Cabárceno was a designated motorhome parking area and service point on the edge of an eponymous nature reserve (correctly known as Parque Natural Pena Cabarga). Situated in a small village, it is very rural yet only a few minutes drive from the main road – ideal for our planned early morning departure to Bilbao.

Although there is not much to do at Cabárceno – and when we were there the cafes and restaurants all closed once the day visitors had gone – it is a very pleasant place and has several features that might appeal to families or couples looking for a quiet overnight stop.

Even without paying to go into the nature reserve, you can view one of its best attractions – the elephants. There are also lots of interesting birds of prey and a large lake with picnic areas and walking paths around it.

Cabárceno is very close to Santander port and only about 1.5 hours to Bilbao and is very peaceful – or at least it was in May. I imagine it’s busier in summer but still acceptable.

Here are a few shots to finish off the trip:

Elephants at the Parque Natural Pena Cabarga, Cabarceno

The lake at Cabarceno

The elephant enclosure

Homeward bound... following signs for Santurtzi port for the Bilbao-Portsmouth ferry

Boarding the ferry in Bilbao

Leaving Spain...

Disembarking from the ferry in Portsmouth

Our route took us across the south west corner of the Parque on the N-625. It’s very scenic, very mountainous and was a little wet. Enjoy the views:

The Picos de Europa are proper mountains...

...the views are rather good...

...although once again the weather was against us slightly

Cangas de Onis proved to be a very pleasant mountain town that put one in mind of an Alpine town in Switzerland or France. It wasn’t cheap and had a fair number of expensive tourist shops – but there were some good local shops and cafes too. We spent most of a morning at one internet café using its free wireless internet. In that time, we drank two coffees and one beer each. The total cost came to €7 – and that included table service and some free tapas with the beer. I wasn’t complaining!

True to form the motorhome aire was right in the centre of the town, free and in good order with a full service point.

Like all good mountain towns, Cangas de Onis has a cold-looking river!

It felt quite alpine...

When we left Cangas de Onis, we headed towards the village of Covadonga to visit the Lagos de Covadonga – a very popular attraction. This attraction, on the fringes of the Picos de Europa moutains, comprises two lakes – Lago de Enol and 1km away, Lago de la Ercina.

This pair are popular enough that in summer, private vehicles aren’t allowed up the road to the lakes (a very steep, winding mountain road). You have to park in one of several car parks around Covadonga and take a bus up. Sometimes, according to our guide book, the car parks become full so the road into the area closes until spaces free up.

It wasn’t busy on the day we tried to go up, but we did face another obstacle:

I'm not sure if this was cloud or fog... shortly after this picture was taken, we came up behind a herd of cows that were being taken up the mountain road. I then decided that discretion was the better part of valour and turned around at the next opportunity.

Distance driven: 111 miles

• It was en-route to Bilbao and sounded so attractive and interesting in our Spanish guide book that I managed to persuade my better half it would be a good idea to visit
• It had an official ‘area de servicios para autocaravanas’ (motorhome aire) within easy walking distance of the city centre

My navigator’s skills were stretched slightly by our inadequate city map, but by mid-afternoon we had found our way into one of the busiest car parks in Spain, also the location of Leon’s motorhome parking facility (aire). Here, I would like to offer a bit of advice:

1. There is allocated parking for eight motorhomes.
2. The location is great – by the river and a pleasant café – and within an easy walk of the city centre.
3. Spanish car drivers don’t recognise the motorhome parking symbols and use the motorhome bays to park their cars in.
4. This means patience and timing is required to get a space for your motorhome. We managed it at about 9pm, having arrived around 5pm and squeezed into a car space.

However, it was well worth the effort. Leon is a really attractive city. The river runs into the city, providing wide, shady boulevards, and the old buildings are very attractive – as are many of the cake shops, cafes and restaurants that are dotted around.

This grand building is operated as an upmarket hotel by the state-run Paradores organisation

Stroll along Leon's wide, leafy river banks and escape the heat of the day

The view from the Area de Servicios para Autocaravanas in Leon

I can't remember what this is, but isn't it fine?

Leon has a proper outdoor market in a central square

Mmmm... traditional hams and cheese - perhaps slightly aimed at tourists?

