Portugal is known by its excellent wine and if you want to taste the excellent and still cheap portuguese wines you should consider not to drive.
However, you might want to keep the intake of alcohol limited to a glass or two if you want to avoid being fined or, even worse, causing an accident. If you are stopped by the police, they may want you to take a breath alcohol test, which may result in one of the following:
- under 0.5 g/l (grams of alcohol per litre of blood) – you are within the law and will be able to continue your journey without further inconvenience.
- from 0.5 g/l to 0.8 g/l and from 0.8 g/l to 1.2 g/l - you will face a fine and suspension of licence, which will be determined by what range you fall in.
- above 1.2 g/l - you will be detained and taken before a judge. Penalties in this case include up to one year imprisonment and a three year driving ban.
Naturally, if you have an accident with a rental car in the Algarve and alcohol in your blood is detected, no insurance you have taken will be valid and you will be solely responsible.