Driving in Spain
 

What's it like to drive in the south of Spain these days? I'd like to rent a car for 10 days and see the coast from Malaga to Algiceras. Should I use the bus instead? The cost doesn't matter.

Pat, I just returned from a two-week trip to Spain. Although I was not in Southern Spain (Madrid, Pyrenee Mountains, Costa Brava and Barcelona) I must say it went very smoothly. The roads are very well marked. It was almost impossible to find ourselves lost. I was surprised at how clean the bathroom facilities were compared to those in the US. Everybody we encountered were friendly and helpful. I suggest getting a good map. With a good regional and overview map (we suggest Michelin maps) you cannot go wrong. Good luck!

Last year we rented a car for 3 weeks and drove Madrid, Granada, Marbella (stayed there for 2 weeks) Gibraltar, all around Costa del Sol, Seville, Cordoba, Ciudad Real then back to Madrid. Absolutely GREAT. Roads terrific but cities are really difficul to get around. Be sure to get good map. Inter-city roads better than U.S. <BR>Have a nice trip. <BR>Richard

One more post hoping to ease yur mind. Good roads, Andalucia is meant to be enjoyed at your own pace and having your own car is perfect. We didn't see lots of crazy drivers (like at nearby Portugal!). One word of advice: if going up to Ronda, do it at daylight, both, going and return trip. That ride is thru the mountains and is somewhat treacherous road, with breathtaking views, though. Malaga to Algeciras is a relatively short drive. Be sure to stop at Gibraltar. Just the sight of it from the road is impressive. Also, DO NOT miss Granada. Get on the road EARLY and do the Alhambra first. Try to get a good guide book on the Alhambra ahead of time. Also in Granada, get to the Cathedral, where King Ferdinand and Isabella are buried. Great adjacent museum. Great souvenirs shopping at Granada as well. <BR> <BR>The advice on getting good maps can't be stressed enough. Be sure to identify some white towns and do not miss to visit. Maribel has posted incredibly great info on this topic. I strongly suggest you try to read her previous posts on the subject.

My husband and I were in Spain last summer and enjoyed our car rides. We took a train from Madrid to Cordova (only two and 1/2 hours). We rented a car in Sevilla and drove to Arcos, Granada, Almeria, and then on to Valencia to visit relatives. We loved the freedom of having a car to drive along the beautiful coast. Our cousins explained that Spain has spent a lot of money improving roads to encourage tourism. We're off to Spain next week with my entire family! My cousins do not recommend the Basque Country. Any ideas from other travelers? From what I have read others seem to think it is safe.

The coast road is hectic, not pleasant to drive.There are plenty of comfortable fast air conditioned buses from Malaga to Cadiz, you will see more from the bus.The are also local trains from Malaga some way down the coast - not sure exactly how far,past Fuengirola anyway.There is an frequent express train service between Cadiz & Seville. <BR>Malaga is a pleasant place, mostly tourist resorts between there & Algeciras which is er, not nice, it's the port for Africa.Just after Algeciras is Tarifa, nice old town,nearest point to Africa (ferries to Morrocco 35 mins - daytrips probably not a good idea), after that Cadiz, which is a splendid place.I'd reconsider the coast & go for Malaga/Seville/Cadiz & some of the hill towns between.(eg Ronda)

We did not drive any farther south than Cordoba and Granada, but found all of the roads in Spain are in excellent shape, well-marked, and as someone else mentioned, with clean facilities. <BR> Driving in the cities was a different matter, particularly in the old sections of Cordoba, Granada, Caceres, etc. The streets are narrow, twisting and not well-marked. If you find this an adventure, go for it. If you frustrate easily, think twice. <BR> Also, my husband rented a stick shift car to save on gas mileage, forgetting he hadn't driven one in 30 years. It was a bit hairy for the first few days... <BR> In the end, I'm glad we rented a car, because it gave us independence and a chance to see things we might have missed. But next time, we'll probably take trains, because my husband got so upset driving in the towns. In Granada, he even hired a taxi driver to lead us back out of town to the road to Murcia! <BR> I want to be clear that our problems were based on his high-strung personality. A more low-key person would shrug off being temporarily lost, but it unnerved my husband. For most people, it would be a very good idea to travel so independently. <BR>