Budget Car Rental Fuengirola: Local Expert Tips [2024]

Budget Car Rental Fuengirola: Local Expert Tips [2024]

Looking into Budget Car Rental in Fuengirola?

In that case, you’re at the right place!

As I live in Fuengirola and have plenty of experience with car rental companies, this article will give you all the insights you need to decide on the cheapest car rental in Fuengirola.

fuengirola car rental
BEST BUDGET CAR RENTAL COMPANY: DISCOVER CARS

Skip the long text and book with the best company for the cheapest car rentals in Fuengirola: Discover Cars.

This price comparison platform will find you the best car rental deals from international and local companies, in just a few seconds.

BUDGET CAR RENTAL FUENGIROLA 2024

Finding a Good Deal on Car Rental in Fuengirola

Finding a cheap car rental company in a city like Fuengirola, where the prices get ridiculous, especially in the summer, may seem impossible.

Luckily, you can save a lot of money and time in a few ways – I have compiled all of my insider tips below.

Before You Book Your Car Rental

The one thing you need to know before booking your car rental is that in Fuengirola parking is an absolute nightmare.

If you don’t have an apartment with an allocated parking lot within the building, you will struggle with where to leave the car daily.

Car towing is a national sport in this city, and if you don’t want to pay a hefty sum for retrieving the rental car, you need to make sure you have somewhere legal to leave the car.

When booking a place to stay, especially if it’s an apartment in the city, ensure it has an allocated spot with its designated space.

Some apartment buildings have spots for residents but are not assigned to a particular flat. This presents several issues, especially in the summer when the majority of the free flats are used for rentals, and people take up whatever parking spaces are free.

Many people who live in the building long term might have more than one car, taking up even more space.

If you’re staying in a hotel, check how much they charge for car parking, as it can be quite a lot in some places. If you still want to stay in the hotel you found, you can check what public parking is available nearby (I shared a map below), saving you a lot of money for minimum inconvenience.

Click the link below to filter hotels with free parking at booking.com (I always use them for all my trips) – you will find the parking filter on the left side in the filter options under facilities.

CHECK HOTELS WITH FREE PARKING

Finding Budget Car Rental in Fuengirola

I recommend using Discover Cars, an award-winning car rental comparison site that will get you the best deals from dozens of local and international car rental companies so that you can find the best deals on car rentals in seconds.

The company is super transparent and has some of the highest customer satisfaction rates in the industry (4.4/5 on Tripadvisor), so you can be confident in booking through them.

Here are some other advantages of using them:

  • Get the best price on car rental in seconds
  • Trusted reviews for each car rental company are available on the platform
  • Completely transparent with no hidden fees
  • Much better deals than trying to source a car rental locally
  • No language barrier
  • 24/7 multi-language customer support helping you with the booking or any issues
  • Free cancellation
  • Lowest prices thanks to deals with lots of local companies
GET A QUOTE FROM DISCOVER CARS

Booking a Budget Car Rental in Fuengirola

It’s super easy – add your journey details to the table below, generating quotes and price options for your car rental. I have added some explanatory comments below the table.

Make sure you select your residence country under the table and that the age shown is correct for you, otherwise, you won’t get accurate price quotes.

Once you select your chosen company, you will be navigated to the booking details page, where you should check carefully that all the details are correct.

I highly recommend taking the full coverage option from Discover Cars as it’s the best peace of mind service if something goes wrong while driving in Spain. If you have your own independent insurance, they might not accept it, or it might not cover everything you need, like damage to the windshield or similar.

If you’re travelling with kids, you can add car seats or booster seats to your booking on the booking detail page – check that you’re happy with the rates charged; otherwise, check a quote from a different company.

In most cases, you will pay a small deposit for the car rental, and the rest will be paid on the pickup date in the agreed location.

Please double-check that the car company does not require cash payment, as some smaller ones do. Also, double-check whether any security deposit is due so you don’t have any nasty surprise payment as you arrive to pick up the car.

torreblanca fuengirola spain 1
car parking near Paseo Maritimo
BUDGET CAR RENTAL FUENGIROLA

Local Guide to Driving in Fuengirola

Every city has unique traffic challenges that are well-known in the area. Below I will list the most practical tips for driving safely in Fuengirola.

Main Roads and Access to the Highway

There are four main traffic junctions or roads that lead through the city:

  • Paseo Maritimo road – this is the road leading next to the sea. It is one of the busiest and most prone to accidents due to cyclists and frequent pedestrian crossings.
  • Avenida Nuestro Padre Jesus Cautivo – probably the biggest and main traffic road in Fuengirola, this one lines the train tracks, and it is intersected by roundabouts which will lead you to the main highway, connecting the city with Malaga and Marbella via A-7 highway.
  • Avenida Ramon y Cajal – I call this the ‘bus road’ as the main bus journeys run through this street. It’s much smaller, and due to buses stopping frequently, it gets clogged up quite a bit.
  • The A-7 Highway – the main highway that passes on the outskirts of Fuengirola, and it is easily accessible from any of the previous roads just by driving up North.

Traffic Accidents

In recent years, accidents have become much more frequent in Fuengirola, especially on the Paseo Maritimo road, due to increased traffic.

