Lisbon is the largest city in Portugal as well as the capital city with a population of more than 3 million and an area covering more than 80 sq/km so it stands to reason that there are plenty of things for a traveler to see and do during their visit. This is an important city for commerce, media, finance and entertainment making it a popular location with both business and leisure travelers – all can benefit from a hire car.
Lisbon Airport
Lisbon Portela Airport welcomes more than 16 million travelers every year, already one of the largest in Southern Europe it is continually expanding to deal with the rapidly increasing numbers of travelers who pass through the airport each year. A number of car hire companies are represented at the airport helping passengers to continue along their journey with flexibility and independence. These car hire companies include;
- Europcar
- Hertz
- Budget
- Avis
Travelers heading north should take the exit marked A1 Lisbon on the 2a circular road and travelers heading south should take exit 2a to the Vasca de Gama Bridge.
Attractions In and Around Lisbon
There are some great attractions just a short driving distance from Lisbon including;
- Sintra – is just a half hours drive from Lisbon and a fabulous place to spend a few hours, the A-9 and A-16 do incur some tolls but the charges are minimal. There are three fabulous Palaces to visit (Royal Palace, Pena Palace and Regaleira Palace & Gardens) plus a magnificent Moorish Castle.
- Estoril – is a delightful coastal town with beaches, golf courses, a castle and casino – one of the town’s claims to fame is that it was allegedly the inspiration behind Casino Royale.
- Fatima – this 130 km journey will take around an hour and a half from Lisbon and is a very important site for Catholic pilgrimages, the Sanctuary of Fatima is the site of an apparition in 1917 of the Virgin Mary. Other apparition sightings have been reported in the area.
Whether you want to make the most of your trip around the city itself or visit some of the marvelous places and attractions on the outskirts of Lisbon a hire car really can make all the difference to the enjoyment of your trip. In order to get the best deal possible remember to check plenty of comparison and car hire websites – a few good ones to start off with include:
- http://www.travelsupermarket.com/c/cheap-car-hire/portugal/lisbon/
- http://www.holidayautos.co.uk/car-hire/lisbon.htm
- http://www.kayak.co.uk/Cheap-Lisbon-Car-Hire.2172.cars.ksp
- http://www.carhirelisbon.org/
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