Spain is one of the most varied and exciting nations in the whole of Europe, a place where cosmopolitan chic and gorgeous sundrenched beaches come together, where art, culture and sites of historical intrigue, sit alongside some of the best examples of contemporary nightlife on the continent.
Spain contains multitudes. Indeed, such are the vast cultural differences between regions, that anyone travelling from Madrid to Barcelona, for example, would get the overwhelming sensation of having passed into another country entirely. Likewise, the country’s southern most tip, seemingly a stones throw away from the northern most point of Africa, has been subject to Moorish influences for centuries and, whereas in a city like Valencia you’d find a strong Catholic influence on the behaviour of the locals, it’s a different story in Granada where the legacy of decades of living under Muslim rule lives on.
How can anyone possibly take it all in? Well it’s not easy and you’ll need a good way of getting around. Finding a good car rental deal is a great start. In can be a good idea to get this out of the way near the start of your holiday, perhaps at the airport. No matter where you’re landing you should be able to do this. For example, car hire Malaga airport is a useful way to start a trip, or if your flights landing a bit further north car hire Alicante may be just the solution.
Of course there are other options available, although, none of them are as flexible as car hire. For instance the national rail operator RENFE offers services which will allow you to get around all of Spain’s 17 autonomous regions and the FEVE trains provide an adventurous way to see the north of the country.
If you are planning your entire holiday around spending short spells in major cities, you may get away with sticking with the underground ‘metro’ train service, but be aware that these are very crowded and dictate to you the terms of where you can go and when. For younger children they can even be a little intimidating.
