I know we are in for a long drive from the Douro Valley to Luz -- wondering what route is best and how best to break it up?
Would you go along coast and stop at Coimbra?
Or go more inland and stop in Evora?
I am traveling w/ my husband and three children ages 17-21.
We will be traveling on a Saturday in June.
Thanks,
Kelly
I hope that you have more than one driver insured to drive the car, as this is too long a journey in one day for one person to be safe, being approximately 7 hours on the quicker toll motorway, depending on your start point. The coast road (which doesn’t actually run along the coast for the main part) will take hours longer.
You don’t have much time for detours such as Evora.
We will have two drivers -- and hope to break up the trip w/ at least one stop for stretching legs and meal --
So you would drive the inland route? vs the coast?
Sorry. As stated in your other post, there is no way that I would try to cover the Douro and the Algarve in a trip the length of yours so this drive wouldn’t happen.
The “coast “ road doesn’t hug the coast, bit is more interesting as it passes through places rather than being a motorway, but it will take you hours. I drove in May two years ago from an hour south of Setubal to the Algarve (check out Google Maps) and this took us over 5 hours with a short lunch stop and one quick diversion to look at the coast. This about a quarter of the distance that you are planning on driving in one day.
I urge you to consider visiting the stunning beaches closer to Lisbon to make the trip more enjoyable for all.
