Traveling in a van from the north of Germany to Portugal has been fascinating, difficult, and adventurous. I selected my route alongside the Atlantic Ocean shoreline, the blue ocean guiding me like a trusted compass. I’ve carried out this highway journey thrice in whole by now and have explored quite a few unbelievable spots and stops.
Each journey alongside this path confirmed me a variety of landscapes, from the rugged cliffs of Northern France to the infinite seashores of Galicia and Portugal. One focus of my journeys has been discovering superb waves to surf. This led me to some unbelievable locations with parking spots proper behind the dunes, a number of strolling steps away from probably the most lovely and peaceable seashores.
Diving into not solely the Atlantic Ocean virtually each day, however into a special tradition and delicacies with each different cease has been such an exquisite expertise. I’d eat conventional French pastries, strive tapas in Spain and scrumptious contemporary seafood in Portugal. Each day supplied not only a change in surroundings, however an entire new world of experiences, adventures and tales. This article options a few of my favourite locations that I’ve visited, both alone or with my good friend or boyfriend on the highway.
Note: Each of the thrice I did this highway journey I used to be accompanied by both a good friend or my boyfriend. Some components I additionally explored on my own. In this text I’ll change between referring to solely myself and the folks accompanying me on the highway. I wrote an article about my first time road-tripping within the van.
France: Fairy Tales, Crashing Waves and Croissants
I’ll begin by speaking about the very best locations I visited in France.
Mont Saint-Michel
Mont Saint-Michel made me really feel like a princess in a Disney Movie, which is kind of spectacular when you will have been on the highway for a couple of week with a complete depend of 1 bathe. On the opposite hand, it supposedly impressed the citadel of Rapunzel’s mother and father within the film Tangled, so I shouldn’t be too stunned.
One of probably the most hanging options of Mont Saint-Michel is its gorgeous location. It is a lovely medieval abbey on a rocky island. On low tide you may entry Mont Saint-Michel by foot nonetheless with the excessive tide the Mont turns into surrounded by water, creating an impressive island rising from the ocean.
We arrived within the afternoon in a parking spot “Parking du Bec d’Andaine” which is situated half-hour north of Mont Saint-Michel. The parking zone is crowded throughout the day, full of vacationers and teams of college children that stroll to the citadel on foot over the Wadden Sea.
With the setting solar, it quiets down and presents a fantastic spot for an in a single day keep. For us it was excellent to see the citadel from afar within the setting solar. I liked seeing the citadel from afar earlier than visiting the island itself. To go to the citadel you may stroll from the parking spot to the island when the tide is low. Make certain to test the tide schedules earlier than your go to, because the tides can have an effect on entry to the Mont.
What we did as an alternative was drive thirty minutes to the designated parking lot by the island (12€ for a day) and take the free shuttle bus to the citadel.
You stroll throughout a bridge to the island. Seeing the Castle from the coast had been so picturesque however exploring the slim, cobbled streets that wind up in the direction of the abbey on our personal was unbelievable. Strolling by means of the Medieval Village made us really feel transported again in time.
We explored the Abbey and discovered a bit about its historical past whereas admiring not solely the structure of the place however the marvellous view as nicely. The Abbey’s terrace presents a spectacular panoramic view of the encompassing bay. We would watch the teams of vacationers stroll over the disappearing Wadden Sea at low tide. Whether it’s the historic streets, the breath-taking views, or the distinctive tide phenomena, this island is actually enchanting. It positively introduced us a little bit of magic.
La Rochelle
La Rochelle was one of many few cities we visited. It is thought for its historic ports and delightful previous city. We loved the distinction to our nature spots. For us it was the right metropolis to spend a day in. It presents so many alternatives to buy, discover tradition and check out native delicacies. We parked someplace on the town and began strolling with no plan.
First, we noticed La Rochelle’s previous harbor (Vieux Port), which the town is legendary for. It is characterised by its medieval towers guarding the doorway – the Saint-Nicolas Tower, the Chain Tower, and the Lantern Tower. These towers are iconic symbols of the town’s wealthy maritime historical past. They grew to become extra spectacular after we noticed them lit up at night time. We strolled by means of the charming streets of the city, stopping for postcards, espresso and ice cream.
