Andalusia is an amazing place to take a road trip by hire car. It is one of the largest regions in Spain and encompasses exciting locations like its capital Seville, Almeria, Cadiz, Granada and Malaga. It includes coastline and mountains, valleys and plains and will easily fill a holiday trying to get around it all. Rental hire is easily the best way to travel this region as trying to criss-cross its many sites of interest using local transport would use up so much time and corral you along well-worn bus and train routes. Travelling by car will allow you to reach the most out-of-the-way locations and visit historical towns and villages that would be difficult to reach by local transport alone.
Spanish drivers drive on the right and overtake on the left, something that UK drivers in particular will have to get used to. An automatic car might help with this so check whether your car hire firm can provide one. All passengers need to use seat belts and children under 135cms (4.4ft) cannot ride in the front passenger seat. Your car hire company should make sure that you have reflective triangles and jackets in the car in case of an emergency and if you wear glasses to drive, then it’s mandatory that you have a spare pair stowed away in the glove compartment.
You probably won’t want to leave Andalusia when you’re there, but the region does reach the Portuguese border so it’s important to know that although you are free to cross internal EU borders in your car, you need to alert your car hire company first so that they can amend the insurance documents. There are usually no additional payments for this but it’s an important additional check before you head off.
There are toll and non-toll roads in Andalusia. You can recognise a toll road from the letters AP in its name. For example, the AP-46 and the AP-4. Tolls can cost between €5 to €15 per direction. There are good quality non-toll roads also and these are labelled A for Autovia. For example, the A-47. So, if you don’t want to pay tolls you should stick to the A roads.
Book your car hire in Andalusia at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
Mini car hires in Andalusia are around 19% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about hiring a car in Andalusia
It’s worth considering taking a higher-tier vehicle on this route because of the different terrain you’ll encounter. A 4x4 with its higher seated position and stronger grip on the roads will better suit rural and mountainous locations. There are lots of destinations to consider and not all of them are easily reached. The white villages of Cordoba, for example, are a fantastic destination, set among the mountains and olive groves of the Sierra de Hornachuelos and the Sierras de Ardena. The snow-capped mountains and sun-kissed coastline of Granada makes this very rich region attractive but again the quality of your vehicle will make all the difference to your enjoyment.
The quality of the roads in Andalusia is generally very good. All the provincial capitals are linked by motorway. Driving on the motorway is busy and fast so you can get from place to place very quickly. Tourists are advised to use the right-hand lane unless they have experience of driving in Spain. This is the slower lane, the opposite of the UK system. The motorway speed limit is 120km/h (75mph). Rural roads and villages are much quieter and slower, but they have their own charms and so it’s advisable to make sure you don’t spend all your time on the motorway.
You need to be at least 21 years old to rent a car in Andalusia. All drivers under the age of 25 will have to pay a surcharge and some companies extend that surcharge to drivers under 30 years of age. There is no official maximum age, but some car hire firms will require proof that anyone over the age of 70 is competent to drive. The surcharge may also be extended to this age group also. A standard UK or EU licence is acceptable for this region, and you should also always carry your passport or ID card in the car.
Based on ratings and reviews from real users on KAYAK, the best car hire companies in Andalusia are Enterprise (8,0, 174 reviews), Budget (7,7, 71 reviews), and Hertz (7,5, 102 reviews).
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