Portugal to the maximum: life hacks about traveling by car. Itinerary in portugal, giving a complete picture of the country How to travel on the roads of portugal
Flying to Portugal and sitting on the same beach is not the smartest option, unless of course you live an hour's flight or drive away. It is worth renting a car already at the Lisbon airport and rush towards adventure. I used the services of Gold Car and was satisfied. This is our third meeting with this European distributor, which is in danger of soon turning into a friendship, growing stronger thanks to the good price and quality of service. This friendship is sometimes trying to break the very worthy Herz or Sixt, but so far without success.
Main points along the route:
Lisbon - Cabo da Roca - Sintra - Vila do Bispo - Sagres - Lagos - Ferragudo - Silves - Lagoa - Albufeira - Lisbon
Only about 800 km. With arrivals at local points - lookouts, beaches and just the places you like - 900 km.
On the map, our route looks like So :
1. Neighborhoods of Lisbon: Lisbon - Cape Roca - Sintra - Lisbon
On Lisbon you need at least 3-4 days, one of which is worth devoting to Cape Roca and historical Sintra located half an hour away.
Cape Roca(Cabo da Roca) is the extreme western point of Europe and is interesting precisely for its location. Of the attractions - a lighthouse and beautiful views of the coastline. However, the skyline in other places along the route will not be worse.
Sintra- an ancient town, quite nice, although very touristy. It is ideal to come to Sintra in the morning, right after the lighthouse at Cape Roca, before 10 o'clock. Firstly, there are more options to park, and secondly, it will take at least 6 hours to get to the city itself. We watch the palace, the fortress, walk along the winding steep streets and try delicious treats in local confectioneries.
2. The second part of the route - the road from Lisbon to the Algarve
We drive by regional roads N5, N253, N261, N120, N268, N125. We go to the beaches according to the signs and choose “The best of”
Destination number one on the route - Comporta, a winery and a beach in the style of the movie "Knockin' on Heaven's Door". Beach from horizon to horizon, a boardwalk, a huge shaft.
Beach coordinates: 38.381372, -8.802608
Can be skipped Sines if there is little time and immediately move to the side Villa do Bispo is the extreme southwest of Europe. There are several beautiful beaches in the vicinity, but the water in these places rarely exceeds +20, they are interesting from the point of view of wandering around, enjoying the ocean and watching the sunset.
Before reaching Vila do Bispo, we stop at Amado beach - beautiful views, a surfer's beach, but you can swim in summer.
You can spend the night in the town of Vila do Bispo, exclusively as a transit overnight, or you can immediately go to the town of Sagres - the extreme southwestern point of Europe.
Not so much interesting Sagres, How many Lighthouse S. Vicente. A very beautiful lighthouse and a magnificent view of the coastline, several viewing platforms.
Parking coordinates near the lighthouse S. Vicente: 37.16858, -8.665534
Near the lighthouse on the road to Lagos is the interesting Beliche beach, popular with locals. Not crowded with a good inexpensive restaurant, azure ocean, surrounded by beautiful rocks. (37.02421, -08.99426)
3. Part three along the route - the southern coast of the Algarve, the warmest and favored by tourists of all calibers.
Points of interest: Lagos is a beautiful tourist town with old narrow cobbled streets, promenade and restaurants. There are several beaches and lookouts in the vicinity.
Praia dona Ana - (37.091233, -8.0669761)
The city's longest and warmest sandy beach Maia Praia (37.106858. -8.665534)
Ponta da Piedade, the observation deck, which offers a beautiful view of the rocks, from here you can also ride on the local grottoes by boat. (37.08162, -08.66978)
More interesting places:
The village of Ferragudo, a beautiful fishing village on a hill, a good place for a photo - (37.125894, -8.52227)
Praia da Roca beach near the town of Portimao
The town of Lagoa is the best place for overnight stays in my opinion, conveniently located 3 km. from the ocean and equidistant from all interesting places. For us, this was the main base for exploring the Algarve coast and historical monuments.
Silves - here is an old Arab fortress, well preserved, you can spend a couple of hours in front of the beaches.
Praia do Marinha (37/090073, -8.412599) is one of the most beautiful on the coast, but swimming is difficult in summer due to black algae blooms almost all over the beach. Great for "sunbathing, drinking wine and enjoying the rocks"
- Senhora da Rocha- Guidebooks report that this is the most photographed beach in the Albufeira area. Probably because there are a lot of hotels nearby... :) The beach is beautiful, but somewhere at the end of my conditional top ten Algarve. Coordinates: 37.09750, -008.38643
- Albufeira. White houses, several beaches in the vicinity make it the most popular town in the Algarve. I would still prefer Lagos or Lagoa for Algarve research.
