BA - The Club - Five epic drives: António Félix da Costa

Cascais to Sintra, Portugal

I've done a lot of nice drives in my life, but one of my all-time favourites is the drive across the mountains from Cascais to Sintra, Portugal. Luckily I get to do it very often, as it’s just up the road from where I live. And even though I drive it a lot, somehow it manages to be breath-taking every single time. Cascais is a town by the sea, home to lots of little shops and cafés, while Sintra is nestled in the hills with multi-coloured palaces and out-of-this-world architecture. I’ve done this drive in a lot of different cars but, if I had to choose one, it would be my old Willys Jeep!
Car of choice: Willys Jeep

Take off to Portugal

Los Angeles to Las Vegas

Los Angeles to Las Vegas is a drive everyone should try to do, if only just once. Although the road can be pretty uneventful in spots, it does give you the most incredible desert views, going on and on for as far as the eye can see. Some of the rocky landscapes are totally barren, which makes it that bit more special. I don’t know if it has to do with the energy pouring out of Las Vegas, but this drive has a great vibe about it! The last time I drove it, I did so in a typical American car with a few friends. A drive I’ll never forget.
Car of choice: Chevrolet Suburban

Take off to the USA

Carmel by the Sea to Monterey, California

One particularly incredible drive I’ve done was in northern California, taking the coastal road from Carmel by the Sea up to Monterey. They call it 17-mile drive and it’s one of the most beautiful routes I’ve ever had the pleasure of driving. There’s everything from forests to famous golf courses, rocky coastlines to jaw-dropping houses. It’s not a road to go fast on – take it slow in order to take everything in as you hug the coast around the edge of the Monterey Peninsula. If I could do it again, I’d do it in something built for cruising, like the latest concept from DS. Just stunning.
Car of choice: DS Aero Sport Lounge Concept

Take off to California

Off-road trails, central Portugal

This one is a little out of the box, but something that I just love doing is driving off-road, either on a dirt bike or in a car. It’s a completely different experience to driving along roads but I’ve done thousands of kilometres of off-road routes in my time and it’s always a blast. Dusty roads, huge trees, spectacular lakes, mountain views – the things you pass here in central Portugal are just incredible. There’s lot of off-road terrain, especially in the heart of the country, so I head out there whenever I can, combining the adrenaline of high speeds with beautiful scenery. The best feeling.
Car of choice: Can-Am Maverick

Book car hire with Avis

Geneva to Méribel, Switzerland to France

Although this might not be the most adventurous drive, it’s one that I always look forward to doing when I go skiing each year with my friends. We fly into Geneva, pick up a four-wheel-drive and head for the mountains. Although it’s motorway immediately after leaving the airport, the mountains soon appear in the distance and the route gets more and more exciting as you edge closer to Méribel, France. There’s just something about seeing those snow-capped mountains, knowing that you’ll soon be skiing on them. When the road starts to climb higher, the drive starts to twist around the mountains, until eventually you’re in Méribel, an amazing place. I would do anything to go be able to have visited the mountains again this year!
Car of choice: DS7 Crossback E-Tense

Take off to Europe