by Steven Perez
posted on July 26, 2018
This summer we’re highlighting sizzling international locales, where guests can now book cars on Turo! For local, insider travel tips from awesome Commercial Hosts, check out all of the guides here, and visit this page to see all the places around the globe you can book on Turo.
When you hear “Spain,” what’s the first thing you think of? There’s no right answer — with nearly infinite things to do and see, Spain is one of the most popular countries in the world for tourism. To see all the best things Spain has to offer, visitors have to travel across the country to get to the most exciting cities and regions. If you were visiting Spain and wanted to hit Madrid, Barcelona, and Marbella, it would help to have a car, wouldn’t it?
Well, there’s good news! Spanish host Antonio of Top Cars Motion has an enviable selection of fine motorcars you can use through Turo whenever you visit his country. Antonio’s fleet is based in Barcelona, on the east coast. But lucky for you, you can pick up Antonio’s cars in any of four hotspots across Spain: Barcelona, Madrid, Marbella, and Ibiza.
Any proper vacation in Spain either starts or finishes in Barcelona. But each of the places in which Antonio’s cars are available was purposefully chosen, because each offers its own distinct Spanish experience. To get a good feel for the country, you’ll want to visit all their fantastic locations and everywhere in between.
Top Cars’s Range Rover Velar
And you can do just that. Antonio offers one-way trips, meaning you can pick up a car in Madrid, cruise around for the duration of your holiday, and drop it off in Barcelona. He has dozens of excellent options, including luxury offerings like the Porsche Cayenne, and supercars like the Nissan GT-R and McLaren 650S. They even offer the truly exceptional Lamborghini Huracán Performante, which, for a time, held the Nurburgring production car lap record. Which means it’s really, really fast.
Tops Cars’s Lamborghini Huracán Performante
With so much to see and do in Spain, we asked Antonio for just a few highlights from each of the four cities he offers his services. If you’re headed to Spain anytime soon, hit up Antonio and he’ll be happy to give you the inside scoop on wherever you want to go.
Barcelona
La Sagrada Familia
Though Antonio travels all over the country, Barcelona is his favorite city. The capital of Spain’s Catalonia region is one of the world’s premier tourist destinations (and Europe’s third-most visited city), offering excellent food, nightlife, museums, and easy access mountains and beaches — there really is a lot to do. Though Barcelona does have an extensive public transportation system, many neighborhoods are best explored by foot. Remember to pack comfortable shoes as the cobblestone streets are not forgiving.
First-time visitors will want to see Barcelona’s biggest hits in the art and architecture department. Legendary works from celebrated artists dot the city, like Antoni Gaudí’s La Sagrada Familia, the towering neo-Gothic masterpiece that has been under construction since 1882. The whimsical mosaic-lined pathways and fantastical structures of world-famous Parc Güell are another must-see, but consider yourself warned of the prodigious crowds.
It’s easy to get enchanted by Barcelona’s art, architecture, and clubs, but Antonio urges all his guests get out and explore the rest of Spain’s dazzling Costa Brava. For a great day trip from Barcelona, drive northward up the Mediterranean coast to Girona, about an hour and a half’s cruise without stops (but you should make a couple stops). Girona is bursting with historic castles and cathedrals, and its high medieval walls and winding alleys served as the sets for many scenes in HBO’s Game of Thrones.
Madrid
Calle de Alcalá, Madrid
Madrid is a big and busting city with near unlimited opportunities for to enjoy an authentic Spanish experience. Foodies will especially enjoy the popular Mercado San Miguel, a massive cast-iron market right outside the centrally-located Plaza Mayor. Or hit up any of the world-class restaurants — Antonio recommends acclaimed fusion standout Restaurant DiverXO.
Antonio also recommends road tripping a couple gastronomic routes that start in Madrid. Ruta del Jamón runs west about 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Madrid to Badajoz and will take you through farmland and vineyards where you can try the delicacies of the region. The main draw is the Jamón de Bellota, the Iberian-style cured ham for which the route is named.
Or you can head north to Burgos on the Ruta del Vino to sample some of the finest fermented grape beverages in Spain. Antonio suggests you try La Rioja, a famous red wine produced in La Rioja region of Northern Spain.
Marbella
Yachts on the Mediterranean
Marbella is a sun-drenched jewel on Spain’s Costa del Sol, drawing hordes of visitors for the beaches, shops, and nightlife. The main show is the Golden Mile, an extravagant stretch of top-shelf restaurants, prestigious clubs, and luxurious shops that extends to Puerto Banús, one of the flashiest and most exclusive marinas on the Spanish coast. This is an excellent place to cruise around in one of Antonio’s exotics and take in the scene.
Ibiza
Ibiza waterfront
In the summer, Ibiza turns into the the party capital of the Mediterranean, attracting millions of visitors and the world’s biggest DJs to its crystalline beaches and oceanside clubs. Ibiza’s nightlife is unparalleled, but it can become a bit overwhelming. During downtime, grab a car from Antonio and explore the quiet side of the island. Ibiza’s secluded coves, small rural towns, and UNESCO World Heritage sites offer welcome respites from the spring break crowds.
Steven Perez
Steven is an avid car guy and content maker at Turo. Between Golden State Warriors games he can be found getting lost somewhere in California.
