We are thinking of planning a trip to Portugal. Debating on a going around ourselves vs a tour. I have heard Portugal is fairly easily to navigate on your own. I don't mind driving, however, my husband doesn't really like it so most of it would fall on my shoulders. For people that have done it, how would you travel Portugal if you returned?
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
362 posts
Yes it’s easy to do on your own. We found english is well spoken in many places. We enjoyed the train between Porto and Lisbon (Portuguese rail www.cp.pt for schedule/tickets) and rented a car to explore the Douro on one trip and the Silver Coast, Evora & Lagos on another. Highways are beautiful and were fairly empty in Sept.
Posted by
119 posts
Public transportation is good and not expensive. A car is much more trouble than it is worth in the cities.
Posted by
California 🦋
5202 posts
You can certainly plan a trip and choose your own destinations. I urge you to get a couple of good guidebooks to help you decide where you want to go.
My daughter and I just returned from our 3 week trip to Portugal where we traveled solely by public transportation (mostly via trains)
We booked most of our train tickets 60 days in advance at considerable savings.
Happy planning!
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15576 posts
I was there at the same time as Priscilla - in fact we met up several times. My trip was 22.5 days, 10 of them with a rental car. In some places it was better to have a car or I was able to go to places not easily accessible by bus/train, stay in a central location and day trip. I did a double loop of the country which sounds inefficient but really worked out well. After 3N in Sintra, I picked up the car in Lisbon, went southeast (Evora, Elvas) then north along the Spanish border and east through the Douro Valley, south with 3N in Tomar, drove back to Lisbon, dropped the car and hopped on the train train to Aveiro, then Porto and Coimbra and Lisbon, my final stop.
My compact car had a built-in navigation system which I didn't use because I brought my Garmin Nuvi. It worked pretty well, though I learned early that it would lead me down garden paths if I let it, and to double-check with google maps if the route didn't seem right (like telling me to turn off the tollway to a byway when the signage clearly said to continue on the main road.
The eastern part of Portugal is terrific but not much traveled, so the roads are narrow and often winding. This means paying attention to the road, not so much the scenery. Also the speed limits are pretty high for such roads (like 80-90 when I was only comfortable at 50-60). That meant that driving times were often a lot longer than Google estimates.
Looking back, my plan worked very well and I don't think I would have tweaked it much, if at all, knowing what I know now.
Posted by
Washington DC
27063 posts
If your husband decides he must slend a day behind the wheel, I'd recommend a drive to a few small towns tricky to reach by train and bus rather than using a car to go to the very accessible Siena. I have no particular recommendations myself since I always depend on public transportation.
Posted by
Tunbridge Wells
6113 posts
If you are just seeing Lisbon and Porto then you don’t need a car. For visiting anywhere else, your trip will be enhanced by hiring a car.
Driving in Portugal is easy and car hire outside the peak months of July and August is good value.
Posted by
Victoria, BC, Canada
372 posts
another vote for a rental car. We spent 16 nights in Portugal last September. Picked up car when leaving Lisbon, dropped it off entering Porto. Visited the Algarve, Evora, coast near Nazare in between the 2 larger cities. The car allowed us to see so much more of the country than we would have otherwise - we did day trips from our "base" almost every day. We found the roads in great condition and well signed. Courteous drivers. You will love Portugal!