Traveling by car gives you the opportunity to be in control of your own destiny and go where you choose to. Spontaneity is great, but having some idea and direction to go in will help as well, therefore we go from Porto to Faro by car. The perfect route for you and all of your friends.<\/p>\n
Are you ready? Let’s go!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n A good map is a must-have for any Road Trip Portugal Itinerary<\/strong>. Without it you will miss all the hotspots, fun things to see and do, and of course not to mention the endless hours on Google trying to gather all information yourself.<\/p>\n Thankfully, we already did all the hard-work for you!<\/strong><\/p>\n The below road map of your Portugal road trip has a distance of 810 km and starts in the beautiful city of Porto. From Porto you will make your first stop in Figueira da Foz, before checking the beaches and surf scene at Ericeira.<\/p>\n You will visit the capital of Portugal: Lisbon, before heading towards the south and explore the Algarve region.<\/p>\n If you want to do a shorter version you can also start do the: Lisbon to Porto Road Trip<\/strong>. This takes about half the time!<\/p>\n Make sure you print this road trip article and take it with you on your journey. You can also order the number one ranked Portugal Travel Guide on Amazon<\/a><\/strong> so you will never miss a unique and beautiful restaurant, landmark or attraction during your travels.<\/p>\n Time on the road: <\/strong>8-9 hours In this chapter I will show you how to make car rental in Portugal<\/a> easy.<\/strong> Depending on your starting point, you can rent an affordable car at any airport and either return it at the same destination or pay an additional fee and drop it at one of their partner facilities at a different location.<\/p>\n Make sure you bring a valid EU driver’s license or international drivers license. You should be ok with an American and Canadian driver’s license as well.<\/p>\n The Road Trip Guy Golden Tip<\/strong>: Do you know the old saying;<\/p>\n Cheaper is not always better!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n I am sure you do. Well – You would be surprised on how many tourists do not apply this knowledge when it comes to renting a car in Portugal. After traveling 30,000 km through every single European country, I have seen people make this classic mistake time and time again!<\/p>\n What is this mistake, you ask?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n They always go for the cheapest option. It does not matter if the car dealer has only one red car, one blue car, a kids bike and a donkey for rent. If it is cheap, people will go for it.<\/p>\n And that’s where the problems will start. In a BIG way!<\/p>\n I get it!<\/strong> Nobody likes to pay a lot of money on renting a car and getting ripped off by sleazy salesmen at the frontdesk. They are all acting very friendly, but as soon as you decline all the additional “add-ons” (where they make the money) the service is G-O-N-E!<\/p>\n The will discover hidden “scratches” when you return, take forever to return your deposit and you can forget about any fast roadside assistance when you cars breaks down.<\/p>\n It bothered me for years. Was it too much to ask for\u00a0a trustworthy company that you know will give you the best price possible combined with excellent service and roadside assistance?<\/p>\n No, it wasn’t – As Rentalcars is such a company!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Finally, I had the option to just simply check all the international car rental dealers on one single website. No more jumping around form Hertz to Europcar to Avis and back to Budgetcars again.<\/p>\n Right now I could compare all prices, types of cars, availability, special discounts and much more, in one clean overview. With the early bookings I could save up to 64% on the daily car rental fee!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Just by doing the early booking I earned back two hotel nights instantly. And as a cheap Dutch person, that is something that makes me very happy! \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n Go check it out and see if your dream car is available<\/a><\/strong>!<\/p>\n Driving in Portugal is not that different from other European countries, but the local Portuguese drivers do not seem to take the rules very seriously. Therefore, it is important to always double-check\u00a0the traffic and other drivers\u00a0as most of them like speeding and do unpredictable maneuvers.<\/p>\n I saw a few traffic-cops, but to be honest it was very minimal. Just enjoy the road, use common sense and you will be just fine!<\/p>\n Portugal can be a bit confusing when it comes to the toll roads. A part of them is electronic and a part of them is with a toll booth. Almost all of them accept a credit card, but just a few accept cash. I know, that does not make any sense, but unfortunate that’s the way it is.