Understandably, flights have been the primary mode of transport for tourists going to Spain as it’s the quickest way to get to the most popular part of the country, Andaclucía, with Malaga being the go-to airport. However, some people appear to have been changing their habits, with travelling by sea seeing more business from Britain.
Ferries have seen an uptick in popularity in recent times, with operator Brittany Ferries getting two more ships built in China to work the established routes of Portsmouth to Bilbao and Portsmouth to Santander – coming in 2021. So, why have people been turning to ferries for their trips to Spain, and is it the best method of travel for your trip?
An increase in ferry travel
Source: Pixabay
The primary benefit of taking a ferry from Plymouth, around the north of France, and through the Bay of Biscay is that you get to take your car with you. Many people prefer the comfort of being in a car that they know and being able to have more control over their trip.
With a car, you’re not secluded to the city that your hotels in and you don’t have to rely on public transport to get around. As good as public transport is in Spain, especially in and around cities, it’s not as convenient or comfortable as cruising wherever you want in a car. Given that the summer of 2020 will be the last time that you can enjoy regular travel in Europe before Brexit kicks in, you’ll want to make it as carefree as possible.
In the summer months, taking a car on a ferry from Plymouth to Bilbao or Santander costs around £600 to £900 for a return trip for two adults and takes around 24 hours. Upon arrival in the north of Spain, should you want to go to the ever-popular south of Spain, it’ll take around nine hours to drive down, with Madrid about four hours into the drive.
New possibilities offering convenience before and after flights
Source: Pixabay
As you can see on this website, finding how much it costs to park up and get your car from the airport at the lowest price is easier than ever. One of the go-to airports for flights to the south of Spain – specifically Malaga – is Stansted, where it costs about £40 to leave your car at the airport for a week in the summer. While you’ll be able to find flights to anywhere in Spain from almost any major airport in the UK, Malaga, which sits right on the south coast of Andalucía, is a favourite for Brits.
Return flights cost around £280 for two adults from Stansted to Malaga, and travellers can also make the most of the car hire at Malaga airport to ensure that you can explore as much of the reason that you want at your convenience. At the time of writing, hiring a car for a week from Malaga airport in the summer cost from around £110 for a Fiat Panda, Fiat 500, Ford Fiesta, Seat Ibiza, or Nissan Juke.
Quite possibly due to the increased competition from alternative forms of travel, airport car parks and car hire services have had to make their rates more competitive. Some people will always want the comfort of their own car on their travels, but those who want the freedom provided by having a car on holiday have the option to park up their vehicle at the airport and pick one up at the airport with ease and at a good rate.