We planned to spend at least two nights at each main stop and take short breaks to see a few other places along the way. All in all, it was great! The entire route was about km.
Road conditions are usually very good in Portugal and Spain, and a car navigation system or cell phone with data works well to go anywhere with ease using the Waze or Google Maps apps. Many highways in Portugal have tolls, and the easiest way to pay for them is using a ViaVerde transponder. The toll costs can add up quickly, but the alternative routes can easily add 1h or more of driving time. So, pick your poison. They charge a small fee per day for the use of the transponder and then settle all the toll charges accumulated during the rental period when returning the car.
This worked out well, as traffic in the larger cities can be heavy and navigating the narrow streets near historic sites can be difficult and confusing. Larger hotels usually have parking on the premises, and the cost was about Euro per night. Smaller properties and short-term-type accommodations e. Airbnb, VRBO, etc. Check out the parking information in the property description on the reservation website, or contact the location directly to confirm details and availability.
Public parking and street parking can be found in many areas, and are usually paid from 9 am to 6 or 7 pm, which means parking overnight is free. The tricky part is that there may be a limit on how many hours you can pay at a time, and you may have to go back to the car to pay for a new period. This map shows the main places we visited during this trip, and a list with links in the order we visited is below.
Note on cell phones: If you are visiting Europe and have an unlocked device, pre-paid SIM cards are available from many local companies and the data can be used in countries across the European Union EU. Data plans from one EU country can also be used in other member countries without roaming charges.
