SLOW ROADS!
Beautiful Drives Through Portugal
for Cars & Motorcycles
Jorge M. Serpa
About Jorge M. Serpa
Jorge M. Serpa was born in Lisbon, Portugal
in 1960, and grew up in Mozambique. He has
travelled extensively in Latin America, Africa,
Asia and Europe. He currently lives with his
family in Lisbon.
About Adamastor Travel, LLC
Adamastor Travel is a US-based company
established in 2011. The company plans to be
active in travel planning; as a provider of
travel-related media content (text & photos);
and as a publisher of travel-related books and
guides. Slow Roads! Beautiful Drives Through
Portugal for Cars & Motorcycles by Jorge M.
Serpa is Adamastor Travel’s first book.
Adamastor Travel
Travel Planning ● Media Content ● Books
New York ● Boston ● Lisbon
SLOW ROADS!
Beautiful Drives Through Portugal
For Cars & Motorcycles
Jorge M. Serpa
Text, photos
& maps:
Jorge M. Serpa
Published by:
Adamastor Travel, LLC
155, East 49th Street, 5D
New York, NY 10017
Printed by:
Peres-SocTip Indústrias Gráficas, SA
Samora Correia, Portugal
Copyright © 2011 by Jorge M. Serpa
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, electronic,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without previous permission from the author.
The contents of this publication are believed to be correct at the time of printing. However, the author does not
accept responsibility for any error or omission, or for changes in details given in this publication. Additionally,
the author does not accept responsibility for any loss, injury, or inconvenience sustained by any traveler as a
result of any information or advice in this publication.
ISBN 10:
ISBN 13:
0984788107
978-0-9847881-0-1
Adamastor Travel
Travel Planning ● Media Content ● Books
New York ● Boston ● Lisbon
Contents
Preface
5
Introduction
7
The Tours
Tour 1: Beaches & Mountains
Tour 2: Megaliths, Castles & Dams
Tour 3: Down the Guadiana
Tour 4: The Alentejo Coast
Tour 5: From Coast to Border
Tour 6: The Serra da Arrábida
Tour 7: The Golden Triangle
Tour 8: Fishing Villages & Monasteries
Tour 9: Mountains & Historic Villages
Tour 10: Beautiful Rivers
Tour 11: Up the Douro
Tour 12: Deep Behind the Mountains
Tour 13: Through Minho
11
13
27
39
51
65
81
93
107
123
137
151
165
179
Starting Towns
Lagos
Évora
Lisbon
Coimbra
Porto
193
194
196
198
200
202
Border Links
South of Elvas
Elvas to Vilar Formoso
Vilar Formoso to Chaves
West of Chaves
205
206
208
210
212
Nuts & Bolts
The Basics
Driving in Portugal
Resources & Context
Basic Portuguese for the Road
215
216
219
221
224
Putting Your GPS to Use
229
Indexes
General
Places from the Address Book
259
260
268
4  Slow Roads!
P reface
In July 2009, my wife—a US diplomat—went to Iraq for a one-year tour. Due to regulations of the Department
of State, I was not allowed to go with her (to my great disappointment, I should add). After some thought, I
decided that I would spend that year in Portugal, near my mother and my two sisters.
As it turns out, I spent a great part of my time on the road, either in my car (a Nissan Patrol 4WD) or on my
motorcycle (a BMW R1200 GSA). I ended up acquiring an extensive library of road guides: Frommer’s
Best‐Loved Driving Tours, DK’s Back Roads, Petit Futé’s Les Plus Belles Routes de France, Whitehorse Press’s…
you get the idea. One thing that always left me a bit sad was not being able to find an equivalent book for
Portugal. The closest thing I could find was the series Nos Caminhos de Portugal put out by Mobil Oil Portugal in
the 80s, but completely outdated today. Anyway, soon the “sabbatical” year in Portugal came to an end, and that
should have been the end of this story.
Well, it turns out that the next year, one of my wife’s colleagues asked for help putting together an itinerary
through Portugal. Of course I helped him, and I enjoyed it tremendously, but the episode ended up reminding
me of the need for that road book….
Shortly afterwards, I found myself on my motorcycle, driving yet again through Alentejo’s beautiful and
nearly deserted back roads. When I got to Lisbon, I called home and told my wife that I was starting to work on
this book. I hope you enjoy using it as much as I enjoyed putting it together.
From the beginning of this project, I was lucky enough to receive support and encouragement from
numerous people, some of them old friends, others new friends who I met on the road. Trying to name them all
in here would be in an impossible task. To all of you—you know who you are—my most sincere and most
heartfelt thanks. A few of these “supporters” went “above and beyond the call of duty,” and these I would like to
mention here. So a very special thank you to Álvaro Brandão, with whom I covered many of the roads listed in
this book; to Francisco Caetano, my brother Vasco, and my brother-in-law Eduardo Rodrigues who went
through a few of the early versions of this book; to Nuno Miguel Alves, at the Turismo de Portugal in New York
for his early support; and to Palmer and Janet Roseli, who tried out early versions of a few tours during their
stays with us in Lisbon (and who kindly pointed out my enthusiastic over-use of the exclamation mark!)
Last but not least, I would also like to express a very special thank you to my wife, Lucy, and my two kids,
Ben and Filipa.