- Praia do Castelo- our favorite beach in the Algarve, which has been awarded the title of #1 beach, is located between Albufeira and Lagos. There are no hotels in the vicinity, so the contingent is mainly local and independent road travelers. The Pic Nic restaurant is open all year round, overlooking the ocean and bright yellow rocks of indescribable beauty. Coordinates: (37.07354, -008.29812)
4. Road to Lisbon
We return, or rather we fly along the E1 autobahn in 2.5 hours without stopping, we enter the city through the longest bridge in Europe, Vasco da Gama, and spend an unforgettable 10 hours in the city before departure.
P.S. The Algarve is full of beautiful beaches and beautiful places, so the right thing to do is to plan a little more time and just follow the signs at random.
I want to dedicate my second story to a beautiful sunny country - Portugal. I went there with my husband in August 2014. The country is very beautiful and colorful!
I do not know when I would have gathered there myself. Because for some reason this country was not on the list of desired trips in the next few years. But fate decreed that my good friend was offered a hand and heart by her young man, a Portuguese.
My husband and I were invited to the wedding, and then everything started to spin) We began to plan a new individual trip. The general plan was this - to fly to Lisbon on the eve of the wedding, take a walk at the wedding, then leave for Porto by train for five days, and then return and settle for the remaining days (6 days) in Lisbon, take a good look at it and its surroundings.
We arrived in Lisbon around 10pm. Since the suitcase was light and we were still full of strength and energy, we decided to save money and went to the hotel by metro. We got on the subway easily. But then the adventure began) we booked an apartment in the Alfama district - one of the most colorful areas of Lisbon. The area is really very interesting and beautiful. Of course, it’s inconvenient to walk there - all the time it’s descents, then ascents. Such a relief is typical in principle for the whole of Lisbon, but especially for this area. Therefore, it must be said separately here that for a trip to Portugal it is especially important to choose the right shoes - no wedges, platforms, and even more so heels. Only sports and very comfortable shoes! In the other one, you can not only get very tired, but also get injured, because all the roads in Lisbon are tiled, not very even and quite a lot.
So) When we got to Alfama, it was already dark. The streets in Alfama are very small and confusing, and what is more important, they are so short that even the locals do not know a lot of streets. Here our apartments were just on a street that no one knows)) Another difficulty was that few Portuguese speak English. But here it helped us that even though they do not know English, they are very positive and always ready to help. We stuck to a walking young couple, they were local residents, as I understood, but did not know our street. And they decided to look for it with us, we wandered along Alfama together, and they periodically asked passers-by in Portuguese about our street. After wandering for about 15 minutes together with our Portuguese assistants, we still found it) the couple continued their walk, and we began to solve a new quest - how to get into the apartment). While we were looking, I called the owner (as we agreed by e-mail), but there was no answer. I called a few more times, but no one answered. And here we are at night (it was already 12 o'clock) standing under the door of our apartment and thinking where we can spend the night. This happened to us for the first time, and we were at a loss. In Portugal, by the way, it’s cool at night, it’s better to take warm clothes with you, in the evening the weather changes dramatically - it’s all the ocean). We did not stay long, the owner soon called back, he forgot the phone somewhere according to his chaotic explanation and reassured us, saying that he was coming to us. Soon he arrived, we settled in, and life got better)
Alfama is definitely worth a visit, where you can feel the real spirit of Portugal. Alfama is fado coming from every cafe in the evening, extraordinary architecture, azulejos, trams that can hardly fit on the street ...
Traveling around Portugal by car can be very exciting, the main thing is to prepare well and learn all the nuances. This section will answer the necessary questions and help you properly prepare for the trip.
Speed Limit
Light passenger vehicles without a trailer:
- 50 km/h in built-up areas;
- 90 km/h outside the built-up area;
- 100 km/h on highways;
- 120 km/h on the motorway;
Gasoline in Portugal
Gasolina sem chumbo 95– gasoline with an octane rating of 95
Gasolina sem chumbo 98– gasoline with an octane rating of 98
Diesel/Gasoleo- diesel fuel
GPL– gas
In addition, there are many places to charge electric vehicles in Portugal. And in Lisbon, they are in almost every parking lot.
