Valladolid Car Hire - Getting around
Introduction - History - Accommodation - Day Trips - Nightlife
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You may want to hire a car while you're staying in Valladolid so you can visit the many places of interest within easy reach of the city. This central plateau of Spain may not offer the country's most beautiful landscape but there are some fascinating historic sites and cities to be seen all over the province of Castile-Leon.
Tour the many castles which have given the province its name; visit Salamanca with its fantastic university, ancient Roman bridge and beautiful museum of stained glass artwork; see the birthplace of St Teresa of Avila in this medieval town which is still encircled by 11th century walls.
Burgos, to the north east of Valladolid, is a splendid city awash with magnificent buildings including the majestic Gothic cathedral where you can see the coffin of one of Spain's greatest heroes, El Cid.
Madrid is only two hours drive away and offers a huge number of major attractions including the Prado and Reina Sofia art museums, an excellent zoo and the sumptuous royal palace. But be warned that traffic congestion and parking can be a nightmare so you may prefer to take a bus or train (regular services run between the two cities).
If you plan to hire a car, check in advance that parking is available either at your hotel or within easy reach of it otherwise this could be a problem if you're staying in the centre of town. And remember that when driving in Spain it's a legal requirement to carry your passport with you at all times (or identity card in the case of Spanish nationals) together with your car hire policy documents.
On the spot speeding fines are imposed on non-residents (the police will accompany you to the nearest "hole in the wall" if necessary!). Children are not allowed to travel in the front passenger seat and the use of mobile phones while driving is banned.
When it comes to car hire companies, cheapest doesn't always mean best. These are some of the questions you should be asking before booking a car:
- Does the company have a dedicated desk inside the airport where you can collect your keys and sort out the necessary paperwork and any problems? There's nothing worse than arriving in the middle of the night to find no car.and no-one to complain to! Or will they deliver the car direct to your hotel with no extra charge?
- Does the company give a commitment on the quality of its cars - are they, for example, all under a certain age?
- Will you have to pay the local IVA tax (Spanish VAT) of 17.5% or is it included in the price?
- Does the company offer "no quibble" insurance to cover such things as collision damage and theft? Is unlimited third party insurance and basic personal accident damage for the driver and occupants included?
- Will you have to pay an "excess" charge in the event of an accident?
- Are any extras - such as children's seats and roof racks - available and will they be included in the price?
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