# Tag 55 zurück nach Spanien

Disappointment of the day – Eating out in Portugal also needs to be carefully considered. We received a recommendation at our last wine tasting. The traditional restaurant BAR RESTAURANTE VELADOURO, Pinhao - Restaurant Reviews, Phone Number & Photos - Tripadvisor on the promenade was highly recommended to us, so we went there.

The first surprise – with the restaurant open, the entrance door can only be opened from the inside. Turning and pushing on the door knob was in vain. When the waiter noticed us, the second realization. You didn't make a reservation – sorry, we're full.

Due to the lack of a second alternative, we wandered around the town, only to enter the questionable restaurant Casa da Foz right next to our parking space. It was only 50 m away from our campervan, but it didn't deserve any stars (unlike our parking space).

The few dishes were listed on a handwritten daily menu – there was fish, meat (beef, pork, chop, veal ?,) with side dishes. Okay, I'll have the fish and Simone will have veal – at the price of 12,- €, one should have become suspicious.

First critique – with the breaded, violated fish, you couldn't taste its origin no matter how hard you tried. The veal was never veal – but tough, overcooked meat, the origin of which remained a mystery to us. French fries and salad couldn't save the whole thing.

We don't need such restaurants. They can't be whitewashed anymore.

When asked about coffee or dessert, we only answered with one word – Port wine (to drown our sorrows).

Nevertheless, I still have a positive impression of Pinhao – the town is a gem amidst the vineyards and has the charm of a tourist as well as an original small town on the Duoro river. The major Port wine houses have their branches and castles (that's the only way to describe them) here, but more and more regional companies are elbowing their way in and producing their own Port wine against the power of the big ones. Our second wine tasting at Quinta da Foz was exactly such a company specializing in tradition and small cultivation area.

The night was marked by showers of rain and the sound of it on the roof. The next morning at 07:00, the next shock – the garbage truck emptied the neighboring trash containers with a lot of noise.

The memory goes back to April 23rd of last year – that's when the garbage truck also came at 07:00 in the morning, but they brought trash that they unloaded with us and was never really taken away.

Tough times.

Today we want to leave Portugal.

To leave the Duoro valley, you have to drive over the mountain, which means you have to go up. This offers new views of the valley and the landscape. The steep slopes and the height are already impressive.

Up there, we quickly reach straight country roads and the A 4 motorway towards Spain. With a little sadness, we say goodbye to Portugal – it is indeed one of the countries we appreciate very much and will always come back to.

Our destination should be the coast of the Spanish province of Asturias. But that's a long ride, so we'll start by exploring the regional capital Leon. It is about 300 km from our starting point, which is a nice stage.

Between Portugal and Spain, the navigation system leads us over a 36 km long country road that runs through the mountainous landscape and leads to Spain about halfway.

Border control - none. There is still an old border house here, but it hasn't been used for decades. Free traffic between Portugal and Spain on a great road without cars.

Leon, as the regional capital, welcomes us with sunshine in the late afternoon. That invites you to stay. The parking space at the Rio Bernesga is already very full and we secure the last available spot on the outer edge. That's a good thing, as it means we only have neighbors on one side. It's Saturday and the city is getting busier and busier. What's going on here? A Google search reveals – today is the day of St. George, a regional public holiday, also in Leon.

We can still go shopping at Aldi and stock up for a cozy campervan evening. Tomorrow we will explore the city.

Actually, we didn't want to stay in the big city anymore – but we had a relatively quiet night here. The next morning woke us up with blue skies and sunshine. Just the right weather for a stroll through the city with the cathedral. Such views in the morning make you feel adventurous and boost your mood.

Leon is located on a high plateau at an altitude of about 860 m and therefore has significantly cooler temperatures than lower parts of the country. The town looks very clean and tidy. With 170,000 inhabitants, it is already a big city. In addition to the sights (cathedral, pilgrimage site, town hall, pedestrian zone, museum, etc.), the Spanish handball club Ademar Leon is also based here, playing away in the local derby against Valladolid this afternoon. Too bad, it would have been an opportunity.

We leave the city with a very positive impression. There were no expectations upon arrival, especially since we only chose it because of its convenient distance. But in the few hours, the city has shown itself from its good side and can only be recommended for a day trip.

From Leon, we drive to the coast of Asturias. The northern Spanish landscape has always been one of my favorites because I had no idea what to expect here. So we also guessed aimlessly and chose the town of Ribadesella on the coast. It is described as a lively place with a beautiful coastal landscape.

But there are still 180 km ahead of us until then. Since we don't drive on toll roads, the navigation system leads us on the N 630 northwards. From afar, we can already see that there is a mountain range ahead of us. Between the plateau near Leon and the northern Spanish coast lies a mountain range with snow-covered peaks. These are usually national parks, of which the most famous is the Parque nacional de los Picos de Europa. However, it is further east, we stay in a westerly direction and cross the pass at Pajares, which also marks the border between the region of Castile/ Leon and Asturias. At the pass at an altitude of 1379 m, there are still some patches of snow at temperatures around 10 degrees.

Asturias welcomes us with sunshine and amazing views. You immediately feel like you are in a different Spain (compared to the Mediterranean region). Everything is very clean and tidy, no trash piles by the roadside, a very green landscape with comparisons to South Tyrol. We are immediately impressed with the area. On top of that, near the coast, a mountain range extends its protective hand. Tomorrow, I definitely have to take out my racing bike.

In Ribadesella, we head to a campsite – it's time to take a shower and do some laundry. There are two options here – the family-friendly and expensive category 1 site on the mountain or the simple site near the beach and the town for a slightly cheaper price. We end up at the latter and are almost the only guests. That promises peace and tranquility for sure. Camping Playa Ribadesella Los Sauces Asturias - Camping in Ribadesella (business.site)

The research on the area and the coastal sections is very promising. Additionally, the area is part of the pilgrimage route, so we also see some pilgrims here and there.

But I prefer to stay in the campervan with all its amenities.

First realization – there's nothing happening here yet, the town is still in hibernation. Pre-season is still emphasized here. Also, there are hardly any international tourists to be seen, rather Spaniards and regional Sunday excursionists. 

All very relaxed here....