Portugal is the least affected European country from mass tourist development and its consequences. Here you will feel National character, while not greatly affected by globalization, you can enjoy a holiday in hotels in ancient buildings, take a car and drive along the Atlantic coast, exploring protected bays.
Holidays in Portugal can be safely recommended to those who like to travel to Europe, who have been to many places and are looking forward to new discoveries. There is architecture, seascapes, and a gastronomic feast every day. Portugal is ideal for those who do not like large resort hotels, all inclusive and other elements of communism; Portugal is a country for free travelers. And if you prefer to start your travels with a visit to car rental- this country is literally waiting for you. Our articles were written by Russian-speaking authors living in Portugal and will help you plan a trip to this country, based on competent opinion, and not on “tourist reviews.”

Compare prices for tickets to Lisbon and hotels on different sites - save up to 50%

5 reasons to go on holiday to Portugal

Scenes from everyday life and the bustling activity of Portugal's cities are attractions in themselves. Add to this the many historical and cultural monuments and you get a real tourist paradise.
For a relaxing holiday best fit beautiful beaches coast of the Algarve in the south of the country, they are considered one of the best in Europe and are extremely popular. Dotted with picturesque fishing villages and quaint towns such as Estói, Faro and Monte Gordo, this region is the backbone of Portugal's tourism industry. On east coast Estoril is home to many casinos and luxury hotels - it is an exotic and expensive place
Lisbon- the capital and the most modern city in Portugal, the perfect blend of antiquity and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Since Lisbon was named European Capital of Culture in 1994, the city has attracted increased attention. On former territory Expo and nearby squares offer many coastal restaurants, concert halls, open cafes, as well as the Lisbon Aquarium. In the central part of the city there is a Roman Triumphal Arch. The city's boundaries smoothly merge with the coastline and its wooden buildings, which only adds to the city's attractiveness.
Narrow, cobbled streets of Porto– the second largest city in Portugal – leading to the famous vineyards where grapes for port wine are grown, are also worth your attention.
University city of Coimbra in the north of Portugal is very popular among young people, and its charming open cafes — perfect place to sit here in the evening.

How to get to Portugal

There are so few direct flights from Moscow to Lisbon that we will assume that they do not exist. Enter different dates into the search form, if you suddenly find direct tickets, great. However, it is better to immediately book a ticket with a transfer at some European city. Choose a short connection, for example in Zurich, if you are limited in time and want to quickly get to Lisbon. A long parking lot, on the contrary, gives you a chance to visit a city that you miss, but there is no time to go there specifically. For example, there are 12-hour connections in Amsterdam. Those who travel around Portugal by car sometimes fly to Malaga and take there automobile and they are already driving it to Portugal.

Lisbon

Lisbon - a starting point travel around Portugal. Stop there for a couple of days on your way there and back. Although, there are fans who come to Lisbon for the entire duration of the trip, and from there they travel around the country.

When is the best time to go to Portugal? Swimming season

In most of the country tourist season lasts from March to October, this is probably best time for visiting Portugal in terms of weather conditions. Hotel prices in Lisbon are quite high all year round, so no matter when you come here, the prices will be about the same. In other cities of the country, hotels offer discounts from November to February. If you want to visit the beaches of the Algarve when there are no crowds of holidaymakers, come in winter. In this region, the sun shines for at least 3,000 hours a year, so it never gets very cold, even during the so-called winter, from November to February.
Officially swimming season starts on June 15 and ends on September 15. However, our people are already swimming with all their might and May holidays. Here you need to understand one subtlety: the beaches of Portugal are not located on the sea, but on the ocean itself, with all that it implies. So if a warm and calm sea is critical for your vacation, it is better to choose another country, for example. Portugal is ideal for those who love the sea, but are not obsessed with swimming.

