I lived in Belgium as a kid, and I’ve been back to Europe plenty of times since. On most of those trips, I get around by train because it’s easy and I never have to worry about parking.
Some trips need a car, though. When I visited a childhood friend from Belgium who now lives in Altea, on Spain’s Costa Blanca, renting one was the only thing that made sense. I booked through DiscoverCars, and it made the whole process easier than I expected.
I received a credit from DiscoverCars toward this rental. My opinions are my own, and I’d book with them again in a heartbeat.
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When You Need a Rental Car in Europe
Trains are great for getting between cities. I spent three weeks in Europe with my mom and daughter a couple of years ago, going across Italy, to Switzerland, and through France all via train.
In a city like Barcelona, a car is more trouble than it’s worth, and you’re better off walking or taking public transit to get from your hotel to a Barcelona food tour than circling for parking.
A car makes sense when your destination is outside town. My friend lives up a mountain outside Altea, and I needed to get there from the Alicante airport. I also wanted to take her young adult daughter and her friend sightseeing while my friend was busy, and there’s no public transit where she lives.
Over three days, we explored Altea’s old town, spent time in Parc Natural de la Serra Gelada, and drove to Calp for dinner one night. None of that would have been as easy or even possible without a car.
Why I Booked With DiscoverCars
The last time I rented a car in Europe was 2011, when my husband and I spent two weeks in Italy with friends. A lot has changed since then, and I didn’t recognize many of the rental brands in Spain.
DiscoverCars is a comparison site. You search once and see options from lots of rental companies side by side, with what each price includes spelled out. You still pick up the car from the rental company, which for me was SIXT.
What helped most was how it made me think through my priorities. Prices vary a lot depending on what you choose, and seeing the differences side by side helped me decide what I needed and what I could skip.
DiscoverCars has an app, but I found the website much easier for searching and booking because there are so many options to compare. I appreciate the flexibility to use the option I’m most comfortable with.
Search once and compare rental cars from dozens of companies side by side, with what’s included spelled out before you book. Filter for automatic, unlimited mileage, air conditioning, or cross-border travel, and add full coverage at checkout.
Sort by the Rental Company’s Rating
The first thing I did was sort by the highest-rated rental companies. A cheap rate doesn’t help if pickup is a mess or you get hit with surprise charges when you return the car.
You’ll see a lot of unfamiliar names when you search in Europe. The ratings tell you quickly which companies other travelers would use again.
Decide on Mileage and Fuel Policy
I chose a rental with unlimited mileage because I knew I’d be driving a lot. I didn’t prepay for gas, since I’m comfortable filling the tank myself.
My rental was full-to-full, which means you pick the car up with a full tank and bring it back full. It’s usually the cheapest option as long as you remember to fill up before you return it.
Manual or Automatic
Manual transmissions are still common in Europe, and they’re usually cheaper. I can drive a stick, but you can filter for automatic only if you can’t.
My car was an automatic because the SUV I picked for the mountain roads only came that way. A smaller manual car would have cost even less.
Make Sure It Has Air Conditioning
Don’t assume air conditioning comes standard. Spain in July is hot, so I filtered for it, and I was glad I did.
Check Whether You Can Cross Borders or Take a Ferry
This one is easy to miss. Many rental agreements don’t let you drive the car into another country, and many don’t allow it on a ferry either.
I didn’t need either on this trip. If your plans include driving into a neighboring country or taking a ferry to an island, filter for rentals that allow it before you book, and expect to pay a fee.
Pick a Car That Can Handle Where You’re Going
I chose a Peugeot 2008, a small SUV that seats five, partly because my friend lives up a mountain. Plenty of small rental cars don’t have the power to climb steep roads comfortably.
I learned this the hard way in Italy. We drove from Rome to a farmhouse we’d rented near Cortona for our second week, and it sat up a mountain on a narrow, unpaved road with forest on both sides and huge ruts. Our tiny cars didn’t have much clearance, so we crept up and down every time we came or went.
Our biggest fear was meeting another car, because none of us trusted ourselves to back down that road. It happened twice, and both times the other driver graciously backed up to a spot where we could squeeze past. It was a little white-knuckle.
Luggage space was tight too. We had two small cars for the whole group, and it’s a good thing I pack light and made my husband pack light as well. If you’re renting a compact car, the right carry-on luggage goes a long way.
Know where you’re going and what the roads are like before you book. It changes which car makes sense.
Consider Full Coverage Insurance
At home, I don’t always add insurance to a rental because my own policy covers it. In Europe, it gets more complicated, so it’s worth adding even if you normally skip it.
I added DiscoverCars Full Coverage when I booked. My voucher listed the rental company’s collision damage waiver and theft protection as not included, so without coverage, any damage would have been on me. SIXT asked at the counter whether I wanted their coverage too, and it was easy to decline.
