Portugal is a great country for a 10–14 day road trip because it has the variety but the distances are relatively short. The best way to plan a trip is to base yourself in three main areas – Porto and the Douro Valley in the north, Lisbon in the centre, and the Algarve in the south – and use them for exploring what is nearby.
Big highlights for me were actually some of the smaller places that I’d never heard of before I arrived in Portugal. In particular the gorgeous Duoro Valley wine region, the hilltop town of Sintra and the beautifully charming streets of Cascais. Plus, the more famous highlights of port tasting in Porto and various neighbourhoods of Lisbon.
The trip works very well as a road trip because the drive between Porto to the Algarve is manageable at less than 10 hours and is broken up by heaps of interesting places where you can stop for a couple of hours or a night, such as Óbidos, Tomar or Coimbra and the Roman ruins at Conímbriga.
Is Portugal worth visiting? Yes — especially if you like relaxed road trips, good food and wine, historic towns and varied scenery rather than just ticking off big famous sights.
In a nutshell:
- Portugal is ideal for a 10–14 day road trip
- Base yourself around Porto/Douro, Lisbon and the Algarve
- The Douro Valley is the standout highlight
- Lisbon and its satellites of Sintra and Cascais the next standout
- Many of the best places are smaller towns and stop-offs between the main cities