Where to stay. The best hotels in Portugal

One of the main tourist attractions of traveling in Portugal is staying in historical buildings converted into hotels. For example, this one, which opened in Cascais in 2012, is a prominent representative of historical design pousadas. Pousada is located in a fortress that served in the 16th century as an outpost to defend the entrance to the mouth of the Tagus and protect Lisbon from attack from the sea. Below is an overview of the most interesting places in Portugal, use it when planning your route:

If the goal is to plan economical holiday in Portugal, when choosing a hotel, use our search across all booking sites: this is the maximum choice plus savings, since your favorite hotel booking site does not always give the best price:

Routes around Portugal


The main route of the first trip to Portugal is to get to the westernmost point of Europe, to Cabo Da Roca. In order to get there, it is not at all necessary to rent a car; you can simply buy a ticket from any tour office in Lisbon. This route is detailed here:

However, even for this rather simple route it is more comfortable to rent a car. Traffic in Portugal is on the right, the intensity is low, only those on two wheels should be wary. The traffic police in Portugal are lenient towards tourists, but it is better to try not to abuse this kindness. Take advantage of our comparison of car rental prices from different providers:

Once the car has been booked, you can plan your route. We have two good ones ready-made routes Traveling around Portugal by rented car, which hundreds of SmartTrip readers use every season:

Madeira


Somehow it happened that this island unique nature, located in Atlantic Ocean, for some reason considered a “resort for wealthy retirees.” Firstly, if you combine a trip to mainland Portugal with beach holiday in Madeira (which in itself is a great idea), then the budget for the trip will not be astronomical at all: Lisbon-Funchal tickets cost standard money. And you don’t have to be a pensioner: there are enough bars and nightlife in Lisbon, and in Madeira you need to enjoy the silence and unique flora; visiting Madeira is like being in a large botanical garden.

July 9th, 2015

In this post I tried to cover all the issues related to traveling by car in Portugal, and in my opinion I will lay out a route that is universal, as well as a complete (but brief) overview of places to visit in Portugal (including not the most touristy, but very authentic). I'll tell you about the best restaurants and unforgettable beaches. Traveling by car in Portugal is ideal because... It’s easier and faster to get to many places this way, while observing the nature around you that is atypical for the rest of Europe.


1. Internet. When traveling by car, the most important thing is not the car, but the availability of mobile Internet. This will save you a lot of time and money. Judge for yourself, you can always see where the traffic jams are, how to get where (on public transport) or get there by car, how long it will take, where to have a delicious and inexpensive lunch, book a table (which is important), where to stay, what attractions are around, what the weather will be like within an hour, where is the nearest beach and what it looks like, etc. You will especially need the Internet in the event of some kind of incident (for example, an accident). And to communicate with locals, who often do not know English, you may need a translator (Google translator is enough). I usually take a tablet for this and insert a SIM card. Internet can be purchased from a local operator directly at the airport or at a sales office (for example, Vodafone, approximate cost 1 Gb up to 15 euros; you can find a cheaper promotion from other operators, such as MOCHE, but their office may not be at the airport), or buy a tourist SIM card in Russia (type “tourist SIM card” in a search engine, there will be several companies). The last option is suitable if you have a European tour (i.e. several countries), because The SIM card will work the same in all countries, but this option will be more expensive, 1Gb somewhere up to $75. Speed ​​and coverage in Portugal are good even in the middle of nowhere. For 3 weeks you need at least 1 Gb(if you don’t watch videos, but only use it for travel and calls). Some operators block Skype, but, for example, Viber can always be used.

3. It is best to order a car through a broker (aggregator of offers from different companies), because They'll just be cheaper. Here are the three most popular: autoeurope.ru, rentalcars.com or economycarrentals.com. The conditions are approximately the same, only economycarrentals.com does not inform the name of the rental company before receiving the car, although the prices there are approximately the same as autoeurope.ru, and rentalcars.com is more expensive and there are a lot of negative reviews, I myself had an unpleasant situation with him, but still... with a positive outcome (see below). When looking for an option, I use all brokers, but most often I end up ordering through autoeurope.ru. So, some Ford Fiesta mechanic for two weeks, rented at Lisbon airport, together with insurance will cost 450-500 euros. And the Renault Megane automatic also comes with insurance and for the same period - 1360-1500 euros.

