Santander to Galera

Just booked our ferry and we are arriving in Santander next May and driving to Galera, we land in the evening 8.30 pm and trying to decide if we should just head straight off stopping every few hours hopefully in motorway restaurants for food and the loo, we also have 2 small dogs.

So question is have you done this ? is it better to stay in an hotel (dog friendly) near Santander then set off early and fresh, or just set off with frequent stops ??

Do you know of any nice dog friendly hotels??

We have down loaded Iberia to our Tom Tom and looked up the route on AA route planner, does anybody have any advice or amendment to this route?

Thanks in advance

Just do it in one single run.It takes me about 12 hours - excluding stops.

If the ferry docks (lands?) at 8:30, it'll probably be 9 - 9:30 before you're on the road south. That would give you time to have a meal on the boat before setting out and you can also sleep during the day (provided you've booked a cabin) so you should be fairly fresh. After all, there's not a lot to do on the ferry and certainly nothing you *have* to do.

That way you'll be traveling through / round Madrid late in the evening when the traffic will be light. Definitely better than trying it during the day. It also means you'll arrive in Galera early in the day and avoid traveling in the heat of the day and with the sun in your eyes, too.

Hi Guys,
I have done this route several times and always stay overnight as I also have two dogs.
Thing is, its the start of an adventure so why rush !! also the dogs will appreciate some time out.
You can find dog friendly hotels on Booking.com, just go to the filter on the left of the screen and press facility, there's a dog friendly option. Also I always take the route Bilbao Zaragoza Valencia, but that's just because I hate driving through Madrid.
Santander is a beautiful city and some lovely beaches for the dogs to romp.

GJJ

Santander is cool, I spent about 3 days in the camper on the beach. Couldn't see any restrictions and yhe police breezed by several times and were quite happy.

Him & Her wrote:Just booked our ferry and we are arriving in Santander next May and driving to Galera, we land in the evening 8.30 pm and trying to decide if we should just head straight off stopping every few hours hopefully in motorway restaurants for food and the loo, we also have 2 small dogs.

So question is have you done this ? is it better to stay in an hotel (dog friendly) near Santander then set off early and fresh, or just set off with frequent stops ??

Do you know of any nice dog friendly hotels??

We have down loaded Iberia to our Tom Tom and looked up the route on AA route planner, does anybody have any advice or amendment to this route?

Thanks in advance

Oooops just looked at the arrival time and its 17.30 hrs and have been looking at hotels on route on booking.com and they mostly seem to be already booked so I think maybe I am too early they cant all be booked already can they ????

I've done the trip half a dozen times in the last year and it takes me about 12 hours in total with a couple of hours stops.  That's gentle cruising at around 105-110kph.  We take the A67 south from Santander, then cut across on the A231 to Burgos.  From there south to Madrid on the A1.  

Take the M50 ring motorway around Madrid which avoids all city traffic totally.  Exit on the A3 signposted Valencia.  Then onto the A31 signposted Albecete, then the A30.

About 150km from Galera turn right (west) on the RM714 and subsequent roads heading to Pueblo de Don Fadrique, then Huesca, Galera.  This final 150km of non motorway is straight and fast and you can easily average 90-100 kph.  The entire route is toll-free.

OVERNIGHT
There's loads of hostel/2-star hotel accommodation en-route on service roads (via del servicio) at the side of the autoroutes, typically 40€ for an ensuite twin/double room.  We've taken our cockerpoo into the rooms with us. I have never bothered to book, just turn up and if it's full take the next one.  All the ones below are between Burgos (which you should comfortably be able to make) and Madrid.  Normally there's a restaurant downstairs with menu del dia for 10€ pp with wine.

N42 17.463 W3 42.187  Hotel el Afoz de Burgos (gated parking)
N41 55.793 W3 45.789  Hotel Ribera (24hr Services so good security)
N41 46.848 W3 41.739  Hostel
N41 26.524 W3 40.593  Hostal Cristobal
N40 51.232 W3 36.808  Hotel Mavi

Tim Cullis wrote:I've done the trip half a dozen times and it takes me about 12 hours in total with a couple of hours stops.  That's gentle cruising at around 105-110kph.  We take the A67 south from Santander, then cut across on the A231 to Burgos.  From there south to Madrid on the A1.  

Take the M50 ring motorway around Madrid which avoids all city traffic totally.  Exit on the A3 signposted Valencia.  Then onto the A31 signposted Albecete, then the A30.

About 150km from Galera turn right (west) on the RM714 and subsequent roads heading to Pueblo de Don Fadrique, then Huesca, Galera.  This final 150km of non motorway is straight and fast and you can easily average 90-100 kph.

OVERNIGHT
There's loads of hostel/2-star hotel accommodation en-route on service roads (via del servicio), typically 40€ for an ensuite twin/double room.  I have never bothered to book, just turn up and if it's full take the next one.  All the ones below are between Burgos (which you should comfortably be able to make) and Madrid.  Normally there's a restaurant downstairs with menu del dia for 10€ pp with wine.

N42 17.463 W3 42.187  Hotel el Afoz de Burgos (gated parking)
N41 55.793 W3 45.789  Hotel Ribera (24hr Services so good security)
N41 46.848 W3 41.739  Hostel
N41 26.524 W3 40.593  Hostal Cristobal
N40 51.232 W3 36.808  Hotel Mavi

Thanks Tom your a star

Thanks for this information - 12 hours! That's amazing! I had no idea. Last time I came out to Galera in the car I got the train to Cordoba, it felt like 5 hours and by the time I arrived I was shattered. But 12 hours! All the way from Santander! OMG I might just try that.

Took us 9 hours with a couple of stops for petrol and we didn't hammer it

9 hours! I must admit Santander wasn't the main choice of port
But from Bilbao to do in just over 9 hours, we would have to be pushing it.


What ever you do, be careful where you stop, and don't stop if your signalled to pull over, by a car especially new Madrid. Be on guard for bandits

Last but least, enjoy the journey

Col

bigcol wrote:9 hours! I must admit Santander wasn't the main choice of port
But from Bilbao to do in just over 9 hours, we would have to be pushing it.


What ever you do, be careful where you stop, and don't stop if your signalled to pull over, by a car especially new Madrid. Be on guard for bandits

Last but least, enjoy the journey

Col

Blimey Bandits !!! don't stop if signaled by a car !! be careful where we stop !! I was looking forward to a stress free holiday and hopefully a nice place to live, all sounds a bit scary to me, bit doom and gloom !!!

Don't be scared,but Col is right to point it out,as long as you don't stop for them its not a problem,its often gypsies,they pretend to need help then rob what they can,mainly near cities,not seen it in the Galera area,so don't worry !

Thank you it all sounded a bit scary

You do need to be wary, when traveling, don't be fooled into stoping by any car.
Government has been putting adds on English TV recently, it's not gloom and doom, but please enjoy the journey, just remember this post.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

bigcol wrote:You do need to be wary, when traveling,  don't be fooled into stoping by any car.
Government has been putting adds on English TV recently, it's not gloom and doom, but please enjoy the journey, just remember this post.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thank you we will take this on board and hopefully have a safe journey