Route description for Motorhome trip Spain and Portugal

We drove past the snow-covered mountains of the Sierra Nevada to Guadix. The town is known for the almost 2,000 cave dwellings in which people lived during the Moorish era in the 12th century. The cave museum and a house can be visited. There is also the Moorish fortress from that time (currently being renovated) and the cathedral.

We end the day at the free parking space in Antequera.

We are spending two days in Ardales at the Parque Ardales campsite. And for one reason only: we want to go on the Caminito del Rey. The path, which hangs on the walls of the gorge at a height of around 100 metres, was built between the Gaitanejo and El Chorro waterfalls to transport materials and for maintenance work on the hydroelectric power station. Until it was completely renovated in 2015, it was considered one of the most dangerous paths in the world. In 1921, King Alfonso XIII inaugurated this great structure by crossing the path to the Conde de Guadalhorce dam. Since then, the route has been called the "Caminito del Rey" (King's Path). The return trip costs €2.50 per person by shuttle bus. If you are at the campsite, you should get off at the 3rd station (Mirador).

We stop in Ronda, the largest town among the "white villages". From the parking space, it is easy to walk to the pedestrian zone in no more than 30 minutes. Even if we are not fans of Spanish bullfighting, the largest arena in Spain is one of Ronda's main attractions. The audio guide tells us a lot about the history and architecture of the arena. We go to Ronda's old town via what is probably the most photographed motif of all, the "New Bridge". We walk through the old town streets to the cathedral. From the gallery, we enjoy the view of Ronda and the surrounding landscape. And then there is the castle, which already existed in the Moorish era (which you can see once you have paid the entrance fee of €10 per person) and which you can no longer visit yourself for good reason. But you can visit the gardens and the cave; a natural crevice in the rock that the Moors built down to the river. 60 meters or 20 floors down and back up again. After a break in the tapas bar, we walk over the "Old Bridge" into the New Town; the best view of the "New Bridge" is from the park.

We reserved a week here at the campsite to see the area and do various things. Since we are in our motorhome, we rented a car for 2 days through the campsite because we want to go to the white villages.

Today we walked to the harbor to take the catamaran to Cadiz. The 35-minute trip costs just €2.50 per person. We Frankfurters can only be amazed in disbelief, because two stops on the subway cost more here. From the harbor in Cadiz we go straight to the old town. Via the Plaza de San Juan de Dios we get to the cathedral, an impressive building. As before, the tour costs a "donation". There is no church tax. Instead, there is a free audio guide in German on your cell phone. After our tour, I climb one of the two church towers and enjoy the view over Cadiz. Next, we marvel at the abundance of fish and seafood in the Mercado Central, where we get something to eat at one of the many tapas stands. We cross Cadiz on the way to the Castello de Santa Catalina, the former prison, from where you are supposed to have a great view of Cadiz and the beach. Well, we weren't convinced by the view. On the way back we stop at the Torre Tavira, the highest watchtower in Cadiz. These were once used to monitor shipping traffic in the Bay of Cadiz to ensure that all ships paid their dues properly. From here you also have a beautiful panoramic view and it also has a camera obscura. Unfortunately, photography was not allowed during the performance. We walk through the former Jewish quarter with its four preserved gates back to the harbor to take the 5 p.m. ferry back.

Our journey to the white villages continues to Arcos de la Frontera. We are standing in a large car park from which a footbridge and stairs lead directly into the old town. Arcos also dates back to a Moorish settlement, and the castle alone is almost 1,000 years old. Unfortunately, it cannot be visited as it is privately owned. It is also located on a ridge high above the Rio Guadalete. And here too, the whitewashed houses, churches and narrow streets are the main attractions. The Basilica of Santa de la Asunción and the Church of San Pedro, both from the 16th century, are magnificent. The churches had a bitter dispute for a long time over which was the town church of Arcos. The dispute was finally brought before the Pope, who elevated the basilica to the status of the town church. From the tower of the basilica and from the lookout point on the church square, there is a beautiful view of the town and the countryside.