We spent two nights at Leon (maximum allowed stay is 48 hours) and thoroughly enjoyed it. Although the parking location is just a corner of a car park, there is water (hosepipe with correct fitting required), waste water and toilet emptying point (a manhole in the pavement by the road, marked with a blue patch of paint). Emptying the toilet was quite funny – I was standing in the middle of a busy pavement, with a manhole cover up, emptying out my toilet cassette as commuters walked around me. Should have got a photo!

It’s about 60 miles by the easiest route from Izeda to Chaves – but we were taking the scenic route, as we had time on our hands and a yearning for good views. Our route took us up towards Braganca and along the N103, which runs along the southern edge of the Parque Natural de Montesinho. This proved suitably scenic and the day progressed very pleasantly – albeit rather wetly. We had heavy rain for much of the journey, although visibility wasn’t too bad for driving or for enjoying the views:

Some things can't be rushed...

Parque Natural de Montesinho - not at its best

More of the Montesinho Natural Park, still not at its best

Driving into Chaves, we started looking for a likely place in which to spend the night. We had heard that there was a car park close to the river and the town’s spa, in which motorhomes could spend the night legally and unmolested. While looking for this (still in the rain), we pulled off the road at a roundabout to have a look at the maps.

Uncharacteristically for me, I switched the engine off – I wouldn’t normally bother for a map stop – and when I came to switch it on, nothing happened, other than a half-hearted, sporadic clicking of relays. It seemed – and later transpired – that my van’s battery had moved on to the great scrapyard in the sky.

For the second time ever, I had cause to call on the AA European Breakdown service. Once again, I was singularly impressed by how good it is. Within half an hour, a recovery truck was with us and we got taken to a local garage. There, our van was looked at immediately and, in due course, a faulty battery was diagnosed and a new one fitted. The price of the new battery was fair and we were treated very well and on our way within a couple of hours of the time we broke down.

I simply can’t recommend AA European Breakdown Cover highly enough – based on two personal experiences, one in Spain and one in Portugal.

After this, we did find the car park we were looking for in Chaves and it was suitable for overnight parking – so we did, along with three other motorhomes. There’s a good and very reasonably priced Chinese restaurant within 10 minutes walk of the car park – another reason to spend the night!

Grand Chaves...

...Old town Chaves...

...Park Chaves...

...Fort Chaves (now a posh hotel)

Distance driven: 94 miles (plus a few on the back of a recovery truck…)

I must confess that we were ever so slightly disappointed. I think we had been spoilt previously – especially by the Monfrague National Park in Spain. I think that the park is probably better appreciated if you are a serious walker, as most of the roads skirt the park, rather than go through it (understandably…).

However, here are a couple of snaps for you to form your own judgement:

Parque Natural do Douro Internacional

The Douro International Park is right on the Portuguese-Spanish border and you can drive across from within the park, which extends on both sides of the border

We progressed through the park, stopping at Mogadouro and then Miranda do Douro, before finishing the day at another official motorhome aire in the village of Izeda. This was rather picturesque and illustrated well how new buildings are gradually replacing old ones in much of Portugal – and why:

This local lady had found an alternative use for the fresh water supply on the Euro Relais Mini - her garden was just to the left of this shot!

Some of the older housing stock is in poor condition - often, as in Izeda, it appears to be demolished to make way for new replacements, as to the left of this picture

Not sure what's happened here...

Izeda's church - pretty and almost new

Izeda was a very quiet and peaceful place to stay for a night – there are a few shops and cafes but most were closed when we were there, as it was a Sunday.

Distance driven: 119 miles

Leaving Estarreja, where we had spent another leisurely night after Sao Jacinto, we headed inland towards Lamego, an old town best known for its hugely ornamental, 600-step baroque staircase.

The easy way to do this journey is A25/A24 – so that’s what we did! We had left Estarreja quite late so wanted to make up some time on this longer-than-usual leg.

Lamego turned out to be a charming, well-preserved and very authentic town. The staircase was indeed impressive, but we were feeling lazy so we photographed it from the bottom and then adjourned to a nearby café for an ice cream! Who said travelling was hard work?