The cost of gasoline in Portugal
The cost of gasoline depends on the cost of oil. In January 2016, at a low oil price, the cost of 95th gasoline dropped to 1.2 euros per liter. In Madeira and the Azores, the cost of fuel is lower than on the continent.
You can find the current average prices for gasoline, diesel fuel and gas in
The table contains prices in all European countries.
You can see that petrol prices are higher in Portugal than in neighboring Spain and France. That is why many locals living near the Spanish border travel to their neighbors in Spain to refuel.
Road map of Portugal and navigation
It makes sense to connect yourself to the Internet and use Google maps. He calculates the route and travel time well. I have no complaints, I use it all the time. The map is current and does not require updates. Now it is possible to download a Google map in advance and use it without an Internet connection, but the accuracy of determining your location will be lower.
- Reflective vest (in the absence of a fine from 60 to 300 euros);
- Warning triangle;
- Identification document with a photo;
- current insurance;
The driver must have an international driver's license. The ideal option is to obtain an international driving licence.
This is not necessary, since Portugal, like the Russian Federation, signed the Vienna Convention, in particular annex number 6, which concerns driver's licenses. But maybe it’s worth playing it safe and issuing an additional international certificate? Since in the new, "pink" rights, the translation into French of the words: "Driver's license" disappeared.
International driving license
This is a booklet where national driving licenses are translated into different languages of the world. In principle, if you don’t have it, then ordinary rights are suitable, both for rent and when checking documents. But they must be transcription and translation. These rights are an application and are not valid without the usual "plastic rights".
Getting them is no problem. It is enough to pay the fee, fill out an application and bring a photo. You can sign up through the State Services website.
But all this is for reinsurers. Most likely, you will need a license in Portugal only once - when renting a car.
The use of studded tires is prohibited.
Use of seat belts mandatory for the driver all passengers in vehicles in which belts are provided by design. The driver is not obliged to monitor adult passengers, since everyone pays the fine for himself. In the case of transporting children, the driver is responsible. The fine ranges from 120 to 600 euros.
The use of radar detectors is prohibited. The fine for this violation is from 500 to 2500 euros.
Rules for transporting children in a car in Portugal
Children under 12 and under 1.35 must ride in the back seat in a child seat appropriate for their height and weight. Exceptions are vehicles not equipped with seat belts.
Actions in the event of an accident or breakdown of the car
First of all, even before getting out of the car, you must put on a vest and only after that set the emergency triangle.
The use of a reflective vest and an emergency triangle is mandatory. This is very important as the penalties for these violations are high. Moreover, they are summed up if you have not met both requirements.
You will be fined both for the lack of a vest and for the badge. For each of these violations, a fine of 120 to 600 euros is imposed, respectively, you will pay from 240 to 1200 euros. Moreover, if the violation is committed on the freeway, then the amount of the fine will be maximum!
emergency numbers
Emergency number - 112
I want to draw your attention to the fact that in Portugal it is forbidden to talk on the phone while driving while driving, if you do not have a speakerphone or a headset. Stopping at a traffic light or in front of a stop sign is no exception.
There have been cases where drivers have been fined for speaking on the phone while stopped at the side of the road. Fine from 120 to 600 euros.
Here we have highlighted the main points you need to know for traveling around Portugal by car. We wish you a good trip!
From personal experience, I was convinced that it has always been obvious to me: if you want to see the real Portugal, you need to see the country not on your own by public transport and not as part of a tourist group, but individually and with a car. Below I will talk about our 20-day car trip in Portugal, as well as the features of a car holiday in this country.
Itinerary: as much as possible in 20 days
Having decided to watch Portugal by car, we immediately abandoned the idea of spending a lot of time in large cities. Emphasis was placed on those places and sights that are difficult to reach by public transport. However, if a large interesting city came across on the way, then we also stopped by it - for a cursory acquaintance.
Part of the route was planned in advance, part was improvised on the go. As a result, he turned out like this.
1 day. Early in the morning we arrive in Lisbon with TAP Portugal. Acquaintance with Lisbon, overnight at the Pensao Londres hotel.
Day 2 Walk around Lisbon, trip to Cascais, overnight at the same hotel.
