Motorcycle Tour Portugal Central Spain

Skill Level: Intermediate

Touring Roads: 60%

Challenging Roads: 40%

Scenery:

History / Culture:

Riding Time: 6 to 8 hours

Asphalt:

asphalt icon
8
10

Mountains:

hills icon
7
10

How our rating system works →

IMTBIKE ROUTE rating

It is essential to know the different skill levels needed to participate in the IMTBIKE TOURS that are offered to you. IMTBIKE makes sure that it offers different tours for all riding styles and levels. The IMTBIKE team always works diligently in designing our routes. This is a laborious process which entails reviewing all road choices before selecting the best option for an IMTBIKE tour.

The most experienced motorcyclists looks for roads that require technical skill; narrow twisty roads with little traffic and endless curves. But these same roads would be too difficult for a less experienced rider.

The local driving habits, the amount of traffic, the asphalt quality and the radius of the curves vary considerably from country to country and even in different regions of the same country. They will also vary depending on the season of the year. All of these factors have been studied by IMTBIKE and have been taken into consideration when rating our tours.

IMTBIKE thinks it is also important to know about the different types of roads you will be enjoying on your tour. To understand the road types easier, IMTBIKE has divided them into two categories, and we have calculated an approximate percentage of each on all of our tours.

  1. TOURING ROADS: These are wider roads comprised mainly of larger radius sweepers. They are still curvy roads but not tight mountainous twisty curves. Please remember that you will ride very few straight roads on IMTBIKE tours!
  2. CHALLENGING ROADS: These are roads that are tight twisty turns which require more technical skill. Many times they will be narrower roads without a shoulder and sometimes with steep inclines or descents. Normally they will be mountainous roads accompanied by spectacular sceneries.

If you have never ridden a motorcycle outside of your country, or if you have little experience riding on mountain roads with many curves, we recommend that you choose a tour rated moderate or intermediate. If you have any questions or doubts please do not hesitate to call or email us. We are always happy to answer your questions to make sure that you choose the best tour for your riding level.

Moderate

This route offers wider sweeping turns that are easy to maneuver. This route may have some tighter turns in a few places but this will be the exception. Regardless, even on moderate tours you must be able to ride a large cylinder motorcycle in any condition. Never plan to learn how to ride a motorcycle on an IMTBIKE tour. We recommend having a minimum of 8.000 km (5.000 miles) of experience riding a large cylinder motorcycle to participate on a MODERATE rated IMTBIKE Tour and you should ride a motorcycle on a regular basis at home.

Intermediate

This route rating can have sections of very twisty curves on narrow roads with no center line to divide the road. There will also wider radius curves on these routes. Traffic conditions can be intense at times in some urban environments and the local driving habits may seem aggressive and unpredictable to you. It is imperative that you are an experienced motorcyclist. We recommend that you have a minimum of 12.000 km (7500 miles) of large cylinder motorcycle experience to participate on a INTERMEDIATE rated IMTBIKE Tour and you should ride a motorcycle on a regular basis at home.

Advanced

This route rating has long sections of technical narrow twisty roads and sometimes single lane roads. These twisty roads will often be in mountains where steep inclines and descents will be commonplace. Some riding days can be long and challenging. Traffic conditions can be intense at times in some urban environments and the local driving habits may seem aggressive and unpredictable to you. It is imperative that you are a very experienced motorcyclist on a large cylinder motorcycle. We recommend that you have a minimum of 16.000 km (10.000 miles) of large cylinder motorcycle experience on an ADVANCE rated IMTBIKE Tour and of course you should ride a motorcycle on a regular basis at home.

IMTBIKE Average Daily Riding Hours

5 to 7 hours
6 to 8 hours
7 to 9 hours

How many hours a day you ride on a tour is important information in helping you decide on the right IMTBIKE tour for you. Some tour members want to ride as many hours as possible everyday, while others prefer to stop more frequently and dedicate more time to enjoying the scenery, visiting cultural sights and arrive at the hotel earlier to relax before dinner. The daily riding hours are calculated including the coffee breaks and photo stops but they do not include the time taken for lunch.

Normally we’ll start our riding day at 9:30am and we will take about a one hour lunch break sometime between 1pm and 2pm. So if the daily riding hours for a given tour are 5-7, then you will arrive at the hotel between 3:30pm- 5:30pm depending on the average speed of the group.