We reach our next destination, Jerez de la Frontera. The city has lived off sherry for centuries and the bodegas with their warehouses can even be found in the city center. But also the famous royal riding school. We start our tour at the old fortress, which unfortunately already closed. So to the cathedral of San Salvador, consecrated in 1778. Imposing and beautiful at the same time. Of the previous church from 1264, only the tower, which stands a little way off, remains. In the church museum area you can also enjoy a virtual flight through and around the church. Our route takes us further through the city, where we had booked a demonstration of the royal riding school online. The one-hour show was about horses in time with music. If you want more, you can also visit the stables and the museums.

Now we want to visit a bodega and see how sherry is made. And of course we want to try it too. We also booked this one-hour tour in advance. We chose Gonzales-Byass, who produce the world's best-selling sherry with their Fino Tio Pepe and have been doing so for almost 200 years.

On our way to Portugal we also pay a visit to Seville, because here too we had to book a sight in advance. We park at a spot by the harbor, not picturesque but OK for a city tour. We walk half an hour into the city. And we're unlucky. Because of the strong wind that was predicted, all the parks in Seville are closed, including the beautiful Plaza de Espagna, one of the sights. So we first go back to the river and to the Torre d'Oro, an old city gate. We pass the replica of the 500-year-old Nao Victoria and the bullring and then go through the old town streets to the Real Alcazar, the former Moorish castle. The preserved Moorish palace part is beautiful and is very reminiscent of the Alhambra. But here too we couldn't visit the gardens and parks. What a pity. We were too exhausted to visit the cathedral. Next time...

We left Chipiona because of the rain and drove to Chipiona. The parking spot is much more attractive than the one in Seville. We also want to have our German gas bottle refilled later in Rota.

We sat out the rain and storm and since the sun finally shone again today, we were able to take a look at Chipione before moving on tomorrow.

We have now arrived in Portugal. Not very far yet, just as far as Fuzeta. It's good that we sat out the bad weather in Chipiona, because the sun is shining here again. We're staying at the campsite for a few days, strolling through the harbor and the market, and will go on a bike ride to Olhão. But we have already found a "lost place"...

We unpacked our eBikes and rode to the neighboring town of Olhão. We cycled past salt pans with flamingos and storks and almost into the town. We went through the pedestrian zone (yes, there is one here too) to the market hall. It was amazing what kind of fish the Portuguese eat. There was everything there, from sole to rays. And all around, lots of little restaurants. Eating a little something with a view of the marina - simply beautiful.

Silves' heyday began with the Arab occupation in the 8th century and owes its prosperity to the Arade River. From Silves, ships sailed as far as North Africa. In the 11th century, Xelb (Silves) became the capital of the Al-Gharb region. After the reconquest by crusaders in the 13th century, the city lost influence and wealth as the river became silted up.

Today, Silves is a beautiful, tranquil place with many bars and restaurants and a number of sights, such as the red castle built by the Moors, the Sé Velha Cathedral, which was the seat of a bishop until the 16th century, the mighty city gate Porta da Cidade and the Cruz de Portugal. Silves is definitely worth a visit.

We skipped Faro (due to a lack of parking spaces near the city) and drove straight to Lagos. As we were a little late, we spent the night on a parking space near a supermarket. Even though we had a fairly quiet night, we continued on the next day, especially as the journey into the city was a little too far for us.

We chose the Lagos campsite. Despite its somewhat "morbid" charm (the upstairs sanitary facilities are functional and clean), it has the advantage of being quite centrally located; you can reach the old town on foot in 10 minutes. And we are in a quiet spot, have enough space and see for the first time the beautiful blue magpies that live in this area.

