Fast facts about hiring a car from Porto Airport

Porto Airport (OPO), also known as Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, is a convenient place to pick up a rental car, with international brands such as Hertz, Avis and Europcar represented. It is around a 15-minute drive from central Porto and one hour 30 minutes from Pinhao, in the heart of the Douro Valley.

You’ll find the car hire offices at Porto Airport in the arrivals hall of the main terminal building, before security, or a short shuttle bus ride away.

Car hire companies with desks at Porto Airport include:

• Avis (Tel: +351 22 943 6900)
• Hertz (Tel: +351 21 942 6300)
• Sixt (Tel: +351 222 076 725)
• Budget (Tel: +351 21 032 3605)
• Europcar (Tel: +351 22 948 2452)

Hiring a car in Porto city centre

If you’d rather take advantage of Porto’s great public transport system for a few days and then explore further afield, you might prefer to hire a car in the city. You’ll find a selection of local and international brands on Rua de Santa Catarina and Avenida Da Boavista, including Avis and Thrifty. There are often cheap deals to be found if you book online in advance.

Driving in Porto city centre

Driving around central Porto can be a bit of a challenge thanks to its maze of narrow, cobbled streets – though that is much less of a problem in outer areas such as Foz do Douro, where you'll find some of the city's beaches. Porto also has an extensive public transport network, which will see you sharing the roads with buses and trams.

To avoid getting lost, plan out your routes in advance and bring along a sat-nav.

During the day, traffic in Porto is not too bad, but you will see an increase in cars on the road during commuter times. For journeys out of town, the A20/A1/A44 outer ring road does a decent job of getting you to the north, south, east or west of the city at speed – in many cases it is quicker than trying to traverse the centre.

If you want to park in central Porto, it’s best to find a parking garage or car park instead of a spot on the narrow streets, as you might find yourself blocked in by other cars. As much of Porto is walkable, you could park somewhere further out for the day to save stress and money.

Recommended day trips from Porto

Guimaraes

Driving time: 45 minutes

The city of Guimaraes remains largely untouched since medieval times, and is home to one of the most imposing castles in the country – a solid, severe-looking fortress with pointed battlements. Its towers and walls have superb views over the city. The whole historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and other attractions include the Palace of the Dukes of Braganza and the Nossa Senhora da Consolação church.

Douro Valley

Driving time: One hour 30 minutes (to Pinhão)

If you’re a red wine or port lover, no visit to Porto is really complete without a day trip to the Douro Valley. It is Portugal’s main wine region and, as well as being incredibly picturesque, its terraced, russet-coloured hills are scattered with wonderful vineyards. Watch the landscape get drier and rougher as you move east towards Spain, and stop at some of the vineyards around Pinhão and Amarante for tastings (but agree on a designated driver first). Tourist cruises are available from Porto, but rarely go this far and give you much less independence than a hire car.

Senhor da Pedra Beach

Driving time: 15 minutes

This idyllic sandy stretch is perfect for sunbathing and swimming, and gets extra photogenic points for the Chapel of Senhor da Pedra. Positioned on a rock at the shore, this tiny yet striking structure gets marooned at high tide. The beach is just 15 minutes from Porto, and it is worth staying until dusk to watch the sun set behind the chapel.