Portugal & Central Spain Motorcycle Tour

Land of Conquistadors

Spain | Portugal

Jun. 05 — Jun. 23, 2024 By request only

Jun. 08 — Jun. 22, 2025 14 Spots left

This motorbike tour combines our “Best All Round” Castles & Mountains Tour with Portugal, a little country with a big heart!  Portugal never ceases to impress with its warm welcoming people, fertile lands and seafood rich coast. There are plenty of mountain twisties and sweepers all throughout this motorcycle tour through Central Spain and Portugal. In addition to great riding this tour boasts stunning historical cities like Toledo, Avila, Lisbon, Porto, Óbidos and Cuenca.

All hotels are top-notch with a tremendous variety of exquisite local cuisine. Enjoy freshly grilled sardines and a glass of chilled white port in the harbor of Porto or salted Cod(Bacalao) and a fine Portuguese red in the Barrio Alto in Lisbon, either way you can’t go wrong!  Come and explore Portugal & Central Spain and you’ll see why these regions are the real deal for connoisseurs of great roads and great cuisine.

 

IMTBIKE ROUTE rating

It is essential to know the different skill levels needed to participate in the IMTBIKE TOURS that are offered to you. IMTBIKE makes sure that it offers different tours for all riding styles and levels. The IMTBIKE team always works diligently in designing our routes. This is a laborious process which entails reviewing all road choices before selecting the best option for an IMTBIKE tour.

The most experienced motorcyclists looks for roads that require technical skill; narrow twisty roads with little traffic and endless curves. But these same roads would be too difficult for a less experienced rider.

The local driving habits, the amount of traffic, the asphalt quality and the radius of the curves vary considerably from country to country and even in different regions of the same country. They will also vary depending on the season of the year. All of these factors have been studied by IMTBIKE and have been taken into consideration when rating our tours.

IMTBIKE thinks it is also important to know about the different types of roads you will be enjoying on your tour. To understand the road types easier, IMTBIKE has divided them into two categories, and we have calculated an approximate percentage of each on all of our tours.

  1. TOURING ROADS: These are wider roads comprised mainly of larger radius sweepers. They are still curvy roads but not tight mountainous twisty curves. Please remember that you will ride very few straight roads on IMTBIKE tours!
  2. CHALLENGING ROADS: These are roads that are tight twisty turns which require more technical skill. Many times they will be narrower roads without a shoulder and sometimes with steep inclines or descents. Normally they will be mountainous roads accompanied by spectacular sceneries.

If you have never ridden a motorcycle outside of your country, or if you have little experience riding on mountain roads with many curves, we recommend that you choose a tour rated moderate or intermediate. If you have any questions or doubts please do not hesitate to call or email us. We are always happy to answer your questions to make sure that you choose the best tour for your riding level.

Moderate

This route offers wider sweeping turns that are easy to maneuver. This route may have some tighter turns in a few places but this will be the exception. Regardless, even on moderate tours you must be able to ride a large cylinder motorcycle in any condition. Never plan to learn how to ride a motorcycle on an IMTBIKE tour. We recommend having a minimum of 8.000 km (5.000 miles) of experience riding a large cylinder motorcycle to participate on a MODERATE rated IMTBIKE Tour and you should ride a motorcycle on a regular basis at home.

Intermediate

This route rating can have sections of very twisty curves on narrow roads with no center line to divide the road. There will also wider radius curves on these routes. Traffic conditions can be intense at times in some urban environments and the local driving habits may seem aggressive and unpredictable to you. It is imperative that you are an experienced motorcyclist. We recommend that you have a minimum of 12.000 km (7500 miles) of large cylinder motorcycle experience to participate on a INTERMEDIATE rated IMTBIKE Tour and you should ride a motorcycle on a regular basis at home.

Advanced

This route rating has long sections of technical narrow twisty roads and sometimes single lane roads. These twisty roads will often be in mountains where steep inclines and descents will be commonplace. Some riding days can be long and challenging. Traffic conditions can be intense at times in some urban environments and the local driving habits may seem aggressive and unpredictable to you. It is imperative that you are a very experienced motorcyclist on a large cylinder motorcycle. We recommend that you have a minimum of 16.000 km (10.000 miles) of large cylinder motorcycle experience on an ADVANCE rated IMTBIKE Tour and of course you should ride a motorcycle on a regular basis at home.

