Table of contents
Deleker
13th pictures
Joachim Deleker
1/13
There are many small towns to explore.
Joachim Deleker
2/13
A beautiful panorama at sunset.
Joachim Deleker
3/13
The country: Portugal.
Joachim Deleker
4/13
Finally spring: in April, light and warmth create colors in the Serra de Monchique.
Joachim Deleker
5/13
Travel time: 10 days, distance covered: 2000 kilometers.
Joachim Deleker
6/13
Western outpost of the Romans: Temple of Diana in evora.
Joachim Deleker
7/13
A paradise for explorers.
Joachim Deleker
8/13
The dream destination for sun-beach-sea addicts: Carvoeiro in the Algarve.
Joachim Deleker
9/13
Wind and waves have modeled bizarre rocks in the Algarve, as here at Ponta da Piedade near Lagos.
Joachim Deleker
10/13
The Atlantic rolls wildly to the Costa Vicentina at Praia de Monte Clerigo.
Joachim Deleker
11/13
Proven strategy: one works, six watch.
Joachim Deleker
12/13
The highlight of every trip to Portugal: the streets in the Serra da Estrela.
Joachim Deleker
13/13
Above the clouds: rocky landscape of the Serra da Estrela at the 1993 meter high Torre.
to travel
Wild west – trip to Portugal
The journey to the most south-westerly corner of Europe
Portugal’s wild west
The journey to the most south-westerly point of Europe – to Portugal – is a long one. But it’s worth exploring the exciting mix of historical locations, high mountains and rugged coastlines.
Joachim Deleker
05/12/2011
The way is not the goal, but it leads to the goal. A journey of 2000 kilometers to the north-east of Portugal requires perseverance and patience. Finally the limit. “Bem-vindo a Trás-os-Montes”, welcome behind the mountains. This is the name of the mountainous region of Montesinho, often referred to as the most backward area in the country. But what does backward mean? Trás-os-Montes is rather original, simple and lonely. The clocks are not ticking at EU speed here. Bumpy roads wind through the gentle, gray-brown mountains, over 1,300 meters high and home to numerous wolves. It is the end of April, the spring has been ordered but not yet delivered. Fresh green is only sprouting in the valleys.
The small towns look old and poor, there is not enough money from agriculture for beautiful gardens and colorful facades. But they fit the melancholy of the landscape. Navigating this network of small paths is not easy. Signs are in short supply, the maps imprecise. After I have to turn the Tenere for the third time in a dead end in the middle of the field, I try to follow my nose southwards, leaving the land behind the mountains behind me.
Buy complete article
The journey to the most south-westerly corner of Europe
Portugal’s wild west
7 pages) as PDF
€ 2.00
Buy now
A few hours later I caught up with summer. 28 degrees in the valley of the Rio Douro. It almost looks like the Moselle, the wide, calm river in the valley, the slopes completely covered with vineyards, now and then an old castle, the entire ensemble has been ennobled by Unesco World Heritage status since 2001. The famous sweet port wine has been pressed from the vines on the Rio Douro for centuries.
The province of Beira begins south of the river, a paradise for lovers of historical walls. The ancient places, mostly guarded by a more or less ruinous castle and meter-thick fortress walls, some are more than 1000 years old. Trancoso, Sortelha and Belmonte are the most famous cities. In Linhares I can ride the Yamaha through the town up to the massive Castello. The historical pillory stands in front of the post office. The signs of wear and tear indicate that it was used extensively at the time.
Joachim Deleker
Proven strategy: one works, six watch.
Linhares lies at the foot of the Serra da Estrela, the star mountains. In fact, nowhere in the country do you get as close to the stars as here, as the Torre measures 1993 meters and is the only winter sports area in Portugal. The topography promises a lot of fun, and the mountain roads keep that promise. No matter from which side I attack the Torre, here the paths are the goal. Although some streets are so contaminated with holes, sand and gravel that I sometimes carry the Tenere rather than chase it.
There is nothing southern about the landscape above 1500 meters, it is more reminiscent of the Norwegian Fjell. Knee-high bushes, mosses, lichens, stones, snow remnants and pools of meltwater, it is barren and cold. The high plateau of the summit is occupied by two old observatories, the only ski lift in the country and huge parking lots. Not attractive, but a guarantee for unrivaled wide views over the Star Mountains.