You may want to “register” your book purchase. Doing so will allow me to keep you updated on route and
recommendation changes. Depending on the make and model of your GPS, I may also be able to provide you
with the waypoints in a file, ready to be entered into your GPS. Last but not least, motorcycle drivers will be
able to claim 7"x5" tank bag maps for the tours. Just send a message to me at [email protected].
Jorge M. Serpa
Lisbon, November 2011
6  Slow Roads!
I ntroduction
This book is meant to be a practical guide for car and motorcycle drivers through the back roads of Portugal. The
itineraries are designed for travelers who like driving on scenic roads, stopping here and there to see interesting
places—i.e., someone like me. The book provides driving instructions for specific routes, and brief write-ups for
suggested stops. A few words concerning the stops: the reasons for a place being deemed “worth a stop” varies. It
can be the place’s history, something cultural, the beauty of the views, or nothing more than a particularly good
restaurant. Concerning the “brief write-ups,” they are just that. This book is not meant to be a replacement for
more traditional guides such as Lonely Planet or The Rough Guide. Rather, it is meant to be used with them as a
complement. This comment applies as well to my recommendations for restaurants and hotels.
Driving times presented throughout the book are approximate. For me, an “optimal day” on the road
consists of five to six hours of driving, plus a couple of hours for stops and visits. In general, this translates into
something between 250 km and 300 km of road covered in a day—plus or minus a little something, depending
on the types of road.
…Which bring us to the topic of measurement units. In this book I use the International (or Metric) System
(for distances, meters and kilometers rather than feet and miles). Portugal is a “metric” country and, as such,
meters (m) and kilometers (km) are the only units that you will see on road signs and on mileposts. For drivers
accustomed to the English System, I include conversion tables on the inside of the back cover.
Concerning the maps in this guide: more traditional (and commercially available) road maps are made to
accurately represent reality; my maps are made to somewhat resemble it! As such, my maps should not be used
for navigation purposes. They are included to provide you with a general sense of direction for a given place. If
you haven’t done so yet, you should consider making a small investment in good road maps. Both Michelin and
ACP (Portugal’s Automobile Club) produce high quality maps. You may also want to consider getting street
plans for the bigger cities on your route. Note that, in my opinion, having a GPS onboard does not eliminate the
need for good paper maps.
Water fountain, Telheiro
8  Slow Roads!
Concerning those incredible little machines, as you
may have seen on the cover, this guide is “GPS
friendly.” Waypoints for the routes and places of
interest are provided as a complement to the driving
directions. In the write-up of the tours, you will
occasionally come to a parenthesis with the name of a
waypoint in red font, such as (wpt: PPied). These are
normally either points in the route that could be
somewhat tricky or points of particular interest. (For
the coordinates themselves, consult the tables in the
chapter Putting Your GPS to Use.) Waypoints for my
hotel and restaurant recommendations are also
provided. Note that all coordinates in the book are
presented in degree and decimal minute format
(Nxx° xx.xxx', Wx° xx.xxx‘).
Some readers will drive across the border from
Spain into Portugal. The chapter Border Links is
directed particularly to them. In it, I provide
instructions on how to go from the various border
Non-conformist at a sunflower field in Alentejo
crossings to the tours—and, by reversing them, how to
go from the tours to the border crossings.
formatting
On my recommendations for places to eat and sleep, note that I do not have a well-defined or rigid criterion.
For example, on the restaurants, the recommendations range from the star-loaded Fialho in Évora to the humble
Taberna do Manuel Gonçalves in Santa Clara-a-Velha. The only thing that all of them have in common is that,
over the many years of traveling through Portugal, I have slept or eaten there. For whatever reason, all those
places left a mark on me, so much so that I remembered them as I sat at home writing this book. So look at the
recommendations as my way to thank them for the memories.
All efforts have been made to assure the correctness of the information in this guide. However, things do
change, and especially so in Portugal, a country still undergoing profound transformations as a result of its
relatively recent entry into the European Union. Please contact me, should you come across information in the
book which is no longer correct or information which is not in the book but that you think should be. You can do
so via e-mail to [email protected]. Writers of particularly good or useful contributions will be rewarded
with a free copy of the next edition of this book.
Fishing boat in Peniche’s harbor
Left: Meal time, Alentejo style
Introduction  9
Last but not least, we all have heard not-so-nice
stories of driving in Portugal. These stories are
leftovers from days long gone by, thank goodness. In
the past 20 or so years, roads, cars, drivers, laws, law
enforcement, and everything else that impacts road
safety have improved by quantum leaps. Driving in
Portugal today is pretty much the same as driving
anywhere else in Western Europe. Having said that,
note that the itineraries in this guide will take you
through many secondary and tertiary roads. Some of
these roads are nothing more than glorified, single-lane
wide, rural paths. In others, the asphalt layer may be in
less than prime condition, or you may find yourself
behind farm machinery. You will have to drive with
added care, needless to say. So slow down and take
your time. Relax. After all, these are roads for you to
enjoy; roads that let you travel at “see” level; roads that
bring you back to the Portugal of yesteryears; roads
infused with the true spirit of…
Slow Roads!
