Car Hire in Seville

About Seville

Seville is the capital of the Spanish province of Andalusia and also the fourth largest city in Spain. It is the cultural and financial capital of southern Spain. The city will enchant you with its architecture, authentic culture, rich history, and much more, so take the time to explore it well. As you walk through the beautiful streets of Seville, you will notice the influence of Christianity, as well as Islam and Judaism. You will be enchanted by the facades, the beautiful squares and the parks where you can relax. As you walk around the city, you will definitely come across street guitarists who often hang out in the squares and you will quickly realize that the music has completely taken you over. You should definitely visit the bars where you will experience excellent and unforgettable flamenco performances. However, if you are planning a holiday during one of the many festivals that take place in Seville every year, then the passion for flamenco will definitely not pass you by. The two most famous festivals in Seville are the Semana Santa (March 24 to April 2) and the Feria (April 14 to 23). Bullfighting is also part of the Sevillian tradition, which is an important part of the identity of the people of Seville. As you stroll through the streets, you can be sure that you will not stay hungry. You can stop at every corner and enjoy the local tapas, which are also an indispensable part of Seville.
Seville, located on the plateau Guadalquivir River, has an average altitude of 7 meters. Nevertheless, it is considered to be the city with the hottest summer in Europe. Therefore, a visit to Seville is most pleasant in spring and autumn. However, if you are a fan of the heat, the Sevillanos, as the people of Seville are called, will surely make you very happy. This heat may be the reason why the midday siesta is a golden rule and everything in the city is really closed during the siesta.
So if you love history, a casual life combined with passionate flamenco walks through the city streets and squares with good food and music, Seville is definitely a place you should visit. It will quickly captivate you and you will soon feel at home in the city.

Basic info and car hire in Seville

• Location: South Spain, Andalusia
• Population: 688,711
• Official language: Spanish
• Currency: Euro
• Weather:  Meditteranean climate
• Internet coverage: Hotels, bars, restaurants, and cafés offer Wi-Fi.
• Road conditions: Most roads in Seville are in good condition.
• Car hire in Seville: The most common pick-up point for vehicles in Seville is Seville airport. Please note that prices vary frequently. It is best to book a car 3 to 8 weeks in advance of your desired pick-up date - this will ensure you get the cheapest rental rate. Alternatively, it is also possible to find cheap last-minute car hire. Find the best deal on car hire in Seville!

 Driving in Seville

When driving in Seville, you must be aware of a large number of one-way streets. This is especially true in the old town, which is more challenging to drive than the rest of Seville. When driving through the old town, pay special attention to the traffic signs and, as mentioned earlier, the one-way streets. If you get lost in the narrow streets of the old town, you can ask for help from the locals, who are always willing to help you and understand English quite well. Especially driving outside the old town and driving through Andalusia will impress you. 

To drive a car in Seville, you must be 18 years old, have a valid driver's license, and show valid proof of insurance for the vehicle you are driving. In Seville, vehicles drive on the right-hand side of the road. The speed limit on the motorway is 120 km/h (75 mph). On normal roads the speed limit is 90 km/h (75 mph), on urban roads, it is 50 km/h (50 mph), and on all other through roads, there is a speed limit sign.
It's good to know that Spain has strict drink-driving laws, allowing only 0.5 milligrams of alcohol per millilitre of blood - stricter than in the UK, where the limit is 0.8. Novice drivers are effectively banned from driving under the influence with a very low limit of 0.1 mg/l. Seatbelts front and rear are compulsory everywhere.

• Age limits: The minimum age to drive a car in Spain is 18 years. However, most car rental companies require you to be at least 21 to rent a car and at least 25 years to avoid paying an additional young driver fee. 
• International Driving Permit:  Yes, if you are a non-EU licence holder.  
• Additional papers:   Identification(passport), a valid driving licence, and valid proof of insurance. (It is advisable to buy insurance at the car hire agency in case your policy doesn't cover you while driving in Spain)
• Additional requirements:  Glasses (in case you need glasses, it is imperative that you always have a spare pair in the car), light bulbs (are usually already in the car and are provided by the car rental company), warning triangle (2 are required for all vehicles registered in Spain and 1 if coming from abroad), high visibility vest (recently made compulsory)- First aid kit (not actually compulsory, but we strongly recommend you have it with you, just in case).
• Children in the car:  If you are travelling with children under 12 or less than 135cm tall, you are required by law to have a child seat in your car. If you do not have your own, most car rental companies will provide one for a fee. However, it is advisable to request such a seat before collecting the vehicle, otherwise one may not always be available.
• Driving side of the road: Right
• Lights:  Check that all lights are working, clean, and correctly aimed.
• General speed limits:  The speed limit is 50 km/h in cities, 90 km/h on rural roads, and 120 km/h on the motorway.
• Parking suggestions:  In the MAR Zone (high traffic), you can park for one-hour maximum and it costs €0.60 for 35 minutes and €1.25 for the full hour. In the Blue Zone (high frequency), you can park for up to a maximum of 2 hours. It costs €0.45 for 35 minutes and €1.70 for 2 hours.
  

