Car rental in Portugal for exploring off the beaten path

[Olderwine]

Yeah the mud thing is absurd but standard practice with the big chains. They want you shuttling between hotels on highways and that's it. You can rent a car in Portugal here: https://getrentacar.com/en-US/portugal . It's peer-to-peer so you're renting from actual owners instead of corporate fleets. A lot of them have SUVs or older cars they don't baby, and the terms are way more relaxed about where you drive. Just read what each owner allows before booking and you'll find someone cool with countryside trips.