4. I’ll say right away that when searching, it is not the total cost that is displayed, but the cost without insurance. Therefore, the final prices between options on different sites must be compared, i.e. Having already gone halfway through booking a car on each site. It’s better to take out insurance, but you need to understand that you buy insurance from a broker, not from a rental company, and read the terms of the contract carefully. If you don’t want to buy from a broker, you can register the car with the rental company on the spot when you receive it, without purchasing a brokerage. But if you bought from a broker, there is no point in contacting the rental company: in this case, the rental company usually deducts the cost of repairs from you (the prices are reasonable), and the broker will have to reimburse you. I had a story with rentalcars.com: my front passenger side window was broken, but as it turned out, insurance does not cover the side windows, which was mentioned small print written in the agreement with the broker. And, naturally, in my case I was refused. However, after my letter to the account of such a not entirely transparent and convenient service, I still got my money back. They now include insurance for glass, mirrors, tires and wheels separately and explicitly. But still, you should always carefully read the insurance clauses from whichever broker or rental company you book a car.

5. Two more nuances - this is that when they give you a car, In most cases, the rental company will keep a deposit from you (in case of fines and damages). Usually the broker will tell you a range of possible amounts, but the exact amount will not be known until you take the car. The higher the cost of the car, the higher the deposit will be, but it also depends on the company. In most cases, for me it was from 500 to 1500 euros. Often, for an additional fee (from 5 euros per day) or if you take out insurance from the rental company (and not from the broker), they can reduce the amount of the withheld deposit or eliminate it completely. The second point is that the broker always undertakes to provide a car of the same class, and not exactly the one you booked. If you booked a Mercedes A class automatic, you can get any car of this class with an automatic transmission. Therefore, it is better to take the cheapest one in the class, such as a Ford Fiesta, and then suddenly be delighted with some Mercedes, rather than order a Mercedes and get a Ford Fiesta.

6. How can you reduce the cost of booking a car? There are three tricks here: 1. Have a Euro account on your card and pay from it to avoid conversion losses when paying, canceling a reservation, or depositing. 2. Book one week before your desired date. It's usually cheaper within one season than, say, two weeks. The exception is when the low season turns into high. 3. Book on a domain of another country. In order for the booking service to be sure that you are from this country, you need to have an IP within this country, for this you need to use a proxy. I myself have never bothered with this topic, since the difference is not that big, but now I checked. And, for example, booking through autoeurope.it is cheaper than through autoeurope.ru, although I did not use any proxy. One thing is true, in such cases you need to carefully look at the terms of the insurance - namely, for residents of which countries it is valid. Those. Again, all terms and conditions must be read carefully.

7. There are also Portuguese specifics. Of course, it will be better and cheaper to rent a car at the airport of a large city than in some village,—this works for any country. But it’s even cheaper to rent a car not in Portugal, but, for example, in Spain, in Madrid. Moreover, the cars there will be better. But the best option in terms of price and quality is to buy in Germany, for example, in Dusseldorf. For example, there are almost no automatic machines in Portugal, and the requirements for the vehicle fleet are lower than in other countries. In Spain, an automatic car will cost 1.5-2 times cheaper. And in Germany the same option is already 2-3 times cheaper. All this is useful to understand if you suddenly decide to take a European tour, or simply rent a car in Germany and drive to Portugal in a day. The caveat is that you will need to return the car either there (in Germany, but it is possible in another city), or pay for the transfer. Therefore, sometimes the cost of two hauls and an extra day makes local offers more profitable. And naturally, the higher the class of the car, the greater the difference in cost, i.e. for the cheapest options it may not be so significant. Therefore, look at the specific case and consider the benefits. The option of taking a car in Germany and driving to Portugal, spending a day, can also be profitable due to the fact that air tickets to Germany are cheaper than to Portugal, and a car in Germany will be given a much newer one at a lower price.

8. The car must be taken to work time, i.e. It’s better not to rely on a broker, but to check what hours the counter of the desired rental company is open and order pick-up/return for that time.

9. It is not necessary to return the car on the day of departure. You can build a route so that you complete the journey at some point big city, where you will have 3-4 days, but you will return the car, leaving public transport for the remaining time. I think this is already obvious.

10. Which car should I take? On diesel. If the trip includes several countries, it is convenient to print out a map or a table of prices for diesel/gasoline in advance; in Portugal, the cost of a liter for both gasoline and diesel in Western Europe is one of the lowest, but still at least 2 times more expensive than ours . That's why diesel will save a lot of money, however, the broker does not always indicate what type of fuel the car uses. But the majority of rental cars are now diesel: you don’t have to bother and overpay on the broker’s website for a car marked as diesel, but take the risk yourself. If the company is large and the journey is long, then it is better to take a large and comfortable car. If there are two of you, then you can take a hatchback.

