Faro Car Rental Guide
On this page, you will find information about the car rental possibilities in Faro. The page also provides you with general information about the car rental and driving restrictions valid in Portugal.
Rental Restrictions
To rent a car, you must be at least 21 years old (age may vary by car category) and have held your license for 1 year. Drivers under the age of 25 may incur a young driver surcharge. Seatbelts are mandatory. Child seats are mandatory for children up to age 4.
Driving Restrictions
In Portugal, driving is on the right. The minimum driving age is 17 years. Children must be at least 12 to sit in the front. The maximum blood alcohol limit is 0.5‰ and drunk driving is subject to very severe fines.
Do not flash your headlights – it is illegal. You may only use the horn in case of extreme and immediate danger.
Roads are often three lanes wide – use the middle lane for passing in both directions. At the junction of two roads of equal importance, traffic coming from the right has priority.
You must park in the direction of traffic, except where parking is allowed on one side of the road only. Illegally parked vehicles will be confiscated. In many towns, Blue Zones exist; for parking in this zone, you have to obtain a parking disc.
The police are authorised to collect fines on the spot.
Speed limits| Area | Speed |
| City | 50KM/H |
| Main roads | 90KM/H |
| Motorways | 120KM/H |
Emergency Numbers
Police/fire/ambulance: 112
Road Tolls
In Portugal, many motorways and several bridges and tunnels are tolled. You can pay for the ticket with a credit card, but it is advisable you carry cash. The tolls are rather expensive.
Some useful expressions for tourists visiting Portugal
Car rental agency – agencia de aluguer de carros
Parking – estacionamento
About Faro
Faro is a small town that serves as the gateway to the many resorts in the surrounding area. The focal point of the city is the harbour, in the vicinity of which you will find the main modern shopping and dining street of Rua de Santo Antonio. You will also find many clubs, outdoor cafes and bars in the area.
The town’s biggest attraction is the beach of Praia de Faro. Not much of old Faro has remained due to the earthquakes and battles that took place centuries ago. However, there are some great buildings built after the earthquakes that are worth seeing. You should also visit the Museum of Living Science, which offers an interesting range of activities.
Area:
Population: 40,000
Country: Republic of Portugal
Time Zone: GMT/UTC 0 (+1 in summer)
Telephone Area Code: 289
Monetary Unit: Euro