Old bridge over the Vascão River near Giões
10  Slow Roads!
The Tours
From Lagos
Beaches & Mountains
From Évora
Megaliths, Castles & Dams
Down the Guadiana
From Lisbon
The Alentejo Coast
From Coast to Border
The Serra da Arrábida
The Golden Triangle
Fishing Villages & Monasteries
From Coimbra
Mountains & Historic Villages
Beautiful Rivers
From Porto
Up the Douro
Deep Behind the Mountains
Through Minho
12  Slow Roads!
Tour 7:
The Golden Triangle
(128 km, 1 day)
Itinerary
Lisbon - Belém
Belém - Ermida de S. Jerónimo
Ermida de S. Jerónimo - Estoril
Estoril - Cascais
Cascais - Cabo da Roca
Cabo da Roca - Palácio N. da Pena
Palácio Nacional da Pena - Sintra
Sintra - Azenhas do Mar
Azenhas do Mar - P. N. de Queluz
Palácio Nacional de Queluz - Lisbon
7 km, 15m
2 km, 5m
21 km, 40m
4 km, 10m
23 km, 30m
15 km, 20m
2 km, 5m
12 km, 20m
27 km, 40m
15 km, 20m
Farol de Santa Marta, Cascais
5
Colares
Cascais
Peninha
Capuchos
4
“Palace Road”
8
Boca do Inferno
Guincho
Cabo
da Roca
Azenhas do Mar
3
Fontanelas
Palácio da Pena
S. Julião da Barra
Estoril
6
7
Sintra
Costa da Caparica
2
Belém
1
Palácio Nacional
de Queluz
Ermida de S. Jerónimo
9
5 Km
Almada
Lisboa
Loures
94  Slow Roads!
Tour 7: The Golden Triangle  95
Tour 7
The Golden Triangle
Estoril… Cascais… Sintra…
These are words that bring to mind grand mansions and palaces sprinkled
generously on a beautiful coastline and a magic mountain. The perfect
playground for kings, princes and jet-setters in general.
The region between Lisbon and Cabo da Roca—the
Promontorium Magnum of Roman times—is a one of
extraordinary beauty. It is no wonder that mankind,
from antiquity onwards, has always seen it as “godly.”
Varro, a prominent Roman writer from the 1st century
BC, refers to the Serra de Sintra as Mons Sacer,
meaning sacred mountains. Ptolemy called it Mons
Lunae, the mountains of the moon. Back in those days, it
was believed that Sintra was the retreat of Diana the
Huntress (Cynthia to the Romans). …And if it was
good for gods, it was good for kings! In the 14th
century, King Dinis picked Sintra to be the summer
retreat of his court. For the next five centuries, this
little town would remain one of the favorite places of
the Portuguese monarchy.
Cascais’s history as a resort of kings is a bit more
recent: it was not until 1870 that King Luis I decided
to spend part of his summers in the cool breezes of this
little fishermen’s town.
Unlike Sintra and Cascais, the history of Estoril as
a resort is not historical at all! The town as we know it
today was the creation of three men less than a century
ago. What the place lacked in heritage, they
compensated for with drive, and in 20 years, Estoril
become one of the most posh addresses in Europe for
both exiled and “wannabe” royals.
Tour 7 is a 128 km loop from Lisbon through the
region of Cascais and Sintra. It is meant to be done in
one easy day. As with the previous tour, this one also
has a significant “urban” component.
The high points of this tour include driving
through historical Belém (and sampling its worldfamous custards); visiting the royal retreats of Estoril
and Cascais; “doing” Europe’s westernmost point;
driving through the Serra de Sintra as it should be
done (i.e., on scenic forest roads); visiting Sintra and
some of its palaces; checking out the coast to the north
of Sintra; and, last but not least, taking a peek at the
palace of Queluz (often described as Portugal’s very
own mini-Versailles).
In the peak of summer, this tour may be subject to
traffic delays (especially in and around Cascais and in
Sintra). In addition, rush hour commuter traffic on
weekdays can be a bit heavy both on the Marginal
(N6) and on IC19. (Note however that the direction
of travel chosen for the tour should mitigate this
problem, as you will be mostly “against the traffic” in
the morning and again in the afternoon.
The waterfront, Cascais
96  Slow Roads!
The Road Book: Directions & Points of Interest
 Get on Av. 24 de Julho (by the river and the railroad
line to Cascais) heading W towards Algés. Stay on
this road (which by Alcântara becomes Av. da Índia)
to the traffic lights by Belém’s train station (roughly
2 km after passing underneath Ponte 25 de Abril).
(wpt: BelemIntE) Turn right here, onto Praça Afonso
de Albuquerque, and continue to the next intersection,
by the coach museum. Turn left at this intersection
and continue onwards onto Rua de Belém (passing in
front of the Presidential palace.) You will soon be at
the “Pastéis de Belém” and the monastery of
Jerónimos. Park wherever you can. (There are two
small parking lots nearby, but they are often full, so
you may have to look for a street-side parking place.)
1 - Belém
This neighborhood of Lisbon is undoubtedly one of
the richest places of Portugal as far as monuments,
museums and sites to see. Even the most abbreviated
visit here could take close to a full day (which is not in
the spirit of this guide book). The thing to do to “see”
Belém is to dedicate a day of your stay in Lisbon solely
to this area. The reason for the stop here in this tour is
a lot more mundane: just head for the Pastéis de Belém
and have a cup of coffee and one or two of their
cinnamon-dusted cream custards. The real thing! It is
difficult to imagine a better way to start what will be a
full day on the road. (Watch out for pickpockets
working the tourist crowds here.)
