Driving holiday in Portugal.

[Steve123]

Having previously toured most European countries by car , I'm thinking of now doing the same in Portugal.  Anybody got any feedback from their doing it ? .........especially re the ferry crossings.    I'm not taking the Audi, but using a convertible for the purpose.

Steve.

[Trevor]

Hi Steve...welcome to the Forum!

Like yourself, I have driven quite a lot of Europe, but never driven Portugal.

I've been to the Algarve and travelled by train across it (the scenery didn't really change at all...quite barren really!) but thought of riding my motorbike down there. Planned to ride down through France, Spain and then into Portugal so no ferries apart from Poole-Cherbourg. You can always travel to Northern Spain by ferry but much nicer driving it, I think.

What convertible are you driving there?

Regards,   Trevor - Admin

[Steve123]

Although I have long since ceased to worry over the cost of petrol ( ownership of a Jaguar Series III convertible back in the '70s and many other multicylindered cars since then - never ever less than six  pots ) anaethesised me against worrying about gasoline prices.   However, getting a price for a ferry crossing with a car from Portsmouth to Santander really blew my socks into the long grass. It is £800 quid even for an inside cabin. So bugger that, I'm going back to the Cote d'Azure or even Tuscany. 

I'd still like to tour Portugal, but maybe I'd rent some wheels over there .

As for what car I'd take, it depends if my 18 year old daughter wants to come. If she does ( and hopefully not ! ) I'd take my Bentley Continental GTC.  If not, then we'd rough it using the wife's DB9 Volante............and against the GTC that really is roughing it.

[Trevor]

Wow!   that's an expensive crossing!

Great choice in convertibles...have you considered Germany and Austria?

Some great roads over there, fantastic scenery and then go over the Stelvio Pass into Italy. Done this trip a few times and still think its the best!

 

[Steve123]

Hello Trevor,

It sure expensive..........and the quoted price is that for a crossing in mid September, the first time I can get away this year.

i have long considered both Germany and Austria as potential venues, but generally discount them since I cannot be sure of the weather there even in Summertime. Nothing really cheeses me off than going on holiday in a convertible and then having to keep the top up because it is raining  - hence Portugal being considered. The two ragtops we own are generally only ever used when the Sun is shining, and in England that's getting less and less often, so a Continental driving holiday is when they come into their own.    In the UK my wife and I switch between our Audi S4 Quattro Avant or an Alfa Romeo 156 GTA Sportwagon.   Both are very fast fun cars to drive so we're quite happy to leave the drop tops in the garage until we have a holiday.

Let me tell you an amusing story about the Aston and Bentley.   I've had Astons for years .  A second marriage to a much younger woman twenty years ago brought along my first sprog.   The brat was quite happy being trundled around Europe every year in various Astons, but as she got older she got taller, as they do.  Eventually, at about aged fifteen she started whinging about no leg  room in the back of the DB9, and, moreover, she wanted to bring a pal on holiday with her.  So, after many rows and temper tantrums ( mine, not hers ! ) I p/xd the Aston for the GTC.   Our first holiday in the Bentley and we'd taken a pal of hers, Isobel along with us.   Since Isobel was going on her family holiday at the end of the first week of ours, the plan was that her Dad would meet up with us wherever we happened to be in the South of France and he'd pick her up and take her back to the UK so they  could  start their holiday.

We happened to be in Antibes and we agreed to to do the handover at a bar on the seafront for lunch on the Saturday morning. Expecting him to turn up in his Jaguar XK8 we were surprised when this beautiful triple black Mercedes C63 AMG growled up. He'd flogged the Jag for the Merc the day before and was running it in on the trip to us.   My daughter took one look at the Merc. said " Forget about the Bentley, Dad, I want to go on holiday in the Merc. ! " and then buggered off back to England with her pal and her Dad.

So, we had the  Bentley for one week of the purpose it was intended for, and , having now passed her Driving Test, she's never been in it ever since !      Mind you, there was a happy ending, since I rang the Bentley dealer and promptly bought the Aston back from him !         

