Spain-Portugal Spring 2023

Beautiful parking lot with water, toilet, waste disposal, disposal option. Next door a bakery.
Parking is known and therefore well frequented.

camping barcelona,
Not a really nice campsite, a bit too noisy because of the railway and road, but it offers a cheap (€3.9 per trip) bus service to Barcelona (approx. 40 minutes, 39 km). Important: book online as soon as possible (https://campingbarcelonabus.com/bus-tickets/)

The city of Barcelona captivates with numerous Gothic architecture and is therefore characterized by its special originality. The most impressive house in the metropolis in Spanish Art Nouveau style is Antoni Gaudí's Casa Batlló. It's worth taking a look from the outside alone, you can hardly miss the house when strolling through the city!

Information and tips:

Location: Passeig de Gràcia 43, 08007 Barcelona

Opening times: daily 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. (last entry 8 p.m.)

Prices:

Adults €24.50

7-18 years, students and seniors €21.50

Children under 7 years free of charge

The architectural work is also called "House of Bones" because of the balconies, which are reminiscent of skull parts and bones. The roof resembles the scaly skin of an animal, the sun lets the colorfully mixed mosaics and tiles shimmer and shine in the sunlight. The inner workings of Casa Batlló fascinate with artful details, no matter where you look. Simply fascinating how Gaudí implemented colors, shapes and lights in all his masterpieces.

Guru tip: If you want to explore the Catalan city and are just as excited as I am, you should also visit Gaudí's Park Güell. The park's greenery seems to have sprung from an enchanting fairy tale - extraordinary architectural forms decorated with small colorful mosaics. A feast for the eyes! Barcelona really is a creative paradise, don't you agree?



Sagrada Família in Barcelona

I assume that you certainly know this pompous building and that it can rightly be named first. The Sagrada Familia is the symbol of the cosmopolitan city of Barcelona and is admired by millions of international visitors every day.

Information and tips:

Location: Carrer de Mallorca/Carrer de Marina, 08013 Barcelona

Opening hours:

Nov-Feb 9am-6pm

Mar 9am-7pm

Apr-Sept 9am-8pm

Oct 9am-7pm

Prices:

Church: 15€ (can only be purchased online)

Church & audio guide: 22€

Church, museum & audio guide: 24€

Church & guided tour: 24€

Church, tower visit & audio guide: 29€

The gigantic church was designed by Antoni Gaudí and construction began in 1882. Unfortunately, these continue to this day, so when you visit this attraction in Spain you will certainly notice the numerous scaffolding. This total work of art has been in the works for 136 years, but there is great hope that it will be completed by 2026, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Gaudí's death, and that the church can finally shine as a whole. The architecture of the Sagrada Familia is particularly striking, be it from the outside or inside. Until the construction is completed, the church will be framed from the outside by a total of 18 detailed towers with filigree and colorful tips.

The tallest tower of the Sagrada Familia is said to be a proud 172.5 meters high, making it the tallest church tower in the world. The pillars that stand in the interior and make it look even higher stand for religious symbolism. Each column is special in a way and is reminiscent of a tree trunk with branches. If you look up, you'll see what I'm talking about: a forest of lights falling through the stained glass windows and unique shapes line the entire nave. Simply indescribable - just take a look for yourself during your holiday in Barcelona!

Guru Tip: The line of tourists waiting in front of the Sagrada Familia is endless, so I recommend buying your tickets online in advance. You can choose between normal single tickets or tickets including interesting audio guides, a guided tour or a visit to the Gaudí House Museum.

By the way: You can find more Barcelona tips in my travel magazine.


The high-rise Mirador Terre Glories has a viewing platform from which you can admire the whole of Barcelona, highly recommended. Admission €15 per person when booked online.
We recommend the hop on/hop off bus tour for €33 per person.

On the C31 via the beautiful coastal road to Sitges and on to Tarragona, which has a beautiful old town.

