But, if you do not add Portugal to your list of must visit places, then you are really missing something special. Out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the Azorean island of Sao Miguel has plenty to offer those with their own wheels, from steaming hot pools to stunning volcanic lakes, picturesque coastal villages, and secluded beaches. A Portugal Road Trip is on my buckelist: Lisbon, Sintra, Porto, the Algarve and more! Starting in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Porto, you can pick up your rental car at the airport, but don’t skip visiting the city itself. As much fun as it is to drive around this road's nearly 100 bends, you'll probably spend just as much time pulling over to the side to take in the views. If you want to undertake any of the road trips on our list or create one of your own, you are going to need a vehicle. Help us to show you Besides, you won’t want to drive too fast on the island’s winding mountain roads. However, if you are organized and book early, you can find some great deals. If you're not ready to turn back just yet, take the route further another four miles to drive up to the panoramic viewpoint in the tiny village of Casal de Loivos. One of the highest mountain ranges on mainland Portugal, Serra da Estrela is the perfect location for an adventure. Key towns to visit along this route include Aveiro, Ericeira, Figueira da Foz, Lagos, Nazaré, and Peniche. Click to Tweet We arrived in Porto about rush hour. If you are looking for a longer road trip with an overnight stay, or even two, then Serra da Estrela should be on your shortlist. There is plenty to photograph along the way as well as at your destination. In 2015, the car rental company Avis named this 17-mile stretch of Portugal's N222 highway the world's best driving road. Portugal may seem like a small country, but it is brimming beautiful roads that wind along rocky coasts, hidden beaches, through small whitewashed villages, and up hills and mountains. To drive safely in Portugal, you need to be aware of the key road rules and regulations. Portugal's southernmost region, the coastal Algarve is best-known for flocks of tourists enjoying a lazy holiday by the pool or beach. The capital city is a highlight of any Portugal road trip, so it definitely deserves 2 nights of your time in Portugal! You can start your route at the very tip of the Algarve, Cabo de São Vicente (Cape Saint Vincent), which is also the most southwestern point of mainland Europe. Sprawled over both sides of the Douro River, the city has one of the most beautiful (and colorful) skylines in the world. A good rule to abide by is if you need to get back behind the wheel that day, do not drink. Your Trip to Portugal: The Complete Guide, These Are the Top Things to Do in Sagres, Portugal, How to Travel from Lisbon to Faro by Train, Bus, Car, and Plane, Your Trip to Hokkaido: The Complete Guide, The Top 12 Things to Do in the Douro Valley, Portugal, Go to Portugal in July and Bask in the Sunshine, Los Angeles to San Francisco on the Pacific Coast Highway, These are the Top 12 Things to Do on Terceira Island, the Azores, Top 12 Things to Do on Sao Miguel Island, the Azores, Tripsavvy uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. David Dean specializes in tech and travel writing and has covered technology and Portugal (his home base) for TripSavvy since 2014. And if it's your first time driving in Portugal, make sure you read up on the rules of the road before booking that rental car. If you're feeling ambitious, you can hike there and back from Monchique, but the N266-3 will also get you there. One of the best Portugal road trip ideas is the drive from Porto to the Douro Valley, one of the top wine regions in Portugal. This is a non-pretentious guide for a Portugal road trip along the coastline. The island consists of many changing landscapes from rolling farmland to glorious hills and mountains, and cozy little inlets and beaches. This was probably not the best time to arrive in a new city with narrow streets, a lot of construction, and bad traffic due to a bus crash in the center of the city! Once you are prepared and ready, head out and enjoy everything that Portugal has to offer and maybe find a couple of new routes that you can add to your own list of best road trips in Portugal. From the viewpoint, you'll be able to see all the way to the Atlantic Ocean on a clear day. Depending on which part of Portugal you visit, you have a lot of choices when it comes to planning a road trip. The trip to Tras-os-Montes can be on its own or linked onto the end of your Douro Valley trip. There really is something for everyone. Portugal may seem like a small country, but it is brimming beautiful roads that wind along rocky coasts, hidden beaches, through small whitewashed villages, and up hills and mountains. If you are under 25, you may need to pay a young driver surcharge, so take this into account when budgeting for your car hire. Faro, Ferragudo Fishing Village. Learn how your comment data is processed. Then, get back on the N125 towards Lagos and follow the signs for N124 and N266 to Monchique, a small mountain town, in the Serra de Monchique mountain range, known for their quality handicrafts and spicy sausages. If you happen to be visiting in July or early August, you'll get to experience the annual medieval market, complete with wandering minstrels and jousting knights. This city is one of the funkiest cities I’ve been, with amazing food, impressive architecture, and excellent museums. If you base yourself in Ponta Delgada, the largest city on the island, you can visit the western, central, and eastern sections of São Miguel separately or in one day. The Douro Valley is the home of the most popular wine region in Portugal. After arriving in the Faro Airport … Portugal has long been overshadowed by its Southern European neighbors. It's a short distance, but there's a lot to see along the way, so you should plan to be out for the whole day. While this allows you to discover great new places on your own and to sample local culture and cuisine, it is important that you are safe and able to find your way to your destination and back to your accommodation again. However, if you want to really get to know the island, its people, and its amazing sights, you need to spend a couple of days there. If you're looking for a good day trip from Lisbon, or some sights to see on your way to Porto, consider driving through some of the medieval towns between and taking a detour to see one of the world's largest waves. Related Post: Best GPS Apps and Best Car GPS. This will allow you to drive along one of the wildest areas and most idyllic landscapes of Portugal. Being prepared is the best way to avoid your scenic road trip without incident. The most important thing to remember is that in Portugal as in the US, you drive on the right-hand side of the road and overtake on the left. It also includes stunning coastal roads and narrow rural roads that will take all your skills to navigate, especially if you meet another traveler coming the other way. Many of the road trips on our list take you well off the beaten path, meaning that it is easy to get lost. You can add even more stunning scenery to your trip by taking the coastal road back to Lisbon and stopping at Cascais and Estoril on the way back. This is important to note as some alcohol served in Portugal is much stronger than you might expect. Chit-chat about Cristiano Ronaldo. From Obidos, 30 minutes up the road lies Alcobaça, home to a UNESCO World Heritage-listed monastery. The whole trip will take about three hours to cover 125 miles (200 kilometers) from Lisbon to Obidos. Regardless, Culture Trip suggests detailing a route first and using both GPS and a map to find your final destination (the map is a backup in case you lose your GPS signal). Built by the Knights Templar in the 12th century, this convent another UNESCO site. Seat belt usage is mandatory for the driver and all their passengers. Founded in 1153, it was the first Gothic building in Portugal, and here, you can spend at least a half-hour wandering among the towering marble columns and royal tombs before heading up the coast to see the famous fishing and surfing town of Nazaré.

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