After clocking more than 80,000 km on Portuguese asphalt, I’ve learned that car hire in Quarteira is the easiest way to unlock the Algarve on your own terms. Think of this guide as hard-won road wisdom—straightforward tips to help you choose the right wheels, sidestep the usual extra costs, and cruise from sunrise coves to sunset cliff tops without a hitch.
Quarteira sits between Vilamoura’s marina scene and Almancil’s food spots, yet stays refreshingly unflashy. Faro Airport is 25 minutes away, the A22 motorway 10 minutes, and several Blue-Flag beaches are walkable. Public transport covers short hops, but if you want sunrise at Benagil and sundown at Sagres in one day, a rental car is non-negotiable.
Here’s the five-step routine I follow to keep car hire in Quarteira quick, legal, and wallet-friendly:
I usually compare agencies through DiscoverCars—solid filters, verified reviews, and early warnings about hidden admin fees.
| Faro Airport (FAO) | Downtown Quarteira | |
|---|---|---|
| Choice | Widest range, especially automatics | Fewer categories, but enough for most trips |
| Waiting time | Up to 60 min on Saturdays | 5–15 min average |
| Cost | +€15–€20 “airport tax” | Often €5–€7 per day cheaper when pre-booked |
| Convenience | Walk out, drive off | 25 min EVA bus (€4) or taxi from FAO |
I fly in, take the bus to town, grab the car next morning—less queuing, more time for a coffee.
Before you hit “confirm,” think about where you’re heading and who’s riding shotgun—here’s the quick checklist I use to match the car to the trip:
In July–August I pay the small premium for an automatic—stop-start traffic around Almancil is brutal on a manual clutch.
| Season | Economy €/day | Compact SUV €/day | Key Tips |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 12–18 | 20–28 | Combine low rate with third-party excess cover |
| Apr–Jun | 19–27 | 30–38 | Pre-pay toll tag only if you’ll use A22 daily |
| Jul–Aug | 40–55 | 55–75 | Reject “full-to-empty” fuel policies |
| Sep–Oct | 18–25 | 28–36 | Add extra driver during booking, not at desk |
| Nov–Dec | 10–15 | 18–24 | Re-check prices 72 h before pick-up and rebook if lower |
DiscoverCars flags the fuel policy before checkout; sidestepped €60 in refuelling add-ons last trip.
Here’s the need-to-know cheat sheet for staying legal, parked, and fueled up around Quarteira:
All five spots lie under a two‑hour drive from Quarteira—ideal for a quick adventure between breakfast and dinner:
Sort these documents and cover options ahead of time to avoid any hiccups at the rental desk:
Keep a digital copy of any external insurance to avoid pushback at the desk.
Chargers now dot the central Algarve, so an EV is viable. I covered a week’s trips in a Kia Niro EV, recharging twice for roughly half the petrol cost. Check availability early—stock is still limited.
A well-priced car hire in Quarteira opens up cliff walks, hill towns, and surf breaks that buses just can’t reach. I lock in a deal—filters set to zero excess and customer rating ≥ 8—through DiscoverCars, then hit the A22. Works every time.
Safe travels, and maybe I’ll see your headlights on the coastal road.
You can get a Quarteira Car Hire car in two ways i.e. for a round-trip or for a one-way trip. A round-trip means that the pick-up and drop-off area of your rented car would be the same. A one-way car rental refers to cars that are picked up from one place and dropped off at some other city. Usually, car rental companies charge extra fees for one-way car rentals. So, if you are traveling on a budget then you should opt for round-trip.
Since Quarteira is a small town in Europe, you need to follow European rental car rules. As per these rules, smoking is prohibited inside the rented car. Your car will be thoroughly inspected at the time of returning for ash, smoking smell, or burn marks. If anything is found in the interiors then you need to pay extra fees for damages or deep cleaning of the car.
As on 30th May 2022, the price of Gasoline was Euros 2.055/l. The average price of gasoline during the period of 21st February 2022 to 30th May 2022 was 1.95 Euros.
On average a car rental in Quarteira costs 15$ a day however it can start from 10$ or even lower and up to 50$ a day in peak season
Usually companies give a solid discount so if a daily average is 15$ then it can be around 500$ for a month and as well some discount.
