We will be traveling to Lisbon then down to the Algarve region for a week? Where would it be better to rent a car- Lisbon, Faro or other??? Would it be a good idea to take the train down to Faro and then rent a car?? Traveling seems to be our last detail. We've heard mixed reviews about driving in Portugal. What have you found to be true??? <BR> <BR>Thanks for your advise. <BR>First trip to Portugal. <BR> <BR>Janice

WE were in Portugal two years ago and found driving in the Agarve area not too bad. However the drive from Faro to Lisbon was harrowing for my husband, I did not get behind the wheel at all. My husband has driven comfortably in Italy including Rome and Florence and in the UK as well but found Portugal to be unnerving. He is an ex-cop and so has a great regard for the niceties of the road, like signalling, doing within +40% of the speed limit and not passing on the inside shoulder of the road,little things like that...I thought I was going to lose him to high blood pressure, if we weren't wiped out by another car!

Been there, drove there, happy to be alive. Rent on the Algarve, if at all. The Portuguese are wonderful people, but driver's education is obviously a rarely-accepted elective course. The combination of ineptitude and aggression is indeed a toxic brew. <BR>Just my opinion, of course.

It's been about 10 years but I doubt things have changed that much. We rented a car while staying in Caiscais (sp?) and drove to the north and west. By missing a turn I got involved in the outskirts of Lisbon, which I hadn't intended -- and thus regretted. No great problems, just a bit nerve-wracking. Later we rented a car while on the Algarge and covered a lot of miles, east to the Spanish border and west to Land's End. No problems and much easier driving. Still later, on the same trip, we went to Madiera. There we rented a car and driver. Good decision! Happy travels!

Make that Algarve. Sorry.

I don't recommend driving in Portugal. It can be dangerous. The train is the way to go. On vacation the last thing you need is stress and driving will definitely cause it. Portugal is beautiful, in the train you will be able to appreciate the view more while some one else does the driving.

I drove all over Portugal and it was very easy. Did the drive from the Algarve to Lisbon and it was very nice. There was not much traffic. Maybe it was because we were there in the spring rather then summer? <BR> <BR>I never took public transportation in Portugal so I don't know how it is there. But certainly driving is the most convenient. We picked up our car in Lisbon, at the airport and drove North then into Spain then down to Costa Del Sol and Algarve then North back to Lisbon. It was a beautiful drive. <BR> <BR>