Our first destination on our city tour is the Church of Santo Antonio, which is part of the municipal museum "Dr. José Foirmosinho". Alongside various smaller collections, the church is the main attraction and absolutely worth a visit. You have to see it with your own eyes.

The next point is the square at the old port in front of the fortress. Here you will not only find the statue of Henry the Navigator, who discovered the sea route to India in the 15th century, but also (at the former slave market) the Museum of Slavery. And opposite is the Church of Santa Maria. A little further on is the old port fortress. From there we walk along the river into the city center.

We walk through the streets and alleys full of shops, bars and restaurants.

The area around Lagos is characterized by its steep coastline with bizarre rock formations, grottos and great beaches. The best way to experience it is to book a boat tour at one of the stalls along the river. We booked a one-hour tour and ended up being on the boat for 90 minutes.

The small town of Castro Verde does not have many sights, but one is worth the trip: the royal basilica. Its interior is lavishly lined with classic blue tiles depicting scenes from the decisive battle against the Moors. Then there is the private villa, whose towers, balconies and staircases were made of concrete in the 1920s, the very first time that this building material was used in Portugal. Castro Verde is also a good place to stay overnight, as there are plenty of parking spaces and a good campsite.

We are parked in the city's free parking lot. It's mostly quiet at night but definitely ideal for sightseeing.

Èvora is the "White City" of Portugal. But it has more to offer in its old town than just whitewashed houses. The cathedral is worth seeing, and climbing up to the roof is definitely worth it, the view is just too beautiful. Very close by is a Roman temple that was built in honor of the Emperor Augustus. The book stalls in the square are a great idea. And then there is the Capela dos Ossos, the "Bone Chapel" next to the Igreja de São Francisco. Also noteworthy is the saying above the entrance: "The bones that lie here are waiting for yours." By the way - the entire (old) city is a world cultural heritage site.

We take it a little slower and take a few days off at this beautiful campsite in the middle of nature. You can go on bike rides (e.g. to Elvas) and hike. But to do that we first have to cross a stream that has flowed across the path. But it is beautiful here and very quiet. In the immediate vicinity there is a burial mound, a Roman bridge and lots of cork oaks and three geocaches. The family-run site itself is very clean and well-kept and lovingly decorated. The common room has a small bar where you can get pizza and tapas as well as excellent local wine.

Oh yes, 2 days after Fatima we saw a rare solar halo, caused by tiny ice crystals in cirrus clouds, which are also responsible for the rainbow halo. Probably the scientific explanation for the "miracle of the sun".

We actually wanted to go to Porto, but the campsites were fully booked. And the weather was supposed to get worse. Not good conditions for a city tour. Since it was already afternoon, we looked for somewhere not too far away. And we found it. A great place that belongs to a hotel. And you can see that in everything, especially the sanitary facilities. Almost spa-like. And very well maintained. Plus a beautiful view of the valley...

We managed to get a parking space near Porto. We're staying here for a few days to see the city, even though the weather is supposed to be pretty changeable in April. We then take the bus line 902 from the Lavadores terminus to the "Casa de Musica" terminus and the metro to "São Bento" (change in Trinidade to line D towards Ovidio) to the old town. Our first stop is São Bento train station, which is famous for its wall tiles, the azulejos. The Sé Cathedral from the 12th century (the nave and the twin towers are still original) with its tile-decorated cloister from the 14th century is also absolutely worth seeing and the view from the tower of the Douro and the old town is worth the climb. From there we go over the Ponte Luiz I to the other side of the Douro, either to the monastery (view) or directly to the cable car. It takes you comfortably downhill to the port wine cellars and to the boats for the river cruise. Many cellars offer tours of the cellars with tastings; something special is the tour with tasting and fado at Cálem. If you just want to do a tasting, we can recommend Porto Cruz (from 15€ - 4 port wines and 4 handmade chocolates). As the wine is poured well at Porto Cruz, you should bring some time with you. The way back down on the Ponte Luiz is to the old town district of Ribeira with its steep and narrow streets and the church of São Francisco. If you don't want to walk up the hill, take the funicular at the bridge. From here, the final climb is to the Torre dos Clerigos, at 76 m the highest church tower in Portugal.