La Rochelle is famend for its well-preserved previous city which is gorgeous to stroll by means of. On one sq. folks have been dancing underneath pink umbrellas hung up within the sky. It has numerous cute cafes and eating places. We particularly loved wanting by means of all of the little outlets full of souvenirs, decorations, video games, posters, and different cute objects.
In the night, in any case our buying, we discovered ourselves in a small however crowded alley the place a band performed within the streets. It felt like a small occasion, everybody singing and dancing within the streets. When the clock struck midnight we drove to a spot a bit additional out city the place we may park the van and sleep at night time.
Beaches and Biarritz within the Southwest of France
The Southwest of France is dwelling to a number of the most lovely and unspoiled seashores in France. There is the Grande Plage in Biarritz or the distant seashores of the Landes area, the place you may sunbathe or people-watch. It is equally as fashionable for its surf spots, which is among the fundamental causes I took my time exploring this area.
For surf lovers significantly the Atlantic coast round Biarritz and Hossegor, is a must-visit. These spots are well-known for his or her surf tradition and host a number of worldwide browsing competitions. The waves right here cater to all ranges, from newbies to professionals.
Even if you happen to’ve by no means stood on a surfboard, that is your time to strive. My favourite spots embody Soulac-sur-Mer, Plage Surveillée du Gurp, Cap de L’homy and the Plage des Océanides in Capbreton. I liked the unbelievable seashores and waves but additionally the likelihood to park so near the ocean. At some you may park proper behind the dunes or underneath excessive pine timber, that are attribute of this area. The shoreline is dotted with expansive sandy seashores, and small seaside cities which gave me a way of peacefulness. Maybe as a result of the seashores weren’t overrun by vacationers.
In summer season the seashores are packed and it’s will get too scorching for my private desire. I discovered autumn and spring to be the right time to discover the Southwest of France. It isn’t as crowded as in however the climate remains to be largely sunny. Even in mid September we may nonetheless sunbathe and surf in bikinis as an alternative of wetsuits.
In conclusion, the Atlantic coast within the south west of France is an incredible vacation spot to get pleasure from a surprising pure surroundings, scrumptious meals, and a vibrant surf scene. I particularly advocate visiting Cap De L’homy. It is a bit much less crowded vacation spot for these searching for peace, serene seashores and pure landscapes and is right for browsing, sunbathing, swimming, and having fun with magical sunsets.
If you’re searching for extra of a metropolis environment, you need to go to Biarritz. Biarritz looks like a small seashore metropolis. I liked strolling across the streets, exploring the smaller outlets for jewellery, surf garments, data and souvenirs. My good friend and I purchased postcards. We wrote them whereas sitting in a cute cafe and having fun with a giant brunch – a distinction to our regular van life breakfast.
The metropolis’s many eating places and bistros have a variety of numerous meals choices. We strolled by means of the native meals court docket, Halles de Biarritz, and purchased small treats – croissants, macarons and quiche. We ate them in entrance of the picturesque harbor. The large blue ocean creates a lovely coastal surroundings.
SPAIN: Endless Nature and Endless Smiles
Galicia
Galicia is my all time favourite highway journey vacation spot. Every time I drive from Portugal to Germany (or from Germany to Portugal) I make sure that to spend a number of days alongside this unbelievable shoreline within the northwest of Spain. It presents many numerous hidden nature spots proper by unbelievable seashores. Most of the instances you may park proper by the seashore too.
I’ve woken as much as serene sunrises, seen breathtaking sunsets, surfed empty line-ups and explored lovely nature. Everything proper subsequent to my parked van. Galicia actually is a paradise for all seashore and nature lovers.
You can discover sand seashores hidden between rugged coastlines, tasty seafood and welcoming folks, to not overlook in regards to the breathtaking night time sky. I like exploring Galicia and might’t wait to be again quickly, to surf, to sunbathe, to discover its nature.
Bilbao and Sopelana
Sopelana remains to be one in every of my favourite stops. We initially stayed right here to take a day journey to Bilbao however stayed longer for the superb surf and unbelievable views. I’m not an enormous fan of huge cities and staying in a van in a metropolis is slightly inconvenient, that’s why we felt so fortunate to discover a parking zone in Sopelana, proper by the seashore. We drove into Bilbao in the future to discover it and in any other case loved the calm and beachy environment of Sopelana.
