Car Hire Spain: Where to Collect and How to Book Well

It depends on the shape of your trip. A city break in Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia or Bilbao is better done on foot and by public transport: parking is a chore and you will rarely use the car. A beach fortnight on the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca or Costa Dorada is different. Resorts stretch along the shore, and a car lets you choose your beach each morning rather than settling for the one outside the hotel.

The islands sit in between. Many British travellers book a package with transfers to their resort in the Canary Islands or the Balearic Islands, then hire a car for two or three days in the middle of the stay to explore. If your plan links several places, say Seville, Granada and the Costa del Sol in one trip, a car for the whole holiday is the natural choice.

Most people collect at the airport they fly into, which saves a transfer and puts you on the road straight away. Each region has its own arrival points: the island airports for the Canaries and Balearics, the city airports for Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Valencia and Bilbao, and the regional airports serving the costas, Reus among them for travellers heading to the Costa Dorada.

If you only want a car for part of the stay, a desk in your resort can be more sensible than an airport collection, since you avoid paying for days the car sits in a hotel car park. Remember that an island hire stays on that island: you cannot drive a Canary Islands car to the mainland, so book separately for each leg if you are island-hopping.

Spain drives on the right, which is the first adjustment for anyone used to UK roads; give yourself a quiet first hour away from city traffic. Distances on the mainland are long, and a route that looks short on the map, such as the Costa del Sol to Granada, climbs inland, so plan rest stops rather than trying to cram several cities into one day.

In the old centres of Seville, Granada and Barcelona, streets are narrow and access can be restricted, so park on the edge and walk in. A smaller car is easier in these towns and on island back roads, while a family heading down the costas for a fortnight may prefer the extra boot space.

Choose a full-to-full fuel policy where you can: you collect with a full tank and return it full, paying only for what you use. Read the excess carefully, as the standard deposit held on your card can be high, and decide in advance whether you want excess cover rather than deciding at the desk.

If you are travelling with children, reserve child seats when you book, not on arrival, particularly in school-holiday weeks when demand rises across the costas and islands. Bring your UK photocard licence and a credit card in the main driver's name. Our comparison lists offers from different Spain car rental companies side by side, so you can check fuel rules, excess and extras before you commit.