Spanish Road Trip 2024 Index and Tips - 🚗 Dreaming of a Spanish Road Trip 2024? When you live in Benidorm, one question people often ask is, “Where do you go on holiday?” For us, the answer is simple: we hit the road to discover the real Spain.
This year marks our 6th road trip adventure, but unlike previous summers, we travelled in early October to avoid the extreme heat that can make sightseeing exhausting. Our 2024 journey took us through Southern France, a night in Italy, and a drive through Andorra.
Why We Love Road Trips
We always set our Sat Nav to avoid motorways and toll roads, which means you never quite know what hidden gems you’ll find along the way. From small mountain villages to stunning coastlines, these detours have given us some of our best travel memories.
🚗 Previous Road Trips
✅ 2018 - Lagunas de Ruidera, Cordoba, Seville, Ronda, Gibralta, Benalmadena, Granada and Huescar.
✅ 2019, Spain, France and Andorra. - Xativa, Cuenca, Madrid, Valladolid, Zaragoza, Lourdes (France) Andorra, Barcelona, Castellon de la Plana
✅ 2020, Spain and Portugal - Cartegena, Vera, Nerja, Estepona, Jerez, Seville, Lagos (Portugal) Lisbon (Portugal) Caceres, Toledo, Lagunas de Ruidera.
✅ 2022 - Murcia, Riopar, Jaen, Antequera, Guadix, El Ejido, Puerto Lumbreras, Villafranca de los Caballeros, Cuenca, Nogueruelas.
✅ 2023 - San Pedro del Pinatar, Mojacar, Cala Mijas, Tarifa, Ronda and Granada.
🚗 Spanish Road Trip 2024 - Index
Days 1 and 2 - Benidorm to Pals
Let the road trip begin.....
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Day 3 - Pals to Perpignan
October 3rd, Day 3. Follow us on our journey from Pals, Catalonia, on the Costa Brava, Spain to Perpignan, situated in the Occitanie region, Southern France. 173km travelled.
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Day 4 - Perpignan to Montpellier via Narbonne and Sete. 189km
Before heading towards Montpellier for our next overnight stop we decided to explore Perpignan. Perpignan’s location near the Spanish border means the cultural connection between the two regions is very strong, with many locals speaking and considering themselves both French and Catalan.
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Day 5 - Montpellier to Marseille
One of the problems of a road trip this time of year in France is the weather, and we woke up to a wet and miserable morning and headed straight to Marseille.
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Day 6 - Marseille to Saint-Tropez
Day 6 - Marseille to Saint Tropez 162km. A visit to the medieval village of El Castellet and a wet, depressing and incredibly expensive Saint-Tropez.
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Day 7 - Saint-Tropez to Nice via Cannes
Our first stop of the day was Cannes - Located on the French Riviera, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Famous for its annual Film Festival, but it is also home to beautiful historical districts, luxury yachts, and vibrant cultural attractions, glamour and Mediterranean luxury....
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Day 8 - Monaco and Italy
Its not often that you get the opportunity to visit 3 countries in one day.......France, Monaco and Italy.
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Day 9 - 10th November - Ospedaletti (Italy), Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, (France) to Les Arcs Medieval Village - Distance 170km
After enjoying our night in Italy, it is now time to start heading back home to Benidorm, we really did not plan to travel this far into France and certainly did not expect to make it into Italy, but that is the joy of a road trip, you can plan, places to see and stay as you go along on a day to day basis.
Check this out.
Day 10 - From Les Arcs to Nimes with a visit to Avignon 230km
Time to start heading even closer to home (Benidorm) and nothing really exciting along the way this time, no unexpected Medieval towns, just a couple of coffee stops as we head towards Avignon and our overnight stop just outside Nimes.
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Day 11 - Nimes to Loupia via Carcassonne 261km
Heading closer and closer to the Spanish boarder each day, this will be our last night in France, but we discover another wonderful Medieval town, a fantastic restaurant and the perfect place for our last nights stay in France......
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Day 12 - Loupia, Andorra and Lleida 294km
Sunday 13th October and this was our final day in France, and as we had already driven in Spain, France, Monaco and Italy, we thought why not add another country to the list and drive through Andorra to get back into Spain.
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Day 13 - Albarracin to Teruel - 332km
After last nights stay in Lleida and thinking we would come straight home, but not wanting to cut our holiday short by a day and with such a disappointing end, we scoured the booking sites for somewhere to stay tonight and found what looked suitable in Terul, but before going there we visited a place that has been on my list for quite a few years, Albarracin.....