When we drove to Bilbao, we parked someplace within the outskirts and took the metro into city. Our first cease was, after all, the well-known Guggenheim Museum. We admired the spectacular structure of the Museum in addition to the 2 statues outdoors. Puppy is the world’s largest flower sculpture. A everlasting set up created by the American artist Jeff Koons. In distinction to the attractive flower association you could find Maman, the monumental metal spider that’s virtually 9 meters tall.
Even although the admission costs are cheap, we determined to spend our restricted time within the sunny streets of Bilbao. We wandered by means of the previous city’s charming streets.
The coronary heart and soul of Bilbao, the Casco Viejo, presents a stark distinction to the modernity of the Guggenheim. In the Old Town we walked by means of its seven authentic streets (Las Siete Calles) and found charming boutiques, conventional Basque taverns (pintxos bars), and historic landmarks just like the Santiago Cathedral and the Plaza Nueva. It was an effective way to expertise the town’s conventional tradition and delicacies.
At Plaza Nueva we tried some pintxos (native tapas) which have been scrumptious. You can get them on the many bars and taverns which are all over the place within the metropolis. Another place to strive pintxos is the Mercado de la Ribera the place you may as well purchase contemporary native merchandise like cheese, wine or fish. We loved strolling by means of Bilbao, absorbing its full of life environment and roaming round Casco Viejo.
I really feel like we obtained to see a number of the finest components of Bilbao within the quick time that we visited. However, there’s plenty of locations that we didn’t get to see. On my record for subsequent time is Cafe Iruna for the good meals and delightful historic tiled partitions inside.
In distinction to the busy metropolis we have been grateful for the calm atmosphere of Sopelana. The parking zone is on the cliffs proper by the seashore. We had an incredible panoramic view of the blue ocean and surfers. During the day the seashore and parking are packed so it’s important to be fortunate with discovering a spot however within the night it quiets down a bit of.
We felt secure and met plenty of different like-minded vacationers. We spent our time laying on the seashore, having fun with the sunshine, browsing, and skating a skate bowl on the cliffs.
I can advocate staying in Sopelana and visiting Bilbao if you happen to’re searching for the right mixture of metropolis and seashore.
Portugal: Small Fishing Towns, Ceramic Tiles and Waves
Porto, Portugal
Porto has an simple allure. I fall in love with this metropolis a bit of extra each time I go to. It is famend for its colourful structure, world-famous port wine, and a full of life culinary scene. I don’t advocate driving into the town with a van or motorhome. The streets are busy and slim and a few on-line opinions counsel that parking a van on the town isn’t secure.
Instead, I prefer to park at one of many tenting websites within the district of Madalena, that are fairly fashionable even within the off-season. I do know that after a busy time exploring the town I can return to a secure campsite. There is a bus connection into the town heart, I nonetheless favor to take an Uber or Bolt which takes me on to the Jardim do Morro. T
he small hill presents breathtaking views of the cityscape and offers a lovely first impression of Porto. From there you may cross the Dom Luís I Bridge into the Ribeira District. The bridge is an emblem of the town’s industrial heritage. The Ribeira District, with its slim, cobbled streets, colourful homes, and full of life squares overlooking the Douro River, is quintessentially Porto.
I like to recommend simply strolling by means of and taking within the metropolis’s vibrant environment. It is my favourite technique to discover any metropolis.
Be ready to stroll loads of stairs. The space is bustling with conventional eating places, cafes, and bars the place you may strive native delicacies. I like to recommend doing a Port wine tasting and making an attempt the Francesinha sandwich in addition to a Pastel de Nata.
If you wish to see some extra sights you may go to the São Bento Railway Station for its azulejos (ceramic tiles), the Clérigos Tower as the town’s most iconic landmark or the Livraria Lello, which is ranked among the many most lovely bookstores on this planet. Definitely stroll alongside the riverbank to absorb the gorgeous views of the town.
Nazaré, Portugal
Nazaré, is a picturesque seaside city in Portugal, famend for its majestic sea cliffs, expansive sandy seashores, and vibrant cultural heritage. Even although the city has a quaint allure and scrumptious seafood, that wasn’t what initially drew me to it. Instead I visited Nazaré for its world-famous huge waves. The underwater Nazaré Canyon creates record-breaking swells that entice surfers from across the globe.
