Roads in Portugal
No Route Length ( km )
IC 1 Lisbon - Torres Vedras - Caldas da Rainha - Leiria - Figueira da Foz - Aveiro - Ovar - Espinho - Porto - Póvoa de Varzim - Viana do Castelo - Valença 450
IC 2 Lisbon - Rio Maior - Leiria - Coimbra - Mealhada - São João da Madeira - Argoncilhe - Porto 330
IC 3 Setúbal - Palmela - Montijo - Salvaterra de Magos - Almeirim - Entroncamento - Tomar - Penela - Condeixa - Coimbra ( IP3 ) 235
IC 4 Sines - Lagos - Portimão - Faro ?
IC 5 Póvoa de Varzim ( IC1 ) - Famalicão - Guimarães - Fafe - Vila Pouca de Aguiar - Murça - Vila Flor - Alfândega da Fé - Mogadouro - Miranda do Douro ( border with Spain ) 131
IC 6 Santa Comba Dão ( IP3 ) - Venda de Galizes - Seia - Gouveia - Celorico da Beira ( IP5 ) ?
IC 7 Coimbra - Penacova - Venda de Galizes - Covilhã ( IP2 ) ?
IC 8 Figueira da Foz ( IC1 ) - Pombal ( IP1 ) - Figueiró dos Vinhos - Pedrógão Grande - Sertã - Proença-a-Nova - Castelo Branco - Segura ( IP2 ) 118
IC 9 Alcobaça - Nazaré - Marinha Grande - Leiria - Ourém - Tomar ?
IC 10 Santarém ( IP 1 ) - Almeirim - Coruche - Montemor-o-Novo - Estremoz ( IP8 ) 151
IC 11 Torres Vedras - Vila Franca de Xira - Pegões - Marateca ( IP1 ) 53
IC 12 Viseu ( IP5 ) - Seia ( IC6 ) - Covilhã ( IP2 ) ?
IC 13 Coina ( IP7 ) - Montijo ( IP1 ) - Coruche - Mora - Ponte de Sor - Alter do Chão - Crato - Portalegre ?
IC 14 Barcelos - Braga ?
IC 15 Lisbon - Oeiras - Cascais 25
IC 16 Lisbon ( CRIL - IC17 ) - Amadora - Belas - Alto Colaride - Sintra - Cascais 27
IC 17 Algés - Buraca - Olival de Basto - Sacavém ( IP1 ) 21
IC 18 Caxias ( IC15 ) - Queluz - Loures - Alverca ( IP 1 ) 35
IC 19 Coina - Montijo - Alcochete ?
IC 20 Almada - Costa da Caparica 6
History of road classification in Portugal -- 1985 National Road Plan
The A22 motorway , in the Algarve , was originally signalized as IP1 . During the 1980s and 1990s , only tolled highways were typically signed Axx , while the other highways were signalized as IPxx or ICxx . From the 1960s , many routes were assumed to be somewhat outdated , so in 1972 , Brisa was created to manage a projected network of motorways , which by that time did n't reach an extension of 100 km ( 62 mi ) . New sections of motorways were then built in the 1970s and the early 1980s , like the Vila Franca de Xira–Carregado ( 1977 ) , Carregado–Aveiras de Cima ( 1980 ) , Condeixa-a-Nova–Mealhada ( 1982 , which permitted bypassing the city centre of Coimbra ) , Santa Maria da Feira–Carvalhos ( 1980 ) and Albergaria-a-Velha–Santa Maria da Feira ( 1983 ) sections ; these would become part of the A1 motorway and the extension of the A2 motorway into Setúbal ( between 1978 and 1979 ) . However , the whole road network was seen to be increasingly inadequate to properly serving the whole country . While Portugal was preparing to enter the EEC , the replacement for PRN 1945 was created by the Law 380/85 of 25 September 1985 , the Plano Rodoviário Nacional de 1985 ( English : 1985 National Roadway Plan ) or PRN 1985 . The road network would again comprise the Rede Fundamental ( English : Fundamental Network ) , composed of nine itinerários principais ( principal routes ) , designated IP1 through IP9 , which totalized 2,635 km ( 1,637 mi ) . The non-motorway sections of the itinerários principais started to be identified with green background direction signs and green background IPx road numbers . In the late 1990s , although the background of the direction signs continued to be green , the IPx road numbers started to be put on red background rectangles . Number Route Length ( km ) IP 1 Valença – Braga – Porto – Aveiro – Coimbra – Leiria – Santarém – Lisbon – Montijo – Setúbal – Aljustrel – Faro – Castro Marim 734 IP 2 Portelo – Bragança – Guarda – Covilhã – Castelo Branco – Portalegre – Évora – Beja – Faro 564 IP 3 Vila Verde da Raia – Vila Real – Lamego – Viseu – Coimbra – Figueira da Foz 279 IP 4 Porto – Vila Real – Bragança – Quintanilha 237 IP 5 Aveiro – Viseu – Guarda – Vilar Formoso 204 IP 6 Peniche – Caldas da Rainha – Rio Maior – Santarém – Torres Novas – Abrantes – Castelo Branco 219 IP 7 Lisbon – Setúbal – Évora – Estremoz – Elvas – Caia 225 IP 8 Sines – Santiago do Cacém – Beja – Serpa – Vila Verde de Ficalho 154 IP 9 Viana do Castelo – Ponte de Lima – Braga – Guimarães – Amarante – Vila Real 161 The itinerários principais were set to be of restricted access , forbidding pedestrian , animal and bicycle traffic , but exceptions could be accepted , especially for sections resulting from the reclassification of former national roads into IP network . Such a classification was proposed before the publication of PRN 1985 . [ 20 ] In the early 1980s the first branches of the future IP routes were built . These were a 12 km ( 7.5 mi ) loop road alternative to N16 between Mangualde and Prime ( Viseu ) for IP5 route , built in 1983 , and another branch built in 1981 which was integrated on the N2 route but later became part of IP3 , between Oliveira do Mondego and Chamadouro when Aguieira Dam was built . The road network also included the Rede Complementar ( Complementary Network ) of 24 itinerários complementares ( IC , English : complementary routes ) and other roads . The `` other roads '' were the former PRN 1945 national roads not set to be transformed into IP or IC , neither set for declassification from the national road network . In practice , the `` other roads '' continued to be signed as estradas nacionais ( N or EN ) . The Complementary Network was 4,807 km ( 2,987 mi ) long . The non-motorway roads of the Rede Complementar were signed with white background direction signs . The PRN 1985 established 24 itinerários complementares , designated IC1 through IC24 , which totalled 2,439 km ( 1,516 mi ) :
Roads in Portugal are defined by the Plano Rodoviário Nacional (PRN, ), which describes the existing and planned network of Portuguese roads. The present plan in force is the 2000 National Road Plan (PRN 2000), approved in 1998. It replaced PRN 1985, which itself had replaced PRN 1945. The Portuguese road infrastructure was considered the best in Europe and the second best in the world by the World Economic Forum in its Global Competitiveness Report for 2014-2015. In the 2017-2018 report it was considered to 8th best in the world. Nevertheless, all of these data was obtained through nothing more than an opinion survey to selected business executives. The scenic road between Peso da Régua and Pinhão, in Trás-os-Montes region, was considered the world's best driving road, accordingly to the Avis Driving Index. This road is a section of the N 222 which follows the Douro Valley.