Hi, I will be flying into Barcelona in early October and will be renting a motorcycle for 4 days. Each day has a 300km limit before a per km surcharge is added, so I must keep distance in mind. I'm looking for suggestions on a good 4 day route through the country side, to see good roads and small towns for a good riding experience and to see the small town side of Spain. I will most likely be on a R1200GS water head, riding with a passenger. Is it better to go south or go north west up near the mountains? How will the temperatures be in early October? Thanks in advanced.
I think I know what you mean. But Barcelona is on the coast. South is in the sea. As for the weather it will be warm on most day's with a few hot one's. Your best bet is to find a tourist information centre and get what you can from them. A world of information. Have a look at this place. https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?t=m&ll=52.8382004,-2.3278149&z=6&output=classic&dg=opt https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?t=m&ll=52.8382004,-2.3278149&z=6&output=classic&dg=opt Or you could ride one of the best road's in Spain. https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?t=m&ll=52.8382004,-2.3278149&z=6&output=classic&dg=opt https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?t=m&ll=52.8382004,-2.3278149&z=6&output=classic&dg=opt Or this guy. Sailed across the sea to find the new world. https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?t=m&ll=52.8382004,-2.3278149&z=6&output=classic&dg=opt Hope you like foot ball, Or as you call it soccer. Barcelona is football mad. So is the driving. With four day's you woun't run out of thing's to do, trust me. Be careful of bar price's, Ask the price before you buy. Just thinking that a beer will only cost a few dollar's, may end up being a bill of a lot more than you first think. John933
Hmm, those Google Map links are not working for some reason. I should clarify, we will be starting and ending in Barcelona, but for those 4 days I am looking to loop out into the smaller towns and find hotels along the way.
Also, will the Pyrenees be too cold and potentially snowy, or is the weather still mild in early October?
Could be either. As a precaution, carry layers of clothing. It's better to have too much than not enough. I'm familiar with the French side of the Pyrenees, not so much on the Spain side, but the 'famous' highway N260 is a 'don't miss'. From Barcelona, go due north on C17 that connects to N152, which then connects to N260 almost to Sabinanigo. About 450 kms. You could return on the same roads...they look different when you turn around.
Any road with a green colour running along side it and you will not go wrong... http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/web/Maps I'll second the Tossa de Mar road, the N260 (La Seu d'Argell - Sort in particular) and in around the spectacular Montserrat Monestry (to the N/W of Barca) If you are heading along the coast I recommend Cadaques (gorgeous) then into France via Portbou/Banyuls. A main road but excellent views and twists. Various low passes to head back over the border to the west. From California? Freezin' mate, it will be freezin'. It would be taps aff fur me though. :) In all seriousness, good lined textile kit will be the best and most adaptable. Enjoy!
I will be in the region of Alhaurin de la grande from october 1 for a week getting ready to cross the border to Moroco for the merzouga Rally. I am looking for a cheap place to stay where I can park a bike and travel around. THanks
Although I'm not from that area (I'm from basque country), I think I can give you some good advices. It won't be too cold on those days and there is no risk of snow in any place of the country. Anyway, you will need moto clothes for those days. It's a short trip to see many places, so I would suggest you to follow the coast line to the north up to Roses (by Arenys, Blanes, Sant Feliu de Guixols, Empuriabrava,...). Once there, I'd go to the Pyrenees by Figueres, Besalú, Olot, Puigcerda to finish on Andorra. Andorra is a small country with low taxes, so it's ideal for shopping (even though, probably clothes'd be expensiver than in California), filling fuel and cigarrettes. As you see how your time it's going on, you could go to Vielha, but I think that it'd be too much. I'd start the coming back route by La Seu d'Urgell, Berga, Montserrat and finally Barcelona. I hope you'll find it usefull and sorry for my english. Write here if you need something else.
