A country known for its food, architecture, sunshine, dancing and siestas, Spain is a must-visit on anyone’s European itinerary.
In fact we’ve found that depending on when and where you visit, it can be one of the best value European countries!
From Madrid and Barcelona, to Valencia and Cadiz, there are so many fantastic spots to visit in Spain, as well as plenty of hidden gems off the beaten track.
Based on numerous visits here over the years, we’ve found that the best way to see a country with this much variety is to rent a vehicle.
As this gives you full flexibility and the freedom to take it all in!
If you want a home on wheels, then campervan rental in Spain might be for you.
We drove our camper all around the country back in 2021 and had the most epic time!
But if you want a smaller and easy to maneuver vehicle, then why not look at Spain car rental?!
There are plenty of varied and well–established car rental firms throughout Spain, so we have found the best ones here for you…
To help simplify your Spain car rental search try using a platform like Discover Cars.
This user-friendly site allows you to simply enter your available dates and destinations and see exactly what is available from some of the best car rental companies in the world.
It’s really easy to filter searches by key categories including amenities, price and mileage.
If you aren’t sure whether Discover Cars is the best place to find your perfect rental, rest assured that they operate across 150 countries and are actually award winning in their field!
In 2022 Discover Cars won the World’s Best Car Rental Booking Website award.
And there’s plenty more reasons to check out Discover Cars:
Record-Go have been renting cars for over 20 years and now offer car hire at major destinations across Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece.
Their depots are well situated at airport and train stations across Spain, with free shuttle services taking you from the terminal to the depot.
Record-Go rates include unlimited mileage so you can explore far and wide without having to worry about extra costs!
They have a great loyalty scheme where Record-Go members can enjoy 10% off rental rates.
Record-Go have a team of 300 who always ensure the customer experience is top notch, and that the fleet of vehicles are up to date, reliable and of the best quality.
Their vehicles are perfect for urban tourism, with low emission vehicles available in both manual and automatic. There’s also premium and hybrid vehicles on the fleet.
Record-Go have recently branched out to include two and three-wheeled motorbikes on their fleet.
Sixt are a great choice for younger drivers as they hire to those 18 and over, but the youngest drivers are restricted to economy and compact car classes.
Drivers over 21 have more car classes to choose from, whilst drivers over 25 can choose from the entire fleet.
There is a young driver surcharge for all drivers under 23 and all drivers will need to have held their license for at least a year.
Another great thing about Sixt is that you can take your rental to other countries in Europe, but be aware this may require additional fees.
Sixt is a well established car rental firm with over 2000 locations worldwide, so it will come as no surprise that they have one of Europe’s best and most extensive fleets.
The saloon, SUV, Coupe and convertible are the most popular car classes for rental in Spain. They also have electric vehicles on offer.
Enterprise has a whopping 9500 locations across the world! So they certainly know what they’re doing when it comes to car rental.
There’s over 100 car rental locations in Spain alone, with pick up depots at all of the major airports, so you aren’t short of options to pick up or drop off your vehicle.
Such a variety of locations makes Enterprise a great choice for those who want a one way rental.
In our opinion, they're certainly one of the best car rentals in Spain!
I’m sure it goes without saying that Enterprise has a huge fleet! Their cars are divided into small, economy, compact, intermediate, standard and premium categories. Most of these seat up to 5 people.
Enterprise also offers people carriers with capacity for up to 9. There are both automatic and manual cars available too
Alamo has a huge variety of pick up and drop off locations in Spain, mainly located at airports and train stations across the country, so they’re really accessible.
They offer car rentals in Barcelona, which is a fantastic starting point for a road trip through the country.
Alamo has been renting cars since 1974 so they’re a well-established car rental firm.
With no hidden fees, award-winning customer service and inclusive rates they’re a great choice for keeping track of your budget. Even free breakdown cover is included in all the rates!
Not to mention, they offer car rentals in a variety of other European countries too, such as Greece and Sweden.
Alamo has a large fleet with 40 different vehicle classes. These include compact, SUV, intermediate, economy, and standard.
The smallest vehicles are in the mini category, including the Toyota Aygo, and the largest vehicles are premium MPVs and 4x4s like the Volvo XC60 and Mercedes V class.
There’s a mixture of manual, automatic and electric vehicles, like the Nissan Leaf, on the fleet.
By pre-paying for your vehicle you’ll get a discounted rate.
Drivalia’s all inclusive rates mean there are no hidden fees later on and you don’t have to worry about added extras. All hires come with fully comp cover with no excess.
All of Drivalia’s offices are slightly away from the hustle and bustle of the main airport terminal. It’s either a short walk to reach the depot or there’s complimentary shuttle buses which run every few minutes.
There’s a fleet of over 4000 vehicles at Drivalia which are replaced on average every 6 months, so you’ve got a very up to date cohort to choose from.
Drivalia is a good choice if you’re after an eco-friendly rental as there’s lots of low and zero emission vehicles on the fleet.
There’s also some electric vehicles to choose from which come with free unlimited charging.
Centauro has 40 years experience in car rental, and operates across Europe in Spain, Italy, Greece and Portugal.
