Car hire Oporto
The city of Oporto, also known as Porto, is considered to be the second capital of Portugal. It is located at the north of Portugal. The city gathers the Douro River waters, channeling them into the Atlantic Ocean. Oporto is the second biggest city all over Portugal and one of the biggest in terms of population all over the Iberian Peninsula. The city is considered as one of the oldest city from Europe.
Thanks to Pepecar, you can book a rental car in Oporto to move with total freedom all over the city and its surroundings. Take advantage of the best deals on our search engine! In fact, Pepecar offers a rent a car comparison tool that will allow you to find the car that best meets your needs.
Oporto is considered by UNESCO a World Heritage Site, thanks to its historic center. Its origins date back to some hundreds years B.C. with the occupation of Celtic tribes. Years later, the Roman Empire transformed this city into one of the major commercial ports in Europe. After many conquests and reconquests, Oporto was governed by John I of Portugal and his wife Philippa of Lancaster, a British woman from the Royal Family in the United Kingdom, whose union helped start an alliance between Portugal and England.
From the 14th and 15th century, Porto became an important port of Europe, utilized to send ships all over Africa to conquer and explore new territories. Thanks to the aforementioned alliance between Portugal and England, in the 18th century both countries made a new treaty to establish new trade relations in regards to the exportation of Portuguese wine to the island. From that moment onwards, Porto has held an important position in the economy of Portugal thanks to its port. In fact, the city became the capital of the kingdom restoration of the 20th century, though it lasted less than a month. Nowadays, Oporto is one of the motors of the country, and, for sure, one of the most beautiful areas in the Iberian Peninsula.
In case you want to travel to Oporto, Pepecar wants to recommend a short guide of places to visit in the city. The Clerics Tower is one of the most beautiful towers all over Europe and is located at the historic center of the city. The House of Music, designed by Rem Koolhaas, is considered as a real wonder of architecture all over the world. The Cathedral of Oporto, located at the historic center, is one of the most prominent buildings in Portugal and one of the oldest ones. Lello e Irmᾶo Bookstore (or simply Lello Bookstore) is one of the most beautiful bookstores all over the world, as its façade, inside and location makes it unique. And, the Serralves Foundation is a Contemporary Art Museum converted into the most visited gallery all over Portugal.
GASTRONOMY
Oporto is known for the wide variety of traditional dishes from Portugal. So, if you decide to visit the city, you might want to order some Tripas à Moda do Porto (Intestine Porto style), made of beef from the stomach with white beans. Also, a typical dish is the Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá (Gomes de Sá Cod), made of cod, potatoes, eggs, olives, olive oil and onion. Or, the Francesinha, which is a type of sandwich, made of bread, wet-cured ham, fresh sausage, steak, cheese, tomato, linguiça, and beer sauce. Most importantly, if you like drinking high quality wine, order some Port wine, known all over the world and most valued in Europe.
TRANSPORTATION AND ACCESS TO THE CITY
Oporto is a very beautiful city where a rental car is the best option to explore every single part of it and its surroundings. With Pepecar you will have access to the best deals on the market. So, if you want to visit Oporto and its surroundings, we recommend you to take advantage of our search engine to find the car that best meets your needs. And, if you do not know how to go to the city, we offer you this short guide to know how you might do it.
- From Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport: from the airport to the center of the city, there is a distance of about 13 kilometers. Take the road A-28 and in less than 15 minutes you will arrive at your destination. It is the most common way to access the city. So, you will have a wide range of models of rental car at your disposal thanks to Pepecar.
- From Oporto Railway Station: from Spain, there are some railway stations connected to Oporto. The distance between the station and the center of the city is about 6 kilometers. With your rental car you will access the city in less than 15 minutes. Once in the center, enjoy the historic center and its surroundings. Take the road A20 to go to the center of Oporto.
- From Madrid: it is the most adventurous way to visit this wonderful city. The distance is about 570 kilometers. It will take you five hours and a half to be in Oporto. However, the travel is worth the distance. You will be amazed at the many landscapes from Spain and Portugal until you arrive in the city. Take the A25 instructions, as they are really easy-to-follow ones.
WHERE TO GO WITH YOUR RENTAL CAR IN OPORTO
BRAGA
This wonderful city of Portugal is also known as the City of Archbishops. It is the third largest city in Portugal, and one of the most important ones. If you visit this location, you might want to see the Bom Jesus do Morte, a church with the most beautiful baroque stairs in Portugal, Braga Cathedral, an impressive building with more than ten centuries old, or the Seven Fonts (Sete Fontes), a hydraulic construction to supply safe water to the city in the 18th century.
The distance between Braga and Oporto is about 55 kilometers, so it will take you almost 45 minutes to be at your destination. And, thanks to Pepecar and it service of rental cars, it has never been so easy to explore surrounding areas of Portugal.
MARVÃO
This small village, located at the district of Portalegre, has only 600 hundred inhabitants. The village is at the top of a mountain, somehow close to Castelo de Vide. The most important part of this place is, without any doubt, its castle. Marvão Castle, knowns as Eagles Nest, is a marvelous place with some of the best sights of Portugal. Also, the garden next to the castle is worth a visit, as it is close to the mountainside of the city. Once you see the castle and the village, you can go to Portagem, an even smaller village, to order some golden cod, made of cod, eggs and potatoes, or the typical chicken with fries. Then, you can go to the natural swimming pool of Portagem, which is a part of Sever River that has been transformed into a pool.
The distance between Oporto and Marvão is about 300 kilometers. It is true that it will take you more than 3 hours. But, we can assure you, the visit is really worth it.
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