GOLDCAR Car Rental at Lisbon Airport

Goldcar at Lisbon Airport can be contacted by telephoning on +34 965 843 186 to speak to the service team in the arrivals hall. The car hire desk is open for business from 6.00 am to 1.00 am every day.

Goldcar is just one of several car rental companies at Lisbon Airport.

The Centro Region of Portugal, to which Lisbon, Leiria and Batalha belong, offers many fine examples of medieval castles, monasteries and Gothic splendour. An 11 km drive south of Leiria finds the Batalha municipality with its must-see Gothic architecture of abbey, monastery and battlements.

Batalha monastery dates back to the 14th century and was founded to celebrate the country's victory at the Battle of Aljubarotta on 14th August 1385, which finally ended a two year war. Also worth seeing are the lovely 18th century Capela da Santa Casa da Misericordia and the 16th century Igreja Matriz de Exaltaçao de Santa Cruz.

The Dominican monastery and abbey show both late Gothic and Manueline influences. Although construction began in 1386, the abbey and monastery complex were not completed until 1517, after 7 generations of kings had presided over the country and fifteen architects had been worn out in the process. The Balalha convent has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 and the monastery now houses a museum.

At nearby Leiria, a lively student town with an imposing Moorish castle that dates back to 1135, the whole town fits into the fortified walls, complete with a royal palace that boasts a splendid balcony high above the Rio Lis river. Just outside the town's walls stands the 16th century cathedral that dates back to the reign of King Dom João III.

Small and easy to drive cars from Goldcar car hire Lisbon Airport include the Fiat 500, Kia Picanto and the Ford Ka. All of them can accommodate 4 passengers and 2 suitcases. Ideal for driving around Lisbon and immediate surroundings, these cars feature 3 doors, air conditioning and manual transmission.

Rates shown online include VAT, all local taxes, unlimited mileage, and collision damage waiver insurance with excess, theft cover and passenger insurance.

The Economy range from Goldcar Lisbon Airport showcases cars like the Peugeot 207, Audi A1 and Ford Fiesta, 3-door cars that can seat 5 passengers and accommodate 2 large pieces of luggage in the boot.

The 5-door Economy range from Goldcar includes the Volkswagen Polo, Opel Corsa and Citroen C3, which also seat up to 5 people. Compact range cars offer a little more space for luggage. The Seat Ibiza, Fiat Grande Punto and Skoda Yeti for example can accommodate 3 large suitcases as well as 5 passengers with ease, as can Goldcar's Compact range choices of Opel Astra, Seat Leon and Ford Focus, 5-door cars with low emission, manual transmission and air conditioning.

Estate cars from Goldcar car hire Lisbon Airport include the ever popular 5-door Renault Megane and the Ford Focus. These vehicles are ideal for families, as they seat up to 5 passengers and offer room for up to 4 large suitcases, too.

Another 8 km drive from Batalha lies the small and pleasant town of Porto de Mós, straddling the river and enticing tourists with its castle, not to mention the natural splendours of the nearly Parque Natural das Serras de Aire e Caneeiros nature reserve, which extend to the east and south of the town.

The natural park boasts some amazing underground caves and, of course, is home to 200 world-famous dinosaur tracks embedded in 175 million old limestone terrain that is typical for the region. The three caves that are open to the general public are best visited by hire car as only one of them is directly accessible by bus.

The 13th century castle that is perched atop a forested hill underwent some considerable face lifts and restoration after the 1755 earthquake that all but destroyed this part of Portugal.

For more information about Goldcar Lisbon Airport, please visit the company's official portal at www.goldcar.pt, where enquiries can be made.