rent car and credit card recomendations for Spain plz.

[jgirvine]

We are going to Spain for a week in May, need rent car company and discount site recommendations please.

Oh, and how is everyone handling the credit card intl. fees?

Thanks;
Ginny

 

[Passepartout]

We had good service and car from www.Carjet.com last fall in Portugal. They actually get their cars from other outfits (ours was from Budget). Insurance is included. Many regular travelers are using Capitol One cards. No Int'l fees. We just use our debit card from home. The fees are not big enough to worry about- especially compared to CC advance costs. We get enough cash from ATMs to last us a couple of days so the bank fees don't add up too badly.

Jim Ricks

 

[Jimster]

cc

If you belong to a Credit Union, they usually have no fee use of debit cards and CC. Check it out.

 

[rosebud5]

Spain

Where in Spain are you going? I lived in Spain for 4 years when I was in the Navy (Rota). Have only been back once in 35 years and am planning to go back very soon for a couple weeks.

 

[Former Cruiser]

We also used our debit card for cash and Capital One for charges.

 

[jgirvine]

Where in Spain are you going? I lived in Spain for 4 years when I was in the Navy (Rota). Have only been back once in 35 years and am planning to go back very soon for a couple weeks.

My husband was in Rota in the Navy in about 72, 73. We have a trade with DAE to stay at the Kingfisher Club at Bengal Beach which is near Malaga. So, yeah, he is doing the same thing. He is excited about being able to drive onto Gibraltar as I guess one could not do that back then.

Ginny

 

[Jimster]

Gibraltar

HMMMM Let's see how excited he is to drive in Gibraltar if he hits it at the wrong time. Sometimes it takes hours just to get in and out. BTW I drove in Gibraltar (and was lucky) and I didn't find it very exciting.

 

[rosebud5]

Jimster,

You miss the point. Back in the 70's, if you wanted to go to Gilbralter, you had to take a ferry to Morocco, then over to the rock. It's not so much as doing the actual drive as it is the thought of revisiting your youth.

I was in the Navy in the early 70's and did not revisit till the early 90's. What a change. Franco died in 1975. After that, Spain opened up its borders in the early 80's. A lot money flowed in from Gilbralter and the whole coast line is now over built. Its not the same Spain I lived for 4 years, but hey.. that's progress. Still luv the place and am planning to go back, sooooon.

 

[Jimster]

gibraltar

Oh I understand the revisiting your youth part, but what I am suggesting is you may be sitting in traffic going nowhere while your vacation fades into the sunset. There was a thread on this board not long ago about when to go and not go to Gibraltar so that you miss the traffic because it can be absolutely terrible. My advise is to pick your time precisely to revisit your youth or you may end up cursing the traffic instead of accumulating memories.

 

[rosebud5]

Jimster,

Point taken. I hate traffic no matter where it is.

 

[Cotswolder]

Just one note on this.
The drive to Gibraltar is not too bad.
I would recommend anybody leaving their car on the Spanish side and walking across/ This takes no time at all and there are plenty of taxis that will take you on tours around this rock/
Altenatively you can walk in, it only takes 15 - 20 mins

 

[X-ring]

Just one note on this.
The drive to Gibraltar is not too bad.
I would recommend anybody leaving their car on the Spanish side and walking across/ This takes no time at all and there are plenty of taxis that will take you on tours around this rock/
Altenatively you can walk in, it only takes 15 - 20 mins

Excellent advice ... walking across also makes it easier to stop in the border station and be one of those rare folks to have their passport include a stamp from The GIB !

Also, study a map of the Costa del Sol roads to understand clearly which roads require a toll.

 

[Blues]

Also, study a map of the Costa del Sol roads to understand clearly which roads require a toll.

Yes, and then take it! If you're far enough away that the tollway is an option (farther than 10 miles or so), then the tollway will save you tons of time. Since we were talking about traffic, it should be noted that the local roads through Fuengirola, Marbella, and Estepona have lots of it. Unless you want a nice, slow drive, moseying on by the coast (which can be nice of itself, just won't get you to Gibraltar soon), take the toll road.

-Bob

 

[ecwinch]

Do take the toll roads - much faster.

Do park on the Spanish side - and walk across. There is plenty of parking garages over on Spanish side, and only 5 minutes from the border. They can be a bit touchy about stamping your passport when they are busy. Waits to cross with a car can be significant.

Do take the taxi tours that you will find just across the border, if this is your first time. And grab the closest one to the border. Gives you a great tour and most of the drivers have lived in Gib for awhile and can provide a lot of local history and color. They typically take you on a short tour of the island - starting at the south point, then into the military sector (natural cavern, and famous apes of Gibraltar), then tour of some of the tunnels used for defense purposes.

 

[jgirvine]

Thanks for all the great advice. Had no idea that one should walk across. Sounds much better.
Ginny

 

[beejaybee]

Cost of taxi

What would be a fair fare for one of those taxi tours of Gibraltar for 4 adults?

Does the driver wait while you tour the various sites?

 

[Cotswolder]

Not sure of the fare now as it is several years since I was last there but, YES, the driver does wait whilst you tour various sights on the rock