This route collection describes a 10-day Road trip in the north of Spain and Portugal, a true paradise for motorcycling.

You drive over beautiful mountain ridges and through beautiful valleys. Along the way you drive through beautiful villages and countless nature reserves, great passes with countless curves, tunnels cut out of the mountains and azure blue reservoirs. The roads are fair to good, sometimes unpaved.

What you get to see along the way;
Spanish Pyrenees
Parc Naturel del Cadi-Moixero
Serra del Cadí
Serra de Moixeró
Pedraforca
Serra del Monsec
Collada de Clarà
Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido
Collados del Asón Natural Park.
Parque natural Saja-Besaya
Parque natural de Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente Cobre
Parque natural de la Montana de Riano y Mampodre
Picos de Europa
El Parque regional Montaña de Riaño y Mampodre
El Parque natural de Redes
The Sierra de la Culebra
Parque natural Montesinho


Along the routes there are more than enough nice places to stop for a short or longer period, these are described in the review and with a waypoint and POI included in the routes.

Have fun reading and planning your next motorcycle vacation.
If you have ridden these routes I would like to hear your feedback.

This collection is an end-to-end motorcycle journey across northern Spain and Portugal, shaped deliberately to unfold over eleven days with a clear sense of progression. Each stage builds naturally on the last, carrying the rider from the Atlantic edge of northern Spain, south through Portugal’s mountain heartlands and open plains, before returning north across Spain to finish back on the Cantabrian coast.

The journey begins on the Cantabrian coast, leaving Santander behind and climbing steadily inland towards Cervera de Pisuerga. The opening day sets the tone immediately, trading sea air for rising ground and greener hills as the road threads through northern Spain’s quieter interior. It feels purposeful without being rushed, easing the rider into the rhythm of the tour.

From Cervera de Pisuerga, the route pushes deeper into the Cantabrian highlands, crossing broad upland terrain and remote border regions on the way to Bragança. The scenery becomes more expansive, the roads quieter, and the sense of travelling through less familiar Spain grows stronger as the journey approaches Portugal.

Crossing into Portugal, the character tightens again through Montesinho and the Peneda-Gerês region. Roads fold into wooded hills and granite villages, with more frequent elevation changes and a greater sense of enclosure. This is riding that rewards attention and flow rather than outright speed, and it marks a clear transition into Portugal’s mountainous north.

The route then opens into the Douro highlands, running south towards Viseu. Valleys deepen, viewpoints lengthen and the riding alternates between fast, open sections and more intimate stretches that follow the land closely. The sense of scale increases without losing the feeling of remoteness that defines this part of the journey.

Climbing into the Serra da Estrela plateau, the collection reaches one of its defining high points. Portugal’s highest mountain range delivers wide horizons, exposed passes and a feeling of space that contrasts sharply with the valleys below. This stage stands out for its elevation, light and long views, and it feels like a natural midpoint landmark in the overall journey.

Dropping south from the mountains, the route transitions into the Beiras and Alentejo, carrying the rider from high ground into warmer, more open landscapes on the way to Évora. The roads relax into longer, flowing lines, and the pace of the journey subtly changes without losing interest or intent.

From Évora to Beja, the ride settles fully into the heart of the Alentejo. Cork forests, reservoirs and historic hill towns define the scenery, while the riding becomes smoother and more measured. These stages offer breathing space within the collection, allowing the rider to absorb the scale and atmosphere of southern Portugal.

Turning back towards the Spanish border, the route climbs again through Castelo and the border ridges to Marvão. Elevation returns, views stretch out, and the landscape regains a rugged edge. The dramatic setting of Marvão feels earned, sitting high above the surrounding plains and marking a clear shift back towards frontier territory.

Crossing back into Spain, the journey continues through the serranías and frontier regions of Castile, heading for Ciudad Rodrigo. Historic borderlands, rolling terrain and quiet roads reinforce the feeling of travelling through lesser-known landscapes, with riding that remains engaging through variety rather than intensity.

From Ciudad Rodrigo to Benavente, the route crosses the Castilla y León plains. Big skies, long sightlines and subtle changes in terrain define this stage, providing contrast after the mountains while maintaining a strong sense of direction as the journey turns decisively north.

The final day carries the rider from the Meseta back to the Cantabrian coast, closing the loop at Santander. As greener hills return and the Atlantic air reappears, the transition from inland Spain back to the coast provides a fitting and satisfying conclusion, both geographically and emotionally, to the journey.

Throughout the collection, the choice of Paradors and Pousadas anchors each day in history and landscape. These are not simply places to stop, but destinations that reinforce the character of each region and give the journey a sense of occasion from start to finish.

Taken as a whole, this is a coherent and rewarding Iberian tour: varied without feeling fragmented, demanding enough to stay engaging without becoming tiring, and designed to be ridden as a complete journey rather than a series of disconnected stages. It is best suited to riders who value flow, scenery and progression, and who appreciate the satisfaction of a route that unfolds naturally over time.