Know how it works before you go. DiscoverCars Full Coverage reimburses you, so if something happens, you pay the rental company first and then file a claim with DiscoverCars to get that money back. The rental company doesn’t see it in its system, which is part of why you still leave a security deposit.
Plan for the Security Deposit
Most European rentals require a security deposit, which isn’t something we’re used to in the States. Mine was €449.77, which came to about $530, and it had to go on a credit card in my name.
I was fine with that because I take care of rental cars and had the funds available. The hold dropped off my card within a few weeks of getting home.
You can filter for a lower deposit or no deposit at all. That changes your total rate, so decide which matters more to you.
Get Your International Driving Permit Before You Leave
You need an International Driving Permit to drive in Spain because Spain requires a Spanish-language translation of your license, and I had to show mine before SIXT would hand over the keys. Get it before you leave home.
In the US, AAA is one of only two organizations the State Department authorizes to issue them. The other is the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA). I’ve gotten mine from AAA both times, and you don’t need to be a member to apply.
I applied in person at my local AAA office, had my passport photo taken there at the same time, and walked out with the permit in about 15 minutes. In person, the permit is $20, and you can bring your own passport photos or have them taken there for about $10, depending on the branch. My AAA membership includes free passport photos.
You can also apply online for $30, which includes the digital photo, plus shipping. Give yourself at least two weeks, since processing takes about five business days before it ships.
Pack it with your passport so you don’t forget it. It’s good for one year, so you’ll likely need a new one for each trip.
Use Your Phone for Navigation
I used my phone for directions the whole trip, and my international plan worked well. I wouldn’t rent a car in Europe without a phone that has data.
Navigation drains your battery fast. I always travel with a car charger and a portable power bank, and I used both on this trip. If you don’t have an international plan, you can stay in touch for free over Wi-Fi, but plan on data for the drive itself.
Navigation drains your phone fast. This small, fast-charging car charger plugs into the lighter socket and keeps your phone topped up while the map runs, and it’s small enough to take anywhere.
A slim 10,000mAh power bank that charges your phone more than once, for the walk from the parking lot, a long day sightseeing, or a car without a working USB port.
Picking Up at Alicante Airport
When you book with DiscoverCars, you get a voucher to show the rental company. They strongly recommend printing it, and I did.
Pickup couldn’t have been simpler. The SIXT counter is in the arrivals hall, so I walked over, showed my voucher, passport, driver’s license, and International Driving Permit, and they sent me to the garage where my car was waiting. This location doesn’t have a shuttle, but some rental car agencies do, so pay attention when you book.
The car was exactly what I expected, and it ran great all three days.
Driving Around Altea and the Costa Blanca
The mountain roads around Altea are narrow, so take your time. My friend warned me about speed cameras on the drive from Alicante to Altea, so I set the cruise control at the limit and didn’t think about it again.
Parking in Altea’s old town is hard too. Instead of wasting time trying to find parking in the district, we parked at a free lot outside the old town and walked about 10 minutes to where we wanted to start exploring.
Having the car meant we could head to Serra Gelada and drive to Calp for dinner on our own schedule. While public transportation is great throughout Europe, this out-of-the-way vacation spot is the exception.
Returning the Car
Returning it was just as easy. On my friend’s recommendation, I filled up at the Moeve gas station a few minutes before the airport, and plenty of other people were clearly doing the same thing before dropping off their rentals.
I pulled into the SIXT return area, and there were zero concerns about the car’s condition. A few minutes later, I walked into the terminal, ready to go through security for my flight.
What My Rental Cost
I paid €214 for three days in July, which is getting into high season. That covered an automatic SUV that seats five, liability, full coverage, and all taxes.
I paid in euros instead of letting the price convert to dollars when I booked, because my credit card gave me a better exchange rate. Check which option works out better for your card.
For that price and how smoothly it all went, I’d book my next European rental car the same way.
Frequently Asked Questions About Renting a Car in Europe
Do I need an International Driving Permit to rent a car in Spain?
Yes. US drivers need one along with their license in Spain, and the rental counter may ask to see it, as mine did. Get it from AAA before you leave, because it’s pretty challenging to get one once you’re abroad.
Can I rent a car in Europe with a debit card?
It depends on the rental company. My SIXT rental needed a credit card in my name for the deposit, but some listings accept debit cards, and DiscoverCars lets you filter for them.
Is DiscoverCars legit?
Yes. It’s a booking site that compares rates from rental companies, and you pick up the car from the company you book with. My booking went exactly as described, from the voucher to the return.
Can I take a rental car to another country in Europe?
Sometimes. Many rental agreements don’t allow it, so filter for cross-border travel when you search and check for extra fees.
Is it hard to drive in Spain?
The highways were easy. Mountain roads and old towns take more patience, mostly because the roads are narrow and parking is limited.
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