Spain/Italy short bike tour route - advice sought

rflynnr

Right. Went from Bordeaux to Toulouse last September in 2.5 days and had a ball. Planning to take 3-4 days off in September to do another short tour (100km approx. per day) in a Mediterranean-type country.I'm open to anywhere warm within a three hour direct flight from Dublin and happy to consider arriving and departing at different airports. Any and all advice gratefully received.

ford2600

rflynnr wrote: »

Right. Went from Bordeaux to Toulouse last September in 2.5 days and had a ball. Planning to take 3-4 days off in September to do another short tour (100km approx. per day) in a Mediterranean-type country.I'm open to anywhere warm within a three hour direct flight from Dublin and happy to consider arriving and departing at different airports. Any and all advice gratefully received.

I crossed north of Spain last year from Santigo de Compestella to French border.

Given your talking half that distance or so. Santander to Biarritz (both Ryanair) or Santander to Santiago(Aer Lingus). Santiago

Motorway means coastal road is quite, people are nice, food is top drawer, nice beaches with accomodation easy to find. Some Spanish is necessary. Go away from coast if you want to climb more. There is climbing everywhere however so be warned.

How about fly into Vigo, head inland and south and take river to Porto and fly out?

Daroxtar

I'll second the North of Spain. Spent a week in Cantabria last year in the Picos de Europa. Stayed near a gorgeous village called Potes.
Incredible scenery, quiet, well surfaced roads roads, friendly locals, cheap. Some fairly serious climbs too!!!
Flew into Santander for less than €100 return. I'm heading back in September for more.

brownian

Fly into Pisa. Fly out of Rome. Spend the time in Tuscany, Volterra, Orvieto, Montepulciano and other lovely Italian towns, linked by rolling (sometimes quite challenging) hills. If you want a day in Rome, the airport (Fiumicino) takes bikes in left luggage for quite small money, and you can thus avoid cycling into the city.

I did this a couple of years ago with my wife and kids. Took us a bit longer than you are planning, but we covered relatively short distances.

The N of Spain is ok (did Santiago-Bilbao a few years back) but Tuscany is nicer, IMHO. Weather also a lot more reliable - N. Spain ain't the Costa Verde for nothing.

Mercian Pro

+1 on Tuscany. Did it last year as part of the Hospice Cycle from Genoa to Rome. Pisa would be a good starting point but once you leave Tuscany and enter Lazio, the road quality deteriorates. If you do head to Rome, there is a cycle way from a long way out along the Tiber that brings you right into the centre of Rome.

As an alternative, this year's Hospice Cycle is from Perpignan to Barcelona with an interesting mix of coastal and hilly days. You could easily condense the five days to four by taking a more direct route. Route map here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057550370

brownian

Mercian Pro wrote: »

+1 on Tuscany. Did it last year as part of the Hospice Cycle from Genoa to Rome. Pisa would be a good starting point but once you leave Tuscany and enter Lazio, the road quality deteriorates. If you do head to Rome, there is a cycle way from a long way out along the Tiber that brings you right into the centre of Rome.

As an alternative, this year's Hospice Cycle is from Perpignan to Barcelona with an interesting mix of coastal and hilly days. You could easily condense the five days to four by taking a more direct route.

This is true. My kids still talk about the potholes. But the evenings in medieval towns (and the odd agriturismo with a pool) are great. <off topic> that's my issue with cycle touring in Ireland...other than going to the pub, there's not much attractive about Irish towns in general [exceptions excepted]</off topic>