Thoughts on car rental at Alicante Airport for Costa Blanca trip?

[joenelson]

Thinking about renting a car in Alicante. How’s driving around there? Any local rules, tricky roads, or things to watch out for before picking up a car?

 

[ericanthony]

Driving around Alicante and the wider Costa Blanca is generally quite straightforward, especially compared to bigger Spanish cities. Roads are well maintained, signage is clear, and once you're out of the city center it's mostly relaxed coastal and inland driving. The main things to watch for are roundabouts (they're everywhere), speed cameras on main roads, and pedestrian-heavy zones in town where restrictions can apply.

At the airport itself, the rental process is usually smooth, but conditions can vary a lot between suppliers. Some travelers find it helpful to look at broader market overviews beforehand, for example, platforms like Vipcars often show how different companies at Alicante Airport handle deposits, fuel rules, and vehicle classes. Not as a must-use service, but as a way to understand what’s normal versus what's unusually cheap.

If you're heading along the Costa Blanca, a car really pays off for places like Altea, Calpe, Jávea, or inland villages, where public transport is limited. Just take photos of the car at pickup, watch parking rules in coastal towns, and you should be fine.

 

[Hindsite]

As above, driving in Spain is fine, just beware of the usual things like differences in where signs are on the roads, traffic light sequencing and associated actions e,g There is no such thing as right turn on red. I know of several people who are quite happy driving all over the US but not in Europe, some because they seem to end up with fines too often, its not been my experience. Parking restrictions can also be tricky to sort and a source of fines, so don't let your impatience end up getting you a fine.

If you're not from Europe then you probably need an international driving licence. Many people just don't bother with this and some rental car companies don't ask for it, but if you do get stopped for any reason, you'll probably be expected to have it and fined if not.

 

[joenelson]

Appreciate the tips. Parking rules are usually the biggest headache, so I’ll be careful with that. I’ve driven in Europe before, but the reminder about the international permit is useful, better safe than sorry.

As above, driving in Spain is fine, just beware of the usual things like differences in where signs are on the roads, traffic light sequencing and associated actions e,g There is no such thing as right turn on red. I know of several people who are quite happy driving all over the US but not in Europe, some because they seem to end up with fines too often, its not been my experience. Parking restrictions can also be tricky to sort and a source of fines, so don't let your impatience end up getting you a fine.

If you're not from Europe then you probably need an international driving licence. Many people just don't bother with this and some rental car companies don't ask for it, but if you do get stopped for any reason, you'll probably be expected to have it and fined if not.