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Road Trip 2024 Day 14 - The Journey back to Benidorm from Teruel via Chelva and Taverns de la Valldigna 351km
Its been another amazing road trip and we have driven in 5 different countries, Spain, France, Monaco, Italy and Andorra, but its now time to head home back to Benidorm.
Check this out.
🌍 Spanish Road Trip 2024 – Overview
This year, our route covered:
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Total distance: 3,218 km
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Nights stayed: 14
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Total accommodation cost: €775.49 (average €55.39 per night)
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Parking fees: €17 (most places had free street or private parking)
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Diesel cost: Approximately €200
💡 Note: Maps shared are a general guide only, as we often take scenic detours for spontaneous sightseeing.
📝 Top Tips for a Stress-Free Road Trip
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✅ Service your car before travelling.
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✅ Check insurance for you and your vehicle.
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✅ Update your sat nav or maps.
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✅ Know local driving rules, especially abroad.
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✅ Never risk running out of fuel – fill up regularly.
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✅ Carry enough cash; small villages don’t always take cards.
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✅ Stay flexible with your route and accommodation.
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✅ Drive during daylight for the best views.
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✅ Take regular breaks.
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✅ Avoid motorways and tolls to discover hidden gems.
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✅ Don’t risk unpaved roads unless equipped.
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✅ Check local weather, especially in remote or mountain areas.
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✅ Make sure your phone is charged at all times.
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✅ Photograph city/town signs for easy navigation.
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✅ Have a first aid kit and bottled water handy.
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✅ Learn basic Spanish; it goes a long way beyond tourist areas.
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✅ Understand Spanish mealtimes – kitchens close between lunch and dinner.
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✅ Bring your own pillow for a comfortable sleep.
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✅ Check accommodation parking options and fees before booking.
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✅ Pack one large suitcase, use smaller bags for daily needs, and keep a laundry bag to stay organised.
✨ Final Tip
Enjoy every moment of your Spanish Road Trip. These journeys let you see the heart of Spain, away from crowded tourist resorts, and connect with its landscapes, history, and people.
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Spanish Travellers Reports - Spanish hoteliers are warning tourists, including the British of the “chaos” that could be caused here in Spain with a new obligatory registration of travellers, whereby anyone in Spain who rents out accommodation or hires cars to tourists will have to fill in a traveller's report. (Spanish Included)
2nd December 2024 - The new system of registering guests staying at Spanish accommodation is in full effect from today.
There have been several articles in the UK press over the weekend, repeating false information, claiming that "guests have to hand over all their bank details"...This is totally false. Up to today, guests passport or ID details were taken on check in and sent to either the Guardia Civil or National police using their respective websites Hospederías or WebPol. Now, from today, guest data must be submitted to the Ministry of Interior via their dedicated SES.Hospedajes platform.
The number of data points to be collected has increased: the property will now need to gather 17 pieces of information per guest at check-in. Previously, only 9 pieces of data were required. This will apply to all travellers over 14 years of age.
The data collected is as follows
1. First name
2. First surname
3. Second surname (if applies)
4. Gender
5. ID document number
6. Document reference number
7. Type of document (DNI, passport, TIE)
8. Nationality
9. Date of birth
10. – Full address (Place of usual residence)
11. – City (Place of usual residence)
12. – Country (Place of usual residence)
13. Landline phone number
14. Mobile phone number
15. Email address
16. Number of travellers
17. Relationship between travellers (if any are minors)
As you can see......There is NO "field" on the online form regarding bank details.
* NOTE* Most apartment blocks or even some hotels ask for a deposit in case of damages nowadays, this has nothing whatsoever to do with this scheme. (It can normally be paid in cash or a "pending" payment on a card..
Updates 2nd October 2024 - The Interior Ministry now insist that this regulation will come into force on December 2nd,
Spanish Travellers Reports 5th August 2024 News.
Spanish tour operators, state it will be “impossible” to comply with due to the requirements demanded, it could also cause loss of sensitive information for travellers.
The Spanish Confederation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation (CEHAT) state that this new requirement is going to cause chaos as hoteliers just will not be able to cope with this additional workload at reception, CEHAT also points out that more than 70% of accommodation companies are small businesses and don't have adequate cybersecurity protection to protect their guests data and many of the smaller establishments do not even have a reception, yet there is also the threat of large fines and sanctions to all those who do not act under new parameters.
Spanish Travellers Reports
This was first announced on October 27th, 2021, when a Royal Decree was published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) which established documentary registration and information obligations for natural or legal persons carrying out accommodation and motor vehicle rental rentals, this has been postponed twice, they were initially delayed until November 2nd, 2023 and then to October 1st, 2024, due to protests from companies, allowing the submission to be made through the traditional electronic system."
