To Drive or Not to Drive in Portugal?

[paul10]

I'm starting to plan a Portugal trip for next year, and I'm stuck on the whole transportation issue. Part of me wants to rent a car for the freedom, but I've heard some wild stories about driving there, such as a Reddit thread from a few years back where expats shared experiences and advice: https://www.reddit.com/r/PortugalExp...g_in_portugal/

The discussions left me questioning if road conditions and driver behavior are really as challenging as depicted. I'm quite torn, as renting would allow greater flexibility to explore coastal roads and secluded villages off the beaten path. However, relying on trains and buses could spare me potential hassles.

For those who have personally traveled through Portugal by vehicle, I'd appreciate any insights or anecdotes you may care to share. In particular, perspectives on what the driving environment is truly like from a safety and navigational standpoint would be most helpful as I weigh my transportation options. Any tips for navigating Portuguese roads with ease would also be welcomed.

[MagnetON]

I love how they call themselves "expats" rather than what they are: "immigrants"

[Mike Harte]

I have holidayed in Portugal a few times in the past, and have always hired a car for the duration of the visits. I never found the local driving any worse, or better, than I did in France, Spain or Italy; you just have to be prepared and anticipate that the locals may do some thing that you didn't expect them to do.

And I was always able to return the hire cars in exactly the same condition as when originally picked up from the airport.

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by MagnetON

I love how they call themselves "expats" rather than what they are: "immigrants"

I feel your pain here… its just a matter of what kind of boat they sailed. Expats sail large units and migrants inflatable boats…

As to the experience of driving in Portugal as Mike reports I had absolutely no issue driving there, bike, personal car or car of rental and I did it quite a few times. I just appreciated that the police cars are really slow…
My experience of cars of rental slightly differs though, Mikes stated: "And I was always able to return the hire cars in exactly the same condition as when originally picked up from the airport."When I can write "in exactly the same position!

[paul10]

Originally Posted by MagnetON

I love how they call themselves "expats" rather than what they are: "immigrants"

I remember being called an 'expat' in the past, but I never really considered the distinction before, @Magneton. Now that I think about it, it can be a temporary status for work purposes.

[paul10]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

I have holidayed in Portugal a few times in the past, and have always hired a car for the duration of the visits. I never found the local driving any worse, or better, than I did in France, Spain or Italy; you just have to be prepared and anticipate that the locals may do some thing that you didn't expect them to do.

And I was always able to return the hire cars in exactly the same condition as when originally picked up from the airport.

It's reassuring to know that the driving conditions weren't significantly worse than in other parts of Europe you've visited, @Mike Harte. I think your advice to be prepared and expect the unexpected from local drivers is spot on. As long as one approaches it with a bit of caution and adaptability, it sounds like renting a car could still be a viable and rewarding way to explore Portugal. I feel more confident now about that being a good choice for my upcoming trip.

Part of being prepared is also reading articles about the destination. I found an informative piece about Sintra, which is around a half-hour drive from Lisbon. It provides some interesting insights into the town's tourism trends: https://gowithguide.com/blog/tourism...el-trends-5747

[paul10]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

I feel your pain here… its just a matter of what kind of boat they sailed. Expats sail large units and migrants inflatable boats…

As to the experience of driving in Portugal as Mike reports I had absolutely no issue driving there, bike, personal car or car of rental and I did it quite a few times. I just appreciated that the police cars are really slow…
My experience of cars of rental slightly differs though, Mikes stated: "And I was always able to return the hire cars in exactly the same condition as when originally picked up from the airport."When I can write "in exactly the same position!

Haha, that's a good one, @Gerard C! ?

I'm glad to hear more positive experiences about driving in Portugal. It's reassuring that both of you found it manageable. Just gotta keep my wits about me and maybe learn a few Portuguese phrases for the road, right? Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[Gerard C]

In most places of Portugal you'll find a warm welcome. They are wonderful mechanics too, they love cars (and soccer too…) and its in their DNA to properly fix cars rather than just changing parts or scrapping vehicles.
This country hosts two big tracks, Estoril (near Sintra/Lisbon) and Portimao located in Algarve county (south).

[MagnetON]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

I feel your pain here… its just a matter of what kind of boat they sailed. Expats sail large units and migrants inflatable boats…

Yup, 50 people drowning in a rubber boat for 6, MEH!. 5 billionaires in an uncertified carbon-fibre dildo SEND EVERYTHING!

Originally Posted by paul10

Now that I think about it, it can be a temporary status for work purposes.

So "Migrant Workers" then?

Sorry for the "derail" I was just amused recently seeing some muppet living in Spain going on about Brexit / Immigrants being "called out" on being an immigrant himself!

[Tel 911S]

Haven,t been there for a few years , but did the Algarve rally back in the 80s 90s .
That was mostly in the southern half of the country .
Found normal drivers not to bad , but perhaps a bit erratic in the cities .
Out of the big towns / cities , a lot of the roads are not well maintained , cobbled , even dirt / gravel surfaces on country roads .
Going back through the Spanish border I did notice that they seemed to think the Portuguese drivers needed checking more than normal, perhaps because they took less notice of traffic laws and vehicle safety standards .

[morninggents]

I've driven my own (RHD) cars in Portugal on several occasions (first time in 1966) and hire cars (LHD) on a couple of times. I didn't find it any different from driving anywhere else in Europe. And the Portugese are nice people with a great country.