Portugal North to South (2023)

FAQs

Portugal North to South? ›

At roughly 35,000 square miles, Portugal is about the size of the state of Indiana, just under 350 miles from north to south and about 135 miles across from west to east. It's bordered by Spain on the north and east, and the Atlantic Ocean on the west and south.

At roughly 35,000 square miles, Portugal is about the size of the state of Indiana, just under 350 miles from north to south and about 135 miles across from west to east. It's bordered by Spain on the north and east, and the Atlantic Ocean on the west and south.

From Chaves, in the North, close to the Spanish border, to Faro in the Algarve on the Atlantic Coast, the longest road in Portugal is 739 kilometres long and has a host of stories to tell. The perfect itinerary for exploring the culture and landscape of our country in all its authenticity.

Winter: If you don't like the heat, the North is your number one choice. The climate is Atlantic, which means the sea moderates the presence of the heat so it'll never be too hot. And so, you can enjoy and visit monumental cities as Viseu, Aveiro and Porto without a drop of sweat. Summer: So, you're a Summer lover…

Recommended Road Trip Length

The total driving time for this Portugal road trip is just over 6 hours, but you should take your time on this historic route and make the most of each town. A full week to 10 days is ideal.

Most travelers automatically plan for a week-long vacation. Seven days to spend in Portugal gives you enough time to see some of the country, but you'll probably miss a lot of things when you only have a week.

Portugal has a large railway network that spans practically the whole country, making travel between the cities quite economical, extremely convenient, and oftentimes very scenic thanks to all the greenery we see when traveling from city to city.

From Lisbon to Cascais and Sintra

One of Portugal's shortest but most scenic coastal roadtrips starts just outside the capital. Weaving from Lisbon to the classy coastal village of Cascais, skip the highways and follow the seaside Marginal to see where the Tagus River meets the Atlantic Ocean.

The distance between Lisbon and Faro is about 278 kilometers, and driving straight down with no stops can take about 2.5-3 hours. Much like the first leg of the trip, there are plenty of things to see along the way that might make the trip a little longer, but totally worth it.

You can't road trip Portugal without your own set of wheels and whether you opt for a car or a campervan, you'll be spoilt for choice. We recommend you opt for a campervan as there are some really unique campsites and places to park in Portugal.

What is the best month to go to Portugal? ›

The best time to visit Portugal is in spring (March-May), when the country is in bloom and waking after the winter. You could also go in fall (between September and October) when the sun is still shining, the weather is warm, and many of the crowds have dispersed.

Spring and fall offer the best combination of good weather, long days, and plenty of tourist and cultural activities — particularly during Holy Week, Lisbon's series of June festivals (which peak on St. Anthony's Day, June 13), and Porto's celebrations of St. John's Day (June 23–24).

Lisbon offers some of the most popular tourist attractions, museums, and sights in Portugal. While Porto has some worthwhile cathedrals and sights (like the Harry Potteresque bookstore), Porto is more about enjoying the city, strolling the streets, taking in views, and tasting Port wine at the Port lodges.

Driving in Portugal is fairly easy. The only difficulty might be in the city centres where the streets are very narrow and the roads are made of cobblestone. The motorways are all quite new and so the road conditions are extremely good and if you don't mind paying for tolls, you will get around very quickly.

To get most of the basics you need at least 7 days of travel in Portugal. In one week, it is possible to walk calmly through the streets of Lisbon and make some short trips to nearby destinations, such as Sintra and Cascais.

Regional trains are often cheaper and some lines very scenic, but it's almost always quicker to go by bus – especially on shorter or less obvious routes. You'll obviously have a great deal more flexibility if you drive, and you'll be able to visit more out-of-the-way places in a short trip.

If you do want to go away for the weekend, however, a car is going to be essential unless you're planning on going to one of the main Portuguese cities (e.g. Lisbon, Porto, Aveiro, Coimbra, etc.)

While we always recommend spending as much time as possible in Portugal, 5 days is plenty of time to see the largest two cities – Porto and Lisbon. Our 5-day Portugal itinerary starts in the beautiful city of Porto, early in the morning.

