There are car rental services at airports, international rail terminuses and in the main towns and cities.
Drivers with mobility difficulties, or anyone who prefers to, can rent automatic or adapted vehicles.
To rent a car you must:
- be the minimum age of 21 to 25 years old, depending on the company’s rental policy
- show identification (identity card for EU citizens or a valid passport for other nationalities)
- have had a driving licence for more than one year
Vehicles drive on the right in Portugal. Unless otherwise indicated, vehicles coming from the right have priority in squares and at intersections.
At junctions with roundabouts, vehicles already on the roundabout have right of way.
Road signs comply with international rules.
Compulsory papers:
- Personal ID- Driving licence
- Motor insurance certificate
- Vehicle registration or equivalent
- Vehicle logbook (livrete)or equivalent
On the spot fines are issued.
Speed limits for cars without trailers and motorcycles:
50 kph - in built-up areas
90 kph - on normal roads
100 kph - on roads restricted to motor vehicles
120 kph - on motorways
It is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.5 grams per litre or more.
All occupants must wear seat belts.
The Portuguese Highway Code forbids the use of mobile phones while driving, unless you’re using hands-free equipment or an earphone.
Portugal has a good road network consisting of auto-estradas (AE, motorways), itinerários principais (IP, main trunk roads), itinerários complementares (IC, complementary trunk roads), estradas nacionais (EN, national roads) and estradas municipais (municipal roads).
In case of breakdown or accident on the motorway, you can phone for assistance on 808 508 508 Toll gates have Via Verde channels. This is an innovative electronic system enabling motorists to debit tolls to their bank account. Only holders of Via Verde identifiers supplied by Brisa can use it.
Drivers with mobility difficulties, or anyone who prefers to, can rent automatic or adapted vehicles.
To rent a car you must:
- be the minimum age of 21 to 25 years old, depending on the company’s rental policy
- show identification (identity card for EU citizens or a valid passport for other nationalities)
- have had a driving licence for more than one year
Vehicles drive on the right in Portugal. Unless otherwise indicated, vehicles coming from the right have priority in squares and at intersections.
At junctions with roundabouts, vehicles already on the roundabout have right of way.
Road signs comply with international rules.
Compulsory papers:
- Personal ID- Driving licence
- Motor insurance certificate
- Vehicle registration or equivalent
- Vehicle logbook (livrete)or equivalent
On the spot fines are issued.
Speed limits for cars without trailers and motorcycles:
50 kph - in built-up areas
90 kph - on normal roads
100 kph - on roads restricted to motor vehicles
120 kph - on motorways
It is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol level of 0.5 grams per litre or more.
All occupants must wear seat belts.
The Portuguese Highway Code forbids the use of mobile phones while driving, unless you’re using hands-free equipment or an earphone.
Portugal has a good road network consisting of auto-estradas (AE, motorways), itinerários principais (IP, main trunk roads), itinerários complementares (IC, complementary trunk roads), estradas nacionais (EN, national roads) and estradas municipais (municipal roads).
In case of breakdown or accident on the motorway, you can phone for assistance on 808 508 508 Toll gates have Via Verde channels. This is an innovative electronic system enabling motorists to debit tolls to their bank account. Only holders of Via Verde identifiers supplied by Brisa can use it.
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Portugal has relatively low rates for rental cars and so you are likely to find cheap car hire in Portugal whatever method you use to find it. Perhaps the easiest is to take advantage of the many 'fly and drive' offers advertised by flight operators that have cheap car hire affiliates. This way you can deal with booking all aspects of your travel in one go, even taking care of it all online. There is no need to worry about booking car hire way in advance though as all the major towns and airports have representatives from the largest car hire agencies so that you can organise your car hire when you arrive in Portugal if you wish. One of the advantages of the larger international firms is that you can pick up the car in say Lisbon, drive to the Algarve and then drop the car off at Faro airport rather than being obliged to take it back to where you started. A local agency, however, may charge less than a larger international firm so consider this as an option if you are sticking to one region or town.
Prices obviously vary depending who you hire your car from and during high season prices can increase by up to 30 per cent. On average you are looking at around €40-50 per day or €150-180 per week for the cheapest hire car with unlimited mileage. Remember to check what the age limit is for the driver, especially if you book online, because sometimes there is a premium for drivers who are under the age of 25 that the agency adds onto your bill but does not include in the original quote. Also, when you collect your car, check the brakes and insurance coverage. Don't leave anything valuable in the hire car as they are a prime target for thieves.
