First trip to Spain: car rental and driving experience???
 

My wife and I are planning our Spain trip in July. Our tentative itinerary below.

Basically we want to know whether renting a car in cities Majorca, Granada and Sevilla a good option or the public transportation is good enough? We basically found out that Majorca seeing around in own transportation is better option, suggestions? Also we want to drive from Granada to Sevilla so was thinking to keep the car for seeing around in those cities as well. Suggestions?

1. From LA, flying to Madrid and taking a flight to Barcelona and spend next 2 days. Will see around in public transport.

2. Taking a flight to Majorca and spend a day. We were thinking to rent a car here. Is renting a good idea. Not sure of the public transportation options. How easy to drive around and finding parking? If we rent we would return before taking flight to Granada.

3. Then flying to to Granada pick up rental car. Same question about this city? Is using public transportation/taxis better option. If we rent how about the parking and driving?

4. Want to drive to Sevilla with rental car and keep the car with ourselves for seeing around in the city.

5. Take the train from Sevilla to Madrid and spend 1.5 days with public transports and taxis.

appreciate your time and helping out.

We rented a car and drove around Andalusia twice - but once for 10 days and once for 12 days.

It's not clear how mch time you have but not sure if it's enough time to warrant renting a ar versus just pubic transit. In terms of parking we made sur yall of our hotels had garages so no problem with that.

If you are in the center of some of the cities/smaller towns the roads can be very narrow - at times you have to drive with wheels on one side up on the sidewalk. Also when you park always fold in the mirrors on both sides to avoid having them knocked off in the very narrow confines.

Sorry - driving between cities and in the countryside is fine - but just driving inside each city is an exercise in frustration and a waste of time.

First of all don't drive in Granada or Sevilla. Taxis, as we found out, are pretty inexpensive in Spain, and mostly we walked everywhere. You don't need a car in the towns.

Picking up the car in Granada was easy. Took a cab to the Hertz place in town from our apartment, and it took three minutes to get on the road to Ronda and Zahara de la Sierra (one the "white" towns). Drove to Sevilla the next day, and outside of one wrong turn, we dropped it off with ease.

Have a great trip.

((H))

I know people like to drive but if all your doing going between cities, Spain's train system is wonderful and make Amtrak look even more antiquated.

That said, forget about cars in the bigger cities. The buses, metro/trams, taxis and your own two feet are all inexpensive and take you around to the tourist areas.

Having a car in the cities will, IME, be more of an encumbrance than a benefit. Trains and buses provide excellent convenient and comfortable transportation between cities -- and with your time frame, I honestly can't imagine that you would benefit from having a car between cities, as you have no free time to do anything en route. JMO.

As noted above

Try to avoid renting cars while in Spanish cities, they are more of a burden. Public transportation is excellent in Spain. If you do decide to drive be sure to get an International Driver's Permit, usually from the AAA. Some rental car companies ask for it, but if you get stopped by the police and you do not have, they can give you a hard time. Also if you wear glasses bring a second pair, as it is the law when you drive.

The Spanish are not bad drivers and most roads are pretty good, except some in the mountains may not have guard rails.

Based on you itinerary, the only place a rental car will come in handy is Majorcia. You can take the train or a bus between your other destinations, and walk or take a taxi in Granada and Sevilla.

Just to add to the above, it's easy to walk in Seville, and Granada's centre is not big. It's expensive to park your car in the 24 hour lots in Granada where you will be parking because there's really nowhere you need to drive, or would want to. There is a bus or taxi to La Alhambra.

***Taking a flight to Majorca and spend a day***
Waste of time spending only a day there.
The time you take getting to airport, check in, fly, and get out of arrivals, plus time to pick up and drop off car and take a flight back will eat into your day big style.

If you choose to drive here in Spain you will need to purchase an I.D.P.

Yeah we have decided to not rent cars within the cities of Granada and Seville. Even in Majorcia we might not and may rent a moped if necessary. Any website to do it beforehand?

We are thinking of renting car just to drive from Granada to Seville. But we may have just 1 day and looks like not enough time to justify what its worth.