The Church in the centre of Lamego - a wedding was taking place as we passed

Lamego's famous baroque stone staircase - about 600 steps in all

Once we had finished wandering around Lamego, it was onto leg two of today’s route – Lamego to Torre de Moncorvo, a small town in the hills approaching the Parque Natural do Douro Internacional, our destination for the following day. The drive took us through the fertile and picturesque Douro valley – an important wine-growing area of Portugal.

Vineyards abound in the Douro valley, which is a wonderful, lush suntrap

While the town of Torre de Moncorvo was not particularly remarkable, the motorhome parking was! Once again, our “All the Aires Spain and Portugal” book had come up trumps. There were plenty of spaces and only one motorhome there when we arrived, a German unit. Once parked up, we had a nose around and the friendly German lady came out to make sure we were aware of the facilities in the toilet block – free hot showers!

Motorhome service area, Torre de Moncorvo - drive in service area, toilet and shower block in background

I’m almost reluctant to publicise this facility in case it gets overused, abused or shut down – but it really was fantastic, albeit in the middle of nowhere. There were even recycling bins. Like many of these areas in Spain and Portugal, it was almost new and provided everything required to service your motorhome, plus, unusually, a toilet and shower block with men’s and ladies’ facilities. Everything was in excellent order and clean.

Distance driven: 154 miles

As it turned out, that was what we did – but as often happens when travelling, the journey turned out to be more interesting than the final destination.

Having left Pardilho, we got back onto the N109 and headed north towards Ovar, before turning south west onto the N327. This is the sole main road down the peninsula we were planning to explore – with each town either on the N327 or connected to it by a minor road.

First call was Furadouro. It was (very) quiet but the town centre and beach seemed pleasant enough:

Furadouro beach - empty in early May

Presumably it is very busy in season – with Portuguese visitors, I’d guess. We had coffee and cake before moving on:

Galao & Pasteis de Nata - Furadouro

Next up was Torreira. Plenty of new flats, a newly face-lifted sea front and a pleasant town centre:

Torreira town centre

But driving back out of town after lunch, something different altogether:

Driving into Torreira

I’ve seen poverty before – I grew up in Asia – but it was a shock to see this in Western Europe in 2009. These were real slums – makeshift shacks, held together somehow and probably tapping off mains electricity in highly dubious and dangerous ways. What was so incongruous, too, was that there was no separation from the rest of the town – they were simply there, on a large unused plot right alongside the main road into and out of the town.

The slums were not huge in area but were huge in contrast to the rest of the town - a real eyeopener

Our final stop was Sao Jacinto, at the far end of the peninsula. This was a funny place – residential, yet quiet and run-down in places. The beaches, however, were pretty good – and no doubt the area’s main attraction, as was the case all along the peninsula.

The boardwalk to Sao Jacinto beach

We ended up staying the night in the corner of the beachside car park – the motorhome service point itself was fine for servicing requirements but not a very inviting place at which to spend the night:

Sao Jacinto motorhome aire (one official parking space, but it's nicer in the car park down the road - the Guarda Nacional went past us several times and didn't seem to mind us parking there instead)

Distance driven: 34 miles

And it was very nice. Aveiro’s canals and waterways do indeed put one in mind of Amsterdam, although I think Venice is a little bit of a stretch. It’s an attractive, well-kept and very pleasant town to spend a little time in.

Canalside in Aveiro - needless to say, boat trips and tourists feature prominently, but it's very attractive and well kept

Although our demands were modest – an internet café to do some work, a good restaurant for lunch and a little sightseeing – we came away quite pleased with the day.

Parking in Aveiro is spacious, plentiful and free if you know where it is. The place that we parked in was big enough for even quite large motorhomes (there were several) and within a few minutes walk of the town centre. It’s also by a canal and quite scenic, if you want to spend the day in your van. Not sure whether overnight parking is permitted.

To find the parking, leave the IP5/A25 at the junction with the N235 (western side of Aveiro). I’ve tried and failed to write better directions than this, so here’s a link to a map for the remainder:

Motorhome parking in Aveiro

The parking is on the unnamed road that runs parallel to the Cais das Falcoeiras. It’s on the other side of the canal and just below the motorway flyover and is a long car park with two rows of parking spaces. Take note of the one-way arrows – there is a one-way system in place.

Parking by the canal in Aveiro - free and close to the town centre

Here are a few more pictures of Aveiro:

A building decorated with traditional azulejo tiles

You could almost be in Amsterdam... (but the weather's better in Aveiro)

Inner city Aveiro!