With totally transparent rates, the final price is guaranteed and you won’t encounter any additional charges at pick up!
They have a great loyalty scheme with their Gold Club, offering exclusive discounts, priority bookings for peak periods, and points which members can use for discounts on future rentals.
Centauro has an excellent choice of modern vehicles on their fleet, priding themselves in offering one of the most up-to-date fleets on the market.
They ensure the fleet is kept up to date by renewing it every 7 months!!!
There’s a whopping 40,000 types of vehicle to choose from so you’re guaranteed to find something that’s right for you.
Some of the choices include hybrids, convertibles, people carriers, and SUVs.
Rates at National are inclusive of standard cover and unlimited miles.
You must be over 25 to rent any vehicle from National. Renters aged 21-24 can rent vehicles from the Mini, economy, compact, intermediate and standard categories, but there is a surcharge of €19,99 per day.
You must be 22 to rent a car in the Canary Islands and have held a license for at least 2 years.
Vehicles on the fleet include compact urban models, saloons and people carriers. There’s a mixture of manual and automatic vehicles on the fleet, as well as some electric vehicles.
The majority of vehicles have capacity for 5, but there are some larger people carriers that seat 7.
Founded in 1958 in California, Budget have over 60 years experience in the car rental industry, so they know a thing or two about car rental. It now operates in 3,350 locations around the world in over 120 countries.
As their name suggests, Budget aims to provide the best value for money when it comes to car rental. There’s a variety of pre-payment options and charge facilities to help you save money, and keep you in control of your spending.
As such, they're one of the best options if you're after cheap car hire in Spain!
Budget’s fleet is always expanding to include the newest and latest models on the market. They’ve also recently started to expand their eco-fleet so there’s a great choice of hybrid and plug-in hybrids, helping you to save on fuel, and reduce emissions
Budget has a flexible cancellation policy, offering a full refund up to 48 hours before the rental is due to start.
Founded in 2015 in Valencia, Alquichoche brands itself as one of Spain’s premier car rental companies, striving to provide the best customer service.
Their variety of branches across the country means they’re perfectly situated for travelers to enjoy the coastlines, landscapes, rich history and culture, cuisine and vibrant nightlife throughout Spain.
You can save up to 20% on weekday rentals. Drivers must be aged between 21 and 70.
Alquichoce has one of the newest and most diverse fleets in the industry so there’s definitely going to be something to meet every rental need.
Their mini category vehicles have space for 4 people and 2 bags, all the way up to their 9 person passenger vans. Most vehicles are available in both a manual and an automatic transmission.
Key n’ Go is a fast and secure solution provided by Gold Car ensuring that travelers can get straight on the road without the hassle of queuing, or even having to go to a counter.
They offer a range of self-service key collection points to save you time, which means you can get your trip started quicker!
All you need to do is make your reservation online, then go straight to the distribution terminal - you can be on the road in less than a minute!
Simply enter your reg number, or scan the QR code that’s on your phone, choose the vehicle from the models offered which best suits you, then pick up the keys and off you go!
Key n’ Go also offers great, transparent rates which are inclusive of no hassle insurance, a full tank of fuel and roadside assistance.
There’s also young driver options which means even those aged 18-21 can rent a vehicle. They also offer a flexible cancellation policy.
Like many of the other Spain car rental firms listed above, Ken n’ Go cars fall into categories like mini, economy, SUV and compact.
There’s some well known vehicles on their fleet such as the Fiat 500, VW Golf, Nissan Juke and Ford Fiesta.
There’s three different rental rates available for each vehicle. Each rate includes different benefits and features and is priced accordingly.
Of course car rental will really depend on the type of vehicle you’re after, but with an economy vehicle you can rent one for as little as £6 a day.
The rental rates will also be dependent on the time of year you’re traveling at, and what’s included within your rental.
Remember to take into consideration the extra cost of fuel when budgeting for your car rental in Spain, and also check the mileage policy of your rental.
If you are planning on just visiting the major cities like Valencia and Barcelona, then the public transport is reliable enough to not need a car. However, if you want to get out of the city and explore some smaller towns, villages and less touristy places, a car will be essential!
As you can find some great deals on car rentals, you'll be able to travel cheaply throughout the country as well.
You can rent a car in Spain with a full UK driving license. If your license wasn’t issued by mainland authorities you will need an International Driving Permit.
If your license was issued in another country check whether you need an IDP before you travel.
To rent a car in Spain you must be 18 but some firms may only rent to those over 21, or even 23. It isn’t uncommon for drivers under 25 to incur a young driver surcharge.
So now you’ve got your vehicle sorted you can start to plan your road trip itinerary!
Of course there will be some unmissable stops like Barcelona, Valencia and Seville, however there are plenty of Spanish hidden gems you might want to weave into your itinerary.
You’ll want to make sure your packing list is well up to date, so you have everything you need for the perfect Europe trip.
If you want to take accommodation planning and costs out of the mix, take a look at our guide to the best campervan and RV rentals in Spain.
If you choose any of these car rental firms above for your Spain trip, or if you’ve found another favorite Spain car rental firm, please drop a comment below and let us know!
Here are some other car rental guides you may find helpful:
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