Car Hire in Portugal
Portugal truly has to be one of the most beautiful countries in the world and it would be a crime to book a holiday there and not explore beyond the local beach or town. With car hire in Portugal being so easy and inexpensive, there is also no excuse not to go exploring further afield.
Starting with Portugal’s beautiful capital city, Lisbon, St Jorge’s Castle is an absolute must to visit. You can see this from almost every part of the city and it dates back to the sixth century when it was fortified by the Romans. It was dedicated to St George and given his name in the fourteenth century to commemorate the Anglo-Portuguese pact in 1371. From its grounds you have a breathtaking view of the city below. On route, you should visit the medieval city of Alfama and step back in time as you explore the narrow streets and squares and lose yourself in the ancient alleys.
With car hire in Portugal, you can visit historical Belem from where the great Portuguese explorers, like Vasco da Gama, set sail on their great voyages of discovery and where Christopher Columbus stopped after his discovery of the New World. Belem is full of historical monuments and buildings, including the Belem Tower and the Royal palace.
Once you have steeped yourself in the history of Lisbon and its surrounds, including the Gulbenkian Museum, Praca de Comercio and the shops and restaurants in Chiado, you will certainly want to venture further afield. Because car hire in Portugal is so easy, you can plan short excursions or longer touring trips to suit your tastes.
If you take the A1 highway north of Lisbon towards Oporto, for 249 km, you will reach Aveiro on the Atlantic coast. This is a spectacular town dating back to the tenth century. It is known as the Venice of Portugal because it is surrounded by beaches and lagoons and interlaced by a small network of canals and bridges. It is a picturesque town with many historical buildings, leafy parks and beaches. There are many excellent shops and an early morning market where fisherman sell their nightly catches.
Use your car hire in Portugal to best advantage by taking in Coimbra and visiting one of the oldest universities in the world. You can explore the Roman ruins, the majestic cathedrals or stroll in the university’s botanical gardens. Coimbra is a place of great archaeological interest but is one of those Mediterranean cities that manage to combine the ancient and modern in curious harmony and which will endure in your memory for many years to come.