Driving from Uk to Southern Spain
Discussion
Thinking of driving rather than flying down to family apartment in Calahonda near Marbella.
Anyone done it and can recommend a decent route. Will be travelling with young children so something to look at rather than endless motorways would be good.
One or two nights stop over might be possible, then maybe on the return, just drive straight back through the night? possible/advisable?
Will be going in Disco3 diesel....
I used to do Suffolk to Barcelona regularly for work.
Best trip I did was in a 7.5tonne truck:
Dover - Calais (Ferry)
Calais - Rouen - Le Mans - Poitiers - Bordeaux and stayed in a Campanile there.
Bordeaux - Tolouse - Narbonne - Spanish border - Barcelona.
I'd then follow the coast road down stopping in the Valencia area overnight.
You could do the journey with an overnight stop at the French / Spanish border if your kids are up for a schlep in the car.
HTH
Best trip I did was in a 7.5tonne truck:
Dover - Calais (Ferry)
Calais - Rouen - Le Mans - Poitiers - Bordeaux and stayed in a Campanile there.
Bordeaux - Tolouse - Narbonne - Spanish border - Barcelona.
I'd then follow the coast road down stopping in the Valencia area overnight.
You could do the journey with an overnight stop at the French / Spanish border if your kids are up for a schlep in the car.
HTH
Mattt said:
Young kids? Good luck!!
It's best for them to try and do an overnight blast - but you'll be knackered for a few days, not what you want on holiday.
I was thinking all the ICE AGE dvd's followed by HSM1,2&3 should see us well into Spanish territory before they start to kick off.....It's best for them to try and do an overnight blast - but you'll be knackered for a few days, not what you want on holiday.
I'd take the ferry to Santander from either Portsmouth or Plymouth -it's about 24 hours - and then drive down the western side of Spain. The alternative, which is to take a ferry or the chunnel across to France just doesn't bear thinking about with kids. I did Madrid - St Malo - Glasgow once and it nearly killed me.
Anyway, from Santander, there are a couple of ways you can go, but personally I'd go Valladolid, Salamanca, Caceres, Sevilla. When you get to Seville, you can either drive south to the coast at Algeciras and then drive up the coast, or go inland on the road that hits the coast at Malaga, and then drive down. I like the latter road, because you get to see the interior of Andalucia, which personally i think is wonderful.
I have a place in Marbella BTW, but I almost never drive from the UK, as it's cheaper to fly easyJet into Malaga and then hire a car.
Anyway, from Santander, there are a couple of ways you can go, but personally I'd go Valladolid, Salamanca, Caceres, Sevilla. When you get to Seville, you can either drive south to the coast at Algeciras and then drive up the coast, or go inland on the road that hits the coast at Malaga, and then drive down. I like the latter road, because you get to see the interior of Andalucia, which personally i think is wonderful.
I have a place in Marbella BTW, but I almost never drive from the UK, as it's cheaper to fly easyJet into Malaga and then hire a car.
chris.mapey said:
I used to do Suffolk to Barcelona regularly for work.
Best trip I did was in a 7.5tonne truck:
Dover - Calais (Ferry)
Calais - Rouen - Le Mans - Poitiers - Bordeaux and stayed in a Campanile there.
Bordeaux - Tolouse - Narbonne - Spanish border - Barcelona.
I'd then follow the coast road down stopping in the Valencia area overnight.
You could do the journey with an overnight stop at the French / Spanish border if your kids are up for a schlep in the car.
HTH
Spanish border down to Malaga is 1200 - 1300 Km. Somewhere like Le Havre to Perpignan is 1000 to 1200. With kids, i wouldn't do it that way. The road down the Spanish coast is not only mind numbingly boring (IMHO), it's going to cost a fortune in motorway tolls.Best trip I did was in a 7.5tonne truck:
Dover - Calais (Ferry)
Calais - Rouen - Le Mans - Poitiers - Bordeaux and stayed in a Campanile there.
Bordeaux - Tolouse - Narbonne - Spanish border - Barcelona.
I'd then follow the coast road down stopping in the Valencia area overnight.
You could do the journey with an overnight stop at the French / Spanish border if your kids are up for a schlep in the car.
HTH
having just done London to Perpignan in a day, with a little 'un, it wasn't that bad!
I felt that I could have gone on quite a bit further, especially as the drive near Millau is awesome, some actual driving roads, up and down the mountains, even in a Vito!
We drove from there to Vic, about 40 mins north of Barcelona and that took 2 hours.
I reckon that you could do it, and the kids would be alright. Just be sure of where your stop points are, and be prepared to stop every two hours.
I felt that I could have gone on quite a bit further, especially as the drive near Millau is awesome, some actual driving roads, up and down the mountains, even in a Vito!
We drove from there to Vic, about 40 mins north of Barcelona and that took 2 hours.
I reckon that you could do it, and the kids would be alright. Just be sure of where your stop points are, and be prepared to stop every two hours.
CR0X said:
having just done London to Perpignan in a day, with a little 'un, it wasn't that bad!
I felt that I could have gone on quite a bit further, especially as the drive near Millau is awesome, some actual driving roads, up and down the mountains, even in a Vito!
We drove from there to Vic, about 40 mins north of Barcelona and that took 2 hours.
I reckon that you could do it, and the kids would be alright. Just be sure of where your stop points are, and be prepared to stop every two hours.
Thanks for that...if you can do it in a Vito then I should have no issues in the Disco then....I felt that I could have gone on quite a bit further, especially as the drive near Millau is awesome, some actual driving roads, up and down the mountains, even in a Vito!
We drove from there to Vic, about 40 mins north of Barcelona and that took 2 hours.
I reckon that you could do it, and the kids would be alright. Just be sure of where your stop points are, and be prepared to stop every two hours.
I've driven in the US lots but not much in Europe. Are the petrol stations set up like in the US where you use debit/credit cards at the pump or is it the same as here and go into pay booth after filling...
LR Disco sat nav is fairly good so should show the toll roads. Would like to avoid these if possible.
Incredible Sulk said:
I'd take the ferry to Santander from either Portsmouth or Plymouth -it's about 24 hours -
I was planning to do this on the return leg a few years ago with the ex. Take a week to drive to spain, stopping off at places in France a day or two at a time. Then spend a week in Spain and do the boat on the way home. Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff