MCi TOURS MOTORCYCLE HOLIDAYS WORLDWIDE

Fabulous hotels throughout

POSSIBLE SUPPLEMENT DEPENDING ON FERRY COST

Come with us on this brilliant motorcycle riding adventure! After arriving in Santander on the fast Brittany Ferry we take a short ride into the Picos and our first Parador hotel. From here you ride first to the city of Benavente to stay in a Parador which occupies the Caracol Tower, a 16th-century Castle with wide segmental miradors and a Mudéjar coffered ceiling in the main section. Meander through the streets of the old town for a drink in the Playa del Ayuntamiento, or visit the nearby Santa María del Azogue Church.

Leaving Spain, you ride your motorcycle on a country route that brings home the unspoilt nature of much of rural Portugal before arriving at the delightful 2012 Unesco World Heritage town of Guimarães. As the first capital of Portugal and birthplace of the nation's first king, Guimarães is historically one of the country's most important cities and its  medieval streets with well-preserved monuments make it one of the most attractive places to visit in Portugal. You stay for two nights in a former twelfth century Augustinian monastery retaining many original features including its decorative facade. There is a formal garden, a lake, a terrace with granite fountains, a cloister, a grotto and a swimming pool with history hidden around every corner it makes for an unforgettable stay!  Your hosts are very passionate about this place!  Lovely people, great food, fantastic restaurant and really accommodating staff make this a truly memorable historic location. Follow our prepared routes through some glorious countryside and enjoy the amazing terraced landscapes of the Douro Valley.  You will ride through villages that retain an unspoilt character from years gone by, enjoy stunning views of the broad expanses of the River Douro as your motorcycle route passes through vineyards and an undulating landscape unchanged in centuries. Or you may wish to take the train to spend a day in Porto and visit one of the many port wine houses that add so much character to this bustling city. Plenty to see and lots to do - the motorcycle riding on uncluttered roads in Portugal is simply sublime.

We then ride further south via Coimbra and some fantastic countryside to your next Pousada, a former palace built in the 16th century that in its heyday hosted nobility from all of Europe. You will be seduced by the refurbished rooms that overlook a lush garden dotted with pretty lemon trees - and an outdoor swimming pool that offers cooling refreshment after the rigours of your ride through the National Park that features large in our rides out from this excellent location. You will not believe the quality of the roads through the Serra da Estela or the views as you approach the top of Portugal's highest mountain! Spend a day riding on our prepared routes to get the most out of this holiday! When we were there a couple of years ago the road surfaces were just brilliant - lots of sweeping curves and scenery at altitude that was very reminiscent of Switzerland - but without the traffic and heavy policing. We are really looking forward to going back and enjoying the rides out in glorious countryside!

You can enjoy a fantastic motorbike ride along some more superb country roads on your return to Santander staying overnight enroute at another Parador hotel on our last night in Spain. Paradors and Pousadas - yes we feel very at home with this concept.

Come and enjoy and find out...

For more details on this tour please send an email to 'info@mcitours.com' or just call us on 0800 774 7149.