Birmingham to Adra, Spain

[The Beaver King]

Guys and girls, need a little advice if possible.

A friend has a wedding in Adra, Spain in October. Eight of us are looking to travel over for the week.

The general idea seems to be to hire a minivan and drive to our destination. At 21 hours, it will be quite a trek but not too disimilar to ones we have made in the past albeit longer.

The other option is to fly, but there are concerns about the distance from the closet airport and getting about once there.

We're looking for the most cost effective option really, although if it comes down to a few quid then driving would be the prefered method.

Does anybody know of a reasonable minivan hire company accepting of european use? Or maybe another method we haven't considered?

Also any pointers on cheap flights would also be appreciated, I've had a look and most come out to around £150 each. Not bad, but not cost effective versus a minivan.

[LuS1fer]

Vueling (www.vueling.es and click "English" in the top right corner) are a Spanish airline who have recently started flying from Cardiff - not sure where else they fly from. They offer cheap flights to Barcelona (as low as 35 Euros either way recently) but no idea where else they fly. Almeria will be the best airport to fly to and pick up a hire car but it's a question of shopping round with flights which vary from week to week.

Vueling prices also include 23kg of luggage unlike other airlines.

[The Beaver King]

LuS1fer said:

Vueling (www.vueling.es and click "English" in the top right corner) are a Spanish airline who have recently started flying from Cardiff - not sure where else they fly from. They offer cheap flights to Barcelona (as low as 35 Euros either way recently) but no idea where else they fly. Almeria will be the best airport to fly to and pick up a hire car but it's a question of shopping round with flights which vary from week to week.

Vueling prices also include 23kg of luggage unlike other airlines.

Good shout, thanks for that

[Muzzer79]

Surely once you've added up the cost of hiring a minivan, insuring it, fuelling it there and back and the cost of the extra time it's cheaper to fly?

Take your pick of any budget airline, fly to Malaga, hire 2 x cars or 1 x minibus then it's a 2 hour drive to Adra.

Driving from the UK overland is 1500 miles minimum.

The (expensive) ferry to Bilbao still leaves you with a minimum 500 mile drive after you get off.

You'd be mad to do anything other than fly.

[Amateurish]

East Mids to Almeria is probably the most direct flight you could do, costing about £100 pp in October with Ryanair.

[The Beaver King]

Thanks for the info guys.

Indeed, we reckon about 1600 miles or there abouts. As there will be eight of us, minivan hire, fuel, ferry etc will be split eight ways, making it more viable.

While I prefer the idea of a flight, the guys are geared up for a road trip. While I would usually agree, this journey will not be done in sports cars as per our usual antics. 21 hours crammed in a minivan does not appeal to me.

I think a serious discussion with the boys is in order....

Thanks again.

[LuS1fer]

I hope you know where the Pyrenees are with an 8-up van?

That's right, just above the Pyrofankles.

Seriously though. Spain is the most mountainous country in Europe so an 8-up van may be hard work if you don't stick to the mind-numbing motorways which are also quite expensive on the tolls purse (far less tolls, if any, round Almeria).

[gtidriver]

If you do drive make sure the mini bus isn't speed limited, I hired a minibus from palm bay Renault that was limited to 60mph, it would go no faster, I did try. In the front window was a vignette for switzerland. Jesus that journey must have been hell.

[davepoth]

Don't get a minibus. Rent something from someone like this:

http://www.tigertours.co.uk/





Called a "splitter" in band touring terms. Really quite comfy.