To the south the mountains slowly merge into wide and gentle hilly hills. I cross the wide Rio Tejo and am in the Alentejo, one of the loneliest regions of the Iberian Peninsula. Driving in the Alentejo means peace and quiet, relaxed cruising between eucalyptus avenues, cork oaks and flower-strewn meadows. Every now and then small and beautiful cities. The houses are no longer earth-colored like in the north, but are eye- and photo-friendly white with colorful edges.
The people of the Alentejo mostly live from agriculture, are more melancholy and calmer than their neighbor Spain. This melancholy setting is known as a saudade. Is one of the reasons for dreaming about the glorious old days? When Portugal was a seafaring nation with world power, when Ferdinand Magellan was the first to sail around the world, Pedro Álvares Brazil and Vasco da Gama discovered the sea route to India.
Joachim Deleker
The Atlantic rolls wildly to the Costa Vicentina at Praia de Monte Clerigo.
The looted treasures of the colonies, whether from Brazil, Morocco, Angola or Timor, made Portugal one of the richest countries. The colonial era did not end until 1999 when Macau was returned to China. Over and over. Today Portugal is one of the EU’s problem children, benefiting from the windfall from Brussels. However, this sometimes flows into dubious projects. The XT often sways over wavy, blackened and almost traffic-free avenues, which are suddenly replaced by dead straight, much too wide expressways with hard shoulder. Large signs reveal the sponsor: the EU. Is that really necessary?
Past the historic city of evora with its Roman temple, I head for the coast and take a south-west course. The expanse of the Alentejo accompanies me, ensures stress-free gliding at 90 km / h. Light northwest wind, crystal clear air, a few clouds sailing in the deep blue sky, 22 degrees. Perfect. Long before I reach the sea, I smell the fresh and salty air.
The cul-de-sac ends at the Cabo Sardao lighthouse. Storks nest on the cliffs. Unique, as Master Adebar usually builds his eyrie on roofs or masts. The surfing paradise of the Costa Vicentina extends to Cabo de Sao Vicente, the most south-westerly point of Europe, which the Romans believed to be the end of the world – Finis terrae.
The coast is mostly steep, rugged and inaccessible. Here and there narrow paths lead to wonderful bays by the sea, laid out with the finest sandy beach, exposed to the waves, garnished with small cafes and light years away from the hustle and bustle of the Algarve. I discover the most beautiful spot on the Torre de Aspa, 130 meters above sea level. The wind blows at seven Beaufort, has piled up meter-high waves that break in a wide strip in front of the cliff. Dull thunder and swirling spray fill the air. Wild west, untamed, rough nature, deserted, inspiringly beautiful.
The opposite awaits me on the south coast, the Algarve, a vacation dream for millions of sun-beach-sea addicts. But not for motorcyclists. Almost the entire coastline is densely populated with vacation homes, apartments and hotels, some tasteful and stylish, others boring, pompous or off-putting. At least there are none of the monstrous concrete castles like on the Spanish Mediterranean. But also hardly any old and original places like Ferragudo or Silves. And the coast? Often inaccessible because they are owned by holiday resorts, but then surprisingly, bizarre and fantastically beautiful. Water, wind and time have modeled the soft rocks, created caves, battlements and towers, in between picture-perfect bays for bathing and sunbathing. This is where the photos are created that make the Algarve a dream destination in the travel brochures.
Joachim Deleker
Wind and waves have modeled bizarre rocks in the Algarve, as here at Ponta da Piedade near Lagos.
In Albufeira, I’m fed up with the annoying driving on the coast, aiming for the Serra do Caldeirao. Man and machine are finally feeling good again, curving for hours on narrow streets, uphill, downhill, here and there an old village, some of them can only be reached via dusty slopes. And yet in the evening it washes me back to the sea in Fuzeta. In the restaurant on the Praca da Republica, I order a fantastic Portuguese-style tuna steak, with plenty of olive oil and onions. In addition, a delicious red wine at the end of my Portugal tour. Tomorrow we’re going to Andalusia. But then the weather report on TV frightens me. A fat low lies over the Mediterranean, bringing three days of continuous rain to the Iberian Peninsula. Oha. All over? No, it should stay beautiful in the far west.
So on the Costa Vicentina, my Portugal favorite anyway. Providence? Coincidence? Anyway, the next day I’ll turn the Yamaha around and drive back to the wild west.