<\/p>\n The following roads of “Brisa” accept credit cards:\u00a0A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A9, A10, A12, A13 and A14.<\/p>\n If you missed a payment you can still make the payment within 5 days on\u00a0pagamentodeportagens.pt<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0to avoid a fine. Another option is buying a pre-paid card.<\/p>\n This card includes a deposit of\u00a0\u20ac 5, \u20ac10, \u20ac 20 or \u20ac 40. It can be bought online at : http:\/\/www.tollcard.pt<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The journey begins in the town of Porto. This route will take your directly along the west coast of Portugal and gives you a chance to simply slow down and take in the scenery.<\/p>\n Porto is one the most famous tourist destinations in Portugal and is the second-largest city of the country after Lisbon. The historical city center has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. The city is well-known for its export business, including the famous Port wine, which was named after the city.<\/p>\n I highly recommend you check out the any of the wine tasting tours in Porto<\/a><\/strong>. It was so much fun and to be honest it was one of the best investments I ever made. You will find the tours descriptions below.<\/p>\n Food, wine, Portugal and 4×4 Jeeps. Yes, that makes The Road Trip Guy a very happy person!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Thankfully, there are some amazing wine & food tour companies available. Some take you on a journey full of delicious local foods, whilst others choose the adventurous route by exploring the outback of Portugal and discover the delicious wine-culture of the locals.<\/p>\n Me and my friend did the Douro Tour<\/a><\/strong> and we get very lucky with the weather. Crystal clear blue skies, about 24 degrees and a great group of people ready to explore the country-side of Porto. Loved it!<\/p>\n The\u00a0Ribeira Square\u00a0is a historical square in\u00a0Porto,\u00a0Portugal. It is included in the historical centre of the city, designated\u00a0World Heritage\u00a0by\u00a0UNESCO<\/a>.<\/strong> Here you will find the city market that sells local products including fish, bread, meat and other goods.<\/p>\n In the evening you can go visit one of the many cozy restaurants in the area that serve traditional Portuguese cuisine. Try the fish and seafood dishes as they are the most popular and of course in combination with a good bottle of Port wine. Bon App\u00e9tit!<\/p>\n Livraria Lello<\/a><\/strong> is a unique cultural icon that has been one of the most popular tourist attractions in Porto. This bookshop comes to live and brings you back in time with its traditional design and layout. Take a beautiful picture at its traditional curved stairways and make sure you do no forget to buy your new book.<\/p>\n Tip:<\/strong> Go as early as possible as it gets really busy during the day. It was so busy that there was a line of people standing outside!<\/p>\n Therefore, if you are looking for that perfect selfie (all alone) you should consider visiting the library very early in the morning and if possible in the low-season.<\/p>\n Price:<\/strong> 4 Euro per ticket. Can be used as a discount when you book something in the store.<\/p>\n Don’t miss this one!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Exploring Porto by foot is such a great experience. I had a blast with the “Secret Sites” tour<\/a><\/strong> and it was worth every single Euro. Checking out all the funny and unknown places of Porto is a great way to experience the city to its fullest. You will meet great people as well!<\/p>\n And the best part? It is not expensive at all and there is wine everywhere!<\/p>\n I know what you are thinking. Did he do two wine tours in Porto?<\/p>\n Well, yeah! Why not? Do you only eat one pizza when you are visiting Italy? \ud83d\ude09<\/strong><\/p>\n Finding a cheap and practical accommodation in a big city like Porto can be quite the challenge. Thankfully, we already have the experience finding the perfect place and since you will be traveling by car we recommend the following locations:<\/p>\n HF Ipanema Park is a beautiful 5-star hotel that is located just outside of the city center. It offers a stunning view of Porto and the Douro river. Parking is no problem and you can easily walk , take the tram, or a bicycle and you will be in the city centre in a just a few minutes. There is gym and recreational area for the kids!<\/p>\n If you want a nice relaxing holiday, this is the place to be!<\/p>\n Some travelers just want to experience a city to its fullest. Why not stay in a classic Portuguese hotel in the heart of Porto! That is right. With Peninsular accommodations you can stay right in the city center with your car.<\/p>\n The hotel comes with a private parking and elevator and is only 200 meters from the train station :\u00a0S\u00e3o Bento. Within 3 minutes you will be at the famous shopping district\u00a0Rua de Santa Catarina! – Perfect locations for families and couples!