If you want to visit the more rural areas of Spain, your best option is to rent a car, as public transportation tends to be sparse in the countryside. The perks of renting a car in Spain include the outstanding views from coastal roads and highways. Outside of major towns and cities, the roads are clear and offer routes to natural wonders like the Sierra de Guadarrama mountain range, which is an 82.1 km (51 mi) drive north of Madrid.
If you plan to take your rental car across the European border, you will need to check that your particular car is permitted. You must gain permission from your car hire company before you cross the Spanish border. If you rent a car from the Canary or Balearic Isles, you cannot take your rental car on a ferry.
When it comes to parking in Spain, you will find that many of the tourist attractions and cities will have plenty of pay-and-display parking, while parking tends to be free in the country or rural areas. Blue zones, indicated by blue markings on the street, mean that you can pay for the parking at the blue ticket machines for between 0,70 € ($0.79) and 1 € ($1.12) per hour. Parking is free on Sundays.
If you are traveling with children in a car, keep in mind that any child under 12 years old or under 1.35 m (4 ft, 6 in) tall must sit in a restraint system. Infants up to nine months old or below 10 kg (22 lbs.) must travel in a carry cot in the back seat, while children up to the age of 12 must sit in either a car seat or booster seat in the back of the car. If you do not bring your own child car seat, you may rent one from a car hre company for around 12 € ($13) a day.
25% of our users found rental cars in Spain for $68 or less
Book your rental car in Spain at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
Mini rental cars in Spain are around -34% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about hiring a car in Spain
On average a car hire in Spain costs $28 per day.
Compact (Peugeot 2008 or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Spain.
In the past 72 hours, the cheapest car hires were found at Goldcar Rental SP ($8/day), Firefly ($16/day) and DRIVALIA ($26/day).
Based on ratings and reviews from real users on KAYAK, the best car hire companies in Spain are Budget (7.7, 55 reviews), Alamo (7.7, 52 reviews), and Enterprise Rent-A-Car (7.6, 126 reviews).
Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.
Based on car searches on KAYAK, the most popular cities to hire a car in Spain are Palma de Mallorca (43% of total searches of users looking to hire a car in Spain), Seville (24%) and Ibiza (11%).
On average a car hire in Spain costs $545 per week ($78 per day).
On average a car hire in Spain costs $2,337 per month ($78 per day).
When you rent a car in Spain, you will need to drive on the right side of the road and overtake on the left side. Unless otherwise signposted, you must give way to drivers on the right. You will find that most highways (autopistas) are toll roads and that it costs on average 1 € ($1.12) per 8 km (5 mi) traveled. There are also some toll bridges and two toll tunnels located around the country. There is a strict policy of no mobile phones while driving.
To rent a car in Spain, you will need to be at least 18 or 23 years old, depending on which car hire agency you use. However, there is a surcharge for drivers under the age of 25. You will need to produce a valid EU or international driving license before renting a car.
You will find that the average price of petrol is 1.35 € ($1.53) per liter or $5.78 per gallon when you rent a car in Spain. Petrol prices are set by the government, so you can expect to find that each petrol station has a similar price. There are numerous petrol stations located around Spain that offer self-service pumps and are open 24h.
When driving on Spanish roads, you need to follow the national speed limits. In residential and urban areas, the speed limit is between 20 km/h (12 mph) and 50 km/h (31 mph). The maximum speed limit on national roads, like the autovías, is 90 km/h (55 mph), while on highways the speed limit is between 100 km/h (62 mph) and 120 km/h (75 mph).
The rates displayed include all taxes and fees for hire cars for the class listed and were found by KAYAK users in the last 48 hours. Offers are subject to change and may not be available on all car hires listed or dates of travel. Some hire car providers charge additional fees for other services (GPS, infant car seats, etc.). Please check the website of the respective hire car provider.