 

Cheers.

 

[Trevor]

lol...great story, that's sods law the way things work out sometimes.

A friend of mine has an Aston Vantage convertible but as there are three in his family, he hasn't used the two seater Aston as much as he's intended.

I suggested to him to buy a Bentley GTC which I think would be a great compromise and he'd probably use it more (especially in the winter).

Could I ask to write a review of the Bentley on  www.drivn.co.uk  as I would like to be able to recommend one to him...unless there are loads of faults, issues, etc.

Let me know how it all pans out for a Euro trip.  

Regards,   Trevor 

[Steve123]

I've just tried to access your suggested review site but with no luck so far.   I often seem to have problems with the " I'm not a robot " element, so I guess it's me and not the site itself. I'll get the womenfolk on it tonight ; they're much younger and more IT savvy than me.

 

cheers.

[Steve123]

Hello Trevor,

Sure enough, the women in this household were able to overcome the registration difficulties I experienced yesterday.

However, in order to offer a vehicle review one is required to submit too much personal information for my liking.  What with vehicle cloning and identity theft ( the latter happened to me about ten years ago and I only put the repercussions fully behind me about two years ago ) I have a distinct aversion to disclosing personal information, especially since I retain all of my personal plates for transfer to successive cars.

i am more than happy to offer a review of the Bentley for your chum but not in the manner you have requested. Sorry, but I'm sure you understand.

PPS Having double checked with my wife who got the Portsmouth to Santander ferry crossing quote, she tells me that it was £940 even with an interior cabin ( they were no exterior cabins available even in mid September ).    I'm comfortably off but even I blench at that price !

 

cheers.

[Trevor]

HI Steve,

Thanks for looking at the review...if you would like to send me a few words on your view of the Bentley and indeed the Audi and Aston if you want to my direct email:   info@drivn.co.uk  and then no vehicle details are needed apart from the model, type, etc. Thanks.

I know what you mean about paying out over the odds. I'm off to Le Mans Classic next week but the crossing from Poole (where I actually live) is huge money so cheaper to go from Dover to Dunkirk and its even works out cheaper to drive all the way to Dover, across France and back, stay in hotel down there and back and even with fuel costs....its still cheaper than the crossing! They just hike the prices up for various times of the year/events :-(

[Steve123]

Hello Trevor,

I'll certainly offer up a few words in the manner you suggested, although it might take a tad or two to cover it all. Insofar as offering a review of the Audi is concerned, well, I might have to get " 'er indoors " to do that since I bought it for her to replace her V8 BMW X5 when that got nicked. The Beamer was a cracker of a car, very fast and very stylish, but its petrol consumption was fearful - it even made the Bentleys thirst for petrol seem like a Duchess sipping Earl Grey at a Bishops tea party.

The one specific comment I will make about the S4 though, is that it has vastly increased my !Removed! life !   After going out for a drive in it the wife comes home with a sparkle in her eye and a glow on her cheeks . By Jiminy, I'm then frequently dragged upstairs by the scruff of my neck with nary a moment to park my Montecristo.   I tell you, amigo, when I hear that V8 turn up the drive I now go and hide in the potting shed !   Luckily, the dogs know when she's about three villages away since they can hear a finely tuned engine approaching from about five miles away ; so when they start kicking off I generally pick up the whisky decanter and make a bolt for the Petunia patch.

The latest holiday venue we are considering are the Italian Lakes ; can they not be accessed via the Stelvio Pass ?

Weatherwise the Lakes don't compare too well with the Cote d'Azure ( hardly surprising really, given  their proximity to the mountains ) , so it is by no means a foregone conclusion even yet as to where we'll go.

 

Ciao.

[Trevor]

Lol...I haven't laughed that much in ages!  What a great review of the Audi...I'm sure many people will now rush out to buy one based on the 'benefits' of ownership.