When you get to the Casa de Musica metro station, go straight to the Andante office on the right. There you can get 1/3/7 day network tickets that are valid for the metro, bus and tram, so you only have to validate the cards (every time you start/change). The 3-day ticket costs €16 per person (as of 04/2024). There you can also get a city/network map so that you can easily find your way around.

We are on our way north and have already arrived back in Spain. We stop here, even though the parking space has nothing to offer except the view and a waste disposal facility. It is supposed to rain heavily in the coming days and at least the parking space here is asphalted. On a short walk along the harbor and the river, there were also some beautiful motifs and geocaches to discover. For example, the old stone granary or the arched bridge...

By the way, you can spend the night in the motorhome parking lot; admiring the sunset with a glass of wine in your motorhome - priceless.

The fairly new campsite is very well equipped, including a restaurant and bar. It is only a few metres from the campsite to the fine sandy beach. The pitches are grassy and there are a good number of small trees that provide a little shade.

After we had taken a slight detour and not been on the motorways today, we stopped off in Ribadeo. We were standing in the car park in the harbour with a view of the mouth of the Ria de Ribadeo o del Eo, which forms the border between Galicia and Asturias. During an evening stroll, we took the panoramic elevator up to the town. A beautiful old town that you wouldn't expect when walking along the harbour below.

The pitch is brand new; you can park on gravelled terraces for 12 euros/night, but currently without electricity (as of 05/2024)

Our penultimate stop in Spain is Vitoria Gasteiz, as we heard that it is a beautiful little town. As there is also a market on Wednesdays, we planned a day: in the morning we went to the market (which was right in front of our motorhome) and then did a short tour of the town. And indeed, a beautiful little (old) town. A small village in the 8th century that grew and built a cathedral, which was rebuilt and expanded several times, which was threatened with collapse because the builders made errors in their calculations... Somehow it seemed familiar. And indeed - in front of the cathedral we met Ken Follet. His novel "The Pillars of the Earth" or "The Gates of the World" seems to have been based on Gasteiz and the cathedral, although the fictional English town of Kingsbridge is the setting. The parallels are too clear. We took a tour of the cathedral, from the crypt to the tower. Very interesting. We see the old moat and parts of the old city wall from the 10th century, walk along the old battlements and enjoy the view over Gasteiz.

We are in an area of a public market place designated for mobile homes, with free water and electricity, but no electricity. Every Wednesday there is a market in the car park's car park area. It is a 30-minute walk to the cathedral, but there are cycle paths.

Our motorhome trip to Spain/Portugal comes to an end with this last city tour. We will document the parking spots on our return journey for the sake of completeness. We hope you enjoyed our tour and that it is/was an inspiration for your own trips. And we would be very happy to receive your feedback. If you want to see more, follow us on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. Just search for nanuqwomoblog or NANUQ ON TOUR in your browser.

Our last overnight stop in Spain is San Sebastian. Here we do some more shopping, fill up with cheap fuel and exchange our Spanish gas bottle. From here it is not far to the French border.

With the Camping-Car Park app, you can see the current occupancy of the connected parking and camping sites and reserve spaces, as check-in and check-out are done exclusively electronically and with the access card you receive. This means that the free spaces can be seen in real time in the app via the computer system.

Today we completed a longer stage and drove to Courpière, about 30 km behind Clemont-Ferrand, to spend the night. Beautiful, well-kept and quiet campsite at Camping-Car Park. And a walk through the town is also worthwhile.

Our last evening in France. Tomorrow we'll be heading back to Germany and then our trip will finally be over. Even if the immediate surroundings of the camping car park site don't suggest it - the city center on the Saône is definitely worth a stroll.