IC17 (CRIL)
IP7 (Eixo N-S) to IC17
4
3
1
To
Cascais
5
2
A2 to Setúbal
Lisbon’s Riverfront
1 - Monastery of Jerónimos
4 - Chapel of S. Jerónimo
2 - Discoveries’ monument
5 - Tower of Belém
3 - Docas (bars & restaurants)
Panorama from high up in Belém
 Having had your pastéis, continue heading W on Rua
de Belém, passing in front of the monastery. Stay on
this road (which after the monastery becomes Rua
Bartolomeu Dias) to the intersection with the Av. da
Torre de Belém. (If you look left, you will see the
Tower of Belém by the river bank.) (wpt: BSucesInt)
Turn right at this intersection and continue up the hill
to the end of the road. Turn right again, onto Av. do
Restelo, and stay on it to the intersection with Rua de
Alcolena (the 1st left). (wpt: ESJeronInt) Take this
left, then the 1st right (onto Rua Gil Eanes), then the
1st left again (onto Rua Pêro da Covilhã), and finally
the 1st left again, and you should be facing a small
parking lot next to a very small chapel.
2 - Ermida de S. Jerónimo
This tiny and sober chapel from the 16th century is
one of the oldest houses of prayer still standing in this
side of town (it pre-dates the monastery of Jerónimos
by more than half a century). At one point in time, it
marked the limits of the land possessions of the
Hieronymite monks of Belém. This chapel is almost
always closed, which is a pity. But despair not! The
reason to come all the way up the hill is not the chapel
itself, but the superb views from its gardens. In my
opinion, these are some of the best in the Belém area.
Two more bits of information about the Ermida: It
is possible to visit it, but only on Wednesdays and by
previous appointment ( 213.620.034); and in spite
of what the locals may tell you, this is not the chapel
where the Portuguese navigators prayed before leaving
on their long journeys. (That chapel, the Ermida de
Belém, was actually demolished for the construction of
the monastery of Jerónimos.)
Tour 9: Mountains & Historic Villages  133
Extending the Ride & Variations
Tour 9 can be easily combined with Tour 8: Fishing
Villages & Monasteries. Just follow it to Figueiró dos
Vinhos, and then switch to the new tour. If you prefer
to go by the coast, follow the new tour in the reverse
direction (next stop: Pombal).
If you have an extra day and want to see a few more
Historic Villages, my recommendation is that you
follow this tour to Linhares. From here, head to
Trancoso, where you start following Tour 10:
Beautiful Rivers. Stay on the new tour to the
intersection of M338 with M556, near the Caldeirão
dam (wpt: BCaldInt), and switch back to Tour 9. To
head from Linhares to Trancoso, make a u-turn in
Linhares, and once back on M555, stay on it heading
W to the intersection with M17 near Carrapichana.
Turn right here and stay on this road (which after
Celorico da Beira becomes N102/IP2) for 28.5 km to
R338 on the upper Serra da Estrela range
the intersection with M226/IC26. Turn left at this
intersection
formatting and, from here onwards, follow the signs to “Trancoso.”
It is also easy to combine this tour with the same Tour 10, should you be heading towards the upper Douro.
My advice here is that you stay on Tour 9 to the intersection of N223 with M542 near Sabugal. (wpt: SabgInt)
Turn left at this intersection, and continue for 2.1 km to the intersection with R324. Turn right here, towards
Cerdeira do Côa, and stay on this road for 31.0 km. You will end up at the intersection of R324 with M16 near
Alto do Freixo, where you switch to Tour 10 in the reverse direction (next stop: Castelo Mendo).
Tour 10
Trancoso
Linhares
Alto do Freixo
M338 & M556
Sabugal
Coimbra
Tour 8
Tour 9
Figueiró dos Vinhos
134  Slow Roads!
The Address Book: Eating, Drinking & Sleeping
Coja

Lagar do Alva
Estrada Municipal 344
 N40° 33.735', W7° 29.167'
 235.721.640
A restored olive press by the riverside.
Penhas da Saúde

Hotel Serra da Estrela ***
Estrada Regional 339
 N40° 18.419', W7° 32.921'
 275.310.300
 www.Turistrela.pt
The reference in Portugal for ski resorts. (The
only one as well!)
Manteigas
 Pousada de S. Lourenço
Estrada Nacional 232, km 50
 N40° 25.132', W7° 32.398'
 275.980.050
 www.Pousadas.pt
Figueiró da Serra
 Quinta do Adamastor
Rua do Hospital, 215
 N40° 25.132', W7° 32.398'
 271.770.010
 www.QuintaDoAdamastor.com
Great place to eat and sleep in the
countryside.
Carrapichana

Escorropicha, Ana!
Largo da Feira
 N40° 33.735', W7° 29.167'
 271.776.691
 www.EscorropichAna.com
Family-owned place with fantastic regional
fare. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Linhares

Taberna do Alcaide
Rua Direita
 N40° 32.352', W7° 27.714'
 271.776.578
The place in this little town. Open only on
Saturdays and Sundays.
Passado de Pedra, Caria
Valhelhas

Vallécula
Praça Dr. José de Castro, 1
 N40° 24.403', W7° 24.119'
 275.487.123
A touch of sophistication in the countryside.