11. If there is an accident or you just show up and your car has a dent, the insurer often needs a police report. In Portugal they may say that for minor scratches they don’t draw up reports and even ask for money for the report, but you need to stand your ground. If someone scratched your car, you don’t have to call the police, you can drive to the police station yourself and register it there.

12. If the car requires repair or replacement, then in Portugal it may be that after calling the rental office you will be told that “they are no longer working and you will have to wait until Monday.” This can be said both on Friday and on Thursday. Therefore, after the call, just go to the airport to the place where cars are rented out, go to the 24-hour center of your rental company and they will help you there.

13. Now regarding where it is better not to drive a car - this is in Lisbon and Porto, since you will spend a long time looking for parking. In such cities, it is better to live on the outskirts so that you can easily leave and enter the city, and see the city itself by public transport. In Sintra, near palaces and parks there may also be difficulties with parking (but solvable :)

14. Traffic jams in Portugal may occur at the exit and entrance to Lisbon\Porto. On the toll bridge in Lisbon, connecting the two banks. And, of course, in Sintra (all day long).

15. In Portugal you cannot leave things in plain sight in your car., in the parking lot near the beach they can easily break the glass and drag you away. Put everything in the trunk.

16. You can read about the traffic rules in Portugal, speed limits are 90 km/h in the city, 120 km/h on the highway, but they all exceed them. The flow reduces speed near the cameras; warnings about cameras are always given in advance. Parking in areas marked with red or yellow markings is prohibited. On Sunday all day and on Saturday after two paid parking (indicated by signs) is free, but a lot can be found anyway free parking, but outside the city there are no problems at all. There is one more feature: you can often see people in the free parking area who, for a tip, help you find a place and park - this is such a local way to earn extra money, and here everyone chooses for themselves whether to tip or not. Also, if you go to very popular beaches on weekends, there may be problems. Therefore, on the weekend it is better to choose not the best popular destination or a place with a very large parking lot.

17. The roads are good (though worse than in Germany), but there are tolls. Some bridges are also toll. Moreover, you can often pay only in cash. approximate cost: Lisbon - Albufeira (240 km) - 20 euros, i.e. 12 km about 1 euro. You can drive without a barrier only by joining the local electronic system Via Verde. Indicated as in the picture below. Via Verde is a real lifesaver on the bridge in Lisbon, but if 5-10 minutes in a traffic jam is not very annoying and you often take South coast If you are not going to Lisbon, then there is no point in renting a transpoder. You can rent a Via Verde transponder from a rental company or at service stations on highways (marked with the same sign). The price depends on the time of use, approximately it will cost from 8 to 15 euros + refundable deposit. The highways are quite free, you often travel alone. Payment without Via Verde follows the principle: you drive in, take a coupon, and when you leave, give the coupon and pay, just like at airports in Moscow. If you accidentally drive through Via Verde without a transponder, then simply stop in the side pocket immediately after and go to the checkpoint - pay to have the photo removed from the database, no fines.

18. Of course, don’t forget to take a car charger for your phone/tablet, you can take movies for traffic jams and music on your phone or Bluetooth player; rental cars almost always have it. You can immediately stop at the supermarket and buy large bottles of water, as well as all sorts of cookies in case there are no restaurants open on the way some day. In the daytime this is quite possible, and stores may be closed on weekends.

19. Before the trip and the final choice of the route, it would be good to look at festivals or some events (holidays) in cities in order to, if possible, tailor the route to this matter.

That's all. It seems to have covered all possible issues related to renting and traveling by car in Portugal. This country is bright and unforgettable, unlike all the others, it leaves only positive and quite strong impressions. Traveling there by car is a pleasure and a real adventure. I recommend it to everyone!

In principle, there is nothing complicated, you need a strong desire to see this beautiful country, which we support with some technical details and knowledge and forward, towards the fresh wind of the Atlantic, sardines, wine and natural beauty.

As usual, this article is a simple algorithm or step-by-step instruction , which is easy to organize travel to Portugal for yourself and friends without turning to intermediaries and without leaving the page of this site. I don’t deny the need for travel agencies; often they do a significant part of the organization work for us - for this we pay extra money. But believe me, Portugal the country where it is better to organize a trip on your own and be alone with the most beautiful places extreme west of south-west Europe.

