flying into Lisbon in October and have option to rent car or just use public transportation. Parking is such a problem in many european countries so my question is do we need a car. Plan to go to Porto, Sentra and other cities but will be based in Lisbon. Thanks for opinions
Posted by
Adams Basin
564 posts
From my experience, Portugal is a place where a car is almost essential to gain complete access to all that it has to offer. Driving there is very easy. Parking is not usually a big problem.
If the objective is to get off the beaten path and really explore, consider renting a car.
Posted by
Uppsala, Sweden
7055 posts
It depends on where you want to go and what you want to do. Porto and Sintra are easy to reach by public transportation, but for other places a car might be a better idea.
Posted by
Midwest
2768 posts
In my experience a car is good if you want to go to smaller towns or connect various places on a day trip/transit day where public transit schedules don’t line up. Not good for between cities/larger towns/highly touristy places with lots of connections. Porto, Lisbon and Sintra all do not need cars. IN Sintra a cab might be easier than the bus to go between sights, but definitely not your own car - parking is not good or always even possibly. IN Lisbon, there is plenty of public transit, Uber, and walking to get around. There isn’t parking near the sights, you’d end up leaving the car in a garage and taking transit or walking a ways to get to your destination. Same for Porto.
I had a car for one day, I drove from Lisbon to Bathala, Alcobaca, and briefly Nazare for a day trip then returned the car. A car for a day like this is handy, but definitely not for within the cities.
Posted by
stevens point, wi, usa
1194 posts
HI from Wisconsin,
Don't have a car in Lisbon. There is no place to park. The streets are for the trolleys.
A car is necessary for getting around to the small places you want to visit.
wayn einIW