The road is pretty busy, and in the last few years, there have been many incidents involving cyclists, so the city installed speed cameras and warning systems. They help to keep the road safe again, but if you’re driving through, keep an eye on your speed and also check the pedestrian crossings properly.

The only other place where I witnessed accidents was roundabouts by the train street, where people simply don’t give the right to the traffic on the roundabout, and accidents happen quite frequently.

I’ve also seen people getting hit while trying to use the pedestrian crossing, so please be careful when you drive and keep your eyes open.

torreblanca fuengirola spain
Torreblanca, Fuengirola

Parking in Fuengirola

There are several public parking options available in Fuengirola, which are marked on the map below. Opening up the map will show you opening hours for each option on the listing.

There are also free parking places around the Paseo Maritimo, but these get booked up right away, so if you want to drive to the beach, I would suggest getting there as early as possible in the morning.

Although not officially indicated as a public parking location, public parking is available on Recinto Fuengirola, where the local markets are held on Saturdays and Tuesdays. The location is marked on the map below.

This is possibly the biggest outdoor parking option in Fuengirola.

Police Checks

Police patrol cars regularly pass the city, so don’t be alarmed if you see that.

If there is one thing you don’t want to mess with, it’s certainly illegal parking. The towing company operates around the clock and cars are removed in minutes.

Fuengirola is known for being a bit extreme when towing cars, sometimes even those legally parked. If this happens to you, make your way to the towing compound located next to the Feria grounds, marked on the map below.

You will have to pay a fee of around 90 euros to get your car back. Not a fun thing to do, but it does happen quite often.

BUDGET CAR RENTAL FUENGIROLA

Rented a Car in Fuengirola, Now What?

If you have already found the perfect deal for your car rental, congratulations! Now the fun part begins!

In the section below, I have added tickets to some of the most popular monuments and places of interest near Fuengirola, so you can secure your tickets in advance and plan your journey accordingly!

Tickets for Popular Monuments & Tours

Here are some of the most popular monuments and activities, all within a short drive from Fuengirola.

Museo Picasso Málaga: Ticket & Audioguide – Admire more than 200 works by the creator of Cubism as well as exciting temporary exhibitions.

Benalmádena: Mount Calamorro Cable Car Ticket – Climb to the top of Mount Calamorro on this Benalmádena cable car ride featuring exclusive views of the Costa del Sol.

Málaga: Alcazaba and Roman Theatre Guided Tour With Entry – The Alcazaba is one of the emblematic landmarks and a must-see when visiting Málaga.

Málaga: 2-Hour Historical Center & Cathedral Tour – Explore the fantastic historic center and the Cathedral of Málaga on this 2-hour tour. 

Benalmadena Aquarium Visit – Dive into an amazing underwater world at the Benalmádena Aquarium. 

Granada: Alhambra, Nasrid Palaces and Generalife Guided Tour – Visit the Alhambra complex with a professional guide.

Day Trips from Fuengirola

BUDGET CAR RENTAL FUENGIROLA

Budget Car Rental in Fuengirola: Frequent Questions

Below are some of the most frequent questions about Fuengirola car rental – if there are any questions that you have and were not answered here, leave a comment under the article and I will answer it there.

Is it safe to drive a car in Fuengirola?

Yes, it is! BUT, you should pay attention to the speed limits, where you park your car (towing is a popular sport for the local council) and also at pedestrian crossings.

What is the most popular car hire in Fuengirola?

I always recommend Discover Cars, which is a price comparison website that will show you lots of price options not just from local but also from international car rental companies, giving you the best deals on car rentals in a matter of seconds.

How much does it cost to rent a car in Fuengirola?

An average price for car rental in Fuengirola, for a period of 5 days, would be around 170 euros. That price goes higher in the main season.

What is the cheapest car hire price for Fuengirola?

The cheapest car hire is usually in the shoulder season or off season (winter and spring months), where you can pay around 150 euros for a 5-day car hire.

What rental companies have the best prices in Fuengirola?

To find the best prices for car rental Fuengirola, I always recommend using Discover Cars, which will populate the best prices and quotes from small local but also big international car rental companies, giving you lots of options to find something within your budget.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links – if you decide to book using one of the links, I will earn a small commission that helps me run this site. This is at no extra cost to you.

Southern Spain Travel Tips

Find Best Hotels

Find Hotels

I have been using booking.com for all my trips in Spain and abroad, and it’s the best place to book your hotel.

Find Car Rental

Find Car Rental

To rent a car, I highly recommend Discover Cars, an award-winning price comparison site for car rentals.

Book Your Tour

Local travel companies offer many day trip options from almost all the destinations in Southern Spain. You can check them out here.

Book Local Transport

To get the cheapest bus or train tickets, take a look at Omio to find the timetables and prices.

Find Cheap Flights

Get the best flight deals when you book early via Skyscanner.com

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links - if you decide to book using one of the links, I will earn a small commission that helps me run this site. This is at no extra cost to you.

Hi, I'm Lucia

At Viva La Vita, I will help you to discover Southern Spain like a local!

I've been living on Costa del Sol since 2020, and fill these pages with first-hand insights, personal experience and practical tips that will help you plan a wonderful trip to Spain.

Make yourself at home and find the best places to explore in Andalusia and beyond.

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