Getting a Schengen visa

We start with the Schengen visa and only then deal with the remaining details. If you still don’t have a visa, you can find out how to get one without additional costs in the article Schengen visa. Instructions for receiving. And don't forget about insurance. You can fly to Portugal with a Schengen visa from any country. For example, we traveled with a Spanish visa, and the first entry was in Portugal. There won't be any questions. From June 11, 2017 Ukrainian citizens do NOT need a Schengen visa to visit EU countries with a biometric passport.

Planning a route around Portugal

Portugal, despite its apparent miniature size, has something to offer even the most experienced tourist traveler. I've been traveling around Vintage hilly Lisbon with a centuries-old history, which seems to be specially inverted right on the narrow streets, is well complemented by the magical landscapes of the coast and Algarve beaches.

No matter what you choose - Algarve, the center of the country with river valleyDouro(Duero, Douro), Porto and surrounding area, it is definitely worth including Lisbon and dedicate at least two to him full days, or better yet three or four.

For example, independent travel for 10-14 days in Portugal may be like this. 2-3 days in Lisbon. Then we spend one day on a tourist trip, but with a stop at the westernmost point of Europe - Cape Roca. Moving south Portugal- V Algarve province and week beach holiday in Lagos with excursions to Cape Sao Vincente - the extreme southwestern point of Europe and the surrounding area beaches, then move for the remaining time to Albufeiro and travel along the surrounding most beautiful beaches in the south of the country.

It's worth remembering that Portugal- This is a country where you need to travel by car, although there are train + bus options. You shouldn’t linger in one place, as there are a lot of beautiful locations - then you will regret that you didn’t see much. Portugal is NOT a classic beach holiday country - there are an infinite number of beaches here, but they are all so different and beautiful that it is simply impossible to sit still.

Our details route around Portugal can be found in the Routes section:

Weather in Portugal: Lisbon and Algarve coast

Winter in Lisbon rainy with temperatures around +12 Celsius, south Algarve– comfortable +20 Celsius, of course you can’t swim in January, but walking along the coast is very comfortable. Peak season coincides with the vacation period for Europeans and the most comfortable weather for swimming and sunbathing is mid-July-August. In July-August the highest prices and the largest number of people - it is better to book accommodation for this time in advance, good options disperse three months before the start of the vacation. The water temperature in July-August is 18-22 depending on the beach. The warmest beach in the Algarve was found by us in the city Lagos, wrote in detail about holidays in this place in his report.

September is also suitable for swimming, relaxing and traveling; in winter, spring and mid-autumn it is very cool to travel around the country - low prices, comfortable weather in the south, it can rain in Lisbon and to the north, but not more often than in our latitudes.

Buying a flight to Portugal

We were flying to Portugal from Kyiv. The most convenient way to get there is with these airlines: Lufthansa, Air France or KLM with a transfer; since 2018, WizzAir has been flying to Lisbon without a transfer. In my case it was a flight Kyiv-Paris-Lisbon (Air France) on the way there and Lisbon-Amsterdam-Kyiv (KLM) on the way home. In both cases, I deliberately planned a long layover - 12 hours so that I could walk around and Amsterdam respectively. It is also convenient to get to Porto or Lisbon from cities in Poland, Germany or the Baltics Ryanair airlines or easyJet. In this case, the flight will cost no more than 100 euros round trip.

We book accommodation in Portugal according to our capabilities

For the first trip, we book hotels or apartments for 3-5 days in Booking.com - Lisbon and from 4 to 6 days Algarve coast . I lived near the city of Lagoa - the place is in the middle Algarve coast. Lagoa ideal for radial excursions around the surrounding area. Many people like more party Lagos or Albufeira.

About the hotel we lived in town of Lagoa I wrote a separate one review with photo– we really liked it, ideal price-quality ratio-location-friendliness of the owner. I recommend it to active travelers who like to return to comfortable conditions. I will definitely go back there again.

How to save on housing in Portugal

An economical option for families or groups traveling is to rent an apartment. On Booking approx. 2000 apartment offers in Lisbon .

