Hi r/bikepacking,
I’m looking for route suggestions in Portugal and/or Spain for a mid-February bikepacking trip and would love some input from people who’ve ridden there.
Specs & preferences:
- Time: 15 days total
- Total distance: ~1,200–1,600 km
- Bike: Canyon Grizl CF SLX Di2
- Tires: 40 mm or 45 mm
Daily pace:
- ~150 km/day with < 1,000 m climbing
- ~100 km/day with 1,000–2,000 m climbing
Surface:
- Although I’m riding a gravel bike, I prefer mostly paved routes
- Up to ~20% unpaved max (good gravel / dirt roads, nothing too technical)
- Sleeping: Tent setup – wild camping or campsites preferred
- Experience level: Experienced bikepacker
Fitness reference:
A couple of months ago I rode Hamburg → Oslo via Denmark & Sweden, ~1,100 km / ~6,000 m climbing in 9 days total, including 2 rest days.
That worked out to roughly 160 km / 800 m per riding day, with ~95% of the route paved, comfortably.
What I’m hoping to find:
- Routes that make sense climate-wise in February
- Quiet secondary roads / low traffic
- Camp-friendly regions
- Scenic but efficient (not ultra-offroad)
- Full routes or strong sections both welcome
I’m currently considering something like Porto → Cádiz/Sevilla/Malaga, possibly following parts of EuroVelo 1 along the coast.
I’ve also looked at the Altravesur route on bikepacking.com, but with ~85% unpaved it doesn’t really match my preferences.
I’m very open to suggestions based on real-world riding experience.
Thanks in advance — appreciate any ideas, GPX links, or warnings about what not to do in February.
by DocSnyda123