Hi -- my wife and I will be in Spain for about 2.5 weeks at the beginning of the year. We'll start in Barca and head south to Sevilla, and perhaps Portugal. At first we planned to skip car rentals and just do the trains and buses (we're young and backpacking) but it sounds like car rental rates are really reasonable.

A few questions, though:
1. Where would a rental car be the most helpful? In Andalucia?
2. Should I even bother to drive into Sevilla? I've heard thefts from cars are bad there.
3. Is driving around Andalucia difficult? And is it worth the hassle?
4. I won't need a car in Barca. Should I drive to Sevilla or is it easiest to take a train, then pick up a car after spending a few days in Sevilla to explore the area?
5. Any general thoughts on the virtues/problems of car rentals for vactioners in Spain?

Thanks a million for your help.

Check out the threads on car rentals under transportation. I think you probably should plan NOT to drive in big cities at all (you don't need a car in Barca or Sevilla); so I'd recommend training to Sevilla (or FLYING?), then after you are done with Sevilla, rent a car to explore Andalucia. But if you are young and enjoy trains and buses, believe me, those can be a lot less hassle free than worrying about a car all the time! it's just a different experience.. depends what you want to do.

Billings- I'll be heading to Madrid tomorrow, taking the AVE to Sevilla, picking up a car there, touring Andalucia, and returning the car to Grand Via in Madrid. I promise a full account upon my (presumed) return.

Thanks for the posts. Markb: Can't wait to hear about your experiences in Andalucia in a rented car. BTW: I found a number of firms that quoted me rates of about 120 USdollars for a week's rental, all inclusive.

I would pick up the car after you've seen Sevilla. You'll have a great time touring the countryside and the pueblos blancos. Car rental gives you flexibility and allows you to go off the beaten track (and let yourself get lost). My fondest memories are from road trips in Spain.

There's an Avis location right at Sevilla's Santa Justa rail station. We didn't rent a car when we were there (2-nites) in Sept but if I were going to do the Andalucia 'loop' (Sanlucar de Barrameda, Jerez, el Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz, Algeciras, Marbella, Malaga, Ronda and Granada) I would pick up & drop off a rental car there. I wouldn't leave a rental car unattended in Algeciras when day-tripping to Morocco, though, from what I have read here & on other forums.

Just returned from 13 days in Spain: Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Ronda, Mazagon, Talavira (Portugal), Sevilla, Cordoba, Madrid.

We rented from Hertz, pre-paid. Flew into Madrid, stayed 2 nights, rented car from Estacion Atocha on way out of town.

Original plan was to drop car on way into Sevilla and then use the AVE to get to Cordoba and back to Madrid.

However, we had so much fun with unscheduled stops, picture ops, etc from the car, that we decided to keep it and drop it upon our return to Madrid. Our strategy was to park the car at the hotel/parador in each city and only use it for the drive in and back out again. Fortunately, this strategy worked in each town. Used feet and taxis to get around town. Extraordinary vistas and memories from the drives into rural Andalucia, especially between Granada and Ronda and then to Mazagon. On the day between Mazagon (small town on Costa de la Luz, west of Cadiz), we ventured into Portugal as far as Faro (with memorable stop in Talavira) on the south coast and still made Sevilla by dusk.

Car rental Cost $142.00 US (plus insurance) for the whole trip and only had to pay parking at the Pardor de Ronda.

Faffo

What a cheap price for a car rental?! How did you get such a good deal? What kind of car was it (standard/automatic? size?)

Faffo

I'm pretty interested in this too. Sounds a brilliant deal. Did you book the car actually at Atocha, or did you pre-book it?

I'd like to know the answers to rgf's questions too.

Sounds like you had a great trip.

Jo-Anne

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Madly in love with Madrid

Faffo,

Your description of your recent mother-daughter Andalucia trip is so magical. I will leave for Spain on the night of Dec. 28 to discover the Andalucia region with my 20-year old daughter. The rate you received from Hertz, is that an automatic or manual. I am really interested where you booked it. I plan to book from here the U.S.A. via Hertz website. I only know how to drive automatic. Hertz is quoting me $212 for 7 days. Where did you get the local map of Andalucia? Your response is appreciated.