We absolutely love airports, plane journeys and the buzz of the terminal. But let’s be honest: every now and then, the only thing your soul asks for is a full tank, the sunglasses on, the classics playlist cranked up to max and to hit the road.
Road trips have a special kind of magic. And you don’t need to drive the legendary Route 66 in the US. Right here in our seaside rectangle there are incredible roads, like the famous Estrada Nacional 2 (EN2), which cuts the country in half from Chaves down to Faro, passing through breathtaking landscapes.
For the trip to be epic and not end with the car steaming on the verge or all the passengers fighting with each other, Martin gives you the script for the perfect road trip:
1. The Route Matters, But the Detours Matter Even More 🗺️
GPS is great so you don’t accidentally end up in Badajoz, but the great secret of a car trip is the freedom to ignore it. See one of those brown signs pointing to a “Viewpoint”, a “Waterfall” or a “Castle”? Indicate and turn. The best stories and the coolest photos almost always happen on the detours that weren’t planned.
2. The “Diner With Lorries Outside” Rule 🍽️
Forget TripAdvisor reviews or fancy restaurants full of foams and microgreens. When hunger hits halfway down the Nacional, apply the golden rule of experienced drivers: see a rustic-looking restaurant with four or five lorries parked outside? Slam on the brakes and go in. That’s where you’ll eat the best suckling pig, posta mirandesa or lamb stew of your life, at fair prices. Lorry drivers never get it wrong!
3. The Boot Tetris (And the Master Trick) 🎒
Four people in the car? Excellent. Now explain to them they can’t bring the whole house with them. Set a strict rule before you set off: one rucksack or soft holdall per person. None of those giant rigid 20 kg hold cases that force you to have a PhD in civil engineering just to close the boot without smashing the rear window.
But heads up, if your group is stubborn, we have a trick up our sleeve! If everyone wants to bring their entire wardrobe and the boot starts crying for help, Multipark saves the day with our Multibags service. We take care of moving the luggage that doesn’t fit in the car from one side to the other for you. So that’s the end of the space stress: there’s room for the bikini for when you get to Faro and the heavy coat with the beanie for when you cross Serra da Estrela!
4. The Playlist Is Democratic (More or Less) 🎵
Music is the spiritual fuel of the trip. Set up a collaborative Spotify playlist before you leave so everyone gets to listen to what they like. But don’t forget who’s in charge: the driver. Whoever’s at the wheel, working the roundabouts and putting up with traffic has absolute veto power and the unquestionable right to skip that pounding techno track at 9 in the morning.
Did the Urge to Explore Hit Even Further?
Doing a road trip in mainland Portugal is brutal. But what if the urge to drive takes you to want to rent a convertible to cruise the Amalfi Coast in Italy? Or rent a 4x4 to explore the lagoons in the Azores or the peaks of Madeira?
Then, friend, your car can’t cross the sea. You’ll have to catch a plane. And that’s exactly where Multipark fits into your road trip.
Instead of leaving your car abandoned to roast in the sun or gather dust in some random street while you go off to drive elsewhere, make life easier. Take your car, drive calmly to airport Departures and hand us the key.
Our Valet Parking service keeps your machine cared for in a secure, monitored car park. You take care of check-in stress-free and, when you land back (full of stories from your road trip out there), our driver will be at your door with your car spotless and ready to go.
Save your energy for driving where it matters. Run your Valet Parking simulation with Multipark and have a great trip!
