Algarve car hire

You should hire a car in the Algarve so that you can set the schedule for your holiday rather than relying on the schedule of public transport such as buses. For example, if you are staying in Faro and you want to take a trip to Sagres Fortress, a spectacular fort on the cliffs facing the Atlantic Ocean, then you can drive there in approximately 1h 30min. This journey takes at least double the time if you go via public transport. Whilst a return taxi to this tourist hotspot would be a very expensive journey to say the least.

When you are driving in the Algarve you will find it different to when you are driving back in the United Kingdom. Firstly, you will be driving on the right side of the road rather than the left, which also means that you will go around roundabouts the opposite way. Secondly, the steering wheel is on the left side of the car so you will change the gears with your right hand. The speed limits in the region are similar to that of the UK though, so you should know not to drive too fast in certain areas. In urban areas you can reach speeds of 50kph (31mph), in rural areas you can go as fast as 90kph (56mph), whilst on motorways the upper limit is 120kph (75mph).

You need to make sure that you are the correct age to hire a car in the Algarve, so check with each agency individually before arrival as their policies might vary. In general, you need to be 18 years of age to hire a car in the Algarve, but some agencies will only allow older drivers to do so who have held their license for a minimum of a year. Drivers below a certain age, often 25, will be made to pay a surcharge in addition to the cost of hiring a car. Those below a specific age will have a limited selection of vehicles to choose from as companies reserve cars with more powerful engines for drivers with more experience.

Economy (Fiat Panda or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Algarve.

Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.

Based on car searches on KAYAK, the most popular cities to hire a car in Algarve are Faro (29% of total searches of users looking to hire a car in Algarve), Portimão (21%) and Albufeira (14%).