Book a rental car

Many people do without a car, it’s a matter of taste, but in my opinion, in Portugal, having a car greatly simplifies the task of exploring the local beauties. If your goal is to lie on the beach and go on a couple of excursions from Lisbon, then you can do without a car.

A car is your transfer from the airport to your vacation spot and a place for storing and transporting luggage. Parking on Algarve coast almost everywhere is free, in Lisbon will cost no more than 10 euros per day. You should not choose expensive underground parking; it is better to ask the hotel about where the inexpensive private parking is located - prepare a phrase in English and ask for the parking address. You can easily find it further using the navigator on your smartphone or a paper map.

A long and inefficient way to rent a car is to go to the airport website in Lisbon, see what rental offices are there and choose one of them using the selection method. Short and effective - use a car booking service. It's as easy as renting an apartment or hotel and can be done on the website Rentalcars.com- just select the country and city in which you need a car. Then choose a machine and easily and naturally just like we did.

You can read more about renting a car abroad in the article: Renting a car abroad

Prices, budget for travel to Portugal

This point traditionally does not concern those who have more money than time. I advise everyone else to read it.

The travel budget consists of the cost of flights, the cost of accommodation, the cost of renting a car and food costs. We count together and remember about statistical errors, so we add 10%-20% to the amount in case of unexpected expenses or purchase of souvenirs.

Prices for flights to Lisbon– it’s good if the flight costs no more than 150-200 Euros there and back. You can always look at the calendar low prices on aviasales.

Budget accommodation costs 30-50 euros per day for Double Room, more expensive housing with a swimming pool – 70-100 Euro per day for two.

Car rent– 30 euros per day, car insurance – another 10 euros per day and depends on the type of insurance, fuel – European prices, we spent about 70 euros in 10 days, driving about 700 km. To book a car we used the website rentalcars.com- reliable plus good price, but they don’t seek good from good, you know.

Total it turns out to be approximately 800-1000 euros, including flights, per person per season, cheaper in winter and spring. We remember that Portugal is good at any time, including the winter months. Nutrition. Breakfast is usually included in the hotel price, and lunch can cost from 7 euros to 20 euros per person, including local wine, depending on the choice of location.

The money you save is worth spending on port or light Portuguese rosé. If you don't like wine, give it to your friends!

Agree, it is unlikely that an organized and not the most intense 10-day tour will cost less. Freedom is often also quite economical.

Useful links when planning your travels

Aviasales- low-cost air tickets around the world

Hotels Combined (RoomGuru)– allows you to save up to 20% when booking hotels and apartments as it searches all popular booking sites, including Agoda, Booking.com and others, offering the best price options

Booking.com– a familiar and convenient site for searching and booking accommodation around the world

Airbnb– the world leader in searching for apartments and apartments for travel, register using the link and get a cash bonus for your first booking

Rentalcars– a site for searching and renting cars all over the world with the possibility of free cancellation

You will be transferred from the airport to the hotel and vice versa. The driver will meet you with a sign with your name and take you to your destination. There is no need to clarify the route - everything is done online in advance. This is often cheaper than ordering a taxi on the spot and is very convenient. Knowledge in English not necessary.

Best online service sales of insurance services from leading insurance companies

– Misto-travel is the only online sales operator online tours, which has proven itself well

July 13th, 2015

Of course, I never cease to admire Portugal: this country will appeal to both those who adore Europe and those who love Asia. But at the same time, this is an absolutely unique place, unlike anything else. There is a lot of history here, castles, palaces, medieval cathedrals, it has its own unique architectural style (called neo-Manueline), so for history lovers this is truly 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 made a strong impression on me (I wrote about it), much stronger than the castles of the French Loire Valley, and not with its majesty and pomp (since they are rather very modest) , but just 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 a universal route around Portugal: some people prefer natural beauty and views of the ocean, while others are just fans of old castles. Therefore, first of all, universal means balanced, but if someone likes one thing more, then he will be able to adjust the route, because Below I will describe which place is attractive. And the second balance is in the ratio of the province and major cities. What appeals to me most now is the authentic outback: castles and restaurants not swarming with tourists. central square, well-kept 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 the next time. Therefore, at the end I will write which cities to visit first and which ones next time.