The website set up to input data was inefficient and it was impossible to comply with the requirements. "Tour operators pointed out that this platform had proven to be very inefficient"
CEHAT state "For hoteliers, it is impossible to collect and certify the authenticity of some of these data, which would cause organisational chaos at receptions to the detriment of users and flagrantly contravening the data minimisation rules of European directives and their protection."
CEHAT have requested a new meeting with the Secretary of State or the Minister of the Interior and assures that it is currently working at a legal level to prevent its application of this Royal Decree on October 1st, so far they have received no response. For this reason, they assure that they have set their legal services in motion to prevent its application.
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What are your thoughts on filling out more forms upon arrival, let us know in the comments section below.
Subscriptions
Below you will find the options available.
Please note subscriptions can be cancelled at any time, but due to transaction charges we are not able to offer refunds.
Any cancelled subscription will be allowed to run until the end of the existing subscription period and will then be automatically cancelled.
Subscription Plans
Subscribers are able to browse the site without unsolicited adverts from Google etc. We will not hide adverts from our sponsors as these often offer special deals and discounts relevant to your holiday.
Discounts are also available on several activities throughout the town. These discounts will often produce savings higher than the cost of the subscription
| Duration: | 1 Month |
| Price: | £2.00 |
Subscribers are able to browse the site without unsolicited adverts from Google etc. We will not hide adverts from our sponsors as these often offer special deals and discounts relevant to your holiday. You can save 25% by paying for the full year in advance
Discounts are also available on several activities throughout the town. These discounts will often produce savings higher than the cost of the subscription
| Duration: | 12 Months |
| Price: | £18.00 |
Family Plans allow you to add additional family members or Friends to your subscription
Subscribers are able to browse the site without unsolicited adverts from Google etc. We will not hide adverts from our sponsors as these often offer special deals and discounts relevant to your holiday.
Discounts are also available on several activities throughout the town. This discounts will often produce savings higher than the cost of the subscription
| Duration: | 1 Month |
| Price: | £3.00 |
Family Plans allow you to add additional family members or Friends to your subscription
Subscribers are able to browse the site without unsolicited adverts from Google etc. We will not hide adverts from our sponsors as these often offer special deals and discounts relevant to your holiday. You can save 25% by paying for the full year in advance
Discounts are also available on several activities throughout the town. This discounts will often produce savings higher than the cost of the subscription
| Duration: | 12 Months |
| Price: | £25.00 |
Due to requests from our members we have created an option to permit users to browse the site free of adverts in exchange for a small subscription. We also intend to gradually add special offers that will be only available to subscribers.
In fact the first of these offers is already in place
We have 10% off Abas Transfers.
We have 9% of Jet Ski Adventures, Crazy Sofa, Banana Boat, Flyfish and Parasailing
More will follow soon.
So for example, if you subscribe 2€ to browse the site free of adverts, you can get 1€ per person per direction OFF the standard price of an Abas Transfer.
- For one person travelling return that is a saving of 2€ 18.00€ instead of 20€. You will have gotten your money back straight away.
- If there are 4 passengers in your party travelling the price is 72€ instead of 80€. Not bad for a 2€ investment!
Question: So what happens if I subscribe, book the transfer and then cancel the subscription?
Answer: Your plan will work! You subscribe, book the transfer with the discount and then cancel the subscription. The offers will still be available until after the subscription month has passed, at which time the adverts will re-appear again and codes will no longer be usable. There is no request to return your discount, but there is also no refund of your subscription
Question: Then why should I continue with the subscription?
Answer: Because long term subscribers will be invited to join the VIP Lounge where the savings offered will be even higher. Remember we are starting with Airport transfers, but in time we hope to add Accommodation, Entradas and more.
*For example One Week for two people in Gemelos 22 Apartments in July is (at time of writing) priced at 749€ on one of the most popular booking sites. We will be offering VIP Members the same accommodation at 647€. That is a saving of 102€ when you might have subscribed 2€ per month for a year at a total of 24€.*
*please note this is an example only of what we hope to offer in the near future. But for now, feel free to contact admin if booking accommodation and we will see what we can do*
In time we hope to turn the VIP Lounge into an elite club of Holiday offers, but we need your support to do it. So for now, let's start with airport transfers and a few other activities.
Business users will be given free subscriptions if they require them. We do not expect you to pay twice. Just contact a member of admin
Here you will find our special offers and discount codes available to Subscribers only.
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