IMTBIKE Average Daily Riding Hours

5 to 7 hours
6 to 8 hours
7 to 9 hours

How many hours a day you ride on a tour is important information in helping you decide on the right IMTBIKE tour for you. Some tour members want to ride as many hours as possible everyday, while others prefer to stop more frequently and dedicate more time to enjoying the scenery, visiting cultural sights and arrive at the hotel earlier to relax before dinner. The daily riding hours are calculated including the coffee breaks and photo stops but they do not include the time taken for lunch.

Normally we’ll start our riding day at 9:30am and we will take about a one hour lunch break sometime between 1pm and 2pm. So if the daily riding hours for a given tour are 5-7, then you will arrive at the hotel between 3:30pm- 5:30pm depending on the average speed of the group.

Tour Facts

  • Start / End Madrid
    Total Distance 1,774 miles / 2,856 km
  • Total Time 15 Days
    Riding Days 13 Days
  • Rest Days 3 Porto, Cascais, Toledo
    Breakfast 14 Included Breakfasts
  • Dinners 11 Dinners
    Daily Mileage 165 miles / 275 kms.
  • Hotel Overnights 14 Nights
    Riding Season Spring
  • Highlights:  6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain: Segovia, Ávila, Ciudad Rodrigo, Trujillo, Cuenca and Toledo, and 2 in Portugal: Porto and Lisbon. Exquisite local cuisine! Tour starts and ends in vibrant Madrid. We stay in some of best Paradors and Pousadas in the Iberic Peninsula.
    Accommodations:  Awesome hotels. First-class historical Pousadas and Paradors plus a few specially selected boutique hotels with local flair. Pousadas and Paradors are Castles, Palaces & Fortresses converted into motorcycle-friendly hotels.
    *All IMTBIKE lodgings are hand-picked for their quality of service, local charm and strategic locations.

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Testimonials

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  • Being in Spain, IMT REALLY knows Spain. They have good routes, interesting stops along the routes, excellent lodging, pretty darned good food, and friendly, helpful guides. The amount of time on the bike each day is very appropriate.
    PS: The do pretty good tours outside of Spain too!

    Scott Prue
    Brampton, Canada
    IMTBIKE's Spain Tours are GREAT!

  • My tour of southern Spain and Portugal in early March was a wonderful experience, despite the pandemic that cut our tour a little short. IMTBIKE staff were excellent. I look forward to going back when Americans are again welcome in Europe.

    Scott Prue
    Wolfeboro, USA
    S wonderful experience

  • I’ve been on 5 IMTBike Tours, each of which felt like the best. However, the Spain & Portugal Tour truly is the best one! The panoply of Parador Hotels in both Spain and Portugal was breathtaking. Food on this tour was sensational. Portuguese cuisine, particularly deserts and coffee, is not to be missed. Art, culture, great food, great riding, it’s all there!

    Ruth Kile
    Washington DC, USA
    Portugal & Central Spain Tour

  • Seven Australians with a massive thirst for good riding, good company, good food and cold beer had a ball thanks to the fantastic organisational skills of Scott and the IMTBike team. Our main guide Chano is the best and his back-up man Tomas was great. Many thanks also to Isabel for putting up with us. The ride was brilliant and in particular we loved Porto, Baiona And Salamanca. This is our 2nd ride with IMTBike (and Chano) and would not hesitate to jump on board again. Best wishes!

    Gary Cox
    Western Australia
    Portugal & Central Spain Tour Oz Custom Tour

  • Our third trip with IMTBike and as usual, wonderful routes and beautiful scenery. Chano and Scott took such good care of Ann and I, it made for a much more enjoyable ride. These tours are so well planned, that everything is so smooth and easy. It is hard to think of any place in the world with better riding. Thank you!

