!

ftoledo1.jpg

You had me hooked until "expensive" appeared!
 
Very disappointing that the Millau bridge does not get a mention. It is a ‘must do’ for every jaunt on a motorcycle, even when going to Tesco.

:jes:jes
Now that's a real Wapping gem:D
 
You had me hooked until "expensive" appeared!

I think it's nit too bad in the city itself, but the 'ring-road' where that image was taken fom is lined with f***-off hotels that charge a fortune for the views - evenings a speciality!
 
Toledo is another one on a list. Expensive? Pah!
By the end of this, money will be no object (I'm squirrelling away my 'going out' cash that I estimate I'd spend in normal times into a travel fund..) :)
 
I think that's where the Parador is. Hardly cheap, but not particularly expensive either.

Picking a random day in June, 140Euros for room only, 250 Euros for half board (for two). And it'll be fantastic food too.

A bit more expensive than most Paradores, but not much. If the exchange rate picks up between now and then it might be more reasonable.
 
Picking a random day in June, 140Euros for room only, 250 Euros for half board (for two). And it'll be fantastic food too.

A bit more expensive than most Paradores, but not much. If the exchange rate picks up between now and then it might be more reasonable.

€110 for two breakfasts and two evening meals - well beyond my budget! - or rather for that money I'd have a tapas crawl around Madrid or Barcelona, tickets for a jazz club live gig, cocktails by night and hot chocolate with churros from a street vendor as the sun comes up. And as I might be doing this with someone else's wife I'd get her to pay! :)
 
€110 for two breakfasts and two evening meals - well beyond my budget! - or rather for that money I'd have a tapas crawl around Madrid or Barcelona, tickets for a jazz club live gig, cocktails by night and hot chocolate with churros from a street vendor as the sun comes up. And as I might be doing this with someone else's wife I'd get her to pay! :)

Paradores aren't for those on a budget and I completely agree that your night out sounds great (apart from a jazz club live gig!). But for having three courses of food and stumbling back to your room really uncomfortably full, you can't beat a them. Also, you'll probably be better prepared for the next day's ride afterwards.
 
Paradores aren't for those on a budget and I completely agree that your night out sounds great (apart from a jazz club live gig!). But for having three courses of food and stumbling back to your room really uncomfortably full, you can't beat a them. Also, you'll probably be better prepared for the next day's ride afterwards.

Depends on the jazz maybe - here's the album that this particular tour was based on ...

 


Back
Top Bottom