Renting a Car in Spain with a US License

It’s intimidating to drive in another country. Setting aside the language barriers, the signs are different. The rules are different.

In general, I almost always opt for trains, especially in Europe. But sometimes, public transportation doesn’t cut it and you have to rent a car.

That was the case with us in Barcelona. The train system in southern Spain is great, but it doesn’t run up the coast to Tossa de Mar, which we really wanted to see. The bus wasn’t running at convenient times either, so we rented.

We chose Sixt, a German-based rental company which is very popular throughout Europe and other parts of the world. They’re very easy to deal with, and offer competitive prices and nice cars.

Here are a few other tips to keep in mind:

Bigger isn’t better

You’ll likely get a smaller car, which came in handy as we wound our way through the narrow streets of the small town.

This is a photo of Tossa de Mar’s streets. You can’t drive down this one, but it gives you an idea of how narrow they are!

We actually rented on two days, and drove both a Mini Cooper, and a Skoda Octavia.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Skoda, which ran on diesel. It didn’t have a “hybrid” logo on it, but somehow we drove all day and the tank was still on “full” when we returned it!

Google Maps will save you

Especially while navigating heavy traffic in Barcelona, the audio navigation really helped. It works the same way it does in the US, changing routes if traffic slows, etc.

Google Maps will confuse you

In many cases, the highway numbers on the app do not match the highway numbers on the road signs. You’ll have to follow the GPS dot on the map itself to find your way.

Tolls were confusing. We actually brought along Euro coins because the route on the app said we’d have to pass through several toll booths. In reality, the tolls are gone. The booths themselves along the highway north of Barcelona are in various stages of being removed.

You’ll see them off to the side of the highways:

Roundabouts & radar

Roundabouts are everywhere. The worst was a double-circle in Barcelona, which you find yourself winding through while coming up out of a tunnel.

Most are simple, and many seem unnecessary. We went around literally dozens on our 90-minute drive from Barcelona to Tossa de Mar.

We passed through just as many radar zones. The warning signs are everywhere. They seem to work, since drivers were going the speed limit (or even slower) much of the time.

Share the road

Be prepared for cyclists on the highways in Southern Spain. Especially along the coastal highways, cyclists ride in large groups. It can lead to even more confusion as you navigate some of the roundabouts.

On the plus side: many of the towns had bike rental shops, and bike racks all along the beaches and outside the stores and restaurants:

Before you rent

Make sure to ask for an automatic (unless you enjoy driving a stick). It’ll likely cost an extra $10. In addition to the hilly driving, we got stuck in a lot of stop-and-go city traffic.

If you get car sick, pack the Dramamine or something, because the roads are windy in Spain.

Check with your own personal insurance or your credit card to see if they cover rentals abroad!