Peaks & Summits '24
Spain & Portugal GT Tour
Peaks & Summits | Spain & Portugal GT Tour
Sunday 21st April | Arrive at Plymouth: Meet up at Costa for a snack before heading to the ferry for the 22 hour crossing to Santander in 4-berth club cabins with TV facilities. For those looking for a bit more space and relaxation during the crossing, we have managed to secure some upgraded Deluxe cabins with 2 single beds for both crossing for an extra £300. They are subject to availability so on a first come first served basis please request them on the booking form. Please note the tour cost also INCLUDES a group dinner with wine and water in the Pont-Aven’s main restaurant, La Flora.
Monday 22nd April | 3 hour drive 210km: Disembark the boat in Santander. As we want to include as many great roads as possible on this tour we have planned a route across the Picos, but it’s all dependant on how quickly we clear passport control and customs checks. If we are late, we will use the coastal scenic motorway to reach Oviedo in plenty of time to check into the city centre 5* Barceló Oviedo Cervantes ahead of the first group dinner.
Tuesday 23rd April | 6 hour drive 460km: The journey south sees us leaving the Picos and heading into the Parque Natural Las Ubiñas-La Mesa through Galicia, before skirting the Peña Trevinca, the highest mountain in Galicia, home of the slate mines. We then cross the border into Portugal and reach our hotel to check in for the next 2 nights at beautiful Vidago Palace, a proud member of the leading hotels of the world group!
Wednesday 24th April | 6 hour drive 340km: As we will be returning to the hotel tonight it’s a day to enjoy a lightweight car on this loop around northern Portugal which includes a lesser-known Porsche test route. This 30 Km section of road is a real test for any GT car not just a Porsche, it’s that good in fact we will be coming back this way so you can enjoy it in both directions! The location of the hotel also means you could choose to have a lie-in and join the route at the lunch stop. Note though you will miss the aforementioned road, alternatively, you can cut the day short and head back to the hotel after a great morning on this route around the Rabagao River. On returning to the hotel you will have the first of 2 free nights to relax and do as you wish for dinner in the evening.
Thursday 25th April | 6.5 hour drive 370km: The tour continues south to reach Portugal’s answer to the Stelvio pass! A driving paradise that is the Serra da Estrela mountain range, the highest point in mainland Portugal. To reach the majestic mountains and deep valleys as fast as possible, we will need to use a stretch of the A24 motorway to ensure we have enough time on the fabulous roads that follow. Once we turn off the motorway we will head east along the Douro River on the N-222, another famous road in Portugal that has been voted ‘The Best Road in the World’ by Avis! This is debatable of course, but the 22kms that separate Pinhão and Peso da Régua are absolutely amazing! The 93 bends and frequently changing viewpoints make it a great warm-up for the roads to come in the Estrela National Parque after lunch in a beautiful hotel perched on the side of the Stelvio like pass overlooking Covilha.
Once we reach the Parque itself, we have planned a route that takes in the best roads and views possible. As we are staying in the national parque tonight, there are options for a late night pass over the mountain at sunset for those keen to recreate some of the footage seen on Joe’s video, CLICK HERE. This route certainly ticks all the boxes for us and definitely has all the ingredients to make it a truly fabulous day behind the wheel of your car!
Friday 26th April | 5 Hour Drive 320km: Those early birds amongst the group that want to capture a sunrise over the Estrela summits can do so before breakfast, and the journey northwest begins on route to the coastal city of Porto. The route around the south side of the Parque as we leave is a great finale to our time in this driving mecca that you can all discuss over a pizza at our lunch stop. We will then rejoin the motorway network to dispense with 100km’s of tarmac as quickly as possible, before we turn off to head across country again on route to Porto. The central location for the second two-night stay of the tour means you can really enjoy some Portuguese culture, whilst also enjoying the surroundings of the brand-new Renaissance Porto Lapa Hotel.
Saturday 27th April | 3.5 Hour drive 250km: We have planned an optional scenic route for today that heads out east along the Douro River on the N-222 to pick up the remainder of the road we didn’t use on the way to the Serra da Estrela. Alternatively, as it’s a 2-night stay again in Porto, feel free to have a lie-in and enjoy a leisurely breakfast sipping coffee and enjoying those infamous Pastel de Nata’s (don’t forget to add cinnamon its amazing). Then post breakfast why not relax at the unique rooftop garden terrace whilst enjoying the unspoiled views of the downtown skyline before taking a dip in the iconic heated infinity pool. It’s your holiday, you choose!
Sunday 28th April | 5.5 Hour drive 540 km: The penultimate day of driving heading back towards Oviedo is a longer one as we need to get as far north as possible so that you can enjoy the last days full route heading through the centre of the Picos de Europa. The route out of Porto kicks off with an 85km stint on the motorway, but don’t worry, we are heading back to the lesser know Porsche test route from earlier in the tour to enjoy the 30km’s of great tarmac, but in the other direction! We then have another 80km of motorway to reach the border of Spain, not ideal, but when you have to cover ground quickly, needs must! Once there we will head north east through a couple of fantastic national parques that lead us to our final hotel of the tour. Tucked away in a stunning Asturian valley, the Gran Hotel Las Caldas is a 5* spa hotel that offers you a chance to relax and reflect on the past week, before the final nights group dinner, well on land anyway!
Monday 29th April | 5 hours 300km: The drive back to Santander to catch the ferry will get underway at 8:30am, to ensure we have enough time to reach the ferry by 17:30 at the latest. This final route we have planned through the heart of the Picos de Europa is not to be missed and ends just 50km from Santander, so it’s well worth getting up early for, as there is plenty of time to relax on the 22-hour crossing back to Plymouth. Once onboard the boat, relax and enjoy a few beers and chat over the week’s tour with some new friends ahead of the final group dinner in the Pont-Avens main à la carte restaurant La Flora (INCLUDED in your package).
Tuesday 30th April | Disembark 3:30pm: A day on the ferry relaxing after a week on the road.
Please note: Routes and exact timings are just a guide and are subject to change.
