Our personal favorite way to travel to Viana do Castelo and Portugal, is by car. We are used to bringing a lot of gear, for example our PLKB kitegear, s kayak, and mountain bikes. And of course, on our way back, we bring the wine from Quinta de Curvos. But in these times it is getting more and more attractive to do so for all kinds of reasons.
Due to staff shortages at the airports, people stand in quo for hours and sometimes even miss their flights, the corona is lurking again, and rental cars abroad are way too expensive. To prevent you from all these hassles, traveling by car is an interesting option for everybody. Often even cheaper than a holiday by plane.
Less stress
In recent weeks, many people their holidays have been ruined by canceled flights or have missed their flights due to the extremely long waiting lines at Schiphol and other airports. When something like this happens, you suddenly have a lot of things to arrange and generate a lot of stress, which kills the fun. What to do with your booked rental car, your hotel, and when does the next plane leave?
By taking your trusted four-wheeler to Viana do Castelo, you don’t have to deal with these long waiting times and crowded areas with stress-out people and airport staff. You can leave at any desired moment with the car, and you can make sure, you will arrive at Yuna without stress.
Cheaper than flying and renting a rental car
In addition to the gas bill and fuel prices, the prices of airline tickets are also rising. This price increase is due to the increased oil prices, which increases the cost of kerosene. And that’s not all. Rental cars are also becoming more expensive and are often fully booked.
You also have to deal with the high fuel prices during a car holiday. But there are still a number of beautiful countries where you can refuel your car cheaper. Or travel with an electric car, which you can easily charge throughout Europe.
Better for the climate
The negative impact which flying has on the climate is undeniable. Cars also emit CO2, but an airplane emits much more. Aviation is responsible for about 15% of the total climate impact of the Dutch economy (source: Natuur & Milieu). In comparison, if you travel the same distance by car instead of a plane, your pollution is 4 times less.
How did we experience the ride from Holland to Viana do Castelo?
We know the route like the back of our hand. We leave early in the morning and drive slowly towards Bordeaux. I always hate the part around Paris because it is so extremely busy over there. But once you pass Paris, the road is yours until Viana do Castelo. We often make a pit stop at this Hotel around Bordeaux (usually this costs around 50 euros). The next day we drive to Spain with good solid new paved roads. The part where you pass through the Pyrenees is absolutely amazing! The desert part through Spain is a bit boring though. But as soon as you see the green mountains in the distance, you know that Portugal is not far away. It is a ride of 2100 km, and it’s quite easy to do in two days.
Portugal toll
Register your car on this site before you start driving. By doing so, your car is registered for 30 days and the toll is automatically debited from your credit card. That saves a lot of time and hassle!
Safe travels and enjoy the ride!
