Aveiro is a great road-trip base – about 50 minutes south of Porto, 45 minutes north of Coimbra and close to the Costa Nova beaches. With a rental car you can reach the Serra da Estrela mountains and the Douro wine valley in around two hours, both via toll-free motorways. This guide ranks the best day trips from Aveiro with real 2026 driving times and toll costs, plus tips on renting, insurance and tolls.
Aveiro has no airport – most visitors fly into Porto (OPO), about 75–80 km and 50–55 minutes north, and pick up a rental car there. If you arrive by train, there are also rental desks in Aveiro itself. Prices depend heavily on the season, so compare early for July and August – see our car rental in Aveiro guide.
The A1 has toll plazas with cash and card lanes, but the A29, A41 and other former SCUT motorways only have electronic gantries. A Via Verde transponder is usually an optional extra at the rental desk – ask for it if you plan to use the A29 or drive north of Porto.
Porto: about €4.05–5.30 on the A1. Coimbra: about €2.95–4.20. Lisbon: about €20. Braga: about €7.25 (A1 + A3). Viseu, Guarda and Serra da Estrela on the A25: free. Free alternatives: the N109/N1 to Porto and the IC2 to Coimbra are slower but toll-free.
Five day trips, from a half-day at the beach to a full day in the mountains or the Douro. All work as a return trip from Aveiro.
The striped houses of Costa Nova, Praia da Barra and the Farol da Barra, the tallest lighthouse in Portugal. Both beaches belong to the neighbouring municipality of Ílhavo, about 10 km from Aveiro. Parking is easy outside summer; in July and August arrive early. Combine with the Vista Alegre porcelain museum, about 10 minutes away.
Portugal’s second city: the Ribeira, the Clérigos tower and the port-wine cellars of Gaia. Leave the car in a central car park such as Silo Auto (about €1.20/hour), Trindade or Alfândega and explore on foot – see our Porto parking guide.
Portugal’s oldest university and the Biblioteca Joanina. Park at an SMTUC car park such as Mercado D. Pedro V or Parque Verde do Mondego and walk up. Book the Joanina at visit.uc.pt (about €16.50) before you go – time slots sell out in peak season.
Portugal’s highest mainland mountains (Torre, 1,993 m). From Aveiro, the A25 runs straight to Viseu and Guarda without tolls; continue to Manteigas or Covilhã. Snow is possible from December to March – check road conditions before you set off.
UNESCO-listed wine terraces along the Douro. A toll-free route runs via the A25 to Viseu and the A24 to Peso da Régua, then along the N222 to Pinhão – a road an Avis study in 2015 called the best driving road in the world. Quinta do Seixo is next to Pinhão and Quinta do Crasto is a short drive downstream.
Budget brands at Porto airport have very mixed reviews – in September 2026, Goldcar scored 1.3, Firefly 2.0 and Sixt Portugal 2.1 on Trustpilot. Read recent reviews and the fuel and deposit policy before you book the cheapest offer.
Insurance is where the price of a rental car can double. Know what you already have before you reach the desk.
Rentals in Portugal include third-party liability, and most rates include collision damage and theft cover with an excess – the amount you pay if the car is damaged or stolen. The excess is shown in your booking conditions.
At the desk you will be offered cover that reduces the excess to zero, often for a significant daily price. Decide in advance whether you want it.
A standalone excess insurance policy, bought before you travel, is usually much cheaper per day. Note that the rental company will then block the full deposit on your credit card and you claim back any damage costs from the insurer.
Aveiro sits between two toll motorways: the A1 (Lisbon–Porto) and the A29 (Aveiro–Gaia along the coast). The A25 east towards Viseu, Guarda and Serra da Estrela has been completely toll-free since 1 January 2026, when the last three gantries near Aveiro were removed. For a full overview see tolls in Portugal explained and our Portugal toll calculator.
About €4.05 from the Albergaria junction (A25) or about €5.30 from Aveiro Sul to Porto, class 1, one way. The A1 has toll plazas: you can pay in cash or by card, or use a Via Verde lane with a transponder.
A coastal motorway from the Angeja junction via Estarreja and Ovar to Espinho and Gaia. It only has electronic gantries (for example about €0.65 between Salreu and Estarreja and €0.50 between Estarreja and Ovar), so you need a transponder or must pay later at a post office or Payshop within the deadline. There is no A29 exit for Costa Nova or Torreira.
| Route | Toll (one way, approx.) | Free alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Aveiro → Porto (A1) | €4.05–5.30 | N109 / N1 – slower |
| Aveiro → Coimbra (A1) | €2.95–4.20 | IC2 – slower |
| Aveiro → Lisbon (A1) | about €20 | IC2 / N1 – much slower |
| Aveiro → Braga (A1 + A3) | about €7.25 | — |
| Aveiro → Viseu / Guarda (A25) | Free | — |
| Aveiro → Douro via A25 + A24 | Free | — |
Prices for July and August rise as availability drops. For peak season, compare a few months ahead and choose a rate with free cancellation.
Compare the market on an aggregator, then check the same car directly with the rental company – and always compare the total price including deposit, fuel policy and extras.
Automatic cars are usually noticeably more expensive in Portugal and sell out first in summer. If you drive manual, you will save money.
Know whether you want zero-excess cover before you arrive, so you are not pressured into it at the counter.
If you land at Porto, pick up at the airport; if you arrive by train, pick up in Aveiro and avoid the drive back to the airport.
Return the car with a full tank. Refuelling by the rental company is much more expensive than at the pump; supermarket petrol stations are often the cheapest.
Aveiro rental budget calculator
Compare live car rental prices →Prefilled with an example daily rate – replace it with the live price for your dates and season.
It depends strongly on the season and how early you book: low season is much cheaper than July and August. Compare live prices for your dates and check the total cost including deposit, fuel policy and extras.
If you fly into Porto, pick up at the airport – it has the widest choice. If you arrive in Aveiro by train, renting in the city saves the trip back to the airport.
Not necessarily. Check the excess in your booking. A standalone excess policy bought before travelling is usually cheaper, but the rental company will then block the full deposit on your card.
On the A1 it is about €4.05–5.30 one way for a car. The A1 has toll plazas where you can pay by card or cash. The coastal A29 is electronic only, so you need a transponder or must pay later.
Usually yes – most companies allow Spain, sometimes for a cross-border fee. Check the conditions before booking. Vigo is about 230 km away, roughly 2h15–2h30.
The Douro Valley: take the toll-free A25 and A24 to Peso da Régua, then the N222 to Pinhão. It takes about 2 hours each way and is best in spring and autumn, especially during the September grape harvest.
