Portugal Road Trip: Itinerary & Planning Tips for 2024

This is a non-pretentious guide for a Portugal road trip along the coastline. This will allow you to drive along one of the wildest areas and most idyllic landscapes of Portugal. Information fully updated for 2024.

It’s funny how all the conversations I have about my home country with foreigners follow a trend.

1. Chit-chat about Cristiano Ronaldo. Yeah, he’s an awesome player, makes a lot of money and I don’t get his love life either, bla bla.
2. Random discussions about Portugal as a country.May or may not include clarifications that Portugal is NOT part of Spain.
3. Where do you recommend to go to in Portugal?

Now, #3 is where the conversation gets interesting.
My answer is always: explore Costa Vicentina on a road trip!

This article is a full guide and itinerary to explore southwest Portugal on a road trip. Pumped up? Let’s start the engines!

Why do a road trip in Portugal?

See, Portugal has million of tourists but the overwhelming majority is heading to Porto, Lisbon and Algarve, neglecting the rest of the country.

And trust me: despite being a small country, Portugal has a LOT to uncover. For starters, 500 km of Atlantic coastline home to a tremendous set of landscapes and experiences. There are dozens of other reasons why Portugal is worth visiting.

Plus, a road trip alone is something magic by itself. It’s all about the journey, not the destination, right? The adventure. Sticking your head out of the window and feel the wind ride your hair.

A road trip is one of the best ways to practice slow travel and budget travel. Not rushing things, enjoying the moment and investing deeply in getting to know a country.

Costa Vicentina: Southwest Portugal’s coast

Costa Vicentina sits on the southwestern coast of the country, belonging to the Alentejo region.

It still retains the authenticity and wild feeling, but with the same delicious food, the friendly people and the stunning landscapes that you can find in the rest of Portugal.

It’s characterized by dramatic beaches separated by dramatic cliffs, untouched landscapes and a raw Atlantic ssence hard to find elsewhere. Apart from the kilometers of beaches, there are also quaint villages, blissful coastal cities and vast natural parks.

While it’s starting to get a lot of hype, it’s still overshadowed by Algarve and generally overlooked by foreign tourists.

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Portugal road trip itinerary

After almost 10 years living in Lisbon, I had the chance to do a few road trips and several summer explorations. I’m now delighted to share with you my guide for a road trip in southwest coast of Portugal.

Here are the stops I recommended on this road trip if your trip is 10-day long.

If you have more time, great, spend more time in each place of just take some of my extra suggestions.

Portugal road trip map

Nothing like a map to see where you’re going, right?

I’m about to mention several places in this guide, so I created this map to follow the journey easily.

Orange pins: Main road trip stops – preferred places to base yourself
Yellow pins: Scenic landscape spots – don’t miss these if you’re a nature lover
Blue pins: Beaches within route – places for a dive along the way
Green pins: Extra & Add-Ons to this route – try to squeeze these in!

You can also open the map in a new window following this link. Find detailed descriptions of some of these places below.

LISBON: Starting off big!

You’ll need at least 3 days to get to know Portugal’s capital. To help you plan, I’ve put together a 3-day itinerary for Lisbon, with detailed tips on what to see and do.

Walking around the downtown is a must, but more than ticking off tourist attractions off the checklist, you might want to explore the most typical neighbourhoods of Alfama, Sé and Graça.

The awe-inspiring miradouros (viewpoints) and the narrow steep streets crowded with the moorish castle on top – Castelo de São Jorge -are the true essence of Lisboa.

Make sure you reserve some time to indulge in some experiences not to miss in Lisbon and to explore some of its secret places.

Before you’re gone, don’t forget to grab a stock of pastéis de nata and start your trip south, crossing either the Vasco da Gama or the 25 de Abril bridges.

ARRÁBIDA: Green and blue landscapes

Stretching along the south coast of the peninsula of Setúbal, Arrábida natural park is rich in golden beaches edged by impressive green mountains. It’s home to some of my favorite beaches around Lisbon.