Closed on Mondays.
Belmonte
 Pousada Convento de Belmonte
Serra da Esperança, s/n
 N40° 20.641', W7° 21.609'
 275.910.300
 www.Pousadas.pt
Caria


A Bebiana
Bairro de Santo António, 2
 N40° 18.174', W7° 22.553'
 275.476.259
A rustic but warm and welcoming place. Great
regional cuisine. Closed on Saturdays.
Passado de Pedra
Rua Prof. Gracinda Galiano, 1
 N40° 17.760', W7° 21.831'
 275.471.206
 www.PassadoDePedra.com.pt
A very nicely restored manor house in a small
countryside town. Charming and friendly.
Starting Tow ns
Porto
Coimbra
Lisbon
Lagos
Évora
196  Slow Roads!
Évora
Human settlement in the region of Évora dates back to
the primordium of time. As a matter of fact, this is one
of the regions of Portugal richest in findings from the
Stone Age. A few millennium later, by the Iron Age,
Évora was already an important settlement. It may
have been during this period that the town got the
name of Ebora. Pliny the Elder, in his monumental
Naturalis Historia, refers to the town as Ebora Cerealis
(attesting to the “granary” status of the region as early
as 2000 years ago.) Julius Caesar, after his glorious
Iberian campaign (60 BC), elevated the town to
municipium, naming it Liberalitas Julia (i.e., Julian
Generosity). Évora flourished during those days,
becoming an important town of Hispania.
The Romans lasted until the early 400s. They were
followed by the Alans, the Visigoths, and lastly by the
The Roman Temple late in the afternoon
Moors. It was during the Moorish era that the outer
walls
were re-built and the city developed the urban pattern that survives to this day. Évora was taken from the
formatting
Moors by the Portuguese in 1165. For the next 400 years, the town continued to flourish, becoming a major
center for humanists, artists, and writers. This was in great part due to Évora’s status as one of the preferred
towns of the early Portuguese kings. With the annexation of Portugal to Spain in 1580, the town lost this
preferred status and its glory started to wane.
José Saramago, the Portuguese writer of Nobel Prize fame, once stated that “Évora is a state of mind.” To
understand what the writer meant, one needs to spend some time in town, walking through the tangle of its
alleys, admiring its regal buildings, and visiting some of its churches. After all, the town is a UNESCO World
Heritage site, and deservedly so.



Adega do Neto
Rua dos Mercadores, 46
 N38° 34.228', W7° 54.622'
 963.947.319
 AdegaDoNeto.blogspot.com
Honest food! Closed on Sundays.
Dom Joaquim
Rua dos Penedos, 6
 N38° 34.259', W7° 54.869'
 266.731.105
One of the new in-places in Évora. Closed on
Sunday nights and Mondays.
O Fialho
Travessa dos Mascarenhas, 14/16
 N38° 34.412', W7° 54.766'
 266.703.079
 www.RestauranteFialho.com
One of the top restaurants in Portugal. Closed
on Mondays.

Tasquinha do Oliveira
Rua Cândido dos Reis, 45A
 N38° 34.470', W7° 54.773'
 266.744.841
A tasca gone upscale. Closed on Sundays.

Café Arcada
Praça do Giraldo, 10
 N38° 34.274', W7° 54.585'
 266.741.777

Pousada dos Lóios
Largo do Conde de Vila Flor
 N38° 34.360', W7° 54.421'
 266.730.070
 www.Pousadas.pt

Albergaria Solar do Monfalim ***
Largo da Misericórdia, 1
 N38° 34.225', W7° 54.421'
 266.750.000
 www.MonfalimTur.pt
Starting Towns: Évora   197
R114-4 to Arraiolos
To Igrejinha
IP2/N18 to Évora Monte
N254 to
Redondo
4
1
2
N114 to
Montemor-o-Novo
5
3
6
IP2/N18 to
R. de Monsaraz
M380 to Alcáçovas
Évora
(N38° 34.377', W7° 54.445')
1
2
3
4
-
Roman Temple
Praça do Giraldo (center)
Rossio de S. Brás (parking)
Aqueduct (parking)
5 - Bones’ chapel
6 - Train station
204  Slow Roads!
Border Links
206  Slow Roads!
South of Elvas
There are six border crossings south of Elvas. They are (from south to north):
A22/IP1 near Vila Real de Santo António
From this border it’s simple to get on Tour 3: Down
the Guadiana in Vila Real de Santo António or on
Tour 1: Beaches & Mountains in either Alcoutim or in
S. Brás de Alportel. To go to Vila Real de Santo
António, leave A22/IP1 on exit 18, onto N122, and
follow the signs. To go to Alcoutim (my
recommended option to get on Tour 1), leave
A22/IP1 on exit 18 as well, but now onto IC27
heading N. Stay on this road for 27.4 km to the
intersection with R124. Take this exit and then follow
the signs. To go to S. Brás de Alportel, go to Vila Real
de Santo António and follow Tour 3 from there.
