Santander to Guia

katie b · Post by **katie b** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 2:31 pm

We are sailing from Plymouth to Santander when we move to the Algarve in April, the ship leaves at 4pm and docks at 12.30 lunch time. Does anyone know of some reasonably priced hotels where we can stop overnight on our drive down?
Preferably with some kind of secure parking as we will have our car loaded with personal belongings.
Thanks for your help (again)
katie b

Bruce Wallis · Post by **Bruce Wallis** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 2:58 pm

I know it's a hike...but you can do that run in one day.

John1 · Post by **John1** » Thu Jan 29, 2009 5:41 pm

Hi, we've done that journey a couple of times and have stopped at a different place each time. Would recomend either stopping at the Ibis hotel in Salamanca, Spain, which has an underground car park, or you could stop at the 3 star hotel in Guarda, Portugal called Hotel Vanguarda, which is reasonable and has secure parking. Just depends on the route you want to take.

suziebear · Post by **suziebear** » Fri Jan 30, 2009 9:27 pm

Hi When we moved out here last year, my hubby drove our car down with ou. teenage daughter and dog, they docked at around the same time you are and he drove all the way down and landed in Carvoeiro at our house at around 11.30pm, he came motorway all the way down and found it easy, even though they had to stop for our doggy. That was last May.

blue · Post by **blue** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 7:42 am

We stayed in the hotel in Salamanca when we drove out, but we were driving down from Calais & it was our second stop. Salamanca is a lovely city & the country side from there down to the Algarve is beautiful if you want or have the time to enjoy it. Otherwise you can do the drive from Santander in one hit.

pata1uk · Post by **pata1uk** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 2:53 pm

Would recommend driving straight down - we did it with 2 cars 3 children and a dog - no problem in 12 hours with rest breaks. You will be well rested from the ferry and probably very keen to get to your new home!?
Good luck with your move.

katie b · Post by **katie b** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 4:15 pm

Thanks everyone for your helpful replies regarding our journey from Santander to Guia in April. Reckon I feel we should have an overnight stop but hubby fancies doing it in one go. I'll let you know who gets their way!!

Thanks again, katie

maccasa · Post by **maccasa** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 1:48 pm

regrding the santander- CVO trip - whats the cost for the ferry?
I keep seeing very high prices - over £600 - is this the norm? - which is cheaper ferry or to go to dover and drive across france + Spain

Bruce Wallis · Post by **Bruce Wallis** » Wed Feb 04, 2009 2:31 pm

maccasa wrote:regrding the santander- CVO trip - whats the cost for the ferry?
I keep seeing very high prices - over £600 - is this the norm? - which is cheaper ferry or to go to dover and drive across france + Spain

For 2 people, 2 overnight stops and for a stay over 3 weeks, it works out about the same.

shanagarry · Post by **shanagarry** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 10:48 am

I have just completed a comparison as we will be staying for 35 days from the 26th May to 2nd July: Prices in Sterling

The Ferry is £703 (return) Portsmouth - Santander - Plymouth (because of the dates)
Fuel - £350
Hotels (2) £250.00

Total: £1,303

Flights: Southampton - Faro - Southampton £395
Hire Car £1,000 (Focus/Astra)
Fuel: £100.00 (depending on the amount of travelling around)

Total £1,495

We are going to take the ferry as we enjoy seeing the real Portugal and the true beauty of the mountainous North - this will be the second time we have done this and we allow 3 days.

I can live without the airport hassle and the speed of getting here - but seeing more of the country is our real adventure. I have previously done the trip in one hit (April 2005) - that was tiring (and probably dangerous) but managed it in 11 hours 25 minutes. The roads were a real joy - practically empty.

The decision is one of preference - not cost - as there is little difference. As I travel backwards and forwards by air many times during the year - I have a total aversion to the airport 'experience' and any opportunity to avoid it I would. However convenience overrides preference most of the time.

The ferry is relaxing and once you overcome the Santander traffic when you get off - the rest of it is a real pleasure - as long as you give yourself time.

dennisg · Post by **dennisg** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 5:45 pm

shanagarry wrote:I have just completed a comparison as we will be staying for 35 days from the 26th May to 2nd July: Prices in Sterling

The Ferry is £703 (return) Portsmouth - Santander - Plymouth (because of the dates)
Fuel - £350
Hotels (2) £250.00

Total: £1,303

Flights: Southampton - Faro - Southampton £395
Hire Car £1,000 (Focus/Astra)
Fuel: £100.00 (depending on the amount of travelling around)

Total £1,495

We are going to take the ferry as we enjoy seeing the real Portugal and the true beauty of the mountainous North - this will be the second time we have done this and we allow 3 days.

I can live without the airport hassle and the speed of getting here - but seeing more of the country is our real adventure. I have previously done the trip in one hit (April 2005) - that was tiring (and probably dangerous) but managed it in 11 hours 25 minutes. The roads were a real joy - practically empty.

The decision is one of preference - not cost - as there is little difference. As I travel backwards and forwards by air many times during the year - I have a total aversion to the airport 'experience' and any opportunity to avoid it I would. However convenience overrides preference most of the time.

The ferry is relaxing and once you overcome the Santander traffic when you get off - the rest of it is a real pleasure - as long as you give yourself time.

For a fair comparison you also need to add in cost of wear on tyres and extra servicing costs. 2 way journey from Santander to the Algarve is about 1200 miles plus local miles running around. But as you say the convenience of having your own car outweighs any extra cost.

Bruce Wallis · Post by **Bruce Wallis** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:14 pm

I did a similar calculation and conclude that cutting out the 2 nights hotel, the breakeven point is a 3 week stay. But that is based on Gatwick flight prices which are cheaper than regional airports like Southampton.

shanagarry · Post by **shanagarry** » Thu Feb 05, 2009 8:35 pm

Don't forget to add in the cost of parking at Gatwick at £6+ per day - which is very much the same at regional airports.

Taking it on in one go is OK - as long as the driving is shared - otherwise it's a bit of a risk!

If time is not a concern - the ferry is a pleasant alternative - as long as the weather and sea behaves!

Enjoy