| driving to spain...
Posted: 6/4/2008 10:25:32 AM | we have been offered an apartment in spain for two weeks at the end of july, free of charge...all we have to do is get there.
money is a bit of an issue at the moment so we are considering driving over there as the cheapest flights we can get add up to £800.
what i would like to know is how practical would it be to drive instead of flying?
can you share your experiences of driving abroad, and share any tips or advice that we may need to consider? | |
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| driving to spain...
Posted: 6/4/2008 11:03:05 AM | OP ...
Can you take 3 weeks holiday to enjoy the travelling time & take it leisurely?
See how much you can purchase petrol for once your in the EU & how the exchange rate affects the cost. Will you have to add on to your insurance? (I don't drive - so 'scuse my ignorance!) what happens if you breakdown?
Remember your E11 or whatever the new version is called!
I know alot of people that drive in mainland Europe & don't seem to have a problem ... map, phrasebook, Pro-plus ... it could be a great adventure! 
Anywhere I travel I swear by the "Lonely Planet" guidebooks. They are quite expensive, however readily available at librarys ... they are the 'independant travellers' bible, absolutely everything you need to know & across all price ranges.
Oh & remember to set it up so your mobile can recieve calls without extortionate costs ... 02 does a good deal.
Go for it!!!  | |
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| driving to spain...
Posted: 6/4/2008 11:04:07 AM | Ive driven through Spain..
Ive driven around Spain...
Depends where you are going... if you are doing the Dover - Calais route its very long!!
Spain is a big big country.
Driving in Europe is generally quite good..apart from the parking..!
Bus travel in spain is quite decent..check out other airports close to the area you want to go to..( I went to Madrid from Lisbon on an overnight bus etc)
Failing that just buy a sombrero and get a donkey for your backgarden.
Anywhere I travel I swear by the "Lonely Planet" guidebooks. They are quite expensive, however readily available at librarys ... they are the 'independant travellers' bible, absolutely everything you need to know & across all price ranges.
Rem the lonely Planet is just a guide..by the time it reaches you its most probably already 2 years old, the euro is very strong against the £ just now too! | |
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| driving to spain...
Posted: 6/4/2008 11:21:31 AM | I found driving round spain really enjoyable to be honest. Cities can be a bit tricky over there though - when it comes to traffic lights, think they are colour blind!! Petrol is cheaper too (but where isn't i guess!). And there are some lovely roads there!!
Like mentioned earlier, depends where in spain you are going as to which route would be best. Think there is a ferry from Folkstone to Bilbao (Northern Spain) and that takes about 30 hours. can't help with prices though, sorry.
Hope that helps a little, anyway. :) | |
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| driving to spain...
Posted: 6/4/2008 11:23:37 AM | | I have a friend who drove to spain for the first time last year for 2 weeks. Absolutely loved it and off for 3 weeks this year. Not too sure on details but he wasn't interested in the tourist areas etc so driving was the easiest way to go where they wanted. They have 3 children under 12 and they all enjoyed it so can't be too bad I suppose as they tend to be pretty hyper. | |
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| driving to spain...
Posted: 6/4/2008 11:23:41 AM | Quite a few years back now, we went camping in France, after the first week we decided to drive a bit further and go to Spain.
I don't know what it's like now, but at the time we did'nt need 'green card insurance' to drive in France, and as we were on tight budjet had not got any.
When we reached Spain, we needed the extra insurance cover.
They would'nt let us in !! | |
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| driving to spain...
Posted: 6/4/2008 12:04:02 PM | If you decide to drive too Spain you have 2 options which I would consider
depending where your going as its a big country and it will be a long journey....
1....you could catch the Dover to Calais ferry and drive through France going
around Paris down south untill you reach the border and cross into Spain and
then carry on until you reach your destination stopping on the way I hope!!
2..You could catch the Portsmouth to Bilbao night ferry and miss out France
all together which is never a bad thing! and start your driving in the North
of Spain but don't drive into Madrid if your going down South as you'll get lost!!
If you would like my advice as I'm Spanish feel free to PM me anytime and I'll help if I can | |
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| driving to spain...
Posted: 6/4/2008 12:19:57 PM | thanks for all your replies so far 
i have to admit to being a bit reluctant at first, whereas my other half (have i mentioned how lovely he is lately btw?) is right up for it, though i am coming around to the idea...
advice on insurances needed etc would be great if anyone knows?
hams, i might just take you up on your offer of advice, especially for places to avoid etc..
it's murcia that we'll be trying to get to :) | |
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| driving to spain...