Day 3 We take a car to Avis, we get a mechanical Volkswagen Golf 1.6, on a diesel engine - a car with features, but it did not let us down, and at the end of the trip we really fell in love with it. We are going south: we look at Sesimbra, Palmela, Cromlechs (Cromeleque dos Almendres). By night we arrive in Evora (Evora), spend the night at the Evora Inn Chiado Design hotel.
Day 4 We walk around Evora, then we go to see the mountain fortresses of Moran (Mourao) and. We stop at Vila Vicosa. We arrive in Estremoz and spend the night at the Imperador Hotel.
Day 5 Half a day we watch Estremoz, then we go to the fortress towns of Portalegre, Marvao and Castelo de Vide. Further, the path lies through Castelo Branco (Castelo Branco) to the place of spending the night at the Orbitur Idanha-a-Nova campsite.
Day 6 We swim in the reservoir next to the campsite and go to see the towns of Idanha-a-Velha, Monsanto, Penamacor, Sortelha, Belmonte. We are trying to find a campsite in the Serra da Estrela National Park, but maps and gps show different things, in the end we decide to go to Viseu, where, on the advice of random strangers, we check into the Durao Hotel.
Day 7 Half a day we watch Viseu, then we go towards Aveiro (Aveiro), on the ferry we get to the spit to the north of the city and begin to move along the ocean. We stay overnight in a room with a great view of the bay at the restaurant O Veleiro in the village of Torreira.
Day 8 We go to Porto, check into the Residencial Triunfo hotel. Walking around the city in the rain.
Day 9 The morning begins with a port tasting in Vila Nova de Gaia, then we walk around Porto until dark. In the evening we leave for Braga, where we check into the Estacao Hotel.
Day 10 We walk around Braga, then we go to Guimaraes, Ponte de Lima, Valenca, for show we stop by Tui in Spain. By the night we find ourselves in the camping Orbitur Caminha.
Day 11 We relax for half a day on the ocean, then we walk around Caminha, and then we leave for Viana do Castelo, where we check into the Orbitur Viana do Castelo campsite. We rest on the beach.
Day 12 Until noon again on the beach, and then we drive strongly to the south - to Coimbra. We walk around the city and for the night we settle in a municipal campsite near the city.
Day 13 We go to Tomar, where we walk for a long time and with rapture. Then for some reason we go to Fatima - if you are not a Catholic pilgrim, then do not repeat our mistake. Then we go to Batalha, but the monastery-museum is already closed. We drive to Leiria, but the city center is dug up by repair work, and the castle is closed. We leave for the night in Nazare, where we settle in the private sector.
Day 14 We spend half a day imposingly watching Nazare, then we leave for Alcobaca, and then for Obidos. By night we arrive in Peniche, where we spend the night at the PinhalMar hotel (perhaps the only one that I would not recommend - the hotel itself is normal, but located very stupidly).
Day 15 An ocean trip to Berlenga Island was planned, but the weather did not allow it. After walking along the coast of the Peniche Peninsula and in the port of the city of the same name, we leave to the south. With a check-in in the evening, we arrive in Sintra (Sintra), we have time before closing only to the Moorish castle. We are leaving to watch an unforgettable sunset at Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of Europe. For a long time we are looking for the nearest campsites or rooms in the private sector, as a result, closer to midnight we check into Pensao Real in the Praia das Macas resort.
Day 16 In the morning we return to Sintra, see the Capuchin Monastery (Convento dos Capuchos) and the Pena Palace, after which we head strongly south towards the Algarve. We stop at Vila Nova de Milfontes and Aljezur. Before sunset we arrive in Sagres, we settle in the private sector.
Day 17 We watch Sagrish and Cape San Vincent (Cabo Sao Vicente), then we go to the east. See Praia da Rocha, Silves and Ferraguda. For the night we stop in the private sector in the resort of Carvoeiro.
Day 18 We continue moving east, we look at Albufeira, Almancil, Olhao, Tavira, Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo Antonio . In the latter, we check into the Residencial Baixa Mar hotel.
Day 19 We rest in Vila Real and the nearest beach resort of Monte Gordo, overnight in the same hotel.
Day 20 We move towards Lisbon, on the way we stop at Alcacer do Sal and the fishing village of Carrasqueira. In the afternoon we walk around the Parque das Nacoes area in Lisbon - the closest to the airport. We rent a car at the Avis airport office and fly to Moscow on a convenient evening flight TAP Portugal.
Saturated? Very! But we fulfilled our task to see Portugal to the maximum.