The ex-libris of this area is the stunning Portinho da Arrábida with azure waters and a 17th-century fort. Personally, I’d rather endure a 20-min hike and reach Praia dos Coelhos to a more off the beaten track experience in direct contact with nature.

Both options ensure an awesome beach day.

COMPORTA: The perfect beach getaway

When you arrive here, you’ll officially be in the Alentejo region. I’ve praised Comporta before and how this perfect beach getaway is still kept a semi-secret beach destination is beyond me turned into a luxury getaway for the European elite doesn’t surprise me.

Imagine a small village, stuck between the Atlantic, endless rice fields and the plain landscape (sort of an european savana) of Alentejo. Oh and 15km of the wildest beaches you’ll find in Europe.

It’s the perfect pitstop to disconnect and step into a new state of mind for the rest of your trip. The Royal family of Monaco, who comes here every summer, appears to agree.

PORTO COVO: Summertime charm

Title of a well-known and melancholic portuguese song, Porto Covo is also a little hidden gem close to the port city of Sines. Somewhere in the maze of bright blue, red and white houses you’ll find many family-run restaurants with delicious and inexpensive food.

A 5-min drive out of the town center takes you to beaches with golden sands and turquoise waters. Try Praia de São Torpes – popular amongst surfers – or Praia da Ilha – with a great view for the small Pessegueiro islet.

Where to stay in Porto Covo

ZAMBUJEIRA DO MAR: Music for your ears

Zambujeira do Mar is not particularly exciting as a town. Period.

Apart from the MEO Sudoeste summer festival happening each August (had a great time there partying my ass off at the sound of Calvin Harris!) there’s nothing much going on.

However, it’s a VERY interesting strategic point to spend a few days. There are lots of great affordable accommodation available as it generally attracts younger crowds.

Zambujeira is close enough to explore some of the best spots like the western most point of the whole Alentejo’s coast, Cabo Sardão, and some more striking beaches such as Praia do Tonel and Praia do Carvalhal. Great hiking trails available as well.

Find your place to stay in Zambujeira

Search amongst the places to stay in Zambujeira do Mar with WiFi and a minimum overall rating of “Very Good”. Hard to go wrong with these!

ODECEIXE: Atlantic bliss

Where the river Ceixe meets the Atlantic, lies Odeceixe, technically already in the Algarve region. But this is not the typical Algarve you are used to.

Odeceixe is well known for one of the largest and glorious beaches in Portugal, surrounded by giant tree-covered cliffs of a giant natural park. Little confession to make: this is my favourite place of them all.

Save 2 or 3 days to explore the surroundings of Odeceixe. I’ve been here several times, but never stayed more than one full day. I REALLY want to come back not only for the top-notch local beach, but also to hike some of the surrounding cliffs.

ARRIFANA: Cliff fantasy

Hidden at the bottom of a steep cliff, Praia da Arrifana is both a postcard landscape and a paradise for surfers. Down there, Restaurante da Praia has great grilled fish, yummy salads and is also great for a relax drink at the evening at the sound of the waves.

Kayaking, windsurfing, SUP, surfing and water sports in general are HUGE in Portugal. If you haven’t tried these before, this is absolutely the time to do it. Arrifana in particular is a well-known destination for watersports lovers.

Where to stay next to Arrifana Beach

The Amazigh Bed & Breakfast is a great value place to stay next to the beach.

FARO/ALGARVE: The perfect farewell to Portugal

Although I prefer hands down the wild and vibe of Alentejo’s coastline, I got to say I’ve always enjoyed my time in Algarve.

Even though massive tourism threatens to take away some of its personality, it’s still home to some top-notch beaches in the world. There’s nothing wrong in saving 2 or 3 days to lay on them. It’s the perfect farewell to Portugal!

Faro is the only international airport in the region and it might be convenient to return back home. However there are much more beautiful places in Algarve, including some almost-deserted islands around – like the stunning Ilha do Farol. By all means don’t stick to Faro.