Popular Daytrips from Sevilla

• Cordoba- It is not for nothing that it is one of the most popular day trips from Seville. The ancient city of Cordoba has everything to offer. From the unique Mezquita, an unusual mosque turned cathedral that captivates with its interior, to Roman Bridge, built in the 1st century BC. Walking through the historic centre, you will find a labyrinth of alleys and alleyways that make up the Jewish Quarter and tranquil courtyards covered in flower baskets.
• Málaga-While you could go to Málaga simply for the beaches, especially Playa la Malagueta, the city also has many historical and cultural attractions to offer.
• Ronda-When it comes to what to see in Spain outside of Seville, the picturesque town of Ronda is not to be missed. You will surely visit El Tajo Gorge, the Puente Nuevo bridge, Mirador de Ronda, La Casa del Rey Moro, Plaza de Toros...
• Granada is one of the best day trips to Seville thanks to its great attractions. Fox for example the famous Alhambra, Generalife Gardens, Nasrid Palaces, the fortifications of the Alcazaba, the old Moorish quarter Albaicín, Granada Cathedral...

What to see in Seville

CITY CATHEDRAL

Built between 1401 and 1519 on the site of a former mosque. It is considered the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. It has the largest nave in Spain and is richly decorated with lots of gold. Some of the columns from the mosque were kept and used in the cathedral. The tomb of Christopher Columbus is also in the cathedral.

GIRALDA TOWER

The Giralda Tower, which was originally a minaret but is now the bell tower of the city's cathedral, is one of the biggest attractions in Seville. Even today you can climb to the top, from where you have a beautiful view of the city of Seville.

REAL ALCAZAR / KING'S PALACE

Where the Moorish palace once stood is now the Royal Palace or Real Alcazar. Its construction began towards the end of the 12th century and lasted more than 500 years. Today it still houses the royal family, which you can visit for an extra charge. The entire complex is under the protection of UNESCO.

GOLDEN TOWER / TORRE DEL ORO

Along the Guadalquivir River, we find the Golden Tower / Torre del Oro, which was intended as an observation tower and to defend the river. A chain was strung across the river to prevent ships from entering the river port. After the discovery of America, Seville was the main and only port for goods coming to Europe from the New World until the 18th century. Then this supremacy was given to the city of Cadiz. 

SPANISH SQUARE / PLAZA DE ESPANA

The Spanish Square is located in the famous Maria Luiza Park and was built in 1928 due to the Ibero-American Exhibition. The complex is in the shape of a huge semicircle with the south and north towers and moats crossed by bridges representing the four ancient kingdoms of Spain. In the centre is the fountain, Vicente Traver. Along the walls are many niches lined with ceramic tiles "azulejos" and each niche represents a landscape in Spain. The entire southern part of the city was transformed into an open garden and large boulevards for the exhibition

MUSEUMS AND BAROQUE PAINTERS

If you are interested in art, you probably know that Seville is the birthplace of Baroque painters Murillo and Velazquez. In the park in front of the museum Contemporary Art, which houses a rich collection that is of importance just behind the Prado Museum in Madrid, we find a monument to Murilla. The Velazquez monument is located in front of his birthplace. In addition, Seville is rich in other museums - the Archeological Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art

Mercado de Triana

One of the best things to do in Seville is to cross the Guadalquivir River and visit the Mercado de Triana, which is right on the river. There is a lot to discover at this market, including a wide selection of fruit and vegetable stalls, authentic sausages and cheeses, freshly caught fish and much more! There are also a number of restaurants where you can enjoy tapas or a sit-down lunch, a flamenco theatre and even a cooking school where you can learn how to make delicious Spanish dishes to impress your friends back home! Mercado de Triana is open daily, with reduced hours on Sunday. Most shops and stalls close at around 2-3 pm, but the restaurants stay open longer.

Best restaurants in Sevilla:

La Sede

Masakali pizza

Tabanco La Duquesa

MareaViva

Abaceria del Postigo

Pizzeria Da Simona