The huge wave season is between October and March in which you’ll see waves that common about 15 meters (50 toes) excessive and if the circumstances are distinctive even as much as 24 meters (80 toes). Watching surfers navigate the monstrous waves is a such a particular expertise that’s each exhilarating and humbling. It is unbelievable to see.
When the waves are huge and an occasion is on, there are huge crowds of individuals watching. You can watch the spectacle from the seashore, Praia do Norte, nonetheless the very best place to watch is on Sítio da Nazaré. It is by the lighthouse – Fort of São Miguel Arcanjo, which you’ll go to the inside of all year long. It homes a small exhibition devoted to the surf tradition in Nazaré and the historical past of huge wave browsing.
I discovered it very attention-grabbing to dive a bit of deeper into the background of the Nazaré huge wave browsing. To summarize, Nazaré is certainly price seeing. The seashores are lovely and it’s an enthralling city to walk by means of. If you’re searching for a little bit of thrill be sure to time your go to based on the swell. That means you get to expertise the colossal waves at Praia do Norte.
Ericeira, Portugal
Ericeira is well my favourite vacation spot, in all probability as a result of I’ve spent probably the most period of time right here. It is thought for being one of many few World Surfing Reserves, a testomony to its distinctive waves and surf tradition. It attracts surfers and vacationers from all around the globe. Regardless, I discover that it doesn’t lose its conventional Portuguese allure.
It’s proper by the ocean with quite a few lovely seashores and a vibrant social life on the town. The previous city is a labyrinth of cobbled streets, conventional white homes with blue trim, and quaint squares. Wandering by means of, you’ll uncover distinctive outlets, cafes, and seafood eating places that serve contemporary seafood dishes.
At Praia dos Pescadores, or Fisherman’s Beach, you may typically watch native fishermen launching their boats, sustaining the village’s lengthy standing maritime traditions. Praia dos Pescadores is simply one of many many unbelievable seashores all alongside the shoreline. There are a number of well-known surf spots, together with Ribeira d’Ilhas and Coxos. Whether you’re a seasoned surfer or a newbie, the various surf spots provide circumstances for all ranges.
Even in case you are not into browsing there are numerous different actions to strive. You can skate, follow Yoga, strive bouldering or climbing. Especially in summer season there’s a full of life occasion scene to get pleasure from. It’s additionally a unbelievable place for a metropolis stroll, a nature stroll, sunbathing, or just soaking within the vibrant environment and delightful views of the Atlantic.
One word: While you may keep at quite a few superb hostels and accommodations, it’s a bit much less straightforward when looking for an in a single day parking spot with a van. I like to recommend the campsite on the town or discovering a parking spot a bit additional alongside the shoreline.
However, Ericeira is certainly price visiting. It’s such an enthralling seaside village with distinctive sights and actions. Whether you’re drawn in by the waves, the attract of conventional Portuguese village life, or the straightforward pleasure of exploring a lovely coastal panorama, Ericeira is a memorable escape.
3000 km and a Pocket stuffed with Seashells Later: A Conclusion
I’ve traveled up and down the coast with my van thrice now. I do know the final time wasn’t truly the final time as I’m already planning my subsequent highway journey. I like coming again to those locations and exploring new ones. Every time is one other distinctive expertise stuffed with adventures. I accumulate moments and recollections in addition to pockets stuffed with seashells and sunshine.
My journeys from Germany to the shores of Portugal depart me in awe of the range and richness of the Atlantic Coast. Each vacation spot, with its personal historical past, tradition, and nature, has proven me such distinctive magnificence. From the majestic silhouette of Mont-Saint-Michel, to the infinite seashores within the South of France, to the fantastic thing about Galicia; from the cultural vibrancy of Bilbao and Sopelana, to the allure of Porto; and eventually, the exhilarating waves of Nazaré and the surfer paradise of Ericeira.
This highway journey alongside the Atlantic Coast is greater than only a journey; it’s an invite to find the tales etched into the landscapes and cities of the shoreline. I hope my tales can encourage you to embark by yourself highway journey journey, whether or not it’s the historic cities, the blue of the ocean, the beautiful cuisines, or the fun of browsing that pulls you.
See you on the highway.