Car rental or public transport in Spain
The city of Barcelona is a great holiday destination and each year thousands of people are heading towards it for some great time and entertainment. Most probably you will chose an apartment in Barcelona or Madrid apartment which is set in the center of the city or nearby and with easy reach to all the main landmarks, places of interest, parks and entertainment venues. If you do so and book an apartment in the center of Barcelona, it would be far more convenient to use the public transport in this Spanish city, which is on time, and besides that it is simple to use and not expensive.
This photo of Novotel Barcelona City
Let us be honest, the cars are not really useful in the big cities like Madrid and Barcelona, especially if your holiday will be short and if you will have time just for the sites concentrated in the center. In case that you plan a longer stay and intend to visit the area around the city of Barcelona for shorter, one day trips, then getting rent a car or bringing your own car here would be handy. So the question whether to use car rental service or to use the public transport in Spain is entirely up to your plans. Of course, renting a car is very convenient and not that expensive after all. But still renting a car is far more expensive then the public transport. There are other options such as trains and buses, as well as planes within the territory of Spain.
A tip to be given is that flying within Spain is the cheapest option to explore the country, but only if you can book your flights in advance, which is not always possible. Then you have two other options – the train and the bus services. The trains in Spain are the more luxurious of the two availabilities, but there are a few things that need to be considered here, which include the prices and the travel times. The trains in Spain work with the Inter Rail Passes and the Eurail passes. The train passes are not cheap and thus one has to be sure whether the pass will be worth the money spent. There are also certain discounts if you are a student, etc., so these are good to be checked too.
The car rental in Spain and particularly in Barcelona is very convenient, but it is not always the cheapest and the most practical option. There are many car rental companies that could be tried and various cars that could be hired. There are big car rental companies like for example Hertz, Budget, National and Alamo, but there are also small car rental companies as well. The traveler should know that the basic rental available will be more than a train or a bus ticket and on the top of that one will have to pay fpr petrol and for road tolls as well. But it is priceless if you want to explore some of the areas that are hard to get like for example the region around Cadiz, the Rías Bajas and Alpujarras or Tarifa.
If you look for a destination for you next trip you can check Portugal where you can stay in apartments in Lisbon.
One day trips near Barcelona
The Spanish city of Barcelona is a great place for a holiday and no matter how much time you have here, it will never be enough to see all its wonders. However, if you have already picked one of the holiday apartments in Barcelona an apartment in Madrid and have one extra day during your stay in the Catalan capital, check the various options for great one day trips near Barcelona. The area around the city has it all. It reaches the Pyrenees Mountains and the coast of Costa Blanca and thus there are plenty of places to visit just for one day, even if sometimes this will mean to get up very early in the morning and to go to bed quite late at night. All the places that will be presented here are reachable with the means of the public transport, usually by bus. Of course, the easiest option is to rent a car by one of the many companies that have offices in Barcelona.
This photo of Montserra
This photo of Montserrat
Among the top one day trips near Barcelona is the mountain Montserrat. Some of the hills here are steep, some are rounded and there are rock pillars that are naturally formed. Children will definitely like the rack railway up in the mountain and thus, the place is also great for a family event. The other interesting place for a one day trip near Barcelona is the beach zone around the Sitges area. The beaches here are clean and nice and there are even some nudist beaches that should be mentioned here as well. The Sitges resort is quite popular among the gay community. Every year in the beginning of October here is organized an International Film festival. The other one day trip destination is called Tarragona, where one could see some Roman ruins and a nice beach. The town of Tarragona is close to the amusement park Port Aventura and to the holiday town Salou. One should also not forget the town of Figueres, though the only thing that is worth to be seen here is the Museum of Salvador Dali.
In case that you like the medieval atmosphere, pay a visit at the town of Girona, which has that special appeal. The town is placed on a hill and has a lovely center to walk around with many nice shops. Those who love the guided tours would be happy to visit the Torres Winery at Penedes region, which is the closest wine producer in the region of Barcelona. Here travelers will be able to do some wine samplings and to learn more about the Spanish wine. Your great day shall be guaranteed if you also visit the spa town of Caldes de Montbui, which has a beautiful countryside setting.
This photo of Port Sitges Resort
The above mentioned entertainment park Port Aventura will absolutely charm the children and thus this is a great family thing to do near Barcelona. Thus, if your kids are fed up with sightseeing, bring them to the Caribe Aquatic Park and treat yourselves with a ride on the Hurakan Condor ride. If the monasteries are your thing, then go to St. Miguel del Fai Monastery. The area is ideal for hiking, but it also has lovely waterfalls and reveals far-reaching breathtaking views.
Another great place that you can visit after your trip to Spain is France where you can stay in Paris apartments.