In nine to 12 days, you can expect to see a generous chunk of all that Portugal has to offer, from its most sensational cities to sublime vineyards and beaches, on a north-to-south trip.

U.S. Citizens are entitled to drive in Portugal with their U.S. issued driver's license for a period no to exceed 185 days, provided they are not legal residents.

Is Portugal friendly to US citizens? ›

In general, the people in Portugal are warm, welcoming, and helpful. This is very important to new expats trying to figure out the Portuguese language, the bureaucracy, or even where to find a grocery store. A little friendliness on your side will always be greeted with the same.

English is widely spoken in Portugal, especially in the larger cities and in the Algarve. Plenty of foreigners live comfortably and reasonably efficiently speaking only in English. (In fact, it can be difficult to find a Portuguese who will speak to you in Portuguese.)

Portugal's shape is rectangular, the longest north-south distance is 349 miles/561 km and widest east-west distance is 135 miles/218 km.

Mainland Portugal occupies an area of 88,889 km2. It is 218 km wide and 561 km long. It has 832 km of Atlantic coast and a 1,215 km border with Spain.

Portugal is a country on the Iberian Peninsula on the Atlantic coast. The land has a total area of 92,226 km² (35,608 mi²) and a total coastline of 1,793 km (1,114.1 mi).

How long is the Coastal Route of the Portuguese Camino? The total distance of the Coastal Route from Porto to Santiago (Porto – Vigo – Redondela – Santiago) is 280 km/173 mi. It takes 12-14 days on average to complete the Camino. What is this?

If this is calculated per inhabitant, taking purchasing power parity into account, then Portugal ranks 43rd in the list of the richest countries. Inflation in Portugal in 2022 was around 7.83%. Within the EU, the average in the same year was 9.22 percent. In the United States, it was most recently 8.00%.

How hard is the Camino Portugues? The Portuguese Way is a challenging multi-day walk. It requires preparation and training especially if you're not an experienced walker/hiker and have never done a long-distance walk before. You walk 20-25 km a day on average with a backpack for 12-14 days.

It takes 12 walking days to complete the Coastal Camino Portugues from Porto, but it is also possible to shorten certain stages to make the walking days a bit easier and to allow pilgrims to enjoy some time in the towns and villages along the way.

Portugal is the oldest nation state on the Iberian Peninsula and one of the oldest in Europe, its territory having been continuously settled, invaded and fought over since prehistoric times.

Is Portugal the size of California? ›

Portugal is about 4.4 times smaller than California.

California is approximately 403,882 sq km, while Portugal is approximately 92,090 sq km, making Portugal 22.8% the size of California. Meanwhile, the population of California is ~37.3 million people (27.0 million fewer people live in Portugal).

What is Portugal famous for? Wine, for sure; this is where you'll find some of the oldest wine-growing regions in the world. In fact, two of Portugal's wine-growing regions, the Douro Valley and Pico Island in the Azores, are protected as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Portugal is one of the most affordable countries in Western Europe, with food available at affordable prices, cheap options for accommodation, and reasonable costs for transport. It's not surprising, then, that so many American expats are making this beautiful country their home.

Florida is about 1.5 times bigger than Portugal.

Portugal is approximately 92,090 sq km, while Florida is approximately 139,670 sq km, making Florida 52% larger than Portugal. Meanwhile, the population of Portugal is ~10.2 million people (8.6 million more people live in Florida).

Portugal, officially The Portuguese Republic, is a country in southern Europe, founded in 1143, occupying a total area of 92,212 km2.

The classic Camino Portugués is an epic pilgrim trail taking you from Lisbon all the way to the historic centre of Santiago de Compostela; while the Portuguese Coastal Camino is a scenic alternative route, starting in picturesque Porto.

A true pilgrimage - a spiritual commitment marked by faith, culture, nature, people and the sharing of stories that cross each other along the Camino. The first pilgrimages by the Portuguese Camino de Santiago date back to the 12th century.

Yes, you can drive around Portugal and actually driving around Portugal is probably the best way to see the country. There are so many awesome coastal cities, castles, and viewpoints all over the country that having a car is the best way to see them all.