Directly at a bus stop, every 20 minutes there is a bus to Valencia

Beautiful old town easily explored on foot

Overnight on the beach next to Torreon de San Miguel

cave houses

Nice overnight stay at the reservoir

Arrival at Camping Reina Isabelle and short stroll through town

An incredibly impressive building, especially the Nasrid Palace with its filigree and rich ornaments and decorations. This is a must on any Spain trip.
Be sure to book your ticket online in advance, as the Nasrid Palace can only be visited to a limited extent and at certain times.
Often with a Fastline (without queuing) and bus tickets included, we could not see the Fastline and the ticket was not recognized on the bus... Advertising tricks

A place where you can switch off, unfortunately the reservoir currently has very little water.

Very beautiful gorge with an even more breathtaking path. Must see

1 day of relaxation in the middle of nature

Unspectacular village... Only went shopping

Stayed in a parking lot, 5 minutes to the center. Nice village with a cozy village square for eating, etc.

On the route of the white villages. Very nice cathedral and castle with great views. Admission to the castle €2, it's worth it

Ronda: One of the most beautiful cities in Andalusia
From Gibraltar we drive to sun-kissed Andalusia in the deep south of Spain. Don't miss the beautiful city of Ronda! The old and new town are separated by a deep gorge and only connected by an imposing bridge - unique in Spain. Even from afar, the white houses of the small town catch your eye.
Ronda is also a great starting point for trekking and hiking tours as it is situated on a sloping stone plateau. From here you can get to know the beautiful nature of Andalusia wonderfully. Popular regions for hiking are the Sierra de Grazalema in the west and the Sierra de las Nieves in the east. Contrary to the name, you can also hike in the "Snow Mountains" in winter, as snow only falls here in exceptional cases.
The Rio Guadalevin flows in the valley, over which the bridge, built between 1751 and 1793, spans. Hundreds of years ago, the river, which is quite narrow today, formed this mighty gorge. It is over 120 meters deep and 90 meters wide. A visit to Ronda is worthwhile just to see the bridge. Many myths and legends are entwined around the building. One says that the builder fell to his death from the bridge, knowing full well that he would never create anything so gigantic again.

Visiting the Monkeys of Gibraltar

Did you know that Gibraltar is part of Britain? The 6.5 square kilometer enclave has been a British Overseas Territory since 1704. With one special feature: it is the only one that is also part of the European Union. The first thing that comes to mind when you think of Gibraltar is probably the world famous monkeys in the wild. Legend has it that British rule ended as soon as the last monkey left Gibraltar.

The huge limestone cliff "The Rock" with a height of 426 meters is the highlight of Gibraltar and rises out of the sea like the bow of a ship. The nature reserve "Upper Rock" is probably the number one attraction. In addition to the flora and fauna on the rock, the interior of the rock with its monumental stalactite caves is also well worth seeing. In 2016, the cave complex was even declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also exciting: the last Neanderthals in Europe once lived here.

Tip: The best way to explore "The Rock" is by cable car. Drive all the way up first, then stop at the sights on the way down. And: Don't feed the monkeys, they can get pretty cheeky and steal your bag!

Simple campsite right by the sea, a bit expensive, suitable for kite surfers (very windy)

Wonderful old town, we were lucky enough to watch the Fiesta del Toro Embolao from a car on Easter Sunday... Great timing and totally bloodless

Very beautiful cliffs with bathing bays. We stayed right next to the lighthouse.

Mezquita very worth seeing

small town with a quiet town center and many pretty churches, few tourists... relaxed day

2 nights on the simple pitch at Oskar. €10 on weekdays and €15 on weekends, no electricity and no waste disposal, but right on the beach. Beach bar (food expensive and bad) right next to it can also be annoying.

Small town, but not nearly as attractive as described in some travel guides

Praia da Falesia

You should definitely pay a visit to another beach: Praia da Falésia. This stretches over six kilometers between Olhos de Água and Vilamoura, making it the longest in the Algarve. The steep coast, which shimmers reddish, copper-colored or golden depending on the incidence of light, forms the dreamlike background of the huge sandy beach.

To the northwest of the beach, the small fishing village of Olhos de Agua is a peaceful little town with a wide range of restaurants and cafes. Vacationers who long for peace and quiet will get their money's worth here.

