Hi there! It’s my birthday today, so my boyfriend and I are heading to the beach for some relaxation. Meanwhile, enjoy a recap of our bike trip through Northern Spain!
Last time, I gave an update about the French part of our two-month motorcycle trip. Now, let’s continue with Northern Spain on our way to Portugal. Here’s a rough idea of our itinerary.
When we crossed the now non-existent border into Spain, we entered a completely different world. While the French countryside is beautiful, it can be quite dull. Small villages are dying, with shops closing one by one. If you visit around midday, the streets are empty and most shops are closed, which is also the case from Saturday afternoon to Tuesday. You’ll mostly see elderly people around, and the few young ones seem eager to move to bigger cities. Spain, on the other hand, is vibrant. In any village, the town square is filled with people strolling, eating ice cream, chatting, greeting neighbors, or watching their kids. There are plenty of small shops that thrive despite the presence of supermarkets.
The Northern coast of Spain is stunning. Our first stop was San Sebastian, with its lovely harbor and bustling nightlife (tapas!). We then made our way to Bilbao, the largest city in the region.
Bilbao is famous for its Guggenheim Museum, built about 15 years ago. The museum, located by the river, has revitalized the city. Along the river, there are several modern buildings and a beautiful promenade with stunning bridges, including one by the famous architect Calatrava. These areas are perfect for a stroll at any time. We loved it so much that we visited around 10 PM. I even went back for a morning run while my boyfriend enjoyed admiring the Guggenheim for an hour.
We needed to do laundry and easily found a laundromat. This was a stark contrast to our US trip, where we struggled to find one and even had to use a nicer hotel’s facilities (for a fee, of course).
Leaving Bilbao, we followed the Northern coast, which was breathtaking. In Asturias, I was in awe of the charming houses and the adorable cellars built about two meters above the ground, likely to keep the harvest safe from rats. These wooden structures were often filled with drying corn or green peas, preparing for winter.
We liked the coast so much that we decided to camp there. We found a small village with a secluded beach to pitch our tent. By then, we were on a popular stretch of El Camino, the hiking trail to Compostela, and saw dozens of pilgrims daily. I thought some would camp on the beach with us, but we were alone. The bright moon and fishing boats with huge spotlights illuminated the night, making it seem like 8 PM instead of the middle of the night.
We didn’t sleep well and were eager for a good night’s rest, so we drove to Lugo, an hour before Compostela, and found a nice place to stay. I booked it online but hadn’t prepaid. The lady said we could pay the next day. However, accustomed to prepaying, we left the next morning without paying! I realized this in the afternoon, emailed the owner immediately, and managed to deposit the payment the next day. Anyway, Lugo was a lovely city, a UNESCO Heritage site with well-preserved Roman walls. You can walk (or run, as I did at dawn) along the two-mile path atop the walls, which offers a scenic stroll.
Northern Spain is also known for its cuisine. We loved Fabada Asturiana, a white bean stew with chorizo, sausage, and black pudding, and enjoyed seafood with local wine.
Our next stop was Santiago de Compostela, the end of El Camino for many hikers from across Europe. The last few miles were impressive, with pilgrims everywhere. They carry small passports that get stamped in churches along the way to prove their journey. My boyfriend got his Guatemalan passport stamped, which caused some concern for the church lady about putting a fake stamp on a real passport. We didn’t walk the trail but felt proud of our accomplishment.
The church of Compostela was impressive. We arrived in time for the pilgrims’ mass and followed the tradition of hugging Santiago, the patron saint, and visiting his tomb. It was one of those moments you anticipate greatly but can sometimes feel underwhelming. I hope the pilgrims who walked for months had a more fulfilling experience. It started raining, so we left quickly and headed south to Vigo.
Vigo is a lovely city, an old port transformed into a vibrant city center. They breed oysters, though we didn’t try them. You can see the oyster parks floating in the bay. There’s a beautiful castle overlooking the town, and the sunny weather lifted our spirits.
As for the costs, I’ll sort through all the receipts once I get home to calculate the exact expenses. For now, I estimate we spent about 100 euros ($130) per day for both of us. I’m trying to cover it all with online income since my boyfriend paid for last year’s trip around Europe; it’s my turn to treat him.
My bike has a UK plate, and I got a cheap $100-a-year insurance policy that covers us for up to 90 days in Europe. If you’re traveling overseas, make sure your bike or vehicle is properly insured!
In Spain, the cost of housing was similar to France. We mainly used booking.com to find hotels, spending around 30 euros per night. On the beach, we camped for free, but one night we splurged and spent about 50 euros. We managed to stick to a budget of one-third for housing, one-third for food, and one-third for transportation and activities.
You can find really affordable meals, called menú del día, at lunch for 5 to 10 euros. These meals include a starter, main course, dessert, bread, and wine. In small towns, if two or more people order wine, they often leave the whole bottle on the table. It was tough riding the bike after such feasts, haha. We usually bought some fruit and snacks for dinner, and breakfast was generally included with the hotel stay.
Gas is slightly cheaper in Spain than in France, but we spent quite a bit on tolls, so it balanced out. At around $7 a gallon, it would shock most US readers.
The Guggenheim Museum costs 13 euros to enter and is closed on Mondays. The church of Santiago de Compostela is free, although certain parts and the museum have separate fees.
While traveling for an extended period, we visit very few paid attractions and museums, reserving our attention for truly unique experiences.
That’s it for now. Next, we’re off to Portugal!