I visited Spain four times before finally deciding to rent a car and see the country on the road. And wow, is it beautiful! Getting around Spain by driving allows flexibility and spontaneity. Plus, you’re able to see the most beautiful villages and stunning countryside. If you’re traveling to Spain, I would highly recommend renting a car. This is everything you need to know about renting a car in Spain (if you’re an American).
If you’re planning a trip to Spain, don’t miss…
- The Ultimate Spain Packing List
- Everything You Need to Know About Planning a Trip in Spain
- 10 Best Places in Spain to Visit (that aren’t Barcelona)
Where to Rent a Car in Spain
You can rent a car pretty much anywhere in Spain, but the main thing you should keep in mind when deciding where to rent from is, where are you arriving to and departing from? If you’re arriving to a city like Barcelona or Madrid and you plan to stay for a few days, you won’t need a car in the city so I would recommend renting after exploring the city. I generally like to rent a car from the airport as it just feels like the easiest option and then I don’t have to deal with finding a rental agency in the city and driving out of the city (which can be stressful). Also keep in mind that if your departure is different than your arrival, your rental might be more expensive.
When finding a rental, I use Discover Cars which allows you to search across multiple rental agencies and multiple locations. This makes it easy to find the best, most cost-effective option.
On my last visit to Spain, I flew into Mallorca and picked up the car rental straightaway from the airport. I used Discover Cars, filled in the form with my dates of travel and where I wanted to depart from (in this case I used the Palma airport). Then I used the filter – “automatic transmission” – and a list of available cars popped up. With Discover Cars you can also use filters like, “unlimited mileage”, “GPS included”, “air conditioning”, and more. This allows you to pick the rental best suited for you!
Don’t miss my favorite road trip in Spain…
Requirements of Renting a Car in Spain
As an American, here are the requirements for renting a car in Spain…
- Must be 21 years of age (this can vary depending on type of car rental, but if you use Discover Cars simply input your age and the cars you’re allowed to rent from will pop up); some rental companies charge extra for drivers under 25
- Must have a valid passport
- Must have a valid US drivers license held for at least 1 year
- International drivers license (according to the US Embassy, this is required, but I did not have to show it when renting. To be on the safe side, I recommend getting one just in case).
READY TO RENT? GET YOUR RENTAL CAR HERE!
Car/Travel Insurance in Spain
It is not mandatory that you have car insurance when renting a car in Spain, but I highly encourage it. Before booking car insurance through your rental agency (or Discover Cars) check with your credit card company to see if your credit card offers any car insurance support. For example, I have the Chase Sapphire Reserve and I do have car rental coverage through my credit card as long as I use my credit card to book the rental. Because of this, I choose to decline insurance at the rental agency so that if I get in an accident, my credit card covers it.
While discussing insurance, I also think it’s smart to have travel medical insurance – especially if you are driving in a foreign country. You don’t want to have to worry about getting hurt in an accident; plus having insurance will cover you if you encounter problems, delays, or cancelations while traveling. I personally use and recommend SafetyWing. (Please note – travel medical insurance and car insurance are two separate things and I recommend having both).
Read why I recommend travel insurance here…
GET YOUR TRAVEL MEDICAL INSURANCE HERE!
