audreyh1
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This year will be our 7th annual trip to Europe in a row, and so far we’ve managed to get by with the excellent public transportation available.
But this next visit we need to use a car to make in workable/convenient. We have never rented or driven a car in Europe before. I have seen tons of roads and traffic though, particularly in Spain where we traveled a lot by bus last year. The highways outside of cities were generally very nice and low traffic.
We plan to spend about six nights in early October visiting Segovia and nearby La Granja San Idelfonso, and I already know that getting there by train is a hassle*, plus we want to stay at a couple of the local Paradores. DH really loves the Paradores. In Segovia the Parador is slightly out of town, so having a car to get there car is a plus. In La Granja not far away the Parador is right down town near the palace. It has a nearby guest car parking lot.
So the strategy is to rent a car from Madrid airport, which is already out of town, and quite close to the major highways going north. From there it’s pretty much a major highway to reach the two towns which are only 11km apart. I figure I can do this. But I will still avoid downtown city driving.
In Segovia the Parador is slightly out of town. I probably won’t drive to the tourist areas in the city center, I really don’t relish dealing with European downtown parking garages even though there is one right under the famous Segovia Aqueduct, and very convenient to tourist sites.
I haven’t even looked at rental car options yet, so I am interested in a suggestions and tips. Am I going to be driving standard? I did a very long time ago.
*We tried to do a day trip to Segovia last year, but horrible rainy weather made us cancel. So I became intimately familiar with the transportation logistics involving multiple trains and buses. Also realized that the area was worth much more time especially as I was also interested in the Palace and gardens in La Granja, which is only accessible by bus or taxi.
But this next visit we need to use a car to make in workable/convenient. We have never rented or driven a car in Europe before. I have seen tons of roads and traffic though, particularly in Spain where we traveled a lot by bus last year. The highways outside of cities were generally very nice and low traffic.
We plan to spend about six nights in early October visiting Segovia and nearby La Granja San Idelfonso, and I already know that getting there by train is a hassle*, plus we want to stay at a couple of the local Paradores. DH really loves the Paradores. In Segovia the Parador is slightly out of town, so having a car to get there car is a plus. In La Granja not far away the Parador is right down town near the palace. It has a nearby guest car parking lot.
So the strategy is to rent a car from Madrid airport, which is already out of town, and quite close to the major highways going north. From there it’s pretty much a major highway to reach the two towns which are only 11km apart. I figure I can do this. But I will still avoid downtown city driving.
In Segovia the Parador is slightly out of town. I probably won’t drive to the tourist areas in the city center, I really don’t relish dealing with European downtown parking garages even though there is one right under the famous Segovia Aqueduct, and very convenient to tourist sites.
I haven’t even looked at rental car options yet, so I am interested in a suggestions and tips. Am I going to be driving standard? I did a very long time ago.
*We tried to do a day trip to Segovia last year, but horrible rainy weather made us cancel. So I became intimately familiar with the transportation logistics involving multiple trains and buses. Also realized that the area was worth much more time especially as I was also interested in the Palace and gardens in La Granja, which is only accessible by bus or taxi.