The Barcelona to Lisbon Adventure was specifically designed for a group of our repeat customers who wanted to ride the best of the best in Spain and Portugal. These seasoned riders called on the expertise of our veteran European tour leaders to design a tour that would create a virtual playground through the mighty 300-mile-long Pyrenees mountain range. With peaks of 11,000 ft, the Pyrenees form a natural border between Spain and France and separate the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of continental Europe. Less crowded and older than the Alps, the Pyrenees appear more pristine and are full of roads that offer some of the best riding in the world! Microstate Andorra, Pamplona, and the autonomous Basque Country are all on the way to the Cantabrian Sea. From there we will climb the Picos de Europa, Spain’s oldest national park, before spending a free day in the world-famous pilgrimage destination, Santiago de Compostela. From there we turn south to cross the border into Portugal.” Two nights in the famous city of Porto insure that we will get immersed in the culture and traditions of this fascinating country. Our tour will end in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal and one of the oldest cities in Europe.
At a Glance Your Barcelona to Lisbon Adventure
Welcome to culturally rich Barcelona – known for its architecture, Spanish cuisine and nightlife. We will pick you up at the airport to transport you to our hotel. Those arriving early can enjoy some of the city sights, perhaps take a stroll down La Rambla and sample some tapas. In the late afternoon, we will meet for the motorcycle handover, a brief kickoff meeting, and our welcome dinner at an upscale restaurant featuring Spanish cuisine.
On our way out of Barcelona we will have the option of visiting Montserrat, a spectacularly beautiful Benedictine monk mountain retreat with its Black Madonna. Historic villages and cities along our way provide great stops for coffee, lunch and photo opportunities. We will arrive early enough at our destination to allow for exploring the arcaded streets and old mansions of La Seu d’Urgell.
Today we have the option to travel to three countries. In the morning we can take a loop deep into the mountains to Andorra, a tiny principality tucked into the mountains between Spain and France. From there we will proceed to France heading into the high Pyrenees and through the impressive and scenic Aigüestortes National Park. We will have lots of twisty mountain roads before we arrive at Arties, a winter ski resort in the scenic Aran Valley.
This will be a long and challenging riding day! On our way to France, we will be on one of the best roads in Europe as we cross the Pyrenees National Park. Besides stunning scenery and historic villages, it is no exaggeration to say the ride today will leave you breathless and rank among the top five riding days of your life!
Pamplona is known, not only for it’s annual “running of the bulls”, but also for its rich culture. On this free day, you have the option to explore this ancient city with it’s fourteenth century Gothic cathedral, walk across medieval bridges that span the river Arga, stroll around the city parks or relax in one of the numerous bars. For those interested in more riding there’s a nice half-day ride into the nearby mountains.
Today’s ride takes us through Basque country (País Vasco) to the Atlantic coast of the Cantabrian Sea. In this corner of Spain the roads are twisty, unless you’d like to visit the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, which would require some highway riding. Santillana del Mar is an historic city in Cantabria and a good base for riding in the “Picos de Europa”.
The direct route to our destination today is only about 60 miles but we will more than double that by taking the scenic route. The Picos de Europa National Park is one of the scenic highlights of this trip. With its 8600-ft peaks, it’s a rider’s paradise. Our destination, Cangas de Onis, is the site of the first church constructed in post-conquest Iberia. Santa Cruz de Cangas de Onis, was built on an ancient pagan dolmen in 737AD.
Today we must choose between the Cantabrian Coast or the Sierra de los Ancares, both approximately the same distance to our destination. Depending on our decision, the temperatures will vary considerably. Santiago de Compostela is known for its famous cathedral, historic sites and numerous bars and restaurants. A wonderful place to spend our free day.
The options for our free day include a half-days ride to Fisterra, the “end of the world” or you could choose to relax and explore the city.
Small and twisty roads are abundant in the mountainous border area of Spain and Portugal before we head to the coast, to one of the oldest European cities. Porto, the second largest city in Portugal, gave its name to Port wine as well as Portugal itself. We will dine in a typical restaurant to sample the unique and tasty cuisine.
What a great place to spend our free day to really get to experience the culture of Portugal. Explore the small alleyways of Porto, join a Port wine tasting, or take a boat excursion on the River Douro. The options are endless.
Leaving Porto, we turn inland and enjoy the twisty ride through scenic and mountainous Portugal, with opportunities to add additional loops along the way!
On our last riding day there will be several opportunities to stop and relax, such as Castelo Branco, before we get on the highway leading to Lisbon, the oldest city in western Europe. After almost 1550 miles (and even more twisties and turns) we will have reached our final destination. We will celebrate with a tasty dinner while listening to distinctly Portuguese Fado music which is said to have originated in Lisbon in the early 1800s.
After breakfast, we will arrange your transport to the airport for your flight home.
The route is entirely paved but includes some challenging sections, particularly in the mountains and while passing through small towns. The tour is best done by experienced riders.
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Please contact us about low frame and/or low seat options for our bikes.
- Includes BMW F750GS
- Additional charge of $300 for a BMW F850GS
- Additional charge of $300 for a BMW F850GS Adv
- Additional charge of $1,000 for a BMW F900XR
- Additional charge of $1,250 for a BMW S1000XR
- Additional charge of $1,000 for a BMW R1250R
- Additional charge of $1,450 for a BMW R1250GS
- Additional charge of $1,600 for a BMW R1250GS Adv
- Additional charge of $1,250 for a BMW R1250RS
- Additional charge of $2,100 for a BMW R1250RT
- Personal motorcycle: deduct $1,500 from the rider price.
The pictures may include optional equipment.
The pictures may include optional equipment.
The pictures may include optional equipment.
The pictures may include optional equipment.
The pictures may include optional equipment.
The pictures may include optional equipment.
The pictures may include optional equipment.
The pictures may include optional equipment.
The pictures may include optional equipment.
The pictures may include optional equipment.Standard Inclusions
- Late model, low mileage motorcycle
- All accommodations
- A’ la carte dining
- One Ayres Adventures professional tour leader
- Airport arrival/departure transfers
- Luggage handling
- Comprehensive pre-trip planning and assistance
- Customized trip booklet with day-by-day itinerary and attractions
- Two commemorative shirts
- Adventurer Club travel award credit
Meals
- All breakfasts
- 10 dinners
Deposit per person: $800
Single room supplement – $1,5002023 Schedule
| Date | 2023 Adventures | Length | Price(USD) | Co-rider | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 13 - 26 | Barcelona to Lisbon | 14 | $8,850 | $7,350 |
2024 Schedule
| Date | 2024 Adventures | Length | Price(USD) | Co-rider | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11 - 24 | Barcelona to Lisbon | 14 | $8,850 | $7,350 |
Cancellation fee and refunds
| FROM DATE OF SCHEDULED COMMENCEMENT | AMOUNT FORFEITED |
|---|---|
| More than 60 days | 50% of deposit |
| 60 days or fewer but more than 45 days | 100% of deposit |
| 45 days or fewer but more than 30 days | 50% of full tour payment |
| 30 days or fewer | 100% of full tour payment |
Private Tour Inquiry
We are happy to book any of our motorcycle tour as a private tour. For most tours, we require a minimum of 8 bikes, or 12 participants (riders plus co-riders). We can provide a private motorcycle tour for smaller groups, but a surcharge may apply. We can also customize any of our regular tours for a private group.