Moving west from the ports reveals a less well-trodden network of riding roads

Teh CL-626 around the Barrios de Luna reservoir on the way to the Picos de Europa mountains

The further west along the Spanish north coast you go, the wilder the scenery becomes. The mountains seem higher, the gorges deeper… and the roads emptier, the villages quieter. The Atlantic winds increase the chances of a shower, even in summer, but they also keep the countryside rich, green and beautiful. So many riders never get this far west, which is a tragedy as some of the finest riding is in Galicia and Asturias.

WHERE TO STAY

LUARCA

A sleepy fishing village curled around its hill-fringed harbour, this is traditional Spain at its least touristy. A perfect base for exploring hilly Asturias. Routes 11 & 12. Hotel tip: Hotel Baltico

MIERES DEL CAMINO

Oviedo’s a big city – bustling and cosmopolitan but it still has a nice historic centre. However, for us the towns and villages in the hills outside are quieter and quite a lot more charming. Routes 9 & 10. Hotel tip: Hotel Cenera

OURENSE

Straddling the line between small city and large town, Ourense has all the facilities that a visiting motorcyclist needs – from hot springs to a Roman bridge, not to mention easy access to some truly mind-blowing roads. Routes 13 & 14. Hotel tip: Hotel Puente Romano

PONFERRADA

Technically, this town on the southern edge of the Picos is in Castilla y León – but it’s a perfect base for exploring north into the mountains or south, towards Portugal. It has a fabulous Knights Templar castle too. Routes 15 & 16. Hotel tip: El Castillo

OFF THE BIKE

ASTORGA

This quiet town sits at the crossroads of two historic routes – the pilgrims way, the Camino de Santiago, and the Roman Ruta de la Plata, the 'Silver Route'. The medieval core is fabulous but it’s the Episcopal Palace designed by Gaudi that draws the biggest crowds. Visits are €5 or €8 for a guided tour.

CAPE FINISTERRE

Not actually the most westerly point in Europe (or even in Spain, for that matter), Finisterre has nonetheless been part of the pilgrimage route for centuries. It’s a beautiful place and a great daytrip destination.

CIDER

You can’t go to Asturias and not sample the local cider – but you must get a local to pour it for you. It’s tipped from above head height, to land in the glass that is held at waist height… Better still, go the whole hog and treat yourself to a visit to a sidrerìa (cider house) with a slap-up meal. And a taxi home…

PONTEVEDRA

Back in the day, Christopher Columbus set sail on his first voyage in a ship built here. Pontevedra It’s a large town, with a well-preserved historic centre that repays exploring – the circular pilgrim church is a proper must-see.

SAMOS

Samos is a small town with a huge monastery – still home to a community of Benedictine monks. A popular stop on the Camino, but also well worth a visit for touring bikers.

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

The Camino de Santiago is the pilgrimage route that draws Christians to the huge cathedral with the shrine to St James. Even if you’re not a believer, the cathedral is a must-see. Must-ride road AS-14 Puerto de Palo Every inch is fantastic, from the moment it turns off the almost-as-epic AS-15 to Grandas de Salime 35 miles later. A sublime road.

Map of motorcycle routes in Asturias and Galicia, Spain

OUR ROUTES

9 OVIEDO HILLS – ROUTE 1

Start/finish Mieres del Camino
Distance 175 miles
Riding time 5.5 hours
Our route starts just inland from the city of Oviedo, writhing through the mountains on some of the quietest and most beautiful roads in the Picos, including the Ventana and San Isidro passes.
Route map, Download GPX file

10 OVIEDO HILLS – ROUTE 2

Start/finish Mieres del Camino
Distance 175 miles
Riding time 5.5 hours
An alternative route through the stunning mountains inland from Oviedo, over the Somiedo and Pajares passes.
Route map, Download GPX file

11 LUARCA LOOP 1

Start/finish Luarca
Distance 160 miles
Riding time 5 hours
The phrase “flowing corners” gets bandied about a lot. The bends on this route don’t so much flow as flood through the mountains in a traffic-free torrent of brilliant riding.
Route map, Download GPX file

12 LUARCA LOOP 2

Start/finish Luarca
Distance 195 miles
Riding time 5.5 hours
This route starts with 20 minutes of motorway to save time (easily skipped by staying on the N-634 from Luarca) before powering through the mountains on another succession of amazing roads.
Route map, Download GPX file

13 OURENSE ROUTE 1

Start/finish Ourense
Distance 170 miles
Riding time 4.5 hours
Wide, flowing roads – with one or two narrower stretches – cut an unforgettable path through quiet, scenic hills. Even the main N-120 doesn’t do traffic like a British trunk road.
Route map, Download GPX file

14 OURENSE ROUTE 2

Start/finish Ourense
Distance 215 miles
Riding time 6 hours
More memorable riding on the broad, flowing roads through the quiet hills around Ourense. They're big on views and corners and light on traffic in this part of the world.
Route map, Download GPX file

15 PONFERRADA TO PORTUGAL

Start/finish Ponferrada
Distance 240 miles
Riding time 7 hours
Staggering riding – mile after incredibly twisty mile of quiet roads with vast views, cutting over the border to Portugal before returning to Ponferrada.
Route map, Download GPX file

16 PONFERRADA TO PICOS

Start/finish Ponferrada
Distance 190 miles
Riding time 6 hours
Ponferrada lies nestled at the foot of the Picos de Europa range – and the roads that climb into the highlands to the north of the city offer some truly astonishing riding.
Route map, Download GPX file

Please note: This page contains the route files for The RiDE Guide to motorcycle touring in Spain and Portugal which came free with RiDE magazine in July 2018. These website page are not regularly updated, so please check all critical information before you travel. All route files are in .gpx format. Garmin and BMW users can download the main file, which contains all the routes and our recommended hotels as separate waypoints. TomTom users can download the individual routes and use the Tyre software to convert them. For many routes we also have Google Map links. However, as Google Maps will not plot routes over seasonally closed high Alpine passes (such as those in the Pyrenees) when they’re shut, these may not work for every route all year round.