Hi Herman, thanks for the bump. The Pyrenees will be just fine as long as the weather in general is OK. Early October there is no snow. Lots of small towns to visit and 300 kms is pretty much all you'll be able to do. In fact from Barcelona the Pyrenees will be the location of choice and heading inland - west instead of south as has already been pointed out you have a long way to go to find much more of interest - although there is much more that way! I'm putting a direct link to my routes up and down the Pyrenees but there are many more - just follow your nose once you hit the mountains. If you find you're running low on time just head due south and you'll pick up fast roads on the plains straight back to Barna. You shouldn't have to book accommodation ahead for the first few days but the weekend has a big national holiday, the 12th, so for the Friday onwards you'd better have something planned unless you're happy taking pot luck. There are some towns on my list but there are many more - all 'real Spain'! Enjoy! Simon
Thanks everyone for the great tips. The direction of Andorra may be the one we go for. Side question: we will carry our gear onto the airplane for the trip over to Spain. This includes helmets, jackets, and boots for 2 riders. When we are done riding, I would like to ship this stuff back to California in a cardboard box. I have ordered a BIG box of parts from Rally Raid in UK before, and DHL from UK to Los Angeles was no more then $150 for 2 day service. When I ran a quote in Spain, it was $400 to $500 USD! Some internet research shows that shipping from France to USA is much cheaper then Spain to USA. Any tips on getting a box to the USA that will probably be around 65cm x 38cm x 38cm, and around 30kg in weight? Slowest way back is just fine.
I suggest you to look on Seur.com. En ningún momento pretendo con este mensaje "provocar" ni "ser impertinente" con ningún compañero. Tan sólo servir de ayuda e incluso hacer reír a los demás compañeros, siendo los foros lugares de esparcimiento virtual. Saludos cordiales,
Juantxo - you beat me to it! I was going to suggest using a Spanish company and SEUR is the best - I like your 'disclaimer to J :) BTW - by all means head towards Andorra but don't actually go there - it's a dump! Meanwhile, getting in and out of Barcelona is a real pain I suggest you ride along the AP7 as far as Sils and then take the C53 to Olot and then on to Ripoll, where there's a good hotel, La Trobada, and it's you first 'real' town. From then on you are entering the really high mountain road zone and you have lots of choices for roads. A lot will depend on the weather, high cloud and you stay southerly, clear days go for the N260 but head off over the BV-4031 - one of the best high altitude roads you'll ever ride :) But of you think the weather will be better in France - as it might be - carry on the N260 to Puigcerda and take the French D 118 down to Axat, then head west and back into Spain via the Val d'Aran, west of Andorra and cross over onto the southern side of the mountains on the fabulous Port de la Bonaïgua pass (C 28 Vielha to Sort) where you rejoin the N260 towards la Pobla de Segur - where if you're really lucky you can buy me a beer, or two Enjoy! Simon
Be extra watchful of your bike and gear. Flew into Barcelona on the 4th, and rented a car with friends. One hour later everything was stolen. The car was broken into at Montserrat, in a very busy and guarded parking lot, so I´d caution you about keeping an eye on everything you have. Other than the thieves, the country has been spectacular. Drove up through the Pyrenees, up to Bilbao, along the coast to San Sebastian, then back down for a few days in Barcelona. Beyond gorgeous. Just be very careful. Learn from my mistake.
TBH that can happen in every town or city in the world. Just use common sense and never leave anything worth stealing in view - put all your stuff in the boot/trunk.
Yes, I suppose it's possible. But there was NOTHING in the passenger compartment in view; everything was concealed in the trunk. They broke out the passenger side window, and tore out the rear seat, in both my car and the car next to mine, in a "guarded" parking lot at a Montserrat monestary, in broad daylight with dozens of vehicles coming and going, and beneath a cable tramway, and nobody saw or reported anything. That I don't think is common in every town or city in the world. Perhaps my experience has colored my view, but I would be far more cautious in Spain than in the U.S.
I'm sorry to see that your view of spain has been tarnished by this experience - and you're quite justified to be angry. But you were in a hugely popular tourist attraction where gangs of highly professional thieves operate. They would have seen you parking up in an obvious hire car - even if it didn't have a company logo, which many do, all hire cars are very new and this is obvious from the registration number. Plus your foreign origins would have been obvious - even if you are 'hispanic' your clothes would be different - plus your behaviour, drawing attention, perhaps, to checking the cabin was empty. Then when you walking into the monastery the villains would have known how much time they had to work at their own pace - one of them looking out for the security guards. The sensible thing to do at places like this is leave your car at the hotel or wherever and use public transport, like the Spanish do . . . In general Spain has a very low crime rate, one of the lowest in Europe and certainly less than the US. But tourists are an easy target and the police really do crack down on it - note the dual patrols on Barcelonas' streets, with the Policia Local accompanied by a member of the Mossos d'Esquadra, which is the Catalonian national police force - whom you don't mess with! So, come back one day and give it another try :) Regs Simon
