Road trip. Spain and Portugal

[apotek]

I`ve persuaded my wife to sign my pass for a solo drive in the DB9 to Portugal.
Cheshire to Plymouth, to Santander then diagonaly south west through Salamanca to Beja.
I`ve done this many times but not solo.
My questions are
1. What toll vignettes have people used and found good.
2. Would anyone suggest I need a fluids check/top up for say gearbox,brakes, coolant and steering.
I`ve only done 700 miles since last service.

[VVV boy]

Hi Apotek.
So 2 years ago this June I ended up doing a solo drive from Pamela not from where you are headed back to the UK after family issues cut short our tour of Spain and Portugal.
I was in my V600 Volante and really appreciated that I had pre bought a 'Via Verde' Road transponder (Google Via Verde) I bought it on line and it was shipped to me in the UK .it made motorway driving so simple especially driving solo, it simply charges your credit card with tolls, I have had no issues with it.
Regarding pre trip checks . You are probably OK to assume Transmission and Axle oil levels are ok if your car is regularly serviced. But do a thorough under hood check of levels and also check the condition of hoses and auxiliary drive belt ( Fan belt as used to be) Anything rubber is more likely to deteriorate with age rather than millage. ( having a spare belt in the boot is a wise precaution just in case)
It really is a great place for an old fashioned road trips, so much less busy than UK France etc.
One issue I did have was we booked hotels via Brittany Ferries and where possible pre booked secure parking, But some of parking spaces were unbelievably small for anything like our type of car. ( but isn't than what explorer holidays are all about.
By the way the Brittany Ferries hotels were by an large superb.
Pictures below Hotel in Pamela and Salamanca, ( spot the one with parking issues)
Anyway chap have a great holiday and remember you are driving an Aston ,so representing all of us .

Good luck VVV boy

[apotek]

Cheers VVV a great help. My family in portugal use via verde so I will sort that out.
I have done this trip a few times but always in younger cars carrying books beans tea and corned
beef!
I have gone through the extensive sevice records and will be doing just as you`ve said on fluids
Thanks for your advice, I love Salamanca usually staying at the Punto Romano hotel reasonable with a good breakfast,

[SR]

Currently living in Viana do Castelo, driving an 2007 Vantage. Off your route but there are some fantastic roads around here and Geres National Park is spectacular. Planning my own European trip starting from Portugal and using Brittany Ferries to Portsmouth from Santander, can’t fault BF and have used them multiple times. Spanish customs are a right pain but that’s another story.
Enjoy your trip!

[AMRicardo]

On that heading, I’d thoroughly recommend you do Picos de Europa and Serra da Estrela.

[apotek]

Im planning a route I`ve done many times , taking the A66 to Salamanca then Badajoz then I think thr X100 on to my sister near Fereira do Alentejo.
It`s about 525 miles on decent roads.
Have a couple of months to organise toll tag, may try via verde if they will do UK cars

[AB]

Following, as this is a trip my business partner and I fancy doing, with golf clubs…

We were going to do the full drive starting with the train to France but Santander eliminates the more boring countries/roads/routes and drops you much closer to destination Portugal golf.