If you’re planning a trip to Spain, you are probably wondering whether or not you should rent a car. Will public transportation be available? What about parking? There are many questions that need to be answered before you even begin to consider the car rental process. One of the first things you will quickly learn is that car rentals are referred to as car hire in Spain. The question is, how do you find cheap car hire in Spain and what are the most important things to know when renting a car here? Here’s some advice to help make the car rental process easy.

Do You Need a Car?

The first thing you need to consider when deciding whether or not to pursue cheap car hire in Spain is whether or not you will actually need a car while you are there. If you plan on staying in a major city and don’t expect to take any trips outside of the area you are staying in then you may want to avoid car hire. The streets in major cities are very crowded and parking is sometimes impossible to find.

If you are going to be traveling to different areas of Spain and will be visiting rural towns, then car hire is definitely a good idea. That being said, there are some things you’ll want to keep in mind when renting your car.

The Best Deals

If you’re looking for the best deals for cheap car hire, you’ll want to check travel websites that compare rates from one car rental company to the next. Prices can differ drastically from one car hire company to another, so make sure you check a variety of options before deciding which car hire company to go with.

Understand the Currency

When getting your car rental quotes, make sure you understand how much you will be paying in U.S. dollars. It’s important to become familiar with exchange rates before you visit Spain. It’s hard to know if you’re really getting a good deal if you don’t know exactly how much of your own currency you have to part with to get cheap car hire in Spain.

Knowing the Laws

When it comes to cheap car hire in Spain, it is very important to familiarize yourself with the local laws. You must be 21 years old to rent a car and have had your driver’s license for at least one year. If you are under 25 years of age chances are you’re going to have to pay a young driver’s surcharge in addition to the rental fee for car hire in Spain.

In Spain it is mandatory to wear seatbelts and all children under the age of three must be in a car seat. No child under the age of 12 may sit in the front seat of the car. While an International driver’s license is not necessarily mandatory in Spain, it is highly recommended and some companies may not rent to you if you do not have one.

Enjoy The Scenery

Once you’ve become familiar with the rules of the road and the currency of Spain, the car hire will allow you to enjoy the scenery. It may be overwhelming at first, but by keeping the above information in mind you’ll have the knowledge you need to get cheap car hire in Spain with as little stress and hassle as possible.