Open Roads

I have read many articles by British ex-pats and tourists alike on the "joys" of driving in Portugal.

They invariably give Portuguese drivers a terrible reputation which in my experience is totally undeserved.

I have undoubtedly encountered far more aggressive and inconsiderate road users at home in England than ever graced any "Estrada national".

It has to be said that a lot of Portuguese drivers leave their manoeuvres till the very last minute, drawing to within almost touching distance before whipping out to overtake vehicles in front of them.

They also tend to choose the most unlikely (and sometimes downright dangerous) places to execute their overtaking.

It has however to be remembered that Portugal was western Europe's late starter in terms of economy and infrastructure and, as i once read somewhere, the Portuguese went directly from Donkeys to Datsuns so many current Portuguese drivers have no elder relative whose driving wisdom they can inherit.

In general however i find them very laid back and accommodating, generally in no kind of hurry and quite prepared to adopt the Portuguese "Noa faz mal" attitude to differences of opinion on the highway.

The real joy for me of motoring in Portugal is the lack of congestion.

It is literally like turning the clock back 30 years with miles and miles of clear highway stretching out in front of you regardless of the time of day or your proximity to large urban areas.

The "Infante de sagres" A22 motorway stretches almost deserted into the distance despite it being mid morning on a working week day.

Whilst the village of Santa Luzia can be enjoyed without a car I always like to have wheels available and car hire is relatively cheap in Portugal.

I have found Holiday Autos provide excellent deals.

Use the link on the left hand side of this page for a really keen quote.