A few rules of the road to bear in mind when in Portugal are that people drive on the right; the speed limit is 50kph in towns, 90kph on normal roads and 120kph on highways and motorways. Vehicles approaching junctions from the right have priority unless a sign states otherwise, which causes mayhem at roundabouts with people cutting in. You should carry your documents in the glove compartment at all times so that you can show them to the police if stopped.
For getting about in the centre of Faro, your feet will probably serve you better than a rental car as the town is compact, with most accommodation and sights of interest being right in the centre of things. However, if you are not planning to stay in Faro for more than a night at either end of the vacation and you want to explore the rest of the Algarve, then a hire car is a good idea. In Faro, car hire companies are well represented at the airport, so you can get one as soon as you arrive, although several car hire operators have offices in the centre of Faro too.
Hiring a rental car in Faro, or indeed anywhere in Portugal, generally requires you to be over 25 years old and to have held a licence for at least a year. Some rental companies let younger drivers hire cars but they will charge higher rates because the insurance costs are higher.
There are several car hire companies with desks at Faro airport, including some of the top international names, and these also have franchises in town. This is ideal if you are flying into Faro as you can book with the larger companies online before you fly, and then all you have to do is pick the car up when you arrive. Also, as there is quite a lot of competition from local operators, car hire at Faro airport and in the Algarve in general tends to be cheaper than in Lisbon or Porto.
Bear in mind that booking a hire car in advance is usually cheaper than sorting it out once you arrive at the airport. Rental companies offer competitive promotional rates online when they are trying to win your business so, if you know your itinerary, take advantage of this because it will not be as cheap if you try arranging car hire at the airport on arrival. You will have a more limited choice, rather than taking your pick from a selection of competitive rates.
If you do want to book on arrival then local domestic firms usually have more favourable prices when put on the spot. For example, it might cost €200 to rent a small car for a week if you book in advance with an international firm or on-the-spot with a local firm, but up to €300 to book on arrival with a larger firm. In high season you should book a few days in advance anyway to be sure of getting a car.
If you are looking for Portugal holiday ideas, then look no further. This section aims to fill you to the brim with enthusiasm for Portugal, its potential for brilliant and fulfilling holidays, tours and experiences no matter what your budget. For the Portuguese, holidays are a natural part of their calendar. Many festivals and traditions have been upheld so that there is a rich array of ferias throughout the year, no matter when or where exactly you choose to visit Portugal. Holidays to look out for are around Easter, when festivities in Braga are particularly magnificent, or June 12/13 and 23/24, known respectively as St Anthony and St John’s Eve, which are celebrated throughout Portugal. In Porto St John’s Eve is feted by people dancing in the streets all night and hitting each other on the head with plastic hammers! When such crazy traditions exist in Portugal, holidaymakers can’t fail to get into the festive spirit.
Some of you may be on a tighter budget than others and this section has several ideas on how to cut the cost of your holiday in Portugal. It is not one of the most expensive places in Europe and so it is really very easy to organise a cheap holiday if you are prepared to shop around for good deals. You might want to opt for a package holiday if you are short on time to organise things yourself, or perhaps the idea of a tour based on a theme such as golf or wine appeals to you. Whichever you choose, Portugal has lots to keep you busy and a rich and varied history to boot.
And if that is not enough to get the creative juices flowing, here are a few ideas of what not to miss that will make your Portugal holiday all the more special:
Rock formations in the Algarve; Bom Jesus do Monte church; the traditional village of Óbidos; the Gulbenkian museum with ancient and modern arts; Douro valley vineyards; the 5200 doors and 2500 windows of the Mafra convent; mountain walks in the Serra da Estrela; splendid accommodation in one of Portugal’s pousadas; football matches in Porto; the university town of Évora; a beer on the beach side along Portugal’s 830km of coastline; the sandy beaches of the Algarve…the list is endless so take your pick.
No two vacations in Portugal are likely to be the same: Portugal has such a lot to offer the holidaymaker that you will have trouble deciding what to do next when you are on vacation. There are many possible aspects to a vacation in Portugal that you might like to consider before you set out on your travels. Yet going on holiday to Portugal does not necessarily mean planning things down to the last second. In Portugal, vacations happen all by themselves by dint of the wonderful mild climate, stunning landscapes, great food and friendly people, so all you have to do is turn up and relax.
