Malaga Airport Car Hire and What to Look For

When you are visiting Malaga, car hire Malaga Airport offers an excellent choice of vehicles that you might not find in other resorts in Spain. The reason for that is twofold: Malaga is situated on the popular Costa del Sol, and it is also a large and much visited tourist destination.

Car rental firms know that Malaga car hire market is very competitive, so you can generally find excellent offers. In fact as soon as you arrive at Malaga airport car hire is waiting to whisk you to your accommodation, either chauffeured or self drive. When visiting this part of Spain, however, there are so many interesting places to visit, both on the coast and inland, that you really need a self-drive car because otherwise your transport could get very expensive.

We shall first point out some interesting places you might visit and then give a few tips on car hire in Malaga. Malaga sits on the south coast of Spain, in the Region of Andalucía, and is renowned for its sunny climate: hence its name, the Costa del Sol. This is the birthplace of Pablo Picasso in 1895, and the Pablo Ruiz Picasso Public Foundation is situated there, offering a view of drawings and other mementos of his early life.

Naturally, Malaga offers a number of beautiful beaches, but there are also several other places for you to visit in the area. Marbella is just down the coast, and lovely Guadalhorce is also nearby. This town sits on the river of the same name, the largest river flowing into the Costa del Sol. It also offers a beautiful championship golf course, fairly flat but with tricky, undulating greens, and its lovely clubhouse is worth visiting itself.

The golf course is fairly close to the airport - another reason for arranging your Malaga car hire from the airport, although a compelling reason for hiring a car is that there are lots of traditional small towns and villages in the Province of Malaga, particularly in the zone of Axarquia, such as the unspoilt Nerja with its wonderful caves which are well worth a visit.

The Roman amphitheatre in Malaga, discovered in 1951, is one of the oldest in Spain, and is worth visiting, particularly since entry is free. Above the amphitheatre you will a fortress: this is one of the more impressive of the Moorish fortresses around Spain's coastline, and is known as the Alcazaba. It houses an archaeological museum displaying Roman, Phoenician and Moorish artifacts.

When hiring a car in Malaga there are a few things you should be aware of first. The Malaga region is not small, and if you intend to drive around while on holiday, you are advised to have more than one driver. Malaga car hire firms will charge extra for a second driver, but some offer that facility free of charge, so look out for these when you book. You have to name the extra driver, and they will also have to show their driving license just as you will, but if it's free then it's definitely a facility worth taking, even if you might not need it. You never know when somebody might get ill.

Also make sure you understand the Spanish driving regulations, particularly observing the speed limits. It can be expensive if the police catch you breaking them. It's also worth while checking up on the road signs in advance to make sure you understand them, and if you are unsure of parking regulations, always park in a designated car park. You should check that you have 24 hour roadside assistance, because unless you can speak Spanish it might be difficult if you have a breakdown without it.

With respect to fuel, you should establish whether you have to return the car with a full tank or not. If so, it will likely be cheaper for you to fill up at a service station rather than at the prices charged by the hire company. It's a question worth asking, particularly how much they charge for fuel. On fuel, check if your vehicle is petrol or diesel! It should be stated inside the filling cover but you never know. Another factor to consider is mileage: is it unlimited or do you pay over a certain mileage. Always try to get unlimited mileage.

You should make sure of the level of insurance cover. What is the excess or deductible, and do you have collision cover? Full insurance coverage is best because when in a strange country, you don't want to be haggling over costs if you are involved in a collision.

Finally, when booking your Malaga car hire at Malaga Airport, try get a 'meet and greet' service so you don't have to spend ages looking for the hire company or the car after your flight. You might be tired and grumpy and that is no time to be trudging around a strange airport looking for such things. Meet and greet is offered by many Malaga car hire firms.