A few subjective conclusions from our trip:
- I would like to look at small mountain towns a little more measuredly;
- several cities proved to be a real waste of time (eg Fatima, Vila Nova de Milfontes and Aljezur);
- You could drive around Portugal and watch-look-look endlessly and you wanted more and more, until you suddenly accidentally find yourself on the ocean - you immediately get stuck and don’t want to go anywhere else;
- if you want to see the sights, then there is nothing to do in the Algarve (the sights that are there are completely designed for a beach tourist who is vacationing in this region and for some reason left his beautiful beach to get acquainted with the historical heritage of the surrounding lands - that is, roads and are not of particular interest). If you are going to Portugal to swim, then the Algarve is what you need;
- without a car, we wouldn't have seen half of it;
- Lisbon and Porto are worthy of returning to them without a car and seeing them for at least three or four days each, and given the nearby attractions, you can book even a week.
Comfortable driving
Foreign guidebooks all as one scare that the Portuguese drive like crazy. One of them colorfully describes the Portuguese driving style: “locals drive like they just stole a car and rush on it from a crime scene.” I don’t know what other foreigners really think, but for a Russian person, the Portuguese drive quite sanely. At least we never had a single unpleasant situation on the road. We also did not see other people's accidents.
Perhaps the only thing that could not be taken away and that could confuse the authors of European and American guidebooks is that few people observe the speed limit in Portugal. Having merged with the crowd, we did not observe it either 🙂
The main thing that is unusual and almost shocking for us is the narrow uneven streets of old cities. Often - with blind turns and intersections. Often such a width that from the side mirrors to the walls of houses - no more than a meter. Often - with strong slopes, since most cities are located on hills or in the mountains. It's good that the vast majority of narrow streets are one-way. Riding through historical towns will be mastered only by people with good driving experience and iron nerves. In general, before traveling to Portugal, remember how to get under way with the handbrake and all that.
The ability to skillfully park in narrow spaces will also come in handy. But this is easier: if you can’t park in the place you like, you will find another one. Once, in an underground garage of several square meters with three cars and two columns inside, a local resident helped us to clear out - without his advice we would not have left, and for him the solution to the problem was completely obvious. In general, experience and experience again!
Roads toll and free
The roads in Portugal are excellent. Each time, moving from one mountain village to another, we never ceased to be surprised at how high-quality roads are laid where in fact only a couple of dozen cars pass a day - and this is in the midst of the tourist season! Or - we are driving along another ideal road somewhere in the Algarve, suddenly, against the background of beautiful smooth asphalt, concrete-colored roughness appears. It's the roughness. But the exclamation mark warned that these roughnesses were on the road! The quality of coverage on highways and highways is also not discussed.
In general, if you want to travel around the villages, then travel calmly. But if you need to get from one remote point to another, then do not spare money and go to the freeway. I have no experience driving in other countries, but the prices for toll roads in Portugal seemed ridiculous. Usually we paid something around 4-5 euros for an hour and a half journey. At the most, we paid about 13 euros, driving through about a third of Portugal. Given that everyone is rushing at a speed exceeding 150 km / h, the toll road guarantees you a fast and comfortable ride.
Please note that some motorways in Portugal use the Via Verde system. Payment for travel on such roads is not made immediately at the exit from the highway, but after a couple of days - when the security cameras process the information received on the highway.
If your car is equipped with a special device that you can rent if you wish, then on roads with barriers you drive past the barrier under the letter V, and on roads without barriers, drive as you please.
If your car is not equipped with a special device, it's okay. On roads with booths and barriers, you act in a standard way: when entering the track, take a ticket, when leaving the track, pay (to a person or machine, in cash or by card). But if you got on the Via Verde motorways, then a couple of days after the trip (but no later than 5 days), you need to find any post office and ask them to pay for Via Verde, dictating your car number. The operator will make a printout of your trips and accept payment.
Parking paid and free
We didn't have any problems with parking either. Often it was possible to find official free parking lots or normally get up somewhere on the side of the road (we were guided by the locals). However, in large cities we used paid parking lots (both on the streets and in specially designated areas), and they did not seem expensive to us. The most we paid was 4 euros.
For overnight stays, of course, it is more convenient to select hotels with parking lots in advance. But even if the hotel does not have parking, the reception will definitely tell you where to park the car for the night.
If you park your car in a private paid parking lot, then the system is the same as with toll roads: you take a ticket at the entrance, pay at the exit (to a person or a machine).
