Car & Van Hire - Pinhal Novo

Pinhal Novo is a suburb of Lisbon that's popular with the city's shoppers and home to some of the Portuguese capital's biggest shopping centres. If you're in the mood for some retail therapy, this is the place to go! Pinhal Novo also makes for budget-friendly accommodation options - on the outskirts of town but still close enough to the action. With car hire in Pinhal Novo, you'll be able to get around and see the best sights.

The tour of the city can start with Lisbon Cathedral, the oldest building in the area. Dating back to 1147, it survived the devastating 1755 earthquake that destroyed most of the city, in what many locals consider to be a miracle. The old building has a fortress-like exterior, but the interior is beautiful, with gilded decorations and statues of the saints.

Another building worth checking out is the Torre de Belém, a 16th-century watchtower built to protect Lisbon from marauding pirates. You might be content to just wander around the outside of this lovely waterside structure, but it's also worth going in. You can climb to the top of the tower, learn more about its history and enjoy the views along the way.

While in town, take the chance to soak up the Portuguese culture. That means dining on seafood. Dishes here are often spiced, thanks to the influence of Portuguese colonies like Brazil, Mozambique and Angola. For dessert, nothing beats pastéis de nata. These small, delicate custard tarts have become famous all over the world - but they were invented here in Lisbon, and this is the best place to sample them. With car hire in Pinhal Novo, you can drive to the Belém district to same the most authentic tarts. While here, visit the stunning Jerónimos Monastery, which took over 100 years to build at the height of the Portuguese Empire.

Car or van hire in Pinhal Novo means you can visit nearby towns. If the weather is good, head to Cascais, a charming seaside resort that has long been a favourite of the people of Lisbon. Architecture fans should try a day trip to the inland town of Sintra, famous for its numerous palaces and stately homes with manicured gardens. Many of the gardens are built on steeply-inclined hills, giving them an even more magical air.

In the suburb of Pinhal Novo, you're unlikely to see much traffic. Generally, traffic flows into Lisbon for the morning rush hour and out again in the evening. Keep this in mind when planning your days, and you won't get caught in any major jams.

In Lisbon, you'll be sharing the road with pedestrians, cyclists and trams. The streets in the city centre are narrow, steep and cobbled, and one-way systems are common. Most visitors will find it easier to park on the outskirts of town and explore the city either on foot or by one of the historic tram routes. Your car will come in handy when you want to go further afield, enjoying day trips to nearby towns or even longer road trips across the country.

Parking in the centre of Lisbon can be expensive. If you go for on-street parking, spaces are colour-coded. From cheapest to most expensive, the colours are green, yellow, red, brown and black. Green and yellow zones are budget-friendly and also give you more time - you can stay parked there for up to four hours, while red, brown and black zones have a limit of two hours. It's often more convenient to look for a parking garage. You'll find them in central areas like Calçada do Combro, Praça do Município, or Chão do Loureiro.

If you plan a long road trip across Portugal, it's a good idea to make sure your car has a Via Verde transponder. This can be used to pay for tolls and can also be used to pay for parking garages in Lisbon. Be warned, though: Portugal's toll system is quite complex. In some areas, particularly in the north, there are modern electronic tolls which will respond to your transponder. In others, you will need to pay by cash or card in a traditional tollbooth.

On highways and in cities like Lisbon, you will find 24-hour petrol stations. In quieter parts of the country, they are usually open from 08:00 to 22:00. Taking country roads to avoid tolls and enjoy better views is always an option in Portugal. However, country roads are not as well-maintained as the highways, and potholes are common. Signs and lights can be lacking, so it is best to avoid driving at night. In villages, locals will park where they like, including in the middle of the road. You may need to honk your horn and wait for the motorist to come out and let you pass.