I have been from Stelvio Pass to Lake Garda and it was a beautiful journey but didn't actually plan that the majority of Garda is 30mph and it's huge!  Took forever to get round it.

I think also, the Cote d'Azure could be the winner, especially this year with the crap weather.

[Trevor]

Hi Steve,

Have just added a Road Trip forum section just for you (and anyone else who has a Road Trip they want to chat about)

http://www.audiownersclub.com/forums/forum/87-road-trips/

Cheers,   Trevor

[Demixl]

My friend, I traveled to Portugal, but not by car, but by train, and I really liked it. However, I would like to recommend you to get acquainted with the map of the area, with reviews by people, and with information about the area as you may find it useful. I think you you can read everything on one travel blog . There is a lot of useful and reliable information for travelers. I just like to find out everything about the area where I am going to go, I feel calmer and I advise you to do the same so that there are no collapses . Good luck on the road!

[Trevor]

Agreed, great blog site....thoroughly enjoy reading about different destinations to travel to and the list is growing every year 🙂

 

[madonnajess]

On 6/29/2016 at 11:45 PM, Steve123 said:

Hello Trevor,

I'll certainly offer up a few words in the manner you suggested, although it might take a tad or two to cover it all. Insofar as offering a review of the Audi is concerned, well, I might have to get " 'er indoors " to do that since I bought it for her to replace her V8 BMW X5 when that got nicked. The Beamer was a cracker of a car, very fast and very stylish, but its petrol consumption was fearful - it even made the Bentleys thirst for petrol seem like a Duchess sipping Earl Grey at a Bishops tea party.

The one specific comment I will make about the S4 though, is that it has vastly increased my !Removed! life !   After going out for a drive in it the wife comes home with a sparkle in her eye and a glow on her cheeks . By Jiminy, I'm then frequently dragged upstairs by the scruff of my neck with nary a moment to park my Montecristo.   I tell you, amigo, when I hear that V8 turn up the drive I now go and hide in the potting shed !   Luckily, the dogs know when she's about three villages away since they can hear a finely tuned engine approaching from about five miles away ; so when they start kicking off I generally pick up the whisky decanter and make a bolt for the Petunia patch.

The latest holiday venue we are considering are the Italian Lakes ; can they not be accessed via the Stelvio Pass ?

Weatherwise the Lakes don't compare too well with the Cote d'Azure ( hardly surprising really, given  their proximity to the mountains ) , so it is by no means a foregone conclusion even yet as to where we'll go.

 

Ciao.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[madonnajess]

Hello Trevor,

I'll certainly offer up a few words in the manner you suggested, although it might take a tad or two to cover it all. Insofar as offering a review of the Audi is concerned, well, I might have to get " 'er indoors " to do that since I bought it for her to replace her V8 BMW X5 when that got nicked. The Beamer was a cracker of a car, very fast and very stylish, but its petrol consumption was fearful - it even made the Bentleys thirst for petrol seem like a Duchess sipping Earl Grey at a Bishops tea party.

The one specific comment I will make about the S4 though, is that it has vastly increased my !Removed! life !   After going out for a drive in it the wife comes home with a sparkle in her eye and a glow on her cheeks . By Jiminy, I'm then frequently dragged upstairs by the scruff of my neck with nary a moment to park my Montecristo.   I tell you, amigo, when I hear that V8 turn up the drive I now go and hide in the potting shed !   Luckily, the dogs know when she's about three villages away since they can hear a finely tuned engine approaching from about five miles away ; so when they start kicking off I generally pick up the whisky decanter and make a bolt for the Petunia patch and some awesome jeep ball joints here.

The latest holiday venue we are considering are the Italian Lakes ; can they not be accessed via the Stelvio Pass ?

Weatherwise the Lakes don't compare too well with the Cote d'Azure ( hardly surprising really, given  their proximity to the mountains ) , so it is by no means a foregone conclusion even yet as to where we'll go.

 

Ciao.

Thanks for these suggestions I really liked it.