Car Rental in Porto

Why rent a car in Porto?

Porto is a great place to rent a car. Full of history, landmarks, and atmosphere, some visitors even prefer it to Lisbon! An awesome destination in its own right, the city also serves as a base from where to explore the rest of Northern Portugal.

Top ways to enter Porto

• Porto Airport: Second busiest in Portugal, Porto Airport serves many destinations all across Europe, as well as some in North Africa and North America.
• Vigo Airport: The city of Vigo in the Spanish region of Galicia is just next door to Portugal. Porto can be reached in about two hours. Note that if you’re coming from Vigo to Porto, you’ll have to cross a national border, so check with your car rental provider first to make sure they allow it.
• Santiago de Compostela Airport: Another Galician airport, located in the famous pilgrimage center Santiago, is about three hour ride from Porto. Note that if you’re coming from Vigo to Porto, you’ll have to cross a national border, so check with your car rental provider first to make sure they allow it.
• Lisbon Airport: Portugal’s busiest airport in the nation’s capital has connections to all the world continents and is just about three hour ride south of Porto.

City facts

• The second largest city in Portugal, Porto has a population of just 237,000 within city limits, but 1.7 million people live in the city’s metropolitan area.
• Located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, Porto has warm, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. The average high temperature is 13.8 °C (56.8 °F) in January, the coldest month, and 25.7 °C (78.3 °F) in August, the warmest, with individual summer days getting significantly hotter than that.

Top sights and activities

• The Stock Exchange Palace. Perhaps the most famous Porto landmark, Palácio da Bolsa has everything from the fabled Arab room to a port-wine tasting hall and artefacts of Portugal’s glorious trading and maritime past.
• Porto Cathedral. First built in the 13th century, this cathedral is a mix of architectural styles and an important place in the city’s history. Thanks to its location, it provides an amazing view of the rest of Porto.
• Livraria Lello. This old bookshop has often been called the most beautiful in Europe. Visitors admire its spiral staircase and unique design, but the book collection is not too shabby, either. You’ll have to buy a €5 voucher to enter, but you can spend in on books once you’re in.
• Portuguese Center of Photography. Situated in one of the most beautiful buildings in the city, this museum is dedicated to the beginnings of photography in Portugal, as well as the works of the most important contemporary photographers. A lot of the exhibition material is documentary, providing insight not just into the photography itself, but also into various pages of Portuguese history. The museum website is only available in Portuguese but provides some info about what to expect.
• Museum of Sacred Art and Archaeology. Another notable institution in another stunning building, this museum has found a home in the northern wing of São Lourenço Church. As suggested by the name, many of the artifacts are of religious nature, though there are also some that date back all the way to the Roman days of Portugal. The museum is very near the Douro riverfront and many other notable Porto landmarks.
• Dom Luís I Bridge. The Dom Luís I Bridge is a metal arch bridge that spans the Douro River and connects the city center to Vila Nova de Gaia, where many of Porto's famous port wine cellars are located. Completed in 1886, this 272 meters long (894 feet) bridge has become an icon of Porto. Walking across it should be on every Porto bucket list!
• This is just a small sample — check out this Porto guide for more things to see and do there. 

Traffic and parking

• The speed limit inside the city is 50 km/h, although in certain areas it may be reduced to 30 km/h. Unlike with inter-city roads, the urban speed limit isn't lowered during bad weather.
• Outside of the city the speed limit depends on the type of the road. Highways are limited to 130 km/h, 4-lane expressways to 110 km/h, and 2- or 3-lane roads to 90 km/h. During the rain the limits are respectively lowered to 110 km/h, 100 km/h, and 80 km/h. The general speed limit is lowered to 50 km/h during heavy fog or other cases of bad visibility.
• The insurance and car documentation needs to be in the car whenever you’re driving.
• If you’re the driver, you need to have your passport or ID card with you at all times.
• Using the mobile phone while driving is banned in Portugal, even with a hands-free system.
• The legal alcohol limit is 0.05% for experienced drivers and 0.02% for novice drivers.
• The emergency number, like elsewhere in the European Union, is 112.