    Jerry and Ann Larsen
    Texas, USA
    Portugal & Central Spain Tour - Our Third IMTBike Tour

  • When RuthAnn won a 500 Euro discount off an IMTBIKE tour, we quickly decided that the Central Spain & Portugal Tour would be the one for us. It was a good choice and we enjoyed it immensely. Our guides, Chano and Javi, did a great job escorting our small group through Central Spain and Portugal and keeping us in good spirits. It was always thumbs up and big smiles all around. Coffee breaks, lunch stops, comfy lodging in Paradors and Pousadas with wonderful evening meals all added to the experience.
    The bikes were in excellent condition, well maintained, and all ran flawlessly during the tour. We would not hesitate to rent from IMTBIKE for an independent tour in the future. Like most of Europe, Spain and Portugal have a rich history and Chano and Javi made it come alive for us with their extensive knowledge history class on two wheels!
    Meanwhile, time for another sip of the excellent IMTBike Vino!!

    Steve and Ruth Ann Reynen
    Wisconsin,USA
    Portugal & Central Spain Tour

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Meet our guides

Meet the IMTBike Guides

We are very proud of the reputation we’ve earned as one of the world’s leading motorcycle tour operators, and it starts with our guides.

Meet the team →

Daily Itinerary

  • Day 1: Arrival Madrid
  • Day 2: Madrid - Ávila
  • Day 3: Ávila – Ciudad Rodrigo
  • Day 4: Ciudad Rodrigo - Porto
  • Day 5: Porto - rest day
  • Day 6: Porto – Tomar
  • Day 7: Tomar - Cascais (Lisbon)
  • Day 8: Cascais (Lisbon) - rest day
  • Day 9: Cascais (Lisbon) - Mérida
  • Day 10: Mérida - Sierra de Gredos
  • Day 11: Sierra de Gredos - Toledo
  • Day 12: Toledo - rest day
  • Day 13: Toledo - Cuenca
  • Day 14: Cuenca - Madrid
  • Day 15: Flight home
  • Day 1: Arrival Madrid, safety briefing and welcome dinner

    Arrival Madrid, safety briefing and welcome dinner

    Transfer included from the Airport to the hotel. You will have some free time to relax or do some sightseeing before the welcome briefing. After the briefing we will enjoy a welcome dinner in a traditional restaurant. The first and last days mentioned in the itinerary are the arrival and departure days for your tour. Depending on the country you are flying from, you may have to leave a day early. Please book your flights accordingly!

  • Day 2: Madrid – Segovia - Ávila

    Madrid – Segovia - Ávila

    Leaving Madrid we will head for the mountains just outside Madrid and visit El Escorial- the burial site of the Spanish Kings, then we will head over a verdant mountain pass and stop in Segovia. Segovia is famous for its 2000 year old Aqueduct, Alcazar Castle, and cathedral. From Segovia we will ride to the walled city of Avila for the night.

  • Day 3: Ávila – Ciudad Rodrigo

    Ávila – Ciudad Rodrigo

    Leaving Avila we will head on little-known back country roads with beautiful mountain scenery dotted with castles, fortresses, and Roman bridges. You will cross three different mountain ranges before arriving at the medieval fortress town of Ciudad Rodrigo for the night.

  • Day 4: Ciudad Rodrigo - Porto

    Ciudad Rodrigo - Porto

    Leaving Ciudad Rodrigo you will find the quaint country of Portugal just 40 kilometers away! Northern Portugal boasts lush mountains and the Duero River valley; both make for great motorcycling riding. This region is also famous for Port Wines!

  • Day 5: Porto - rest day

    Porto - rest day

    Today is a rest day and you can take a Port wine tour, or enjoy freshly grilled sardines on the beach. Or you can go for a ride along the Atlantic coast towards Galicia. It’s up to you!

  • Day 6: Porto – Tomar

    Porto – Tomar

    The road today will take us into the Portuguese mountains and allow us to see what the rural side of Portugal is all about. We will ride on fun roads across the mountain range and surround Coimbras University to then sleep in the historic and templar city of Tomar.

  • Day 7: Tomar - Cascais (Lisbon)

    Tomar - Cascais (Lisbon)

    Our road today will take us towards picturesque fishing villages facing the Atlantic. We will visit emblematic places such as Sintra and its palaces or Cabo de Roca, the westernmost point in Europe. We will then arrive at the elegant seaside town of Cascais and spend two nights there very close to Lisbon.

  • Day 8: Cascais (Lisbon) - rest day

    Cascais (Lisbon) - rest day

    Today you can explore Portugal’s capital city, go to the beach or go for ride along the southern coast of Portugal. The choice is yours!

