Portugal is ideal for self-drive tours. It’s small and compact, with only a few large cities.  The roads are well maintained with good signage.  Although part of the European Union, prices here are lower than in most of the rest of Europe. Portugal’s towns and villages are not perfectly restored museums like many of the “most beautiful villages” in France and Italy; they are alive and bustling with open markets, laundry hanging outside windows, churches and town squares that are vibrant parts of the community not museums for tourists. 

Start a driving trip to Portugal in the northern city of Oporto (Porto), the second largest city in Portugal.  Spend a night in Porto or for those who prefer smaller towns, drive to GUIMARES, about 45 minutes north of Porto.  Use Guimares as a base for 2 or 3 nights, depending on whether you want to explore the coastal or mountainous areas, or both.  The coastal drive goes north and west through Braga (stop to see the Bom Jesus, an architectural wonder) and Barcelos to Viana do Castelo and back to Guimares.  The inland route goes east through the rugged mountains to Braganza, a medieval walled town overlooking the modern city.

From Guimares, there is a beautiful drive south through the Douro River Valley, dotted with quaint towns and vineyards, including Amarante, known for its fine pastries and Vila Real, home of Mateus Vineyards where the vineyard, gardens and manor house are open to visitors.  The end of the day will bring you to COIMBRA, a university town in central Portugal.  Just north of Coimbra is the magnificent Bussaco Forest. Coimbra has an interesting old town and university.

The next couple of days can be spent discovering some of the great architectural masterworks of Portugal including the abbeys at Batalha and Alcobaca, visiting the shrine at Fatima and enjoying the wide sandy beaches around Nazare and fine seafood at local restaurants. The most popular town in this area is OBIDOS, a romantic walled town given by a Portuguese king to his queen as a wedding present.  Staying in Obidos requires reservations made well in advance.

Depending on the length of stay, either head to LISBON to drop the car and spend a couple of days exploring this vibrant city on the famous yellow trolleys, or continue south and east driving though cork forests and exploring the central plains of Portugal. Stop to see the Roman ruins at Evora, shop for pottery in Estremoz and explore Elvas, a fortified city still surrounded by ramparts. If time allows, drive down to the Algarve for a seaside rest. Before ending the driving part of the trip, take a day to explore the peninsula towns Estoril, Cascias and Sintra outside Lisbon. 

Karen Stott

Frosch Travel Specialist