, so you are probably wondering why you would want a hire car. However, huge improvements have been made over the past few years. We would still advise that you drive with caution though. When driving in the cities it can be a little bit stressful, especially during the morning and evening rush hours.
Car hire in Portugal, namely the Algarve is simply the best way to discover it. There are lots of hidden beaches and beautifully set villages hidden in the Portuguese countryside that simply need to be discovered.
Most of the motorways in Portugal are toll roads and they generally do accept all major credit cards, these are usually good roads and kept in good order with plenty of service stations and places to stop. The Mediterranean Coastal Motorway (A-7/E-15) toll road that runs from Lisbon all the way along the Mediterranean coast to Monte Carlo, is a recently built 4-lane motorway that makes a very enjoyable drive along the Mediterranean Coast.
Essential Information
1.Seat Belts must be worn at all times, by all occupants of the vehicle.
2.Children aged 12 and under or less than 1.5m (4 feet 9 inches) are not allowed to travel in a car unless supported in an approved child seat or harness.
3.A reflective vest must be kept in the vehicle at all times and worn when examining/repairing a vehicle at the roadside.
4.A warning triangle must be displayed at the rear of the car if you have stopped at the side of the road as a result of breakdown or problems.
5.If you have held your license for less than 12 months then you must not exceed 90kph (55mph) and display a yellow "90" disc at the back of the car.
Do not worry if your hire car does not contain all of the required safety equipment. Although they should be present for your safety, sometimes it is not possible to provide these for every single vehicle. Fines that are issued by the police for the lack of safety equipment will be paid or refunded by the car rental company.