Hi
My wife and I are moving from the UK to CVO at the end of September. We are driving from the Santander ferry to CVO and want the fastest easiest route - motorways even toll motorways if necessary. I have checked out four online route planners and come up with 4 different routes !! Santander-Madrid- Cordoba-Seville-Algarve or Santander-Madrid-Badajoz-Lisbon- Algarve seem favourites. Has anyone experience of these routes or any other suggestions !?
Hope you can help
Colin

Colin
I've used both of these options and to be honest apart from the fact that the Lisbon-CVO stretch is newer and a toll road I don't think that there is much in it. Personally I chose the Seville route because we wanted an overnight stay and there are lots of hotels at the roadside on this route and it also allowed us to stop at the Factory Outlet shops in Seville!
Malcolm

Hi Malc
How long does this journey take, approx?

Thanks
Tricky

Thanks Malcolm

That's really helpful - any suggestions as to a good hotel to break the journey halfway if we take the Madrid - Seville option ?

Colin

It's a little difficult for me to give straight answers to both of these questions as this was just a segment of a 4000 mile round trip that we completed about a month ago.
Journey time - we were actually doing this in reverse of what Colin will be doing as our outbound trip took us to the South of France and Barcelona and then to Madrid via Zaragoza.
Homeward bound we left Ferragudo at about 6.00 p.m. and travelled to Seville (about 2hrs) and then stopped at the Factory Outlets for a break and some shopping. We then drove on for about another hour and stopped overnight at Hotel Astigi at a Service stop just north of Estija and south of Cordoba (about 250miles). The next day we left at about 9.00a.m and drove through Madrid to San Sebastian arriving at about 5.00 p.m another 600 miles.
Taking out time for stops we drove for about 10hours and did 850 miles. Obviously the time will vary according to how fast you drive and what the traffic is like on the Madrid ring road. You will need to watch out for traffic Police on motorbikes near the big towns but I can't say that I saw any radar traps in Spain (although I did in France). On the way down I did get stopped and breathalised at 11.00 a.m. in the morning with all the other car drivers in what was a a police checkpoint just outside Madrid at Guadalajara -yes I was negative but not so some of the Spanish drivers!
I wouldn't necessarily recommend the hotel Astigi as it was fairly basic for a 2star hotel, but for 50euros for the night it was adequate enough. I'm sure that there are better hotels for about the same price. On the stretch from Madrid to Seville they seem to be at about 15mile intervals so there's a good choice.
Hope this info helps -any other questions just ask and I'll see what I can do to answer. Incidently you will be nicely surprised by the price of petrol in Spain at just over 60p per litre it's worth filling up before you cross into Portugal where I think it's nearer 75p.
Have a safe journey.
Malcolm

Thanks again Malcolm - sounds as if the hotel will be no problem. Last little query - which route did you use from Santander to Burgos - the online route planners have offered three different ones !! Your 4000 mile trip sounds epic - I bet you had some great experiences !

Colin

Hi Malc

Very interested in your post.

Our villa is completed (hopefulY) in March 05 and we were going to drive down and stay for about 3 months but the Ferry crossing was over £750 return. Add hotel stops, petrol and tolls cost seemed to outweigh the advantage and we started looking at the car hire option instead still investigating these......but seems to come out at about £950 is for 3 months for a smallish car with air con. (Corsa type model)

How much did you manage to get your crossing for and with which company? How much should we allow for Tolls going Lisbon way?

Thanks
Piglet

Colin
Sorry didn't actually go to Santander. I used the A68/A1 between Burgos and Bilbao as I was heading for France.

Piglet
I used the Channel Tunnel to cross to France. I bought the ticket in January as part of a special offer for 170 pounds saving about 130 if I'd waited until nearer the time.
Petrol cost me about 170 pounds each way but my car is not that economical at about 30 mpg.
We took our time in travelling allowing for 3nights in hotels about another 120 pound each way (not including dinner). You could cut this down to 2 if you drive for longer.
RAC breakdown insurance cost me 69 pounds but it would be more expensive for a long trip.
Motorway tolls though France come to about 40 pounds each way but again you can choose the 'N' roads which in many cases are as good and are toll free.
So all in all you are talking of about 900 pounds for the round trip.
On balance this is not a cheap way to travel but if you take into account some of the advantages of seeing and staying in some interesting places on the way it can be well worthwhile.
Hope this helps
Malcolm
I think the Lisbon toll is about 25 euros