If you park your car in paid parking on the street, then try to understand its rules. Many have a period during which parking must be paid. For example, if it is written 9.00-19.00, then this means that if your car is here from 9 am to 7 pm, then a simple paid one. And if you arrived at this place late in the evening and are going to leave early in the morning, parking will be free for you. Typically, these parking lots are free on weekends. The time of the paid and free period is indicated at each parking lot and may differ from each other.
Paid street parking in advance. Having parked the car, you need to find a booth, decide how long you are going to walk without a car (the cost of the period - usually from 15 minutes to 4 hours - is indicated in the price list). Throw coins for the required amount, press the green button - and the machine will issue a ticket with the time until which you have paid for the parking space. Put the coupon under the windshield and go about your business.
Important: for paid parking you need to have a lot of different coins with you, as the machines do not accept bank tones and bank cards.
Car rental from Avis
We rented a car from Avis, because it was our first experience of traveling abroad by car and we wanted to entrust this part of the program to an experienced office that would (we like to think so) come to the rescue in case of problems. Fortunately, we did not have any problems - neither with the car, nor on the roads. So we could not assess the quality of anti-crisis behavior from Avis.
All required procedures were completed comfortably. When we arrived at the rental center, the car was already waiting for us. We were given all the documents right away. For peace of mind, we examined the car for existing damage, but then it turned out that they were all schematically marked in advance on the documents that we were given.
The standard scheme for a car of our class is as follows. The amount of payment includes a car with a full tank, the possibility of unlimited mileage, insurance against theft and damage. Franchise - 1500 euros. If we damaged the car, then if the amount of estimated damage was up to 1500 euros, we would pay for the breakdown. If the amount is higher or if suddenly the car would be stolen, then 1,500 euros are written off from us, and the rest is paid by the insurance. If you wish, you can take out more expensive insurance, which underestimate the amount of the deductible and even reduce it to zero, but for our 20 days, the payment for super-insurance significantly exceeded the amount of the deductible, so we refused additional insurance.
Remembering the need to return the car with a full tank all the way, at the very last moment we still forgot to refuel. A fine of 30 euros, as well as the cost of a full tank (about 50 euros, which is approximately true) were written off from us on the spot.
Upon returning, an Avis employee inspected the car, filled out all the paperwork and immediately gave us a receipt, which indicated the cost of rental, a fine for an empty tank, the cost of gasoline and VAT. It remains only to sign on the check - and you are free if you want the payment to be debited from the card that you presented when registering the car. If you want to pay with another card or in cash, you need to go to the cashier's office and pay in the way that is convenient for you.
If you rent a car at Lisbon airport, there are carts right in the garage where you can load your luggage. A few meters along the corridor - and you find yourself in the airport building.
Of course, I never cease to admire Portugal: this country will appeal to those who love Europe and those who love Asia. But at the same time, this is an absolutely unique, unlike anything, place. There is a lot of history here, castles, palaces, medieval cathedrals, it has its own unique architectural style (called neo-manueline), so for history buffs it really is a paradise. Although even if you are not a fan of ancient buildings (like me), you will still be delighted. For example, the park and palace of Quinta da Regaleira (Quinta da Regaleira) made a strong impression on me (I wrote about it), much stronger than the castles of the French Loire Valley, and not with their majesty and pomp (because they are rather very modest) , but just with an unusual architectural style, soul, play with light and some kind of sophistication, endless attention to detail.
To be honest, it is very difficult to recommend any universal route in Portugal: someone loves natural beauties and ocean views more, and someone is just a fan of old castles. Therefore, first of all, universal means balanced, but if someone likes one thing more, then he will be able to correct the route, because. Below I will describe which place is more attractive. And the second balance is in the ratio of provinces and large cities. Now I am most impressed by the authentic outback: castles and restaurants not teeming with tourists on the central square, well-groomed houses, calm people, genuine local flavor - this is what really impresses and leaves a true impression of the country. But when you go for the first time, it’s better to start with large cities, and go deeper in subsequent times. Therefore, at the end I will write which cities to visit first and which in subsequent times.
So, the route at the first approximation: Lagos (6 nights for a beach holiday) - Lisbon (7 nights for exploring the surroundings) - Batalha - Bussaco (night) - Porto (6 nights for exploring the surroundings).