So, the route at first approach: Lagos (6 nights for a beach holiday) - Lisbon (7 nights for exploring the surrounding area) - Batalha - Bussaco (night) - Porto (6 nights for exploring the surrounding area).

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 highways. On average, a little over 2 hours between overnight stops. It can start from the south (beach holiday) and end in the north (sightseeing, walks along 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 get to 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 designed 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 get a full impression of the country. But if your time frame is shorter, and your interests are more towards historical and architectural attractions (or vice versa, towards natural beach places), then my description below will help you adjust your route.

As I already wrote, 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, when in the south there is practically nothing to see except the ocean. And the center is somewhere in the middle, here you can find unsurpassed palaces with parks and stunning capes and beaches.

1. South.

In terms of getting to know the country, the south is boring, but a resort is just that: a resort. Therefore, the only thing it is good for is a beach holiday. So, if you are not interested in this, feel free to skip this part of the route: you can see the ocean, beaches, capes in the central part. Yes, the water here is warmer, but not much.

All palaces, museums, monasteries, castles are usually open from 10 am to 17:30\18:00, but before visiting, it is better to check the opening hours via the Internet.

By the way, if you travel from Sintra to Cape Roca or vice versa, take the N247. In my opinion this is very beautiful road along the river and railway tracks, especially at sunset.

There is another family restaurant with a grill not far from Sintra; it can only be reached by car, because... It works from 7 pm, so it’s better to go there immediately after Sintra, and then return to Lisbon. It's called Moinho Iberico and is located at: Avenida Moinhos Arneiro, 110/112 | Magoito, Sintra. Don’t be scared by the sparse crowds and the almost empty road leading up to it, the restaurant will always have a lot of cars and a lot of people inside, it’s easy to recognize by its mill (Moinho from Portuguese - mill), it’s open 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], the owner there is already a man with his sister, always communicates with guests, and there is no such type of establishment 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 the Convent of Christ, which includes examples of a wide variety of architectural styles, including Manueline.
2) Spend not a day, but two, between Lisbon and Porto (taking away this day from either Porto or Lisbon), visiting Batalha (Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitoria), Alcobaça (Monastery of Santa Maria de Alcobaça), Leiria (a castle-fortress on a hill) and Coimbra (the Universidade de Coimbra and the Little Portugal park, which by the way is really very interesting). Additionally, you can stay in one of these cities, for example, in Leiria. And although the monastery in Batalha leaves one of the strongest architectural impressions along 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 capture Tomar as well, in two days you will get a very intense journey. You can spend the night in Leiria.

A place to stay overnight before heading to Porto is Bussaco, a castle hotel with a stunning garden. And also, when you choose hotels in other places, remember that there are a lot of different castle hotels, quintes, estates (wineries) where you can stay. All this immerses you much more into the world of Portugal and gives you more flavor than modern hotels.

3. North

First of all, this is of course a city Porto(Porto), there is a lot of things here, just a concentrate of Portugal: a city in which in a small space you can see much of what is inherent in this wonderful country: churches, towers, palaces, fortress walls and medieval cathedrals, openwork bridges and then poor abandoned sloping houses with boarded up windows. Like all of Portugal, Porto seems to be very picturesque at a superficial glance, frightening with its untidiness and poverty when approaching, and ultimately an amazing and captivating city. In Porto, it’s a pleasure to go to the Ribeiro embankment, walk along the Luis Bridge, and look into the wine cellars. It’s worth saying right away that in summer, unlike the central part, the weather here may not be sunny at all. There are many good restaurants local cuisine, just open TripAdvisor, but I want to recommend one enough interesting restaurant Palco 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 recommended, is in a completely different category, marked with Michelin stars, and has a sophisticated atmosphere inside. Here I advise you not to order a separate dish, but to take a “tour”, i.e. They will bring you 4-5 dishes (small portions, but in total it will be very satisfying) and, accordingly, 5 wines to go with it. It’s very inexpensive, but it turns out to be a kind of gastronomic journey through the dishes of Portugal in an elegant form.

Even for those who are not very fond of architecture, I recommend taking 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° (reminiscent of the village of Monsanto, which I did not include in the route, because it is located near the eastern Spanish border, I’m 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 Portuguese hinterland) and the road there is expressive.

