Reply With QuoteHave thought about driving into Morocco? I went a couple years back with some old mates. Bought a cheap car from eBay and drove to Fez and back in just over a week. Lots to see.
I'm flying to Spain in a few weeks and then driving straight back to the UK with my mate in his BMW; as you do. We've got around a week or so, although a little flexible on time, and the starting point is Estepona near Marbella.
Initial idea was to head up via the eastern coast to Barcelona and Valencia etc, but he's now going to be doing that with his girlfriend on the way to Spain instead. So I'm thinking either head through Portugal and go up the western coast, or head to Madrid and then up to the top of Spain that way.
I'd like to see amazing locations for photographs, and be able to experience some great things.
So if you have any Photographic and also fun things you would recommend throughout Spain, Portugal and France, I'm all ears. No matter how mundane or whacky. For example I really want to photograph the Millau Viaduct in France, but I'm also gutted we won't pass near to Benidorm by the looks of it where I would have grabbed a €1 pint
I do have a friend in Marseille we may go and visit, but I've heard good and bad about that place so somewhere else may be better.
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by W44NNE; 21st May 2017 at 22:46.
Have thought about driving into Morocco? I went a couple years back with some old mates. Bought a cheap car from eBay and drove to Fez and back in just over a week. Lots to see.
I've done each route you mention, we had our place in Nerja so coming home we always went through the Sierra Nevada on towards Granada and through Madrid then staying overnight in Valladolid before getting the ferry from Bilbao or Santander same on the way down, we then had a place in Obidos Portugal so used to leave the ferry at Santander and head down to Valladolid stay over night and head over to Portugal then on down to Obidos, when leaving Obidos we go over the The 17KM long Vasco De Gama Bridge then onto our other place in Nerja. We had friends in D'uzes france (Le-Guard Region) we flipped places one month and stayed over there, coming back over the A75 after driving south to Montpellier then over the Viaduc de Millau.
Apart from some lovely scenery of vast openness when on the motorways there are only about 4 things en-route + the towns and cities you pass through. the rest is just open space, it gets less barron the further you head north.
1,The Sierra Nevada mountain range as you drive through it. 2,The 17KM long Vasco De Gama Bridge over the river Tagus near Lisbon, 3,The Viaduct de Millau stop off for a coffee and a look round the visitors center very intresting, But if your coming up from Montpelier keep your eyes pealed because the Viaduct appears from nowhere round the side of a large hill then your on it, try to hold your speed down and see if you can get a clear run without HGV's spoiling any pictures, 4,many small towns and villages when you stop off for coffee, some great monochrome shots to be had.
If your really lucky you can witness a road side melon seller being attacked with a machete while a French family enjoy a nice picnic at the side of a service station.
There are probably loads more but I've done the journey many times and always been driving so have my eyes on the road.
Last edited by Fords; 22nd May 2017 at 06:28.
When considering Marseille: a little to the east is the side side town of Bandol. That is the Cote d' Azur as you see pictured on postcards: little shops, restaurants, boulevard and flowerbeds. Farmers market with fish mongers and those 'million per meter' yachts in the harbour. Don't go there on Saturday afternoon. Too crowded.
Between Marseille and Bandol (near Cassis) the Calanques. Now, that is a very photogenic area! Look it up on Google for an impression!
Just above Marseille: Paul Ricard. Home of French motorsport. Easy to reach by Autoroute. Surely there's something to see there.
Menno
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If you're not going east coast, I'd try:
Ronda > Cordoba > Toledo > (Salamanca if you have time) > Valladolid > Pamplona
Plenty to see along that route, Ronda definitely worth it if you've never been.
The drive through the Sierra Nieves nature park between Ronda and Coin is beautiful! The road up to Ronda from Puerto Banus is pretty good too. Both are even better on a bicycle :)
We used to turn left at Valencia up to Zaragoza over the Sonport Pass then down to Pau then take your pick, either up the west coast through Bordeaux or turn right through Toulouse on to Limoges then Rouen. Which ever way you choose the scenery is a delight and the roads are fantastic. Did it many times in my TT and the Z4 happy times,and the sun tans were something else.
We did Mallaga to Santander a few years ago via Madrid a few years ago I dont remember much to do between the north and south to be honest. The highlight of the trip for me was San Sebastian. Amazing place if you are a bit of a foodie.
If I was doing it I would probably go through Portugal.
Estapona-Casaris(my sister lives there)-Gaucin-Ronda-Seville-Cordoba-Granada then decide Portugal or North, if North you could go Barcelona-Zaragoza-Pamplona-Santiago then back over the Pyrenees and home depends how long you have
Wow that's a lot of great recommendations! Going to sift through them and start creating a map. Thanks, I'm excited now :-D
+1 for heading up Portugal along the western coast, Porto is a must as is most of Galicia, then Picos de Europa and all the way along the top (San sebastian, Bilbao, Irun, hendaye, biarritz etc... )
Pop to Vitoria too if you can...
i did the east coast - basically the entire N340 but its a bit boring in some parts and way too warm - nice bits though were cartagena, almeria, valencia, calpe, etc...
Done this trip a few times, I normally head down the east coast.
Andorra is probably worth de-touring for if its not on your route, great drive in to it, fantastic for photos. Nice cars, food and scenery, plus its tax free to cheap fuel, booze etc.
The heat can be oppressive, Air con on full cold doing 80mph on the Mway just outside Madrid outside temp gauge on car reading 108 F I put my hand out of the window it felt like a fan oven outside.Originally Posted by Xantiagib
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