Praia dos Arrifes

Praia dos Arrifes to the west of Albufeira is one of the smaller beaches but all the more charming. The beach is sheltered from the wind thanks to rock formations with characteristic caves and breakthroughs.

In 2019 you could still drive directly to the cliffs with the motorhome, but unfortunately this is no longer possible. However, the paved parking lot is only a few meters away. It is also worth turning left or right at Praia dos Arrifes. To the left, a path invites you to hike along the cliffs, to the right you reach another enchanting sandy beach.

The Trindade campsite is a bit dated and very basic, but it is centrally located to the old town and the beach.
A boat tour to the Ponta da Piedade is definitely a little adventure and affordable for €20.
In the old town at Praca de Gil Eanes there are very good musicians almost every day. Here it is worth taking a break and simply relaxing

At the end of the world in Sagres

From the west coast, the first stop in the Algarve is Sagres, the most south-western point on the Cabo de São Vicente. Roaring sea, mighty cliffs and extensive beaches are waiting for you here. No wonder people used to think this was the end of the world. In Sagres there is also a beautiful lighthouse, a fort and many national parks. In addition, there is the legendary sausage stand "The Last Bratwurst Before America", which of course you shouldn't miss either. Our insider tip: Definitely try the dough rolls filled with Nutella, they taste heavenly.

According to the guide book, should be a very nice picturesque village....

Lisboa Camping & Bungalows, simple but clean, is located in a natural forest. A taxi to the city costs about 10-12€.
Tuktuk are very common; we got a 1-hour ride for 60€ instead of 90€ in the off-season, unfortunately only superficially... I can't recommend it. It is better to book a free tour of the city by locals based on tips with a free tour (e.g. Guruwalk). It was very interesting and we will be happy to book again in the future.

Palacios Nacional da Pena, an incredibly beautiful castle that should not be missing on any trip to Portugal.
In the Sintra area there is almost no campsite and no shady or electrically powered pitches that are suitable for dog owners. By chance we came across the Parking Bus Sintra, which is quite safe, has tree shade and is close to the Palacios Nacional da Pena. With the app bolt, a pick-up on site as well as a cheap journey by "taxi" (approx. 4€ per trip) is possible... This also applies to the return trip.
In order to avoid long waiting times, it is essential to buy an entry ticket online beforehand. I would not recommend a shuttle ticket (only a short walk) or audio (there is only one app for the mobile phone).

See book 1000 sights.... Intact walkable city wall. Nice stopover.
RV park at the aquaduct for 6 €

Surer paradise with monster waves.... Only because of that we made a short stop, but it was nothing, the monster waves are there in October/November

place of pilgrimage

Convention do Christo

Mosteiro da Batalha

The fishing village with the colorful cute houses

THE LONGEST SUSPENSION BRIDGE IN THE WORLD IS IN PORTUGAL

The longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world has opened in Portugal. The 516 meter long structure spans the valley of the Rio Pavia river near the town of Arouca.

The huge structure is 516 meters long and is therefore referred to as 516 Arouca. The colossus hangs 175 meters above the river and is therefore not exactly something for people with a fear of heights! But if you manage to overcome the height, you get something in return: a fantastic view of the valley of the Rio Pavia, which is located in the UNESCO Geopark Arouca.

It is best to park the mobile home in the parking lot at the starting point Areinho. From there to the bridge it is about 30-45 minutes with a somewhat strenuous climb up the stairs. Buy the ticket for the bridge online in advance (at least 1 day in advance) and pay attention to the time window, so there is no waiting time. Bridge ticket also includes trail fee.
The control point for the bridge and trailer is just below the bridge. The start from Areinho is the less strenuous one as it follows the river downhill.

Great coastal road

Great coastal road

destination of the Way of Saint James

Not worth visiting

Very nice view from the highest cliffs in Europe

Beautiful, free parking space right by the sea

Visit at low tide, then you can explore the rocks on the beach.

Nice parking lot with sea view

Very nice vantage point with incredible google road layout

Small fishing village where a Spanish medical series was filmed.

Overnight stay on the way home