A spring dream: Three week road trip from Innsbruck to Portugal

Portugal - another destination on our bucket list. And with the HYMER Yosemite we are making this dream come true! But for us it is not just the destination that is important, but also the journey there and back. We will cross five countries on our more than 5,000 km journey: Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France and Spain. A range of different languages, cultures, culinary specialties and landscapes await us. With the gravel bikes in our luggage and full of anticipation, we will start our three-week road trip to Portugal at the end of March. 

Simon Beizaee

Author

Destination
Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal
Model
HYMER Yosemite

Innsbruck - Lake Como:
The first stage of our journey

We set off in Innsbruck, where we see the snow-capped Alps in the rearview mirror as we head south. We pass through Switzerland over the 1,812 m high Maloja Pass and spend the first night in Lecco on Lake Como in Italy. The comfort and homely ambience make our HYMER Yosemite feel like a spacious home on two wheels. The morning begins with a crispy cornetti filled with pistachio cream and cappuccino, followed by a walk through the old town and along the waterfront promenade. An Italian pizza with a view of the lake is a must at lunchtime. But the weather is grey and cold, we read in the travel guide that there are over 300 hours of sunshine in Cassis on the Côte d'Azur and decide to continue our journey straight away and save further exploration of Lake Como and its small villages for a warmer time of year. 

Côte d'Azur and the Pyrenees:
A scenic drive along the coast

And the travel guide is right! The rain clouds are actually slowly dissolving and the warm spring sun is shining as we drive along the beautiful Côte d'Azur. With the pleasant driving comfort that our vehicle offers us, even the long distances are easy to manage. 

Cassis:
A jewel on the Calanque coast of southern France

The charming town of Cassis rises in the middle of the breathtaking Calanque coast. The view from the hinterland onto the port town is spectacular: vineyards and pine forests open up and reveal the dramatic cliffs. Directly adjacent to Cassis are mini-fjords made of white-grey limestone that stretch all the way to Marseille. 
The old town of Cassis is lined with cute cafes, fish restaurants, elegant boutiques and quiet residential streets with lush flower pots in front of the front doors. We stroll through the harbor and soak up the sun on the small town beach. Every Wednesday and Friday there is a Provencal market (Marché provençal ) in Cassis. Numerous small stalls sell fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, spices, cheese, bread, flowers or regional farm products. We stock up on olives, cheese and baguettes for the next picnic and lavender soap as a souvenir. 

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Camargue:
Exploring flamingos by bike

Passing Marseille, we head for the Camargue, which is largely a nature reserve.

Swamp landscapes, large salt marshes, green pastures and extensive sand dunes form a colorful symbiosis in the Camargue. Just in time for sunset, we find a nice parking space right by the water, unpack our bikes and start cycling. It doesn't take long until we spot the first flamingos looking for brine shrimp!

The next day we cross the majestic Pyrenees, where rugged peaks and gentle valleys alternate and every bend offers a new breathtaking view.

Northern Spain and San Sebastian:
Culinary delights and natural beauty

In northern Spain we reach the charming San Sebastian, known for its culinary delights and picturesque coastline. Here we spend the day watching the high waves breaking right on the city walls and bridges and in the evening enjoying tapas in the narrow streets of the old town. 

Porto and the Portuguese coast:
charm and wild beauty

On day 6 of our trip we cross the Portuguese border. Our next destination is Porto, where we stroll through the charming alleys of the old town and enjoy a glass of port wine on the picturesque banks of the Douro. 

Over the next few days we follow the dramatic Portuguese coast southwards, which impresses with wild beaches and majestic cliffs. 

Aveiro

Aveiro is crossed by a network of canals, where colourful boats ply their trade, which were once used to catch seaweed and seaweed. Nowadays, the boats are mainly used by tourists to explore the canals, which is why the small city of Aveiro is also known as "Little Venice". 