The new bridge on R265-1 by Pomarão
From this crossing, the options are to join Tour 3:
Down the Guadiana in Mina de S. Domingos, or
Tour 1: Beaches & Mountains in Mértola. To go to
Mina, after the bridge, stay on R265-1 for 12.3 km to
the end of the road by R265 near Moreanes. Turn right
here and continue for 7.1 km. (For the more
adventurous, there is a piste from the port directly to
the mine. Ask around for instructions.) To go to
Mértola, stay on R265-1 for 4.6 km to the intersection
with M1153. Turn left here heading to Picoitos and
Fernandes. Stay on this road for 9.9 km to its end by
R265. Turn left at this intersection, and continue for
4.1 km more.
IP8 by Rosal de la Frontera in Spain
From this border, the easiest option is to head straight
to Serpa (30.9 km down on IP8), where you can start
following Tour 3: Down the Guadiana.
N258 by Barrancos
From this border, go to the intersection of M386 with
M517 by Póvoa de S. Miguel, where you can get on
either Tour 2: Megaliths, Castles & Dams or Tour 3:
Down the Guadiana. After the border, stay on N258
for 5.3 km to the intersection with M386 on the other
side of Barrancos. Turn right here, towards Amareleja,
and continue for 44.5 km.
The international bridge on A22/IP1
N256-1 by Mourão
From the border, head to Mourão (7.7 km down on
N256-1), where you can get on Tour 2: Megaliths,
Castles & Dams or Tour 3: Down the Guadiana.
Nossa Senhora da Ajuda bridge by Olivença
The option here is to head to Elvas, where you can get
on Tour 5: From Coast to Border. From Elvas, you
can also continue onwards to Estremoz, where you can
get on Tour 2: Megaliths, Castles & Dams. My
recommendation in this case is that you follow the tour
in the reverse sense (next stop: Redondo).
Border Links: South of Elvas  207
Estremoz
Tour 5
Elvas
Olivença
Évora
Tour 2
Mourão
Villanueva del
Fresno
Póvoa de S. Miguel
Barrancos
Serpa
Rosal de la Frontera
Tour 3
Mina de S. Domingos
Mértola
Pomarão
Tour 1
S. Brás de
Alportel
V. R. de Santo António
214  Slow Roads!
Nuts & Bolts
216  Slow Roads!
The Basics
This section provides basic general information on Portugal. It is not exhaustive, but that’s not the intention
either. Should you need more information of this type, please consult a more traditional country guide (e.g.,
Lonely Planet, or Frommer’s), or visit one of the many offices of Turismo de Portugal.
When to Go
As far as weather, the southern half of Portugal and
most of the center should be considered year-round
destinations. The far north and the mountains in the
center can get a bit too cold and wet for motorcycle
riding during the peak of winter (mid-December to
mid-February). It can even snow occasionally in the
highest elevations of the Serra da Estrela and of the
districts of Bragança and Vila Real.
As far as crowds, in the peak of summer (mid-July
to end of August), some resort towns by the coast tend
to become somewhat crowded. Itineraries that are
affected by this problem have a word about it on their
introduction page.
Visas & Other Entry Requirements
Visas for entry into Portugal are not required for
citizens of the EU. Citizens of Australia, Canada,
Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore,
Switzerland, US, and from most Latin American
countries do not need a visa for stays of up to a
maximum of 90 days in a year. Portugal is a signatory
of EU’s Schengen Convention. Currently the other
signatories of this convention are Austria, Belgium,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland,
Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain
and Sweden. A visa for entry issued by any one of
convention’s signatory countries is generally valid for
entry into all the others.
No vaccinations are required, but the World
Health Organization suggests that all travelers be up to
date on their vaccinations against diphtheria, tetanus,
measles, mumps, rubella and polio.
There are no limits as far as currency that a visitor
may bring into Portugal, but amounts of €10,000 or
more need to be declared to customs at arrival.
Getting There
The cities of Lisbon, Porto and Faro have international
airports with regular flights to and from most
European capitals and a few other cities around the
world.
There are two long-distance international trains
that serve Portugal from Europe: the Sud-Express
formatting
Train station at the border town of Vilar Formoso
(Paris to Lisbon via Irun and Vilar Formoso) and the
Talgo Lusitânia (Madrid to Lisbon). In addition, there
are a few regional services between border towns of
Portugal and Spain.
There are no international ferry service to
Portugal. The closest ports in Spain with ferry services
are: Bilbao and Santander (ferries from the UK);
Tarifa, Algeciras, Málaga and Almeria (ferries from
Morocco); and Barcelona (ferries from Italy).
Driving from Spain into Portugal presents no
difficulty. With more than 30 border crossings to chose
from, the alternatives as far as routes are plenty. For
more information, see the chapter Border Links.
Health Issues
Home-country health care privileges apply for EU
citizens with a European Health Insurance card.
Citizens of other countries should check their health
insurance policies for coverage while traveling. (You
may want to consider getting a travel insurance policy
that provides coverage against loss, theft and illness
and injury during their trip.)
As a general rule, regular tap water is safe to drink
in the cities and bigger towns. In the countryside, you
may want to take some care.
In a few parts of Portugal, mosquitoes can be a bit
of an inconvenience but the country does not have
problems with mosquito-borne illnesses.
For vaccinations, see the paragraphs on Visas &
Other Entry Requirements above.
Nut & Bolts: Driving in Portugal  219
Driving in P ortugal
This section provides general information on driving in Portugal. Should you need more information, contact
the Portuguese Consulate in your area of residence (or your automobile touring club, if you belong to one.)
