Driving in Portugal

[FredZiffle]

We just spent 4 days in Portugal after disembarking in Lisbon.  I found great rental car rates (under $100 for 4 days), and we planned to spend a couple of days in Lisbon and the same in Porto.  I have driven in many different countries, both left and right side, and am comfortable with a stick shift.  Nothing prepared me for driving in Portugal.  Whoever designed their roadway system should be drawn and quartered.  There was never, not once, an occasion where we traveled more than a couple of miles from point A to point B that did not include numerous round-abouts, U-turns, and at least a dozen different roads.  Sometimes they didn't seem to be roads at all - more like alleyways and through parking lots.  We used two different GPS systems, often simultaneously, and still made wrong turns quite frequently (and a wrong turn could easily add another half dozen turns and ten minutes to your journey).  Parking near tourist attractions was difficult, if not impossible to find, and often involved parallel parking on the street in a space only a few feet longer than our car.  Parking decks were rare.  Don't even think about driving to Sintra unless you just want to drive through it without stopping. 

 

I consider myself a pretty safe driver with no accidents since I was a teenager (a long time ago), but I literally came within inches of hitting two cars.  I was an absolute basket case after every trip.  The tolls will also eat you alive.  We had close to $100 in tolls during our four days there which pretty much balanced out the cheap rental car rates.

 

We've been home for a week, and I'm still suffering from PTSD from this trip.

[fruitmachine]

10 hours ago, FredZiffle said:

Parking near tourist attractions was difficult, if not impossible to find, and often involved parallel parking on the street in a space only a few feet longer than our car. 

You've not parked in Paris then!

I've heard it described as "Like putting a book back on a library shelf"!  There's a reason they park out of gear and with the handbrake off...

[bennybear]

I think it depends where you’re driving.  The Algarve was fine, but returning the car to the airport in Lisbon was frightful literally. Lots of roundabouts for sure, and new roads generally.  

[edinburgher]

On 6/23/2023 at 9:32 PM, FredZiffle said:

often involved parallel parking on the street in a space only a few feet longer than our car. 

You were lucky to have "a few feet" and not just "a few inches"!

 

FredZiffle, parallel parking is one of the elements of a UK practical driving test, and failure to carry out the manouevre correctly can result in a "fail" so learners here need to practice this before their test date.  My understanding is that some learners can fail their test a number of times as they cannot parallel park correctly.

 

I have no idea if it is included in practical driving tests in other European countries, or your own country for that matter, whichever it is.  Even if you were accustomed to parellel parking "at home",an added difficulty for you would have been that you were  not as familiar with the length and width of a rental as you would have been with your own vehicle. Feeling your pain from here........ 

Edited June 25, 2023 by edinburgher

[WatchHill]

Rules of the road outside of your home state or country present a challenge. Roads in European cities grew from narrow cart paths hundreds of years ago.   I've driven "left" in the UK, needing to adjust my brain a bit and pay attention to other vehicles passing me on the motorways. Narrow roads in Wales are another story. We were in Portugal this past spring, including a day in Sintra, without incident. 

 

Roundabouts are commonplace in some parts of the USA, thus giving you experience and confidence in navigating the loop. Now you can really experience PTSD if you've ever navigated the Magic Roundabout in Swidon. 

 

Darcy

[JimmyTheSaint]

I agree with Fred about the layout of the roads in Lisbon, they really are terrible, tiny slipways on and off the motorways and major highways connecting without a filter lane onto the feeder roads. Definitley need your wits about you. Lisbon is somewhere that a car isn't necessary as the public transport network is excellent and will get you to all the main tourist sites.

 

I've driven to Sintra and it's easy, huge car park in the centre of town no more than 2 minutes walk from the train station where all the tour buses and taxis are waiting for the tourists. I wouldn't drive in Sintra as it's a one way system up the hill to the palaces, best to leave it to public transport.

[bennybear]

3 hours ago, WatchHill said:

Now you can really experience PTSD if you've ever navigated the Magic Roundabout in Swidon. 

Ok now I’m giggling!  We encountered this double experimental roundabout a number of years ago, jet lagged after arriving at Heathrow we will never forget Swindon!  They had also lost our luggage that trip and we had to go out later that day to purchase clean underwear in Uk sizing.  A most memorable trip, lol! 
 

For Sintra the train form Lisbon works very well! 

[lynncarol]

The family of friends of ours was in a very serious car accident driving in Portugal. Our bus could not leave the port area one afternoon as the exit was blocked by a collision between a truck and a car. We were very happy our tour was on a bus, especially near the larger cities, as trucks, busses and cars squeeze past each other with inches to spare on narrow winding roads. 

[zazou]

After reading your comments, we decide to use the train instead of driving. My husband and I don't like to drive and we don't want stress when we travel. thanks for the head up! 

[debsjc]

Driving in The Algarve area of Portugal is fairly easy, so maybe it's just the cities that were difficult. 

[SmartTraveller]

We have lived in Portugal for over 3 years and driving in Lisbon can not only be just hair raising but total insanity.  We only do it if there is no other option or we are 150% sure we can get parking. Don't waste your money and nervous energy on a car in the larger cities.

 

You don't need a car in Lisbon or Porto -- they are a liability.  Excellent public transport, relatively cheap taxis (although some are scammers), Bolt and Uber.  You can take a train to Sintra where a car is also a liability.  A train is also a good way to get to Belem, Cascais, Setubal and other places like Évora. 

 

 Key things to know about driving in Portugal are:-

 

1.  If on a multi lane road and you overtake another car, get back into the far right hand lane as quickly as it is safe to do so.  If you dont, you may cop a fine.  This is the same as most of Europe.

 

2.  Roundabouts - everywhere.  Study the roundabout technique or you could have a serious accident or cause one. Its not what you expect to be.  Google "Portugal GNR roundabout rules. Oh, did I mention its always good to have eyes in the back of your head?  There are many people, not just tourists who dont know or dont follow the rules making a large, busy roundabout akin to Dodgem Cars,

 

3.  Those nice, polite, happy, mild mannered Portugese that you meet everywhere?.  Chances are they become the devil incarnated behind the wheel of a car.  Specialities are overtaking on the crest of a hill or a blind corner or just generally crazy stuff.  Practice your defensive driving skills at all times!