There are many aspects to a vacation in Portugal. You could plan your Portuguese holiday around a theme, like a literary tour for example, or base your plans on an activity like surfing. Certain activities will have natural constraints, of course. If you want to do a lot of surfing or windsurfing in Portugal your vacation will have to take place near the coast somewhere, on the stretch above Lisbon maybe, or if golf is your prime goal then you might want to head to the Algarve where there is a huge range of golf courses for all abilities, from championship to beginner.
With such a rich history, Portugal has loads of incredible architecture and art to look at. Good things to look out for are examples of Manueline architecture, a highly decorative late-Gothic style from the 15th and 16th centuries, such as the incredible vaulted roof of the Mosteiro dos Jéronimos at Bélem in Lisbon. Portugal has a wealth of art, from Palaeolithic paintings and carvings dating back 20,000 years near Vila Nova de Foz Côa, to thoroughly modern artworks at the Centro de Arte Moderna in Lisbon and the Museu Nacional Soares dos Reis in Porto.
Factors that may determine when you take your vacation in Portugal are the weather and tourist seasons. Those of you wishing to play golf, for example, may have difficulty choosing whether to avoid the high tourist season (June-August) or the high golf season (spring and autumn). Golf prices are cheaper in the summer, but the towns are much more crowded, especially in the Algarve.
In short, as there is no end to the variety of scenery and activities on offer in Portugal, vacations can include every taste and preference, whether you are taking the whole family with you or just planning a romantic trip with your partner.
It may be owing to the fact that Portugal has been one of Europe's poorer countries for quite a while, but the fact remains that it is very easy to find a cheap holiday in Portugal. This does not mean that luxury holidays in Portugal are out of the question; pousadas and other top-notch accommodation, exclusive resorts, golf courses and fine dining are all available here. All the same, this country has much to offer those of you looking for a cheap holiday. For a start, restaurants don't cost the earth. You are perfectly able to go out for dinner every night, eating some of the most delicious food in Europe, without breaking the bank. €25 will get you a three-course meal with wine in a large proportion of Portugal's restaurants, which is great because you can really splash out and still not break the budget.
There are a number of ways of making the budget stretch further when you are trying to book a cheap holiday in Portugal. You might consider going away with another family or with a group of friends and renting a villa between you. Although this may seem quite expensive at first, when you have split the cost of the accommodation between you, it is much cheaper than staying in a hotel. Also, staying in rented accommodation rather than a hotel gives you the option of self catering, which is a sure fire way of keeping down the cost of your holiday. It does not prevent you from dining out when you feel like it, of course, but it does mean that you are able to shop at the supermarket and cook at home rather than being forced to eat out every night of your vacation.
Camping is a tried and tested way of going on a cheap holiday and, in Portugal, it is by far the cheapest option (and very popular). During high season, prices per adult per night are from €2 to €5, plus €1.50 to €3.50 for a tent and the same again for a car. Orbitur (218 117 000) run Portugal's best-located campsites.
When booking your budget holiday to Portugal, think about discount flights as another method to cut your costs. If you are prepared to fly early in the morning, have flexible departure dates and book in advance to secure the cheapest seats, you can really benefit from the latest cheap deals.
Other tips for keeping down the cost of your holiday include choosing to travel out of high season and avoiding the main tourist areas. If you go to Trás-os-Montes in October, for example, rather than the Algarve in July, you will practically halve the price of your vacation. But even if you are determined to make it to the hot spots during July and August, remember that it doesn't cost a penny to lie on the beach with a book.
For anyone planning to travel to Portugal, tour operators can be not only a useful source of information, but also a valuable tool for planning and suggesting ideas for your holiday. Whilst some of you already know what you are looking for in your holiday, such as golf or surfing, wine or sunshine, others may be on the lookout for some new ideas and ways to spice up your summer vacation. Try something different, stick to your favourite locations but delve deep into Portugal's tour potential and really get to know this wonderful country.
