If you wish to see as much as possible in Spain having your own car is certainly the best method of transportation. If you are to drive a foreign registered car in Spain (unlikely, if you are coming from the United States) you must have with you, your passport, current driver’s license, valid insurance and vehicle registration documents. Vehicles should display a national identity plate. Otherwise, bring your license, rent a car, and drive on.
Spain has nearly 100,000 mi/160,000 km of roads. The roads in Spain vary from very poor to very good. The main connecting roads are generally excellent. You should give way to traffic from the right, especially at roundabouts.
Speed Limits
Speed limit on Motorway: 120 kph/74 mph
Speed limit in Towns: 50 kph/31 mph
Speed limit on Major roads: 100 kph/62 mph
Speed limit Residential area: 20 kph/12 mph
Be careful to stick to the speed limits as speed sensors are common throughout Spain, if you are over the speed limit, you may notice a traffic light at the edge of the town which automatically turns to red so that you must come to a stop before entering the town. If you encounter two red lights this means: no entry!
Rules of the Road
Traffic travels on the right and if a car approaches you and signals an intention to pass, you must turn on your right directional to signal that the road ahead is clear.
Gas
Gas stations are open from 8am to 8pm with some stations in major cities and on the highway open 24 hours.
Tolls
Spain's expressways, the "autopistas," are toll roads and are identified by the letter A.
Parking
"Blue zone" parking exists in Spanish cities. Marked by the sign, "Zona Azul," you may park for 2 hours and you must pay for the amount of time you plan on being parked.
Drinking and driving:
Don't do it. Over 0.05 per cent and you could face anything from a severe fine, withdrawal of your license, up to imprisonment.
Lights:
Dipped headlights should be used in poor daytime visibility. Motorcycles must use dipped headlights during the day at all times.
Some hints:
- The traffic-lights (semaforos) in Spain are more often than not, situated only at your stop line for the junction and so you can see when they change when you are in the front of the queue; there is a set of smaller lights on the support post.
- The Law for pedestrian crossings until recently is not as strict as in for example, the US where a driver is always at fault if the vehicle hits a pedestrian on the crossing. You must step onto the crossing, remembering to look LEFT, and show the palm of your hand to any approaching vehicles. Previously, they still did not have to stop, but a new Law involving penalty points means that the drivers can be penalized now for not stopping. Many tourists are injured, some killed each year, for only looking right when crossing the road.
- You may NOT overtake on the right (inside lanes) on the highways unless there is a slip road or another road indicated and you are taking it.
- Do not pull into the middle of the road to turn left if there is a solid line in the road. There are often special lanes for this, signposted cambio de sentido.
- Always wear seatbelts - it is compulsory in the front and back.
- Don’t drink and drive – the limits are very low and the penalties very high.
- As a general rule you may not park in Spain where the pavement is painted yellow or where no parking sign is displayed.
- Also the use of a mobile telephone whilst driving is now banned in Spain.
Useful terms when driving in Spain:- Aparcamiento - Parking
- Ceda el Paso - Give Way
- Centro - Town center
- Comisaria - Police station
- Cuidado - Drive with care
- Desvío - Detour
- Dirrección Única - One-way street
- Obras - Roadworks
- Peligro - Danger
- Todas Direcciones - All directions
- tanque de gasolina - gas tank
- matrícula - license plate
- acumulador - battery
- radiador - radiator
- Todas direcciones - All directions
- Autopista - Motorway
- Despacio - Slow
- Prohibido el paso - Road Closed
- Mantenga su izquierda - Keep left
- Mantenga su derecha - keep right
- Prioridad a la izquierda - Priority to left
- Prioridad a la derecha - Priority to right
- Encienda sus luces - Switch on lights
- Salida - Motorway Exit
To enjoy some self-drive packages, remember to check out the following suggestions:
Madrid and the Heart of Spain
Madrid, Toledo, El Escorial, Segovia, Avila, Salamanca, Zamora, Leon and Burgos with rent a car.
Enchanting Andalucia
Madrid, Cordoba, Seville, Granada and Toledo with a rent a car.
Rioja and the land of Castles
Madrid, Lerma, Burgos, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Logroño, La Rioja wine country, Medinacelli, and Siguenza with a rent a car.
The Way of Saint James
Madrid, Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos, Leon, Lugo and Santiago de Compostela with a rent a car.
Dreamy Andalucia
Malaga, Granada, Cordoba, Seville and Ronda with a rent a car.
Magic Triangle
Toledo, Valencia, Barcelona, Zaragoza and Madrid with rent a car.
Northern Spain and the Green Coast
Barcelona, Zaragoza, San Sebastian, Guernica, Bilbao, Castro Urdiales, Santander, Oviedo and Santiago de Compostela with a rent a car.
On the same mouth-watering food and drinks topic, Slate Magazine has an excellent article on Burgundy and Beaune: A Wine Lover in Burgundy. This is really fortunate, as European Destinations recently ran a promotion on its Paris and Beaune self-drive itinerary, 6 nights from $589.