As you can see, there are no long distances in Portugal, the entire route between the main points takes 6 hours 41 minutes on toll roads. On average, 2 hours with a little between places of overnight stay. It can start from the south (beach vacation) and end in the north (sightseeing, walking around the big city), or vice versa. But I started from south to north, because in the south the car will be useful every day, and when you reach Porto, you can return the car almost immediately. Where and how to book a car and what you need to pay attention to when traveling by car, I described in the previous one. This route is calculated for three weeks: a week to the south, a week to the central part, a week to the north. This is quite enough to relax and make a full impression of the country. But if your deadlines are shorter, and your interests are more in the direction of historical and architectural sights (or vice versa, in the direction of natural beach places), then my description below will help you adjust the route.
As already written, the route is conditionally divided into three parts: the north, the central part and the south of Portugal. In a general sense: the north is more interesting in terms of history, while in the south there is practically nothing to see except the ocean. And the center is something in the middle, here you can find unsurpassed palaces with parks and stunning capes and beaches.
1. South.
In terms of knowing the country, the south is boring, the resort is the resort. Therefore, the only thing it is good for is a beach holiday. So, if you are not interested in this, feel free to throw out this part of the route: you can see the ocean, beaches, capes in the central part. Yes, the water is warmer here, but not by much.
All palaces, museums, monasteries, castles are open mainly from 10 am to 5:30 pm \ 6:00 pm, but before visiting it is better to check the opening hours via the Internet.
Incidentally, if you are traveling from Sintra to Cape Roca or vice versa, take the N247. In my opinion, this is a very beautiful road along the river and railway tracks, especially at sunset.
Another family restaurant with a grill is located near Sintra, you can only get to it by car, because. it works from 7 pm, it is better to go there immediately after Sintra, and then return to Lisbon already. It is called Moinho Iberico and is located at: Avenida Moinhos Arneiro, 110/112 | Magoito, Sintra. Do not be afraid of the low crowd and almost empty road to it, the restaurant will always have a lot of cars and a lot of people inside, it is easy to identify it by the windmill (Moinho is a windmill in Portuguese), it works like everyone else from 19 to 23, except Tuesday. You can book a table by phone +351 916 343 970 or by mail [email protected], there the owner is already a man with his sister, he always communicates with guests, and there are no such establishments in Russia yet.
If after all this you want even more museums, then the route can be adjusted:
1) One day trip to Tomar, with a return back to Lisbon: see the castle and monastery of Christ, which includes examples of a wide variety of architectural styles, including Manueline.
2) Spend not a day, but two days between Lisbon and Porto (while taking these days either from Porto or from Lisbon), visiting Batalha (the monastery of Santa Maria da Vitoria), Alcobaça (the monastery of Santa Maria de Alcobaça), Leiria (castle-fortress on a hill) and Coimbra (Universidade de Coimbra University and Little Portugal Park, by the way, really very interesting). You can additionally stay in one of these cities, for example, in Leiria. And although the monastery in Batalha leaves one of the strongest architectural impressions on a par with the palaces of Sintra, I had the feeling that I had already seen it all, which is why I excluded this city from the main list.
3) The same as 2 - only to capture Tomar as well, in two days you will get a very intense journey. You can spend the night in Leiria.
The place to stay for the night before the trip to Porto is Bussaco, a castle hotel with a stunning garden. And yet, when you choose hotels in other places, remember that there are a lot of different castle-hotels, kints, estates (wineries) where you can stay. All this is much more immersive in the world of Portugal, gives more flavor than modern hotels.
3. North
First of all, this is of course a city Porto(Porto), there is a lot here, just a concentrate of Portugal: a city in which in a small space you can see a lot of what is inherent in this wonderful country: churches, towers, palaces, ramparts and medieval cathedrals, openwork bridges and then poor abandoned sloping houses with boarded up windows. Like the rest of Portugal, Porto seems to be very picturesque at a superficial glance, intimidating with untidiness and poverty when approached, and ultimately an amazing and not indifferent city. In Porto, in a buzz, go to the Ribeiro embankment, walk along the Luis Bridge, look into the wine cellars. It should be said right away that in summer, unlike the central part, the weather here can be completely unsunny. There are many good local restaurants here, just open TripAdvisor, but I want to recommend one rather interesting Palco restaurant at the Teatro Hotel (which, by the way, is also quite interesting and conveniently located). Address: Rua de Sa da Bandeira 84, Porto 4000 -427. Book a table: +351 220 409 620 or mail [email protected] This restaurant, unlike all the others that I advised, is of a completely different category, marked with Michelin stars, inside there is a sophisticated atmosphere. Here I advise not to order a separate dish, but to take a “tour”, i.e. 4-5 dishes will be brought to you (small portions, but in total it will be very satisfying) and, accordingly, 5 wines to it. Very inexpensive, but at the same time it turns out some kind of gastronomic journey through the dishes of Portugal in an exquisite form.