And for those who didn’t have enough of the 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 sandiest, stretching for several kilometers - one of the most famous in northern Portugal. And you can take a walk there too. There is more in Viana do Castelo historical center and you can take the funicular up to the basilica, from where you can enjoy stunning views of the Lima River, the city and the ocean. In Costa Nova, besides the ocean, there may be interesting striped houses, which used to be painted so that fishermen could see their house from afar and land with their catch closer to home.

Now the list of places in Portugal sorted by tourist importance (* - must see, ** - you can look at it on your second visit or if you have time, *** - if you want to go deeper)

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’s worth renting a car already at Lisbon airport and rushing towards adventure. I used Gold Car services and was satisfied. This is our third meeting with this European rental company, which risks soon developing into a friendship that is growing stronger thanks to the good price and quality of service. The very worthy Herz or Sixt sometimes try to break this friendship, 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

Total approximately 800 km. With stops at local points - observation points, beaches and just places you like - 900 km.

On the map our route looks approximately So :

1.Surroundings of Lisbon: Lisbon – Cape Roca – Sintra – Lisbon

On Lisbon you need at least 3-4 days, one of which should be devoted to Cape Roca and historical Sintra, located half an hour away.

Cape Rock(Cabo da Roca) is the westernmost point of Europe and is interesting precisely for its location. Among the attractions are the lighthouse and beautiful views of the coastline. However, the skyline in other places along the route will be no worse.

Sintra– ancient town, quite nice, although very touristy. It is ideal to arrive in Sintra in the morning, right after the lighthouse at Cape Roca, before 10 o'clock. Firstly, there are more options for parking, and secondly, the city itself will take at least 6 hours. We see the palace, the fortress, walk along the winding steep streets and try delicious food in local pastry shops.

2.The second part of the route – the road from Lisbon to the Algarve

We travel by regional roads N5, N253, N261, N120, N268, N125. Follow the signs to the beaches and select “The best of”

Stop number one on the route is Comporta, a winery and beach inspired by the movie Knockin' on Heaven's Door. Beach from horizon to horizon, boardwalk, huge rampart.
Beach coordinates: 38.381372, -8.802608

Can be skipped Sines, if there is little time and immediately move to the side Villa do Bispo- This is the extreme southwest of Europe. There are several in the surrounding area beautiful beaches, but the water in these places rarely exceeds the temperature of +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 beach, but you can swim in the summer.

You can spend the night in the town of Vila do Bispo, solely as a transit overnight stay, or you can go straight to the town of Sagres - the extreme southwestern point of Europe.

Not so interesting Sagres, How many S. Vicente lighthouse. A very beautiful lighthouse and a magnificent view of the coastline, some observation platforms.

Parking coordinates near the S. Vicente lighthouse: 37.16858, -8.665534

Near the lighthouse on the road to Lagos is an interesting beach called Beliche, popular among the locals. Uncrowded with a good inexpensive restaurant, azure ocean, surrounded by beautiful rocks. (37.02421, -08.99426)

3. Part three along the route – South coast Algarve, the warmest and most caressed by tourists of all calibers.

Points of interest: Lagos is a beautiful tourist town with ancient narrow cobbled streets, a promenade and restaurants. There are several beaches and lookouts in the surrounding area.

Praia dona Ana – (37.091233, -8.0669761)

City long and warmest sand beach Maia Praia (37.106858. -8.665534)

Ponta da Piedade, the lookout from which opens beautiful view to the rocks, from here you can take a boat ride through the local grottoes. (37.08162, -08.66978)

Other interesting places:

The village of Ferragudo, a beautiful fishing village on a hill, a good place for photos - (37.125894, -8.52227)

Praia da Roca beach near Portimao

The town of Lagoa is, in my opinion, the best place to spend the night, conveniently located 3 km away. 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 ancient 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 in summer it is difficult to swim 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 and several beaches in the surrounding area make it the most popular town in the Algarve. I would still prefer Lagos or Lagoa for exploring the Algarve.

- Praia do Castelo– Our favorite beach in the Algarve, ranked #1 beach, is located between Albufeira and Lagos. There are no hotels in the vicinity, so the contingent is mainly locals 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 stops, we enter the city through the most long 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 would be to plan a little more time and just follow the signs at random.