Posted: 6/4/2008 12:59:58 PM | Driving through France is an absolute dream, despite what Ham says, (these Spanish I dunno LOL). I used to do it by getting an overnight Portsmouth to Le Havre with a cabin and wake up refreshed. Coming down to go through La Jonquera border point you won't get stopped and it will take around 12 hours to drive.
There is less stress driving the length of France than there is the 10 minute Portsmouth/Fareham stretch. I can't tell you much about driving in Spain as I only ever get down to near Barca.
One thing I can tell you though, if you are going to overtake on a motorway and the car behind you flashes, DON'T pull out. Over here it means I'm coming through and keep out of my way. I found this out the hard way and nearly put someone into the central reservation. I think the shaking of his fist was in fun! | |
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| driving to spain...
Posted: 6/4/2008 2:12:28 PM | | Im just home from Alicante and i wouldnt dream of driving there. The Taxi drivers are wreckless mad men, most of them drink adn drive after their brandy cofee at mid day. Health and safety is a major issue there will holes left open on all the roads. The Spanish have no patience of us driving on the opposite side of the road. My advice is dont chance it.... | |
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| driving to spain...
Posted: 6/4/2008 2:22:02 PM | Stay off the plains cos that is where it mainly rains in Spain..
Been there, done that.. would I recommend it... Yes.. Just don't do it in a 1970 Vauxhall Viva nor a 1968 MG as both will probably break down as they did when I went with my friends, yonks ago.
The journey, if you treat it as part of the holiday, is great. If you expect to get there in two days, good luck, it might happen if you try but 3-4 days is realistic and good fun. Tinternet advertises many different routes but beware of the cost of overnight stops.. Tents are the best option (sleeping in the car can attract fines (blummin froggy police)) many camp sites en-route (I speeekey frenglais).
Go for it, enjoy the chance to do it and then relish in the fact that you survived to tell the tail and that it didn't break your bank.
Good luck,,
Ruffy
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| driving to spain...
Posted: 6/4/2008 2:57:30 PM | Leannie... £800 flights seems excessive, although you don't say how many of you are going, I just looked at Easyjet from Bristol to Murcia 26th July to 9th August £270 per adult all in. Shop around on the internet it may pay you to drive to Gatwick or another airport to fly to Murcia, I wouldn't drive to Spain, by the time you add the extra insurance, and breakdown cover, and the cost of petrol in Europe isn't that much cheaper than here you're probably going way past £800.....
Whichever way you choose, just have a really really really great time    | |
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| driving to spain...
Posted: 6/4/2008 3:15:57 PM | One thing to be aware of is the bogus police scam, a friend of mine fell victim to this after stopping for fuel, he was flashed by an unmarked vehicle containing what appeared to be 2 spanish cops, who accused him of passing fake currency, they took all his cash to "check" it, and promptly drove of with his and his families holiday spends!, you can read up on this and other things to be aware of at:http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-and-living-overseas/travel-advice-by-country/europe/spain?ta=safetySecurity&pg=2
Hope this helps, and if you do drive, have a great (but safe) trip! | |
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| driving to spain...
Posted: 6/4/2008 3:26:27 PM | Well, you are looking at a round trip of 3,000 miles or so and, even though I drive quite long distances fairly regularly I wouldn't fancy trying to fit that into 2 weeks and have a holiday as well.
1,300 - 1,400 miles to get there is going to take you 3 days being halfway realistic. Maybe you could do it in 2 but frankly I think that you'd be so tired that, even if you shared the driving you's be a danger on the roads. Then 3 days to get back home again.
So you should be costing in hotels, cross channel ferries etc. as well as at least 400 litres of fuel, possibly extra on your insurance and so on. And I hope you have a very reliable car.
Probably cheaper to fly really........ and a heck of a lot more relaxing! | |
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| driving to spain...
Posted: 6/4/2008 6:47:21 PM | I've just done a quick search & found a return flight from East Midlands to Madrid for £108 inc fees.
If I spent more time I'd probably get it even cheaper.
It's just a matter of finding out which operator has the most flights to your chosen desination and which airport they fly from in your area.
Last year I was offered a 2 week rent free apartment in Tenerife but booking a flight alone was going to cost me £189 return + taxi costs.
At my local high street travel agents the week before I was due to go there was a 2 week late deal holiday on the exact same flights for £99 and this included a 2 star hotel 100 yd from the apartment & tranfers....bet you can't guess which 1 I booked 
So, the best advice I can offer is to spend an hour or so shopping around on'tinternet
Good luck. | |
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| driving to spain...
Posted: 6/9/2008 5:41:11 AM | | have you looked at going by ferry from plymouth to santander(north of spain ) if 4 of you are going by car it should work out quite good --look on brittany ferries . cheers | |
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