Exploring Portugal by Car: Seeking Tips and Hidden Gems for a 3-Week Adventure!

[jonasupra]

Hey everyone!

The wife and I are itching to explore Portugal by car next year. Three weeks on the road, soaking in the sights, history, and of course the delicious food sounds like the perfect adventure.

We're thinking a fuel-sipping Toyota Yaris might be the ideal rental car. Anyone have experience renting cars in Portugal? Any recommendations on reputable companies?

We're wide open on specific destinations at this point, but any must-see spots or hidden gems you'd recommend for a 3 week itinerary would be fantastic!

Looking forward to hearing you!

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[MyCorolla]

A long while back I did a road trip from Madrid to Lisbon, up to Obidos, and back around southern Spain. I planned my trip around paradores in Spain and pousadas in Portugal. If you’re not familiar with them, they are hotels built mostly in old castles, and I highly recommend staying in them. That resulted in going through charming small cities, like Estremoz and Sintra, and many small towns that are not typical tourist destinations. Obidos is one of the seven wonders of Portugal, and if you go there, you must book a room in one of the towers in the old 12th-century-castle part of the pousada. I can’t comment on northern Portugal, but I definitely would like to go there. I purposely ate only at restaurants for locals. Staff didn’t obviously speak English, but since I’m fluent in Spanish, I managed to communicate with them (I have some experience in doing that with native Portuguese and Italian speakers).

 

[jonasupra]

A long while back I did a road trip from Madrid to Lisbon, up to Obidos, and back around southern Spain. I planned my trip around paradores in Spain and pousadas in Portugal. If you’re not familiar with them, they are hotels built mostly in old castles, and I highly recommend staying in them. That resulted in going through charming small cities, like Estremoz and Sintra, and many small towns that are not typical tourist destinations. Obidos is one of the seven wonders of Portugal, and if you go there, you must book a room in one of the towers in the old 12th-century-castle part of the pousada. I can’t comment on northern Portugal, but I definitely would like to go there. I purposely ate only at restaurants for locals. Staff didn’t obviously speak English, but since I’m fluent in Spanish, I managed to communicate with them (I have some experience in doing that with native Portuguese and Italian speakers).

Thanks so much for the fantastic recommendations, @MyCorolla! Pousadas sound like the perfect way to experience Portugal's unique history and culture in style. I appreciate the specific suggestions you mentioned - Óbidos, Estremoz, and Sintra all look stunning in photos. Eating only at local restaurants is a brilliant tip to truly immerse ourselves in the food and culture. We'll definitely adopt your approach of planning around these types of accommodations to explore charming, off-the-beaten-path towns.

The tip about communicating with restaurants for locals in Spanish is also very helpful! While we do speak a little Spanish, I read in the article https://gowithguide.com/blog/tourism-in-portugal-statistics-2023-the-ultimate-guide-5600 that speaking Spanish in Portugal can sometimes be frustrating for locals. It suggests English might be a better option if you don't speak Portuguese. What do you think?

 

[MyCorolla]

The tip about communicating with restaurants for locals in Spanish is also very helpful! While we do speak a little Spanish, I read in the article https://gowithguide.com/blog/tourism-in-portugal-statistics-2023-the-ultimate-guide-5600 that speaking Spanish in Portugal can sometimes be frustrating for locals. It suggests English might be a better option if you don't speak Portuguese. What do you think?

That is a good suggestion. If English doesn’t work, you can try Spanish, or better yet, one of those translating apps. I didn’t encounter any negativity; on the contrary, everyone was friendly and kind.

I personally like Portugal a lot.

 

[jonasupra]

That is a good suggestion. If English doesn’t work, you can try Spanish, or better yet, one of those translating apps. I didn’t encounter any negativity; on the contrary, everyone was friendly and kind.

I personally like Portugal a lot.

Your suggestion about using translating apps is excellent - they can be incredibly helpful when navigating language barriers. It's great that you didn't encounter any negativity. It's also reassuring to know that even if language difficulties arise, the locals are generally patient and kind.

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