<\/strong><\/p>\n Now this is one of the most popular hostels in Porto. It is beautiful, clean and right in the city centre. If you want to meet new people., this is the place to be. They organize all kinds of fun activities including pub-crawls , game nights and much more.<\/p>\n The only down-side was that I needed to park the car nearby costing me close to 20 Euro per day. But the hostel was also almost 40% cheaper compared to the other accommodations, therefore it is not a real problem if it fits your budget.<\/p>\n \u200b\u200bClick here to check out the cheapest hotel prices in Porto today!<\/a>\u200b\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Head south from Porto and slowly make your way down to Figueira da Foz. In this town, you can find many attractions to take up some of your time, but if you find yourself in need of rest, just check into Paintshop Hostel<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n It may worry some people to stay in a hostel, but this one does have an option to purchase a private room, so there is little to worry about. It is also the perfect place as it is easy to park your car there.<\/p>\n An important aspect for when you travel with your car. Always make sure you double-check if your accommodation provides either free parking or parking nearby.<\/p>\n Once you feel well rested and ready for a new day, continue south toward Ericeira<\/a><\/strong> beach. This city is known for hosting\u00a0the ASP World Tour Championship and being a mecca for those looking to ride the waves.<\/p>\n Take some time here to grab a bite to eat and enjoy the waves yourself. There is nothing more satisfying than owning the ocean from your surfboard and it is the perfect way to spend an afternoon or even most of the day.<\/p>\n If you have not caught all the waves you want or if you simply want a change of scenery, just down the road is Cascais. Another town known for surfing, Cascais is a quaint area to soak up the sun and enjoy a bit of shopping. Of course, you might also enjoy other activities on the water, so make sure to check out my colleagues at Dive Inn for more information about other\u00a0water sports<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Look no further. You have found the best surf school for group surf lessons. All you have to do is bring a towel and a swimsuit. Have the rest taken care of for you so you enjoy the waves of sunny Ericeira.<\/p>\n With this student to instructor ratio, you can feel confident that you will receive a safe, high quality lesson. Time and energy have been dedicated\u00a0to finding the best surf instructors in Ericeira.<\/p>\n A staff of professional lifeguards and CPR certified instructors will educate you on the proper techniques.\u00a0The lesson is 90 minutes to 120 minutes – depending on the sea conditions.<\/p>\n What Will You Learn?<\/strong><\/p>\n – Standing up *Pricing includes wetsuit and surfboard, return transfer from the store to the beach and\u00a0insurance for accidents.<\/p>\n Click here for more information<\/a><\/strong> or book directly at:<\/p>\nPortugal Coast Road Trip – What Route to Take?<\/h2>\n
\n Distance : <\/strong>810 km
\nStart : <\/strong>Porto (or reverse – Faro)<\/p>\n![\"Portugal](\"https:\/\/theroadtripguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Schermafbeelding-2017-03-18-om-09.46.42.png\")
<\/a>Portugal by Car – How to Rent a Car?<\/h2>\n
![\"driving](\"https:\/\/theroadtripguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/rent-car-portugal.jpg\")
<\/a>Driving in Portugal<\/h3>\n
Toll Roads in Portugal<\/h3>\n
Things to do in Porto<\/h2>\n
![\"Portugal](\"https:\/\/theroadtripguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/things-to-do-in-porto.jpg\")
Wine Tasting in Porto<\/h3>\n
Ribeira Square<\/h3>\n
Livraria Lello<\/h3>\n
The Best Walking Tours in Porto<\/h3>\n
Hotels, Hostels & Apartments in Porto with free, paid or private parking<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/theroadtripguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/porto-2580226_640.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHF Ipanema Park\u200b<\/a>\u200b – Luxury and beautiful views<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Peninsular<\/a>\u200b – Downtown with free Private Parking<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Porto Lounge Hostel & Guesthouse\u200b<\/a>\u200b – Hostel with Paid Parking
\n<\/strong><\/h4>\nPaintshop Hostel – Figueira da Foz<\/h2>\n
![\"Portugal](\"https:\/\/theroadtripguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/porto-1972452_1280-1024x482.jpg\")
Ericeira Beach<\/h2>\n
![\"Portugal](\"https:\/\/theroadtripguy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/portugal-1563202_640.jpg\")
How to take surf-lessons in Ericeira?<\/h3>\n
\n–\u00a0Paddling
\n–\u00a0Wave timing and placement
\n–\u00a0Wave selection
\n–\u00a0Surfboard and wetsuit education
\n–\u00a0Wave physics
\n–\u00a0Surf etiquette and safety<\/p>\n