Rules of the Road
As an American, the “rules of the road” in Spain are fairly similar to the US. Here are some more rules of the road to familiarize yourself with when driving in Spain…
- Speed limit signs are in km/hr (not mph); the general speed limits are…
- 30-50 km/hr in urban areas
- 90 km/hr on conventional roads
- 120 km/hr on motorways and highways
- If you park on the street, look out for a parking meter and place the ticket in your front window
- As for drinking and driving, you are not permitted to have a BAC over 0.05%; punishments include fines up to €1,000 and/or a 6-month driving ban
- Seatbelts are mandatory
- It’s prohibited to use your phone while driving
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Misc Tips for Driving in Spain
Below you’ll find my most helpful tips for renting a car in Spain…
- Rentals are charged for 24-hours, so if you pick up your car at 8 am and return it the next day at 9 am, you’ll be charged for two days
- Remember to inquire about parking where you stay (when using a booking platform search for a feature that allows you to toggle “free parking” ON)
- Use Google Maps or Waze to get around but make sure to download the routes in case you don’t have service; otherwise consider renting a GPS device
- Your car should come full of gas, if not, make sure it’s documented so that you can return with the gas at the same level
- Make sure to photograph the car before taking off so you can document any scrapes or dents – also notify the agent of anything that might be wrong (I photograph and video the car and in the video make sure to say the date and make it clear I haven’t left the rental agency yet)
- There’s usually an extra fee if there’s more than one driver
- If you plan to take the car to another country, you do need to notify the rental company of this and there will be an extra charge
- You can arrive and depart from different places but your rental will be more expensive
If you’re on a solo road trip through Spain, don’t miss…
Spain Essentials – What You Need & Need to Know About Visiting Spain
TRAVELING THROUGH SPAIN
- The easiest way to book train tickets in Spain is through Omio
- The easiest way to book bus tickets in Spain is through Bookaway
- To book a flight to Spain, I recommend using a big search engine to compare options
- For car rentals in Spain, I recommend Discover Cars (you do need an international drivers license to drive in Spain)
- If you want an English speaking driver waiting to pick you up at the airport, use Welcome Pickups
- I highly recommend travel medical insurance when traveling through Spain – I use and recommend SafetyWing (to learn more about why I recommend travel medical insurance, read this post and this post)
- If you need a SIM card, aloSIM for an easy and affordable e-SIM – use code “KYLEE5” for 5% off
ACCOMODATION IN SPAIN
- To easiest way to book hotels in Spain is through a booking platform
- The easiest way to book rentals in Spain is through VRBO
TOURS IN SPAIN
- For tours and activities in Spain, I recommend using Get Your Guide or Viator
- For food tours in Spain, I recommend Devour Tours
- For walking tours in Spain, I recommend Take Walks
WHAT TO BRING TO SPAIN
- Don’t forget a Spain guide book to help plan your travels
- You’ll need a travel plug adapter (Spain uses type C)
- I recommend bringing a reusable water bottle to cut down on plastic waste
- My favorite luggage is Calpak
- My favorite travel backpack is Nordace
- I recommend a sleep mask for long flights
I loved the freedom and flexibility of having a car in Spain; it made my trip so interesting and enjoyable! If you’re an American, I hope that this guide on renting a car in Spain helps. If you have any questions about driving in Spain or traveling to Spain in general, let me know in a comment below!
Visiting Spain? Don’t miss these guides to help plan your trip…
- A Complete Guide to Mallorca
- The Best 4 Day Basque Country Itinerary
- 8 Day Barcelona, Madrid, & Southern Spain Itinerary
- How to Make the Most of One Day in Granada
- How to Spend One Day in Malaga
- Things to Do in Seville – 5 Experiences to Have
- The Ultimate Guide to Barcelona, Spain
- 72 Hours in Barcelona
For more information on things to see and do in Spain, make sure to check out my Instagram page/highlight reel by searching “#ppinspain” or under my highlights for “Spain”; alternatively, head to my TikTok and search for the saved “Spain” highlight
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Founded by Kylee, a NICU nurse with nine years of experience, including seven years as a travel nurse; Passports and Preemies was created in 2017 and is now the go-to travel and lifestyle channel for nurses who crave adventure beyond the bedside. Whether you’re a staff nurse looking for your next getaway or a travel nurse navigating life on the road, this space is designed to help you maximize your time off, explore the world, and prevent nurse burnout.
On Passports and Preemies, you’ll find everything from travel nursing insights – how to get started, land the best assignments, and thrive on the road – to expert travel tips, destination guides, and real-talk about balancing nursing with a life well-traveled. Passports and Preemies also includes Beyond the Bedside – group trips for nurses around the world; as well as the podcast, Passports and Preemies Talks.