Joachim Deleker
Travel time: 10 days, distance covered: 2000 kilometers.
Nowhere else in Europe does spring come as early as in the south of Portugal. In the Algarve it can get 20 degrees even in winter. However, the overrated Algarve is hardly a reason for the long journey. The Serra da Estrela, the Alentejo and the southwest coast are much more exciting.
Getting there:
The biggest burden of a trip to Portugal is the long journey. There are over 2000 kilometers from Cologne to Porto. It is less stressful and more convenient to cover part of the route with the DB Autozug. For example, a single trip from Dusseldorf costs from 249 euros per person and motorcycle, depending on the season. Information at www.bahn.de/Autozug, phone 01805/996633. Cheap motorcycle transports by truck are available at www.ridersprojekt.de. A bike from southern Germany to Faro and back costs 450 euros. Info phone: 0821/311648.
Travel time:
Portugal’s south is a year-round destination. In the mountainous northeast of the country and in the Serra da Estrela (winter sports area!), However, spring does not come until April. The temperature differences between sea and mountains are considerable, most of the rain falls in the winter months. In midsummer in the interior, especially in the vastness of the Alentejo, temperatures of up to 40 degrees must be expected. In addition, this is the main travel season with a corresponding overcrowding of the places, accommodations and beaches worth seeing. It will only become more bearable from the middle of September. However, the land is then withered by the sun. The best months to travel are April to June and mid-September to the end of October.
Accommodation:
Even in the off-season there are accommodations away from the few tourist centers. Some guesthouses and campsites do not open until the beginning of May and close in October. The situation is better in the larger towns and along the coast. In the lonely interior of the country there are also suitable places for free camping.
Literature:
The Portugal travel guide from Michael Muller Verlag (22.90 euros) turned out to be an omniscient companion. For the south of the country, we recommend the brand new Algarve handbook from Reise Know-How Verlag (17.90 euros). A version is even offered for download here. To get in the mood at home, the DuMont Bildatlas Algarve is suitable for 8.50 euros. From Reise Know-How come the not entirely flawless map of Portugal in a scale of 1: 350,000 and the very detailed Algarve map in a scale of 1: 100,000 for EUR 8.90 each. The Michelin map number 733 on a scale of 1: 400,000 for 5.50 euros is as good as ever.
Info:
The easiest way to get the information is on the Internet, for example on these pages: www.portugal-aktuell.de
www.visitportugal.com
www.portugal-links.de
www.visitalgarve.pt
Related articles
-
Janine Kumpf’s solo trip through West Africa
Photos: Janine Kumpf to travel Janine Kumpf’s solo trip through West Africa With the motorcycle alone through West Africa Janine Kumpf’s second big stage…
-
Motorbike Tour – Madeira (Portugal)
Deleker 14th pictures Deleker 1/14 The old north coast road is a spectacle for all the senses, you’ll never forget that. Deleker 2/14 Sunset on the Pico…
-
to travel Portugal Portugal How enchanted The rocky coast of the Algarve, the pulsating metropolis of Lisbon, the harsh hinterland in the south of…
-
to travel Northern Portugal Northern Portugal Europe’s last exit If you want to travel to Portugal, you need a lot of patience and a durable tire. Once…
-
Michael Schroder to travel Three days in Portugal Three days in Portugal In the last minute There was actually a lot of gardening on the agenda that…
-
On the way: Enduro tour along the Turkish west coast
shepherd 23 pictures shepherd 1/23 When the little hunger comes: Gozleme fills the stomach magnificently. shepherd 2/23 Panorama wallpaper: Before…
-
to travel South Portugal South Portugal Rock festival In the Algarve, the Atlantic has modeled a magnificent rocky landscape. Between the coast and the…
-
Deleker 29 pictures Deleker 1/29 Black sand, lakes and glaciers. Iceland has an incredible landscape to offer. Deleker 2/29 With this rich green ……
-
On the way: Readers’ trip to the Carpathians
Kaitinnis 10 pictures Kaitinnis 1/10 The magnificently decorated Sucevita Monastery. Kaitinnis 2/10 A local Hutsul in festival costume. Kaitinnis 3/10…
-
Out and about in Northern Portugal
to travel Out and about in Northern Portugal Out and about in Northern Portugal Portugal: true love Love at first sight ?? that can happen quickly in…