Not sure what this is...

Sightseeing finished for the day, we headed out of Aveiro to our planned parking spot for the night – another Aire from the indispensable ‘All the Aires Spain & Portugal’; our bible for this trip. Our destination this night was a place called Pardilhó, to the north west of Aveiro.

Pardilhó turned out to be a quiet place and the Aire itself was truly at the end of the road – next to a café and small harbour area at the edge of some marshland (click here for a satellite picture, it’s just to the right of the buildings). This Aire was the second of the local government funded sites that required a €2 payment for each night (max 48 hours). As at Estarreja, there was a café adjacent to the parking where you made the payment and were given a token for the Euro Relais Mini and key for the electricity box.

The view from the motorhome parking at Pardilhó

This Aire looked as if it had hardly been used – the staff at the café certainly gave that impression when I paid up. Except for a little late night coming and going from the café, it was a very quiet spot with all the facilities we needed. There’s not much to do or see in Pardilhó, however.

Distance driven: 39 miles

Our original plan was to stop for the night at Praia da Vagueira, where there was apparently a proper motorhome service area with overnight parking. However, on our arrival we discovered two problems:

1.) The town was a bit of a dump, despite its seaside location.

2.) The old motorhome parking had been turned into a construction site and the new motorhome parking was both surprisingly expensive and currently being used to provide lorry access to said construction site (it’s signposted, though, and should be fine to use once the building work is finished).

With these discoveries, we moved on and finished the day at another official ‘Parque de Autocaravanas’ in the town of Estarreja, just north of Aveiro. This cost the princely sum of €2 per night and provided allocated parking, electricity and a full service point. The car park where the Aire was located was in the centre of the town and seemed almost new. Indeed, Estarreja is very much a ‘real’ town – where people live and work, unconnected to tourism – and as such, we really liked it. In fact, we liked it so much that we came back for another night a few days later.

Parque de Autocaravans, Estarreja - a very pleasant (urban) place to stay with good facilities

This was the first of two Aires we stopped at that had been provided by the regional government and which required a payment of €2 per night to use, payable in a nearby café. In return for this, you get a key for the electric cupboard (so you could plug in) and a token for the Euro Relais Mini, providing you with full services. Maximum stay was 48 hours – these aren’t intended for camping holidays, they are parking spaces with services. Highly recommended.

Distance driven: 166 miles

Driving into the Serra da Estrela Natural Park

We weren’t disappointed. These are proper mountains – granted not on the scale of the Alps or Pyrenees, but proper mountains all the same. As we headed into the park, it became instantly apparent we were entering a mountainous area. The roads started to show the wear and tear that can only be caused by regular snowfall and ice and there were several sets of roadworks taking advantage of the late spring weather to work their way upwards. The people started dressing as if the weather might turn bad at any point. The communities became smaller, more insular and less bothered about outward appearances. A new breed of tourist shop also emerged – selling hams, cheeses, fleecy products like slippers and traditionally-made woollen garments.

Heading upwards into the mountains - traffic was minimal

Our route took us along the N339 up to the Torre – at 1,993m, the highest point in Portugal. Along the way, the views got steadily better and despite the relatively modest altitudes, there was snow, rocky peaks, alpine meadows and stunning, deep blue lakes and reservoirs. Here are a few pictures:

In winter, this would all be snow - in fact, the Serra da Estrela range does have a ski run

Cold, blue and high - true mountain lakes!

Some of the lakes in the Estrelas were man made, like this one

Some were entirely natural...

Traditional hams and cheeses for sale

The Torre - the highest point in Portugal - is marked by a shopping complex and this slightly decrepit transmitter tower. There's also a ski run in winter.

Still plenty of snow in early May

Overnight stops and camping are often prohibited within Portugal’s natural parks and so it was here – at least above 1,200m. In any event, it looked like it might get quite cold at night so we descended until we had left the park and got closer to sea level before we found a quiet lay-by to park in for the night.

Anyone seeking to do some walking in the park will find a wide range of choice – from short loops to serious hiking. The largest town in the park and the best place to start walking from is Manteigas – the main park office is here and there are several campsites and hotels in the area.

Distance driven: 145 miles