Spain

Travel Story

Our journey to cross Eurasia led us to pedal through Spain not once, but twice. The first spin served as a practice ride, taking us to the starting line in Portugal. The second entry marked the official start of our adventure toward Japan.

Although we had visited some places before, the experience felt refreshingly different on a bicycle, especially when retracing the familiar paths of the Camino de Santiago . Having previously explored Spain on foot, the landscape took on a new perspective, becoming the perfect testing ground for our novel bicycle and revealing both its strengths and weaknesses along the way.

Overall feel

What we appreciate

• Well-maintained roads, spacious lanes, and considerate drivers make it easy
• Fun experience on the dedicated cycle ways
• The serene ambiance of the interior region
• A strong bicycle culture

What we dislike

• Undergoing regular police checks without apparent justification
• Touristy coastline overrun by foreigners, everything looks the same, missing local charm

In details

Stats

• Way of travelling: Cycling
• Starting date: May 6, 2023 – (Second entry: July 15, 2023)
• Duration: 56 days – (39 days + 16 days)
• Distance: 2,895 km – (2,154 km + 741 km)

Crossing the border

We crossed the Spanish border six times at the following places:

• The Col de Panissars
• Gilbratar
• The Rio Guadiana
• The Feces de Abaixo
• The Bidasoa

We passed the border without encountering any police officers, except in Gibraltar.

Fab 🇫🇷

As a French national, you can of course stay as long as you want in Spain.

Mina 🇯🇵

Mina had a partner visa which allowed her to stay inside the Schengen area for one year.

Otherwise, Japanese passports’ holders can stay 90 days in 6 months inside the Schengen area.

Road condition

Our initial plan was to contour the whole Iberian Peninsula by sticking to the coastline. However, due to the bad weather conditions, we had to reroute inland sometimes. In the North part of Spain, after Portugal, we decided to cycle on the already-explored Camino de Santiago Frances, instead of discovering the Camino Norte. For the Final part, we followed the N1 highway as it was the shortest way until the border.

Our feelings regarding cycling in Spain are mostly positive. The roads are in neat conditions and often contains multiple spacious lanes, sometimes including a dedicated one for the cyclists. Also the drivers are really considerate and left a massive space to pedal safely, even on narrower paths. The more adventurous tourers would also appreciate the numerous gravel tracks that expanded over countless kilometres and offering privileged spots to contemplate the landscapes.

A commented recap of our itinerary

Part I

• Col de Panissars ~ Mucia, following the Eurovélo 8: The EuroVelo 8 is currently undergoing construction, providing a partially comfortable ride, primarily hampered by inadequate waymarking.
• Murcia ~ Granada, following the Via Verde del Campo de Cartagena,Carril Bici de La Torrecilla ,Via Verde del Valle de Almanzora, and GR3201: Scenic gravel cycle tracks across the mountains that lead to a stunning canyon.
• Granada ~ Motril, following the highway: Mostly downhill and scenic, although a bit busy.
• Motril ~ Cadiz following Eurovélo 8: Most of the route was fine, except the unavoidable segment between Malaga and Gibraltar where the national highway N340 suddenly turns into a motorway, without any optional detour built for the cyclists. Riding our bicycle there felt utterly dangerous because of the high-speed traffic.
• Cadiz ~ Rota, ferry: Booking ferry tickets in advance was not required and bringing a bicycle onboard was free.
• Rota ~ Seville, following the Rio Guadalquivir: Long flat gravel road. Not a single soul sighted during this crossing. We recommend to carry a lot of water.
• Seville ~ Ayamonte following the local roads: Easy.

Part II

• Feces de Baixo ~ Pontferrada, following alternative Camino de Santiago routes: Several ups and downs, but after Portugal, it felt relatively easy.
• Pontferrada ~ Burgos, following the Camino de Santiago Frances: The second time for us travelling this route, but the first time on a bicycle. It felt overall easier, except the last two kilometres before Puerto Focebadon where the road’s angle increases dramatically. Riding the same camino, but towards the opposite end, brought back good memories.
• Burgos ~ Vitoria Gasteiz, following the N1: Large road with multiple lanes. Not a lot of cars on the way since the fast motorway runs just aside. Also, some parts of it carried a historical legacy and picturesque landscapes.
• Vitoria Gastei ~ Irun, following mountain cycle routes: We rode through an extensive network of cycle routes that ran along lakes, rivers and through the mountains. A bit hilly but not steep, and offering great sceneries.