Nazaré:
The highest waves in the world

About a hundred kilometers from Lisbon and attracts professional big wave surfers from all over the world thanks to its gigantic waves, up to 30 meters high. The waves breaking here near the coast are, in good conditions, among the largest surfable waves in the world. 
Directly above, towering cliffs provide the perfect grandstand for spectators. On a rocky plateau stands the former fortress of São Miguel Arcanjo from the 17th century with the red lighthouse that is still in use today. The fortress houses a surfing museum in which signed surfboards from big wave riders are on display. 

Ericeira: Surf Mecca

In this charming little town, we can expect a tranquil old town with small alleys, white houses with decorated facades, cool cafes and restaurants as well as great surfing spots. "Ericeira the sea is more​ “azul”, as the locals like to say, means “in Ericeira , where the sea is the bluest”. We too are amazed by the endless blue of the water. 

Alentejo: Untouched wild beaches
& fantastic pitches on the coast

Portugal 's largest region takes up a third of the mainland, but only seven percent of the population lives in Alentejo . Still undeveloped and far from mass tourism, we find wonderful pitches for our camper right by the sea.

We spend the next few days in extensive dune landscapes with the finest sandy beaches, jump into the cold water and fall asleep to the sound of the sea up in our pop-top roof. A special feature of the HYMER pop-top roof: It can be opened completely at the front, so that you can enjoy a magnificent 180° view directly from the bed.

Algarve:
Portugal's sun-drenched holiday region

The Algarve in southern Portugal is the destination for most tourists to Portugal, and not without reason. In addition to some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, there are rugged bays and a wild mountain landscape. It gets warmer the further south we travel. Without any specific goals in mind, we stroll along numerous beautiful beaches, stock up on new dishes at the porcelain outlet and, thanks to the off-season, enjoy sunsets from secluded parking spots.

Our road trip finally takes us to Sagres, where we hike along steep cliffs at the most south-western point of Portugal and enjoy freshly caught fish.

The Grand Canyon S always cut a confident figure. What an adventure. Thank you HYMER for the great support with this dream of a lifetime!
Professional paraglider pilot Simon Beizaee

Andalusien:
Back home through the sunny south of Spain

It's slowly time to head back. After all, there are more highlights on our route. We head home through sunny Andalusia, where we explore vibrant cities like Seville and Granada. 

Sevilla:
one of the most beautiful cities in Spain

Seville is rightly considered one of the most beautiful cities in Spain. We too are immediately enchanted as we stroll through the small, narrow streets of the old town. House facades glow in warm colours and the plant-covered courtyards and small squares immediately give you a holiday feeling. We were particularly taken with the former Jewish quarter of Santa Cruz . Countless tapas bars line up next to each other and happy people sit outside and enjoy the mild spring evening. But the many palaces and cathedrals here are also really special, especially the Cathedral of Maria de la Sede . It towers over the city as the largest church in Spain and the sight is truly breathtaking. 

 

Granada:
snow-capped peaks and the world-famous Alhambra

As we approach Granada, the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada immediately catch our eyes! There are even ski slopes on the highest mountains in Spain. We park just outside the city center and take the tram to the world-famous Moorish fortress of the Alhambra, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Unfortunately, online tickets for Spain's most visited attraction were fully booked a month in advance and we were unable to get tickets on site either.
What a pity, as we have no choice but to admire the impressive walls and towers from the outside.

But Granada has a lot more to offer besides the Alhambra: for example, a tour of the oldest district of the city, Albaicín , which is a labyrinth of countless small alleys. The atmosphere here is comparable to Marrakesh and is reminiscent of times gone by, when Granada was still under Arab rule.

The district is also home to the most beautiful viewpoint of the Alhambra: the Mirador de San Nicolás, where many people gather at sunset.

Return to Innsbruck
with fascinating impressions and lasting memories

We set off home with hundreds of photos and a wealth of memories of dramatic cliffs, wild beaches, fresh fish, long sandy beaches and exciting cities. Our road trip was not just a journey from one place to another. It was also a journey of the senses that we were able to enjoy to the fullest thanks to our comfortable and reliable companion, the HYMER Yosemite , and that we will remember for a long time to come. 

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