Another benefit of organising a tour of Portugal is that you get to pick a theme and then have several itineraries drawn up for you. Take golf, for example. You may not be familiar with the best courses to suit your ability, where to get the best deal on green fees, the most beautiful locations and ideal hotels. Whether they are based in or just an expert on Portugal, tour operators will know just the place for you and will be delighted to discuss your preferences.
Increasingly popular in Portugal are wine tours where you discover the various wine regions and get to sample a fair amount of it on your way. This is a great way to learn more about a subject that interests you, from an oenologist's point of view of course, and to meet likeminded people on your way. Here lies one of the great benefits of a tour in Portugal: meeting new people and getting to know them as you explore the country together.
The word 'tour' suggests that you will be travelling around quite a lot but this is not always the case. Some tours are based on one specific area and you explore it in depth, learning about everything from the nature, history, architecture, traditions and gastronomy of the region.
These days it is becoming more and more important to be aware of and to look after our environment, particularly those popular with tourists because they suffer more stress than they are designed to withstand. Hence choosing ecological and environmentally friendly tours, such as walking tours rather than a jeep tour when on the search for interesting wildlife, will extend the life of our most beautiful habitats, protecting rare flora and fauna for years to come.
If you are planning a trip to Portugal, accommodation is going to be high on your list of priorities. However, rest assured that Portugal has an enormous range of accommodation in all price brackets, starting with campsites, rooms in private houses and small pensions, right up to the grandest of castles and top hotels. There is a unique category of accommodation in Portugal known as pousadas, which are a series of 45 government-run hotels in converted historical monuments, including castles, convents and monasteries, with a high level of service and design but a surprisingly low price tag
Across the whole of Portugal there are villas and apartments available for hire, even in the smallest towns, and if this is the type of accommodation you are looking for you will find yourself inundated with choice. Try to narrow down your criteria before searching for a villa or apartment rental as this will help to reduce the amount of time it takes to find one. Decide roughly on your preferred location, whether this is near a beach, in a town or up a mountain, and how many people will be staying.
Various types of rentals are available, including fully serviced rentals where someone comes to clean the property, or more usually there are plenty of self-catering options available. In fact, self-catering is hugely popular these days as an alternative to staying in a hotel and the range of properties on the market increases every year. Expect to find apartments, villas, cottages and castles all available to hire.
Ever popular in Portugal is camping, and there are about two hundred official campsites to choose from. From as little as €4 per night per person, camping is clearly the cheapest and most reasonable accommodation type in Portugal. If you prefer to sleep in a room rather than a tent but are still on a tight budget, look for rooms in private houses across Portugal (there will be a list at the local tourist office) where prices start at around €15 per night.
Of course, hotels may be facing more competition these days but they are perennially popular with tourists and the range of hotels in Portugal is vast. Every type from boutique hotels with individually decorated rooms, to large chain hotels with regimented accommodation, to exclusive and luxurious hotels are in evidence in Portugal.
With such a wide choice of accommodation in Portugal, the only problem is deciding where to stay!
If you intend to spend a week or more in one area of Portugal, apartments offer an interesting way of getting into the way of life of the region. Having the keys to an apartment is different to having the keys to a hotel room: you feel as if you are really part of the scenery and that you are more than just a tourist. And, in Portugal, apartments are not as expensive to rent as you might think, especially if you opt to go out of high season of course. Besides the seasonal differences, apartments generally work out cheaper to rent than hotel rooms because the prices of apartments in Portugal are fixed, or charged per property, regardless of the number of people staying. Thus if there are four of you, you still only pay one price for the property, rather than for individual hotel rooms, which works out cheaper. For example, if you pay €1200 per week for a three-star apartment in Lisbon for four people, that works out at €42 per night each, and for the same price you would only expect to get a two-star hotel room.
Another advantage of renting an apartment in Portugal is that you can choose whether to eat out or to cater for yourselves, whereas in a hotel you are pretty much obliged to eat out every night, sometimes even in the hotel restaurant. If you are self-catering and have the keys to your own apartment, you are really at liberty to try lots of different foods and to get into the way of life there.
There are different kinds of apartment available to rent in Portugal, from self-catering to fully serviced (a bit like staying in a hotel), and this type of accommodation is becoming increasingly popular with tourists because it gives you more freedom.
Portugal is gorgeous but if you want a perfect traveling you should think abot car renting , I suggest http://car-traveler.com/locations/car-rental-portugal/
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