Car Rental in Portugal

Rent a car in Portugal with Sixt

Portugal has fabulous beaches, fascinating cities and some beautiful natural areas, and all are easily reached with your car rental in Portugal. Use the information on this page to give you some great ideas to help you start planning your itinerary. Your trip will be open to many possibilities when you rent a car in Portugal with Sixt and you can enjoy the drive knowing you are behind the wheel of a well-maintained, top quality vehicle from our up-to-date fleet.

Our Service

You are sure to find the ideal rental vehicle in our premium fleet. Once you have found the model to suit your mobility needs book one of our great car rental deals in Portugal easily online. While making your online reservation you can select from our range of extras to further customize your rental vehicle to your requirements. Navigation systems and the E-Toll Service can make it easier to get around, while child seats are available so you can travel lighter and leave yours at home. We also offer extra protections and additional driver coverage.

What vehicle class is right for my trip?

• Our compact city cars are perfect for narrow, winding streets and are easy to park.
• Sports cars and convertibles can add glamour and excitement to your visit
• A luxury sedan provides top comforts and amenities to make solo or family road trips more enjoyable.
• SUVs are the perfect choice for those with outdoor gear or wanting a more robust, all-weather vehicle.
• Larger groups are catered for with our minivans and some branches even offer 12 to 15-seater passenger vans.

Driver's license

When you arrive to pick up your vehicle, the renter and driver must present an identity card or passport along with a valid driver's license. US visitors can use their regular license so long as you don't have an EU visa in your passport. If you do have an EU visa, your license is still valid if you have been in the EU for less than six months. An International Driver's Permit(IDP) is required if your license is printed in a non-Latin alphabet, such as Chinese, Arabic or Russian.

Age restrictions

To rent a car in Portugal from Sixt you must be at least 19 and have held your license for a minimum of one year. Additional age restrictions may apply to certain models. These will be highlighted by the booking engine in the rental process.

Payment Methods

Sixt accepts all of the major credit cards but we cannot accept debit or prepaid cards and cash payments are not permitted.

Accidents

If you experience an accident or emergency, call 112 to contact the emergency services. Any accident must be reported to the police, even if no other vehicle is involved. Any damage must be reported to Sixt immediately and the accident report form filled out.

FAQs

TIP: It is generally cheaper to rent a car at least three months before any high season. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before collection is almost always possible, but is dependent on the chosen tariff.

Driving Tips

Portugal has an extensive road network and the major highways tend to be modern and in good condition. Many of these routes require tolls, so have plenty of change ready or choose our E-Toll Service option when you choose car rental in Portugal with Sixt. The E1 is the main north-south route on the west coast, connecting Faro with Lisbon and Porto. The E802 serves the east of the country and the A22 runs east to west along the Algarve coastline.

Tips for driving in Portugal:

• In general, speed limits are 50 km/h in urban roads, 90 km/h on non-urban roads and up to 120 km/h on motorways.
• You must drive on the right and overtake on the left.
• All drivers and passengers must wear seatbelts at all times.

Places of Interest

Top 4 Architectural Sights

• Castles of Sintra
• Óbidos Historic Center
• Alfama District, Lisbon
• Porto

Not far from Lisbon  is the town of Sintra  known for its architectural monuments. You can visit many historical buildings including the three top castles: Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira and Monseratte Palace. Located on a hilltop and encircled by a fortification wall is the Óbidos Historic Center. Its streets, squares and castle are all well-preserved examples of medieval architecture. The Alfama District leads up from theTejo river to the Sao Jorge Castle and is Lisbon's oldest district home to a labyrinth of narrow streets. Porto is one of the oldest European centers and its historical core is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It has quite an architectural legacy, due in part to its expansive history, and home to the Porto School of Architecture, one of the world's most prestigious. Of course it is also well-known for producing Port wine which is made along the Douro River that runs through the city.

Top 4 Natural Sights

• Algarve Beaches
• Pico Island, Azores
• Lagoon of the Seven Cities, Azores
• Funchal, Madeira Island

The Algarve beaches at the southern tip of Portugal are known for being some of the best in the world. As the area stretches for quite a ways its coastline is a variable mix of sandy beaches to more rocky, rugged shores. Located in the Central Group of the Azores, Pico Island is famous for its volcano, Ponta do Pico, which is also the highest mountain in Portugal. Sitting in the crater of a dormant volcano are the two lakes that comprise the Lagoon of the Seven Cities. Located on the island of Sao Miguel in the archipelago of the Azores, the twin lakes are connected by a natural channel and are the largest bodies of water on the islands. Funchal is the capital city of the Madeira archipelago and is home to many special gardens like the Jardim Tropical Monte Palace and the Madeira Botanical Garden that hosts thousands of exotic plants. There are also several nature reserves in the area.

Top Filming Locations

Wim Wenders' 1994 "Lisbon Story" tells the tale of a sound engineer sent to the city to capture the sounds of Lisbon for a film. As the film follows the engineer's quest, the streets of Lisbon are captured magnificently. Based on the novel by Isabel Allende, "The House of Spirits (1993)" was filmed in Portugal although it tells the story of the military dictatorship in Chile. Its star-studded cast, which included Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Winona Ryder and Jeremy Irons, filmed scenes in Lisbon and Alentejo, Portugal.

Crossing Borders

Our car rental deals in Portugal allow cross border rentals on request to a number of European countries including neighboring Spain. You must inform the rental branch of your intentions or all coverages will be invalidated. Further information is available on our page detailing all important rental information.

Popular car rental locations in Portugal

• Porto
• Lisbon
• Ponta Delgada
• Santa Cruz
• Velas
• Funchal
• Faro
• Azores Region
• Horta