No matter what you do, it’s advisable to avoid the booze hotspots of Algarve: Albufeira and Vilamoura . These are nothing but bland touristy places with meh beaches nearby.

A slightly better option is Portimão, where there are excellent beach options: Praia do Vau or Praia dos Três Irmãos.

Lagos is one of my favorite areas in the Algarve. It’s a very tranquil place, even though the top beach there has suffered a massive reengineering project which made it unrecognizable. Faro airport is no far and there are transfer companies doing the journey.

There are some other great options around Lagos town like Praia do Camilo, Praia dos Pinheiros or Praia da Luz – where they say some are still looking for Maddie McCann.

Check the road trip map for other suggestions for beaches in Algarve.

Where to stay in Algarve

Lagos is a great place to base yourself in the Algarve, giving you access to a series of top-notch small beaches.

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Extra stops to add to this road trip itinerary

This itinerary has got a minimum recommended duration of 10 days, but if you have more time, make sure you explore other highlights of Portugal.

It’s relatively small country after all and you can easily add more places to your route and enrich your holidays. There are many other places in Portugal worth discovering.

Here are some suggestions:

Porto

Why not start your road trip route upper north in Portugal’s second largest city? Porto is very different from Lisbon – and of the rest of the country for that matter – in many ways.

But both are clearly national winners in two things: the sympathy of people and food. Read more about it in my Porto guide for dummies or in my weekend itinerary of the city.

Nazaré, Portugal

Nazaré is the most traditional fishing village in Portugal. Look around and notice the drying the fish and women with their typical set of seven-layered skirts.

While the main beach in the town is OK to get into the water, this is a place well-known for its GIGANTIC waves which has become a tourist attraction by itself. Praia do Norte is the location for the world record of the largest wave ever surfed – by Garret McNamara in 2013. The monster wave was 100ft or 30m high and can be seen in this video.

Sintra, Portugal

Located the northern-most extent of the protected Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, 30km from Lisbon, Sintra displays an alluring fairy-tale nature setting. This little town has been a summer retreat for the portuguese royal family for centuries and is lush with green forests, exotic flowers and exquisite architecture.

Make sure you don’t miss Castelo dos Mouros -the moorish castle overlooking the village – and Palácio da Pena, a Romanticist palace on a hilltop with great views over the entire Lisbon metropolitan area. Also, since you’re already in the area get a look at continental Europe’s most western point: Cabo da Roca. Beware of the wind!

Évora, Portugal

Since you’re at Alentejo already, venture out to the interior, entirely different from the coast. Évora in particular is drenched in history, heritage and culture, making it a constrasting break from all the beach and ocean. Also, a chance to have a sneak peek at how’s life in the interior of Portugal.

Warning: it can get VERY hot in peak summer months.

Seville, Spain

I know this road trip is about Portugal, but why not take a detour and include one more country in your itinerary? Iberian power! Seville is less than 200km away from the portuguese border and is the cultural centre of the region of Andalucía.

There’s a lot to do and specially to eat here. Grab some hot churros con chocolate, jamón or a freshly-made sangria in between your visit to the city’s main sights. Don’t miss El Alcazar, a royal palace built for Moorish kings, and the magnificent Plaza de España.

Driving in Portugal

While you can technically do this road trip with a scooter or motorbike (heck, even with a bike if you’re in the right shape!), renting a car is definitely the most convenient option to do this road trip, giving you total freedom and independence.

Public transportation is NOT reliable and will not reach most beaches and other spots mentioned here.

Renting a car in Portugal

For some reason I can’t understand, renting a car in Portugal is slightly more expensive than in other countries of Southern Europe.

That said, you can still find some great deals, specially if you book early! I always use this Skyscanner or my new favorite RentalCars to compare prices.

How are the roads in Portugal?

Driving in Portugal is not anywhere near like a Gran Turismo game and roads are usually in good shape. That said, you’ll need to be careful, as we’re talking about a country with one of the highest accident rates in Europe.

