Spain and Portugal, August 1995

Great trip! The Northerm Spain, the less touristic, is simply wonderful: medieval, wild, fighting with Atlantic.
If you do not have a great religious motivation do not stop in Lourdes or you may be disappointed. After Roncesvalles, France and Spain border, in Puente la Reina starts the "camino de Santiago" (Santiago's way) the pilgrims' way to Santiago de Compostela.
Better adapt yourself to the strange spanish time: launch is about at 14:00 and dinner after 22:00, but is not just a life style, is the whole day moved forward: at 8 am there is still fog and dew.
Take Sangria, Porto and Paella! Prices are alligned to the Italian ones, dinner is about 30-40.000 ITL.

Montpellier

Nice town, but for us was just a sleeping one. Here Chicco had a small accident, when traveling you must think about these things too. After Montpellier, going to Toulouse, there is Carcassonne: a town rebuild in medieval style.

Lourdes

We were really surprised, no religious atmosphere... the main street is simply a big market there you can buy everything... We slept here but I reccomend to not do that... and do not come if you do not have a great religious motivation...
From Tarbes we did a small way on the Pirenee, up to the famous Col du Tourmalett.

Puente la Reina

In Roncisvalles one can see a nice monastery. The way went through Pamplona, Navarra's capital, to Puente la Reina.
Here starts the Camino de Santiago and was the meeting point for pilgrims from France or North Europe.

Gijon

Famous for the beaches, like S. Lorenzo beach. On the promenade, called S. Lorenzo's wall, there are thousand of shops, nights and restaurants. Here we had our first "meeting" with paella, how much we eated...
We slept into a refurbished mill, one of the typical spanish building refurbished and trasformed into hotels called Paradores.

Corcubion

Here starts Galizia and for sure you'll meet the txirrimirri, a fine rain which make you think to Scotland or Ireland.
Just after Gijon there is Aviles, knows as surfer's heaven.
In Corcubion there was a so strong fog to not let us see the lighthouse...
Santiago de Compostela is the destination for pilgrims from all around the world.

Porto

A must see is the Curch and Bell tower called Clerigos. The bell tower is the highest point and has been used by sailors as a reference for sailing. You must try the wine too...

Lisbona (Lisboa)

On the way from Porto to Lisbona there is Batalha, the must impressive Portugal's church. It has never been completed. There are only the walls, the floor and the columns, without ceiling. The sky is the roof.
The best way to visit the city is by tram or taxi, very cheap. A nice tram route may be the 28 to the Barricio Alto and Alfama Graca or the 16 to the Belèm tower.
Very nice the road to Cabo de Roca, the Western continental Europe place, with a big red and yellow light house. Almost 50.000 tourists come here evey year for the certificate.

Burgos

Burgos is a medieval town with beatiful monuments and a wonderful cathedral. Here was born the Cid Campeador who lay inside the cathedral.