Toll roads

A lot of motorways in Portugal are subject to toll fees. See Portugal's official toll road website site for maps and fees.

Ideas for day trips

• Braga. About an hour’s drive northeast, Braga justifies its reputation as a religious center with many beautiful churches and cathedrals. However, there’s also a more hip element to it, as the city recently had the title of European Youth Capital for a year.
• Beaches. Driving further down the coast will get you to beautiful secluded spots or surfing centers like Nazaré, but even in the near vicinity of Porto you can find great beaches like Foz do Douro, Praia de Matosinhos, Praia da Granja, Praia dos Ingleses.
• Peneda-Gerês National Park. About an hour’s drive north of Porto, this nature park is home to such diverse wildlife as wolves, emerald lizards and honey buzzards, and is a beautiful green area to explore and relax in.
• Viana do Castelo. Located an hour’s drive north of Porto, very close to the border with Spain, Viana is best known for the Basilica of Santa Luzia. Impressive in its own right, the mountaintop church provides amazing views of the Lima River and the Atlantic Ocean below. There are other reasons to visit, too, not least the Gil Eanes Naval Museum near the city’s docks and the city’s several blue flag beaches.
• Douro Valley. This famous wine region is a must-visit from Porto and is only a little over an hour away. It can be reached by car, train, boat, or tour. They are renowned for their port wine production and cute villages along the way.
• Vila Nova de Gaia. Facing Porto from the other side of the Douro River, Vila Nova de Gaia is the more residential and working-class part of this metropolitan area, but that doesn’t mean there are no sites for the curious traveler to explore. Highlights include the Biological Park of Gaia, a small and lovely protected area known for its rich birdlife; the WOW Cultural District which is known for its amazing selection of wines; and the lovely beaches on the Atlantic.

Most popular cars

The most popular rental car in Portugal is the VW Polo, followed by the Ford Fiesta and the Fiat 500. The most popular rental car types are economy, mini, and compact.

Further destinations

For more about traveling around Portugal with a rental car, check out our complete guide.

• Lisbon. Nation’s capital and Porto’s great rival is just as charming, but different in lifestyle, architecture, and atmosphere. Some travelers prefer Porto, while others fall in love with Lisbon, but you can say you’ve truly been to Portugal only if you’ve visited them both.
• Coimbra. First settled by the Romans and important during the medieval times, Coimbra boasts one of the world’s oldest universities and an impressively delicious local cuisine.
• Nazaré. The town known for its dramatic coastline might be home to a permanent population of only about 15,000 people, but its name can still be found in the Guinness Book of World Records as the site where the highest-ever wave was surfed by a man. Naturally, surfing is the main activity drawing thousands of visitors every year – the place gets quite crowded during the warmer months – but the town is also a great place for relaxing amid quaint architecture and impressive sea views. The drive from Porto takes only about two hours. 
• Galicia. Just north of Porto, Spain’s westernmost region is home to wild nature more similar to Scotland than Barcelona, distinct local character, and beautiful cities like Santiago de Compostela, Vigo, and A Coruña. You'll have to cross the international border to visit Galicia, so ask your rental car provider in advance if they permit it.

Car rental prices in Porto

• Small cars - from $2 per day
• Medium cars - from $2 per day
• SUVs - from $2 per day
• Station wagons - from $2 per day
• Vans - from $17 per day
• Large cars - from $3 per day
• Convertibles - from $2 per day
• Premium cars - from $17 per day

Money-saving and other tips

There are things you can do to get a good rental car deal in Porto:

• Compare rates of different rental car providers
• Book your rental car well in advance
• Plan your route before you go
• Know your fuel and mileage requirements
• Visit on the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting Porto is the cheapest in March when renting a car is about 48% cheaper than the yearly average.
• Check out our list of the best rental companies in Porto.