Portuguese Stelvio and Spanish Picos

Plymouth to Santander
Meeting point – Brittany Ferries main terminal We take the overnight mini cruise from Plymouth to Santander on-board the Pont-Aven, which is Brittany Ferries flagship cruise ferry.

The ship boasts a swimming pool, a la carte restaurant, cocktail piano bar and a two storey lounge bar/entertainment area. We book inside 2 berth club cabins for single occupancy. If you choose to share then you will also be sharing on the ferry.

We dock in Santander early afternoon and head south into Castilla Y Leon and finally down to Valladolid to our hotel for the night. A great first afternoon on the smooth flowing sweepers of Spain.

Starting the day heading west to cross into Portugal and into the first of the three Natural Parks we ride through today. The Douro Internacional Park and the Arribes del Duero Park, both have the Douro River running through them which also forms the border between Portugal and Spain. We sweep and swing our way down through both parks tracing the river South before finishing our days ride in the heart of the Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela and our hotel at the foot of the mountains.

150 miles of epic riding in the Serra da Estrela Mountains including riding the Portuguese Stelvio in both directions. You decide which is the best. Days like today don't come around every day. Just drink it all in and enjoy, it's why you ride motorcycles.

The first 2 hours is spent riding North up through the Serra da Estrela Mountains into the Viseu District with its super smooth fast flowing sweepers, just a joy to ride. Flipping the bike from left to right. Its that sort of day all the way to the Douro Valley and our Spa Hotel on the North bank of the river. An early finish today to give you time to relax in the pool or bar and just chill and take in your surroundings.

After a 5-star breakfast we follow the Douro River east for 40 miles switching from one bank to the other through the vineyards. Stopping at the Valeria Dam which forms the border line between the districts of Viseu and Braganca. There may just be a river cruiser going through the lock. We then head north on some fantastic smooth sweeping tarmac. We finish the day in the Northern town of Chaves staying in the old fort in the centre of town. Make sure to make use of the Hotel bars and swimming pool.

We start the day heading east to Braganca on the unbelievably good N103. What a start to the day. Back into Spain and up and over the Meruelas Moutains (2020m) dropping into Pon Ferrada for refreshments before heading off to Leon for the night to enjoy the wonderful old town full of bars and restaurants.

First stop of the day is at the south dam of Embalse De Juan Benet, we then follow the east shore of the lake up to the ski resort of Puerto de San Isidro for a coffee stop. Next we make our way down through the Parque Natural Redes to Embalse de Riano for lunch. From Riano its the N621 past the famous stag and up the Pots n Pans Route to Panes and onto our hotel in the mountains for our last night in Spain.

Today it is back down into the Picos for 5 hrs of play time before heading back up to Santander to catch our late afternoon ferry home. Great last days ride to finish the tour off.