Accommodations

Spain caters to various budgets and preferences with a diverse range of accommodations. During our journey, we made use of these options twice – once in Elxe and once in Granada. Concerned about the safety of our tandem, we consistently chose accommodations on the outskirts where hotels offered more space and proved to be more affordable than their centrally located counterparts. Notably, the hotels’ staff was not only welcoming but also bicycle-friendly, adding an extra layer of comfort to our stay. Overall, the cost of accommodations tends to fall within the mid-to-upper tier for Europe, especially during the high-peak season.

Freedom camping

During our previous adventure tracing the Camino de Santiago in Spain, pitching our tent was a carefree affair. However, this time around, we adopted a more cautious approach. On a few occasions, the police gently reminded us that freedom camping wasn’t their cup of tea, although the locals appeared more lenient. On the upside, the mountains generously presented numerous picturesque spots for overnight stays, while the beaches occasionally offered refreshing free showers. The vicinity of the lakes also presented a good option as this kind of areas were sufficiently remote and bushy to cover our presence from the police patrols.

And, just as it was during our initial journey, a friendly reminder: beware of the sprinklers!

Facilities

Fantastic overall! Spain is easy to travel by bicycle.

Abundant drinking water sources, numerous supermarkets with free Wi-Fi (also found at petrol stations and i-sites), several conveniently located bike shops/stations, and well-situated picnic spots. Plus, credit/debit cards are universally accepted without any conditions.

As for restrooms, while public toilets were not abundant, it’s widely accepted to request the use of facilities at cafes, bars, and petrol stations.

Communication with the locals

Being our second visit to the country, we had already become acquainted with the locals and nuances of their language. This time around, everything went exceptionally smoothly.

Compared to our last time in Spain doing the Santiago pilgrimage, we felt more connected to the locals this time. We still pondered if it was because of the touristic nature of the camino itself, or because the Covid crisis that was still fresh in people’s minds.

Otherwise, in the larger cities, English is commonly spoken.

Food

Our upgraded camping stove elevated our cooking experience, thanks to the accessibility of affordable rubbing alcohol in most supermarkets.

However, this year brought about a noticeable increase in the prices of fresh produce and a decline in overall quality. For instance, in 2021, a kilogram of watermelon cost around 0.50€. This time, the same amount of watermelon ranged between 1€ and 1.50€. Moreover, organic food was both hard to come by and relatively expensive.

On the culinary front, we treated ourselves to a few local specialties at restaurants and cafés. The hot chocolate and churros combo at the Valor café was not only generous but also absolutely delicious.

Vegetarian friendly:

⭐⭐☆☆☆

No surprises in this department. Spanish cuisine maintains a strong emphasis on meat and seafood, bridging cultural differences between regions. While vegetarian options were more prevalent in larger cities, the choices were still somewhat limited and often fell short of providing a fully satisfying range.

What we eat:

• Local rice
• Tomatoes
• Biwa
• Cheese
• Cucumbers
• Watermelons
• Olive oil
• Digestive biscuits
• Coffee

⭐ Fab's favourite:

Hot chocolate and churros from Valor.

⭐ Mina's favourite:

Fresh biwa fruits self-harvested from the tree.

5 memorable places

Gorafe Desert	Unique desert landscape adorned by striking rock formations and a sense of timeless tranquility.
Lanjarón	Charming mountain village built around a delicious mineral water spring.
Fuengirola	Nice viewpoint where we could see sea mammals swim.
Tarifa	Junction between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, with an outstanding view of Morocco.
Basque Country	Scenic cycle and tanquil road along the Oria river, last segment before France.