EuroVelo1 - from Porto to …

EuroVelo 1 : Until the start in Porto

After we reached our big goal of the 'Black Sea' last year, we were initially incredibly proud and satisfied. But soon after our return the question arose: What now?

The tour through Belgium and Holland that had been "threatened" during the very strenuous and difficult stage from Agkistro to Drama was no longer appealing after a few days. It was supposed to be something scenically interesting and physically challenging. As we were back in Basel this year for Rhea and Luigi's civil wedding in mid-June and had to set off early, a tour in the south of Europe seemed sensible. So we discovered the EuroVelo 1, which officially ends or starts in Caminha on Portugal's northern border with Spain, but for us Porto, which is a little further south, is a better starting point.

There is a direct flight from Basel to Porto with bicycle transport - the flight takes 2h30 min to get to the Portuguese Atlantic coast. However, if you want to cover the distance without a plane, you will need a lot of time not only for the journey but also for preparation. Not to mention the costs, because in addition to the travel costs, you have to spend the night. In return, you get a feel for the distance and are offered stops in Barcelona, Madrid, Salamanca and a cycling section through the Arribes del Duero nature reserve. That is the plan anyway. We have booked the Basel-Milan-Genoa trains, the Genoa-Barcelona ferry and the Barcelona-Madrid and Madrid-Salamanca regional trains with bicycle spaces. And now we also have overnight stays. We will cycle the 150 km from Salamanca to Pocinho, as all other options seemed very difficult or even impossible. We assume that the Linha de Douro regional train will take us and our bicycles to Porto, but we can only clarify this once we are there.

We will tell you about the booking and the journey as well as individual highlights in the next few days before the actual bike tour begins in Porto.

Saturday, April 27 / Sunday, April 28: Basel- Milan- Genoa -Barcelona

Early in the morning we go to the SBB train station, where the direct train to Milan is waiting. We quickly find the reserved seats for the bikes and for ourselves, so we can set off as planned. From Bern the train is full; it's amazing how many people want to go to Milan in the morning.

We have an hour's layover in Milan for an espresso and brioche. Since Trenitalia has been taking bicycles on the IC for two or three years (there are actually positive aspects to bicycle transport), we get to Genoa quickly and on time. The ferry to Barcelona leaves three hours late. We wait in the wet - it has started to rain - and in the cold. We arrive in Barcelona almost an hour late. Many passengers, especially those with camper vans and motorcycles, stay on the ship, which later continues on to Tangier.

In Barcelona we have time for sightseeing and visit the Sagrada Familia, which now has additional towers and extensions but is still not finished. However, in our opinion, some of its former charm has been lost due to the use of concrete and various types of stone.

Later we visit the Barrio Gotico, the old town of Barcelona with museums, churches and beautiful squares. We are impressed by El Born, the large former market hall, where you can experience the history of the La Ribera district, which was demolished by King Philip V of Anjou after the War of Succession. We end the day with our first Spanish dinner of tapas. What else awaits us...?