Although there is a direct highway from Lisbon to Algarve (A2 motorway), the cheaper and more scenic route for this road trip is through the regional and national roads. These skip the expensive toll system and go very close to the coast so it’s a more enjoyable journey.

If you happen to pass by any of the main tolls, take care NOT to use the green lanes Via Verde (a giant green V). These are strictly reserved for vehicles subscribed to their automatic toll payment system, so you will get fined and charged for the entire stretch of motorway!

Important information for drivers in Portugal

Some other useful driving numbers to remember – updated to 2024:

Finding accommodation in Alentejo and Algarve

Having a lot of media attention lately, the accommodation in Alentejo has risen a lot in recent years, both in quantity and quality as resorts, rural houses and guest houses pop up like mushrooms.

My personal suggestion is Herdade do Amarelo, a stunning homestead next to Vila Nova de Milfontes, but there is a choice to all tastes and wallet sizes.

To make your life even easier, use this shortlist of the best-reviewed rural accommodation in the coast of Alentejo.

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In the Algarve region, the offer accommodation is much higher but the best places can get fully booked with months in advance.

What is the best time of the year to do a road trip in Portugal?

Short answer: you should be fine to do this road trip anywhere between April and October, as warm weather in Portugal lasts for about half a year.

That said, along this route you’ll be driving along a wild Atlantic coastline, so weather can be chilly, rough and particularly windy very unpredictably.

If possible, avoid the month of August entirely. It will surely save you 20-30% of the overall budget, as everything since accommodation to a single bottle of water is inflated. Plus, it’s the default holiday month in Europe so all the towns I’ve mentioned turn into mini-Algarves.

In summary, if you can avoid peak months and at the same time maximize the probability of warm sunny weather, come to Portugal in May, June, July or September.

Should I visit Portugal in winter?

Between November and March it’s winter time and it can get especially cold next to the ocean. In Costa Vicentina, forget about beach weather it will be chilly and windy, although hiking is possible. It might be an interesting time for surfing enthusiasts.

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Food in Portugal

OK, almost dinner time at the time I’m writing this, so let’s talk about food. I know this is suspicious coming from me *a bold statement is coming* but food standards in Portugal are simply great.

I honestly can’t find a better combination of taste, price, and healthiness in Europe. If you are really to take this road trip, I bet my pinkie finger you will not have one mediocre meal. #highexpectations

Take advantage of your time in Portugal to eat food generally unavailable or expensive elsewhere: fish. Grilled fresh fish with a simple pinch of salt and herbs to season is one of my favorite summer pleasures. Luckily, that’s not hard to find at all in the entire Costa Vincentina, with equally delicious prices.

What to eat in Alentejo

And speaking of Alentejo in particular… oh dear. We’re talking about one of Portugal’s gastronomic edens! Don’t miss the big peppery olives (azeitonas) for starters and a glass of regional wine to drink. After all, half of the country’s wine is produced here.

Bacalhau (codfish) dishes are frequent as well as porco (pork), but you can’t miss to try a local plate and my personal favorite: Carne de Porco à Alentejana – a mouth-watering combination of pork, wine, potatoes and clams.

Enjoy the ride and help me improve this guide!

You know I always love to put together a complex travel plan – just like I did with my Croatia road trip guide, my Japan itinerary or my island hopping guide in Thailand. This one is different though. Being my country, I did it with little or no research: it was written all from the heart 💖.

This guide will be updated regularly from now on, so after you use it and visit Portugal yourself, let me know of any additional suggestions or tips, I’d love to hear what I’ve missed!

Creating this guide made me want to do this road trip it all over again. It’s cheap, it’s still unspoiled by tourism and comes with a getaway feeling to it which is harder and harder to find nowadays.

I really hope you can have the same experience. Because contrarily to the immense coastline of awe-inspiring beaches of Alentejo, Cristiano Ronaldo does not need any more hype!

Did this help plan out your vacation? What have I missed for a memorable Portugal road trip?
Leave a comment in the comments below 👇