Documentation & Insurance
Driving licenses from EU countries are legal
documents in Portugal. Driving licenses from the US
and Brazil are also generally accepted. Citizens of all
other countries are recommended to have an
international drivers license.
All vehicles must have registration plates and
papers (also known as the Carte Grise). If the driver is
not the registered owner of the vehicle, he should have
written permission from the owner authorizing him to
drive the vehicle in Portugal.
Third party insurance with the respective
International Insurance Certificate (also known as the
Carte Verte) is also mandatory.
Fuel
You will have no problems finding unleaded gas or
diesel throughout the country. Quality grades and
prices are in line with those found in most other
Western European countries.
Parking
Street-side parking in small towns is normally free of
charge and not a problem. In bigger towns, street-side
parking is normally metered. Usually the meters are of
the pay-and-display type, and as such, it is a good idea
to have a few coins with you at all times. In the largest
towns, paid car parks tend to be the best and most
practical solution. Once parked, always lock-up and
never leave anything valuable in your vehicle.
General Rules & Regulations
For the most part, rules under the traffic code are Car & Motorcycle Rentals
similar to those of most continental European All major car rental companies (such as Hertz, Avis,
National, Europcar) are present in Portugal. Rules and
countries. Namely:
procedures for renting a car in Portugal are
comparable to those in most other Western European
 Traffic drives on the right;
 At intersections, unless otherwise marked, vehicles countries.
Motorcycle rental as a business is something new
coming from the right have the right-of-way;
 The use of safety belts is mandatory both in the in Portugal. One of the companies leading the way in
the development of this new business is MotoXplorers
front and the rear seats;
 It is illegal to drive while talking on cellular phones (www.MotoXplorers.com).
without a hands-free kit;
At the MotoXplorers store, Lisbon
 Children under 12 years of age are not allowed to
sit in the front seats;
 It is mandatory to have a warning triangle and a
reflective jacket in the car; (an extinguisher and a
first aid kit are recommended but not mandatory;)
 In an accident or a break down, the reflective
jacket should be worn by anyone outside the
vehicle and the warning triangle should be
deployed in a place clearly visible to traffic;
 Speed limits are: 50 km/h in town, 90 km/h out of
town, and 120 km/h on highways;
 The maximum blood alcohol level legally allowed
is 0.049%;
 The road sign system is the international one.
Concerning motorcycles:
 The use of crash helmets and running headlights at
all time is mandatory.
228  Slow Roads!
P utting Your GP S to Use
230  Slow Roads!
Putting Your GPS to Work  231
On the following pages you will find listings of all the waypoint data relevant to the 13 tours on this book. The
information is provided in three tables per tour: a first one, with the route waypoints; a second one with
waypoints not on the route but deemed of interest for that tour; and a third one with the waypoints for all the
entries from the address book which “apply” to that tour. The information for each waypoint includes:
 a short name created by me for this book;
 the coordinates given in degrees and decimal minutes; and
 a short description of the point.
This information was verified and deemed correct at the time of the publication of this edition of Slow
Roads! (December 2011). Unfortunately, as we all know, things do change. For eventual updates, you may want
to contact me at [email protected].
Last but certainly not least, depending on the make and model of your GPS, I may be able to provide you
with the waypoints in a file, ready to be entered into your GPS. Again, if this is of interest to you, please contact
me at the above e-mail address.
GPS Garmin GPSmap 60Cx mounted on a BMW R1200 GSA
258  Slow Roads!
I ndex es
Two tables of indexes are presented: a first one for general entries and a second one for entries from The
Address Book sections.
260  Slow Roads!
General
A
A dos Ferreiros, 141
Abrantes, 79
Admiral Godfrey, 97
Adrão, 184
Aeminium, 200
Águeda, 141
Alagoas, 22
Álamo, 20, 45
Alandroal, 71, 78
Alans, 29, 69, 171, 196
Albarraque, 101
Albufeira, 14. See also Lagoa de
Albufeira
Alcabideche, 98, 101
Alcácer do Sal, 28, 40, 44, 52–53, 59–60,
61, 63, 66, 68, 87–88, 89, 198
Alcáçovas, 28, 30, 31, 68, 197
Alcafozes, 131
Alcanede, 75
Alcanhões, 75, 117
Alcântara, 96
Alcaria, 20
Alcobaça(Leiria), 108–109, 113–114, 121
Alcobaça (Melgaço), 186
Alcoutim, 14, 20–21, 23, 25, 40, 41, 45,
47, 61, 206
Aldeia
da Ana de Aviz, 115, 116
da Mata, 74
da Ponte, 208–209
da Serra, 28–29, 33
da Tôr, 21
de Além da Ribeira, 115
de Irmãos, 85–86
de Pias, 33, 42
de Santo André, 59
do Meco, 84
Nova (Almeida), 145
Nova (Miranda do Douro), 159
Viçosa, 129, 145
Aldeias Históricas de Portugal, 125.
