From the coast to the North
PORTUGAL TO SWEDEN
13 countries, 31 days, 7100 km
Bike: Triumph Speed Twin -19
Exploring with a little adventure seeking pillion
I picked up my lovely cousin Julia at the airport in Denmark and together we flew to Portugal to pick up my Speed Twin that I had named Thor. The bike was sent a week prior and my plan was to ride it from Portugal back home to Sweden.
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Julia had just gotten off school for the summer and called me because of her sudden thirst for adventures. I immediately suggested that she should come to Portugal, get on the bike with me and then ride with me for as long as she wanted. She planned to spend a maximum of 7 days on the road, but ended up riding through 8 countries during 3 weeks.
Together we explored small villages, watched sunsets, met hilarious people, got soaked in rain, visited old travel friends of mine, rode the circuit in Monaco, ate cookies for breakfast, had sangria by the river in Porto, celebrated Pride in Spain and almost passed out during the most extreme heat wave Europe has had in decades.
The riding was amazing, but to have my little cousin behind me was the real pleasure of this trip.
Countries visited
01/
PORTUGAL
What a wonderful place to visit on a bike!
02/
SPAIN
Riga got my heart immediately! Amazingly cozy town with a lot of history and a lively biker culture. Stayed at the biker friendly hostel "Two Wheels" where I met the owner who gave me the phone number to one of his friends in Bulgaria. Went on a day trip on the nice roads around the city with a group of bikers from Belarus that had left their contacs on my bike.
03/
ANDORRA
Stayed two nights in Panevezys and learned engine renovation with my AirBnb host. Vilnius was one of my favorite cities during my whole trip! Felt at home since the first minute. Applied for my visa to Belarus here.
04/
FRANCE
Here it felt like the trip started for real! Very interesting country and nothing like the others. It felt like traveling back in time and visit the Soviet Union, but Minsk, the capital, is still a modern and developing city with a lot of cool things to do! Met up with the bikers I met in Riga. Loved Minsk and will go back.
05/
MONACO
Kiev surprised me, it's a big city with a great night life. Visited Chernobyl and Pripyat which was an interesting experience. Odessa and the Ukrainian coast was great too with nice beaches.
06/
ITALY
The biggest surprise during my whole trip! I was told that Moldova didn't have roads, but I was greeted with great(!) motorcycle roads, amazing wine yards everywhere and welcoming people. Stayed with an English teacher from Germany and met up with a local couple that took me out to see the nightlife. Got chased by Moldovan TV.
11/
LIECHTENSTEIN
A special country to visit due to it's history. Wasn't accessible from Serbia, but easy to enter from Macedonia. Green card not valid, but an insurance was cheap and easy to buy at the border. Pristina was a really cool city and totally worth to see.
12/
SWITZERLAND
Took a long ride over the mountains around Tirana. Brought my thermos and got the best therapy the soul could ever need.
13/
LUXEMBOURG
Went to Kotor along the road around the bay, and this place is like taken from a postcard. Had to force myself to keep the camera in my bag after a while, or I'd probably still be there taking photos to this day.
14/
BELGIUM
Beautiful coastal road, reminded me a lot about Highway 1 in California. The coast is full of gems and the best thing about going here is to find your own little treasure.
15/
NETHERLANDS
Stayed in the little town Stolac, which was amazingly cozy. Went to Mostar to see the famous Stari Most and was incredibly lucky to visit during low season and could therefore really enjoy the city.
16/
GERMANY
Also an incredible surprise! Wonderful little roads perfect for motorcycling and cool sightseeings with castles and pretty cities. Very beautiful during the fall.
17/
SWEDEN
Only went to Graz to change the wire for the speedometer that broke in Bosnia. 25€ for the wire and work – I was very happy.
The ROUTE
GÖTEBORG
HAMBURG
BERGEN OP ZOOM
BRUSSELS
MINDEN
BARCELONA
VALENCIA
LUXEMBOURG
COLMAR
LIECHTENSTEIN
ALBA
LUNGERN
MONACO
ANDORRA
MADRID
LISBON
PORTO
STOCKHOLM
ACCOMMODATIONS
01/
Colina do Elétrico, Figueira da Foz, Portugal
Cute little family owned place with view over the water + pool. Big kitchen where you can cook your own food. Private parking right outside. Around €30 per night.
02/
Le Petit Palü, Madrid, Spain
Nice, clean and air-conditioned. The rooms are a bit small, but the price and location weigh up for it. Parking on the street a few hundred meters from the hotel. No elevator.
03/
El Pozo Hostal, Chulilla, Spain
The cutest little town ever! This place is family owned and has a restaurant on the ground floor with great food. The rooms are big and comfy. They let us park the bikes right outside of the hotel (very calm and safe little street).
04/
Pitiusa, Andorra
Good location, good price and they have their own garage in the basement.
05/
Hôtel Kyriad, Montpellier, France
Great place to get some sleep for the night. Super clean and modern hotel with their own parking and security fence. Not many restaurants near by, but Uber isn't too expensive if you want to get some dinner in town.
06/
Hotel Gletscherblick, Switzerland
The best morning view I had during the trip. Great little place in a very beautiful location. Private parking.
07/
Ferienwohnung Land-Ruhe, Germany
Super cozy, big and comfortable apartment.
08/
Hotel Wedina, Hamburg, Germany
Good location and nice hotel in a calm area. Parking on the street just outside.
09/
Agriturismo Ca' Colomba, Italy
Amazingly romantic villa in the middle of an Italian vineyard. Very genuine, private and perfect in every way. Parking on the premises with security fence.