Even for those who are not very fond of architecture, I recommend driving the one-day route Guimaraes-Bom Jesus-Braga.
There is also a funny Flintstones house not far from Braga and next to Fafe, its coordinates: 41.488202 °, −8.067809 ° (reminds me of the village of Monsanto, which I did not include in the route, because it is located near the eastern Spanish border, I am talking about it I’ll tell you at the very end and if you manage to insert this place into the route, be sure to do it, because this is one of the most interesting places in the Portuguese outback) and the road there is expressive.
And for those who did not have enough ocean in Lisbon or in the south, I advise you to go to one of these cities: Vila do Conde, Viana do Castelo, Costa Nova do Prado. In the first, the beaches are the widest and sandy, stretching for several kilometers - one of the most famous in northern Portugal. And you can also walk there. Viana do Castelo has more of a historical center and you can take the funicular up to the basilica, which offers stunning views of the Lima River, the city and the ocean. In Costa Nova, besides the ocean, there can be interesting striped houses, which used to be painted so that the fishermen could see their house from afar and moor with their catch closer to home.
Now the list of places in Portugal is sorted by tourist significance (* - must see, ** - you can see it on your second visit or if you have time, *** - if you want to go deeper)
*: Lisbon and surroundings (4-7 days or more), Sintra (2 days), Bussaco (overnight and half a day), Porto (3-4 days or more), Braga (Bom Jesus), Guimarães (in one day) Guimarães and Bom Jesus, although you can spend a day in Guimarães).
**: (coastal town with beach, half day), Monsaraz (small town, 3 hours), Marvão (village town, 3 hours), Monsanto (cool town, half day), Sortelha (village, half day), Castelo - Rodrigo (village and castle, 3 hours), Penedon (castle, 3 hours).
Lamego (Lamego), Chaves (Chaves), Amarante (Amarante), Barcelos (Barcelos), Ponte de Lima (Ponte de Lima) - little-known corners of northern Portugal. In Lamego a staircase and a church like Bom Jesus were built. Chaves is a charming old town, sleepy and quiet, with lots of interesting but not great sights. Interesting Ponte de Lima with its huge market on the banks of the river, as well as a long Roman-medieval bridge.
And here in these northern little-known cities I can offer such a route with a return to Porto: Porto - Amarante -Lamego - Chaves (overnight) - Nationa Park Peneda-Geres (but you should not expect much from it) - Ponte de Lima - Viana do Castelo ( overnight stay, by the way, there are many quintas available for spending the night, various estates with a beautiful view, etc.) - Braga - Bom Jesus - Guimaraes - Porto. It turns out three days, but if you wish, you can stay in Viana do Castelo for two nights.
In principle, the route can be developed towards Spanish Galicia, drive through Santiago and other cities to A Coruna, see the ocean power on the capes (Cabo Finisterre, Cabo Esata de Bares, etc.), but this is a completely different story.
There are still cities in eastern "medieval" Portugal: Monsaraz, Marvao, Monsanto, Sortelha, Castelo Rodrigo, Penedono. These are even more obscure cities (and some are just villages), all attractions inside these cities are free and open around the clock, including castles. There are simply no caretakers, just as there are no tourists. Sometimes this leaves the impression of fragility, because. no one cares or supports. Monsaraz is a small town on a hill. Quiet streets behind powerful walls, whitewashed walls of houses, a small castle in the corner, an excellent view of the surroundings, planted with cork oaks. Marvao is a rather interesting fortified city, surrounded by a powerful wall around the perimeter. Monsanto is the pearl of the Portuguese outback, it is very beautiful there. Sortelha is another soulful and colorful medieval village. Castelo Rodrigo has beautiful panoramic views. Penedono is not the most charming village, but it does have an authentic castle.
Accordingly, you can drive through these cities along the eastern border from Lisbon to Porto, or vice versa, on the way back.
That's actually all. Based on all the route modules I have presented, you can easily create your own route for both the first trip to Portugal and the second. So I wish you all a good trip!
P.S. They say the best guide to Portugal -
