Best route to the bottom of Spain please

[gypo]

We are sailing to Bilbao qt the end of the week and intending to travel to the bottom of Spain then possibly back up through Portugal.
We have only ever gone as far down as Valencia before now so if anyone can suggest a nice route please that would be good.
Thanks
D

 

[Boris7]

I’ve used this before, see lots of rural Spain

 

[gypo]

View attachment 150667

I’ve used this before, see lots of rural Spain

Thanks, is this a route that you have taken?

 

[Moonraker 2]

The red rout for me. Have done it a couple of times. Estramadura is a wide empty county with equally empty roads which I love.

 

[alcam]

The red rout for me. Have done it a couple of times. Estramadura is a wide empty county with equally empty roads which I love. View attachment 150669

Just came back up some of that route . Zigzagged a bit and did a fair bit of rural Portugal as well

 

[gypo]

Great thank you

 

[Moonraker 2]

Well looks like you have your route down and one coming back. Unless you come back up through Portugal and then along the north coast, which is wonderful.

 

[alcam]

Well looks like you have your route down and one coming back. Unless you come back up through Portugal and then along the north coast, which is wonderful.

Going to said coast tomorrow. In Cangas de Onis , highly recommended

 

[Phantom]

 

[Boris7]

Thanks, is this a route that you have taken?

Yes, I’ve basically driven all the three routes shown, if you’re looking to make good time and avoid busy roads the Salamanca route is best. Personally I’d avoid Madrid, but it is shorter. For a slow enjoyable journey then my suggestion is exactly that, if you want to just get to the south quickly it’s not the one for you, but if your not in a hurry and want to see more it’s good. I used to use Moonrakers route a lot, but I was in a truck headed for Morocco in those days and that’s all about keeping the thing moving as quickly as possible.

 

[Phantom]

I feel that any route you take will be a good experience depending upon your preference for historic and scenery. Today we drove from Toledo to Segovia, both impressive UNESCO heritage sites, but opted for the slower CL-601 climbing to 1800m over the mountain for the scenery and fun drive. It's good to mix it up.

 

[Boris7]

Jealous, I have a day of work, which today means spreadsheets for 5 hours +

 

[gypo]

Yes, I’ve basically driven all the three routes shown, if you’re looking to make good time and avoid busy roads the Salamanca route is best. Personally I’d avoid Madrid, but it is shorter. For a slow enjoyable journey then my suggestion is exactly that, if you want to just get to the south quickly it’s not the one for you, but if your not in a hurry and want to see more it’s good. I used to use Moonrakers route a lot, but I was in a truck headed for Morocco in those days and that’s all about keeping the thing moving as quickly as possible.

Thank you, no we aren’t in a rush so hoping to have a nice relaxing drive

 

[Moped]

Salamanca route for me as we like stopping in Seville which has a motorhome aire in close proximity (30min walk, 10min cycle) to the cosmopolitan city centre. Ideal for areas west of Gibraltar. We prefer Seville to Valencia as a major city stopover for a few nights. Valencia is more "Spanish" compared to cosmopolitan Seville (in our opinion rightly or wrongly). Never stopped at Madrid so cannot comment as to its appeal. Granada is a bit awkward as a motorhome stopover and for us Seville has far more going for it unless skiing is your thing (Sierra Nevada)

If heading to Malaga though then it has to be the Madrid and Granada route.

If heading for Benidorm and the south eastern med down to Mojacar then the Zaragoza and Valencia route.

Fact is once you are on the Spanish plateau the landscape is a bit barren whichever way you go. My view is the Salamanca route has the more historically interesting towns (Valadolid, Salamanca, Caceres). Towns on the other routes can be a bit more working and industrial if you get my drift.

 

[gypo]

Thank you