# going to Portugal  via santander! any help?



## Mikeingham (Apr 3, 2017)

Wonder if you lovely people could pass on any words of wisdom 
advice places to stopover cheap sites must see and do stuff etc.
I'm sailing  to santander from plymuff on sunday.are thete any recommendations  for sight seeing santander area?
I intend to drive down  to algave and work my way up thru portugal
I have 3 months and then maybe to extend time to tour France. 
However wondered more about where to go in portugal  any words of advice? Prefer to wild camp v short motorhome at 5 mts.
self sufficient  to a degree .travelling  as a solo first timer.!
Any advice will be greatly  appreciated. 
Thank you Mike.


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## Pauljenny (Apr 3, 2017)

For one horrible moment,I thought you were asking for cash!

Use the " search " button on the top RHS of the page, Mike.
Put in Spain,then Santander  and Portugal.
Each time you will be led to the appropriate threads.
Check out the Iberian POI s.
That's what you pay your membership fees for.
Have a good trip, fun and adventures.


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## Deleted member 9849 (Apr 3, 2017)

We just wanted to get to the Algarve as quickly as possible and travelled down from Santander in 2 days,overnighting in a services but feeling quite safe.There are plenty of wild camping spots in Portugal on the poi database.Our favourite spots were in the west Algarve-Lagos,Portimao and towards Sagres,I don't think you will want to leave that area once you get there,the scenery and beaches are quite stunning.


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## Pauljenny (Apr 3, 2017)

Jays said:


> Hi Mike
> A quick route that you proberly already have is the A67 to Palencia, then the A62 to Salamanca then the A66 to Seville then the A49 to Portugal &#55356;&#56821;&#55356;&#56825;.
> We stopped at caceres on our way ah down but as stated download the POI and then you are in charge.
> Once in Portugal we found the route up the Guadiana to Alcoutim very nice.
> ...



John speaks a lot of sense.
There's more to Portugal than crowded, expensive tourist resorts.
Luckily,the vast army of French, Dutch and German  vans have now headed home.
When they all follow their Satnav POIs, they all end up in the same places and become a bleeding nuisance.
Inland towns make motorhomers welcome  and value your spending power.
Portugal has a history of liking us Brits... Unlike France and Spain.
Try to learn some of the simple words.. Please,thankyou, the numbers, and they'll  be happy to help you.
If you say gracias... They won't like you as much.
A good guide book, even an old one, from a charity shop, will be useful.


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## Moonraker 2 (Apr 4, 2017)

Thanks for the tips, I shall be using some of them.

Mike,
Dont hurŕy down to Portugal,  I explored northern Spain last year and loved it. I met very few english vans.
Depending what time you dock and whether you have slept you may want a stop outside Santander.  About 30 minutes away is Cabarceno, near the elephant park. N43,35802  W3,81959. It is a large picknic place by a lake. It gets busy but there is lovely walking . free water and disposal.  Small bar/ cafe near.

If you are not in too much of a hurry I really recommend the Picos de Europa. Potes is the main town and 20 minutes up a reasonable mountain road is Santo Toribio de liebana, a monastery car park with the best views in the world. I stayed two nights and was on my own one of them. N43,15028  W4,65389.

When are you going? I set off next Tuesday.  Same route.


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## Mikeingham (Apr 5, 2017)

*Portugal trip*

Many thanks to you all for comments  and recommendations 
I'm not gonna make any firm  plans
until I get off ferry on Monday
might be nice to have a list of can't miss places to go
like a Portuguese  bucket list
places to see things to do food to try
wine to quaff....the latter being important 
don't do cheap but v good to "oh well I'll treat myself "!prices.
enjoy walking /kayaking /general nosey git.
Thankyou all again.
regards.


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## Deleted member 56601 (Apr 5, 2017)

Can echo Moonraker's comments, N Spain is well worth exploring, or making it part of the journey along the coast to Portugal.


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## Pauljenny (Apr 5, 2017)

Mikeingham said:


> Many thanks to you all for comments  and recommendations
> I'm not gonna make any firm  plans
> until I get off ferry on Monday
> might be nice to have a list of can't miss places to go
> ...



Wine.

There's a surplus of good modern Portuguese wines, particularly those from the Alentejo region. These wines are designed to be drank young.
A few years ago, they made a vast system of dams, changing the barren dry landscape and creating vineyards,wineries and a demand from, China and Russia.
Then things changed. Spain has a similar problem, the French can't and won't take the surplus.
There's only 10 million inhabitants of Portugal . Please come down and help me shift some.
Lidl have frequent offers, clearing batches of wine that are spot on ready.
 at about 2½ to 3½ € for fruity reds. Whites are usually cheaper.
So many first time visitors make the mistake. Of buying the cheapest wines..65 cents buys you a litre box of red cooking wine... From Spain.

They then decide that they don't like ALL Portuguese wine...and complain loudly. Usually  the bigger the van, the louder the moaning. I've known owners of huge new Yankee RVs fall for this.
Bless,em.
.


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