Algarve in Autumn 2024

20th October – 3rd November 2024

Great Driving, Great Hotels, a Trackday and the Classic!!

October and November might be wet, cold and blustery in the UK but it usually isn’t in Spain and Portugal and the 2024 Algarve Tour may be your last opportunity to get the hood down and feel the warmth of the sun.

We’ve put together a trip which will give great driving, great hotels, stunning scenery and a range of fun things to do. Spanish and Portuguese roads are in the main very quiet and where we’re going, great fun to drive on! We’ve continued our process or ringing the changes so there are new stops to change the mix and some the same to maintain the highlights. In 2014 after the very first day’s driving a participant exclaimed

“I’ve just driven down the best road on the planet!”

In 2021 we had bright sunshine and blue skies pretty much every day bar one—not bad for October/November. In 2022 it rained once—at night!

Starting with an afternoon crossing from Plymouth to Santander on the luxury Pont Aven, we get an early afternoon arrival so there’s plenty of time for a scenic run through the Picos de Europa mountains before running on to our first stop at Segovia with its fairytale palace, Roman aquaduct and buzzing city centre; we’re staying a short cab ride away, with great views over the city and the cathedral.

After Segovia it’s off fot two nights at Hacienda Zorita, just outside Sal;amanca. This is an outstanding wine hotel, Christopher Columbus stayed there twice and the wonderful ancient centre of Salamanca is a short drive away, the food is always outstanding. Our next stop is at Merida, a world heritage city and the site of the best preserved Roman ruins in Iberia, the emperor Trajan was Spanish! Then we head south to Huelva on a fantastic road and then straight into Portugal to Alvor , which is just 12 miles from the circuit. We will have

VIP passes for Saturday and Sunday and there may also be the chance to join an on-track parade. After the racing we’re off to Jerez for a night at the Hotel Puerto Sherry which is a lovely marina side hotel in El Puerto de Santa Maria, styled inside like an art deco liner, it’s a stop where we are always more than welcome

After Jerez we go to Durcal just outside Granada for two nights and a track day at the Circuito de Guadix. Here, with an English team, safety is the best and the circuit never bores. Lewis Hamilton trained at Guadix in his early days and a large number of well known drivers and teams test there all year round. Sooner or later we have to head for home, so we’ve organised a great drive; from Granada we head to Toledo for a night with a great view and great city and then skirt Madrid over some super mountain passes for our last night in the wonderful 17th Century Palace Hotel in Lerma with a super Saturday drive to the ferry

The trip will be limited to 20 cars and Jasper Gilder will accompany this group.