  • Day 9: Cascais (Lisbon) - Mérida

    Cascais (Lisbon) - Mérida

    Leaving Lisbon you will head to Portugal’s central plain, characterized by long sweepers, rolling hills and castle fortresses on every hilltop. Once you cross the border back into Spain you will be in Extremadura, one of Spain’s best kept secrets. Merida houses the most Roman ruins in Spain.

  • Day 10: Mérida - Sierra de Gredos

    Mérida - Sierra de Gredos

    Today you will enjoy Extremadura’s sweeping curves and golden-hued landscape. You’ll ride to Trujillo, birthplace of “Conquistadors” Pizarro and Cortes, and ride though a national park with eagles, vultures and hawks flying overhead on a road that boasts kilometers of perfect asphalt and curves leading to the town of Jarandilla de la Vera.

  • Day 11: Sierra de Gredos - Toledo

    Sierra de Gredos - Toledo

    You will ride more great curves today past waterfalls and pine forests, en route to Toledo, the ancient capital of Spain. You will ride through the Vera Valley, an area coveted by local motorcyclists for its fantastic roads. Tonight you will see mystical Toledo our home for the next two nights.

  • Day 12: Toledo - rest day

    Toledo - rest day

    Toledo is one of the most fascinating cities in Spain. It houses one of the largest cathedrals in Spain, two ancient synagogues, El Greco’s house, and quaint cobblestone streets. Sightseeing in Toledo can be combined with an afternoon ride in the Toledo Mountains.

  • Day 13: Toledo - Cuenca

    Toledo - Cuenca

    Leaving Toledo you will re-trace the famous path of Don Quixote down to the 500-year-old windmills that the great knight-errant attempted to battle with his weary squire Sancho Panza in tow. After seeing the windmills, you will head through the Valdepeñas Wine region to the mountain region of Cuenca. Cuenca is famous for its hanging houses.

  • Day 14: Cuenca - Madrid

    Cuenca - Madrid

    The Sierra de Cuenca Mountains boast some of the best riding with perfect curves and asphalt and no traffic; a fantastic way to end a great tour. These curves and mountain scenery will lead you back to Madrid. Tonight we will enjoy our farewell dinner with our guides and new friends.

  • Day 15: Flight home

    Flight home

    Today you will say your goodbyes to the guides and the other tour members (now your new friends) as you make your way to the airport to fly home. Until our next motorcycle adventure together! Hasta Luego!

Portugal & Central Spain Motorcycle Tour Pricing

The base price of every tour is calculated for a single rider on a BMW G310R and sharing a double room.

  • Add passenger

    + 4750

    Add

  • Single Room Supplement

    + 1400

    Add

  • BMW G310R

    + 0

    Add

  • BMW F700GS low

    + 280

    Add

  • BMW F750GS

    + 390

    Add

  • BMW F800GT

    + 590

    Add

  • BMW F800GS

    + 590

    Add

  • BMW F850GS

    + 590

    Add

  • BMW F900XR

    + 590

    Add

  • BMW F900GS ADV

    + 830

    Add

  • BMW R1250RS

    + 830

    Add

  • BMW R1250GS

    + 830

    Add

  • BMW R1300GS

    + 1000

    Add

  • BMW R1250GS ADV

    + 1000

    Add

  • BMW S1000XR

    + 1000

    Add

  • BMW R1250RT

    + 1000

    Add

  • BMW K1600GT

    + 1450

    Add

Included in Tour:

  • Airport pickup on the first day of the tour.
  • Overnight accommodations in carefully selected 4 & 5 star hotels and Paradors/Pousadas (castles and palaces converted into “motorcycle friendly” boutique hotels).
  • A delicious gourmet evening meal featuring Spanish and Portuguese specialties every night (except on rest days).
  • Complete buffet breakfast every morning.
  • New model BMW motorcycle fully equipped with 3 BMW cases.
  • Tour handbook (normally about 70 pages-very comprehensive) and highlighted map.
  • Expert multilingual guide on a motorcycle.
  • Multilingual guide in support vehicle which will carry your luggage, any oversized purchases you make; or even a passenger or two.
  • Tour Souvenirs.

Not included in Tour:

  • Air ticket, lunches, gasoline, drinks, tolls, personal spending and tips
Included