See also Historic Villages
Alegrete, 72
Alentejo, 5, 8, 16–19, 23, 27–37, 39–49,
51–63, 65–79, 87, 167, 198,
222– 223
Alfama, 199
Alfarim, 84–85
Alfeizerão, 112, 121
Algar dos Mouros, 21
Algarve, 13–25, 39–49, 51–63, 194, 198
Alge, 115
Algés, 96–98
Algoso, 152, 158, 210
Algueirão, 100–101
Aljezur, 14, 17, 18, 52, 55, 58
Aljubarrota, 114. See also Battle of
Aljubarrota
Aljustrel, 40, 46, 58
Allis Ubbo, 198
Almada, 82, 88, 94
Almeida, 125, 137–139, 144–145, 148,
208–209
Almeirim, 75, 79
Almendra, 155
Almendres
Cromlech, 28–30, 42, 66, 68–69
Menhir, 30, 69
Almodôvar, 14, 19, 23, 40, 46, 47
Almograve, 55
Almoster, 75
Almourol, 66, 75, 108–109, 117
Alpalhão, 72–74
Altardo, 131
Alte, 14, 21, 25
Alter do Chão, 35, 74
Alter-Real Stud Farm, 35, 74
Alto do Freixo, 133, 147
Alvalade, 59
Alvito, 31, 40, 46, 47, 49
Alvor, 22
al-Andalus, 22, 100
al-Gharb, 22
al-Kassar, 59, 68, 88
al-Ma’adan, 88
al-Meda, 144
al-Qubasha, 113
Amado, Jorge, 110
Amarante, 152, 160, 163, 166, 174–175,
180, 189
Amareleja, 206
Ameijoeira, 183, 212–213
Amieira, 42
do Tejo, 74
Ammaia, 65
Amoreira (Algarve), 20
Amoreira (Óbidos), 112
Andersen, Hans Christian, 101
Andrães, 160
Ansiães, 160, 174
Appellation of Origin, 153, 202
Aquae Flaviae, 170
Arbutus unedo, 18, 58
Areia Branca, 111
Arganil, 126–127
Armamar, 142, 154
Arrábida, 81–91. See also Arrábida
Natural Parks; Serra da Arrábida
Arraiolos, 28–29, 34, 37, 76, 197
Arrifana, 14–15, 18, 52–53, 56
Arronches, 71–72, 76, 208–209
Atlantic, 15, 19, 29–30, 44, 53, 72, 84,
98–99, 109, 187
Atmeidan, 144
Atouguia da Baleia, 112
Augustus, 19, 44, 159, 172
Automóvel Club de Portugal, 7, 220, 222
Aveiras de Cima, 75, 118
Aveiro, 124, 138, 140, 152, 222
Avis, 66
Azaruja, 34
Azenhas do Mar, 94, 102–103
Ázere, 146
Azinhaga, 75, 79, 117, 119
Azóia, 84, 101
Azores, 30
B
Baçal, 171
Bairro, 108–109, 119
Alto, 109, 199
Baldos, 142
Baleal, 108, 111–112, 120
Balmalla, 88
Balurco de Baixo, 21
Bandarra, Gonçalo Anes, 143
Barca
D’Alva, 147, 152–153, 156–157, 161,
210–211
D’Amieira, 66, 74, 119
Baroque, 31, 57, 110, 139, 142, 154, 160,
194, 200
Barragem
da Caniçada, 169, 189
da Valeira, 155
de Bagaúste, 142, 154
de Bemposta, 210–211
de Bouçã, 131–132
de Castelo do Bode, 116–117, 132,
185
de Meimoa, 130
de Miranda do Douro, 158, 210
de Santa Clara, 14, 19, 23, 47, 52, 58,
61
de Saucelle, 210–211
de Vilar, 142
de Vilarinho das Furnas, 183
do Alqueva, 28–29, 32, 41–43, 117
do Alto Rabagão, 169
do Cabril, 117, 131–132, 185
do Caldeirão, 129, 133, 145, 147
do Lindoso, 184–185
do Pego do Altar, 68
do Salamonde, 181
Barranco Velho, 20, 47
Barrancos, 206–207
Barreiro, 82
Barretos, 73
Batalha, 107–109, 114, 119
Unit Conversions
Volumes
Areas
To convert
Multiply
a by
60
15.8
50
13.2
40
10.6
30
7.9
20
5.3
10
2.6
US gallons to litters
………………………
Litters to US gallons
……………………
Imperial gallons to litters …………………
Litters to Imperial gallons
………………
To convert
3.79
.264
4.55
.220
Multiply
a
by
Acres to square kilometers
Square kilometers to acres
Square feet to square meters
Square meters to square feet
…………………………………………
…………………………………………
………………………………………
……………………………………
Km²
0
10
20
30
Acres
0
2470
4940
7410
40
.004
247
.093
10.8
60
50
0
0
L
US Gal
9880 12350 14820
Lengths
To convert
Multiply
A
by
Inches to centimeters
………………………………………
Centimeters to inches
………………………………………
Feet to meters
………………………………………………
Meters to feet
…………………………………………………
To convert
2.54
.394
.305
3.28
Yards to meters
Meters to yards
Miles to kilometers
Kilometers to miles
Multiply
a
by
…………………………………………
…………………………………………
………………………………………
……………………………………
30
18.6
600
1970
25
15.5
500
1640
20
12.4
400
1310
15
9.3
300
980
10
6.2
200
660
5
3.1
100
330
0
0
Km
Miles
0
0
m
Feet
Temperatures
° Celsius
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Fahrenheit
32
41
50
59
68
77
86
95
104
113
.914
1.09
1.61
.621
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Thirteen carefully selected scenic
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Slow Roads!
Published by Adamastor Travel, LLC