Hi, will be flying in and out of Lisbon in early may. After visiting Lisbon a few days, would it be best to get a rental car at Sintra after hanign out there and then driving around the central costal area of Portugal, or is it better to get the rental car in Lisbon first. We want to return the car back to Lisbon.........thanks
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
The first step is to see if you can actually rent a car in Sintra and drop in back in Lisbone. Probably not, since I think all they have there are the local, not the national, outfits. Dealing with some of these companies can be a bit tenuous/risky if you don't know exactly what you're about. Parking can be rough in Sintra. You don't really need a car. It's a half-hour drive from Lisbon - - the route is served by buses.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6788 posts
Unless something has changed in the last few years, I'd say that a car in Sintra would only be a headache. It's small, crowded, and I'd expect parking to be a major pain. Besides, Sintra is wonderfully served by a fast, clean, efficient train from Lisbon that runs frequently. To get around between the various sites around Sintra, there are handy mini-bus shuttles. I'd just make Sintra a day trip (it's perfect for that) and rent/return from Lisbon.