Gijon Car Rental Guide
The following page gives you information about car rental in Gijon and also presents a short overview of the basic car rental and driving restrictions valid in Spain.
Rental Restrictions
In order to rent a car in Spain, you must be at least 21 years old (age may vary by car category) and have held your license for 1 year. Drivers under the age of 25 may incur a young driver surcharge. An International Driving License is highly recommended.
Cars rented in Spain are not allowed into the following countries: Albania, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine and the former Yugoslavia. Travel on the African continent is not allowed.
Driving Restrictions
The minimum driving age in Spain is 18 years. In order to sit in the front, children under 12 must be seated in a child seat. Seatbelts are compulsory for all passengers. The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.5‰.
When driving through tunnels, headlights must be on. In built-up areas, the use of the horn is only allowed in cases of extreme and immediate danger. Outside built-up areas, you must use the horn to indicate your intention to pass.
On one-way streets, parking is allowed on even dates along the side with even addresses and on odd dates along the side with odd addresses. Always park your car in the direction of traffic flow. Do not park within 5 metres of intersections or entrances to public buildings. Blue Zones or Zona Azul are indicated by signs – parking in these zones is allowed for 1.5 hours from 8 am to 9 pm. There may also be Zona Oras and you have to display a ticket to be allowed to park in these.
Foreigners must pay fines on the spot unless they can present a Spanish bail bond or address of a Spanish friend or company who will guarantee payment of the fine.
Speed limits:| Area | Limit |
| Motorways | 120KM/H |
| Dual Carriageways | 100KM/H |
| Built-up areas | 50KM/H |
| Residential Areas | 19KM/H |
Emergency Numbers
Police Service: 091
Ambulance service: 092
Fire Service: 080
Road Tolls
Many roads in Spain are tolled. Most toll stations accept credit cards, but you are advised to carry cash. The tolls are rather expensive.
Some useful expressions for tourists visiting Spain
Car – el alquiler de coches
Car rental – coche
Drive a car – conducir un coche
About Gijon
Gijon is the largest city in the province of Asturias. It is the centre of many important activities such as commercial fairs, conventions, concerts, sports and cultural events. The city is full of historic buildings. The beautiful baroque Revillagigedo Palace displays the works of modern art. The Roman baths are one of the most popular attractions in the city. Gijon has a beautiful city centre, with its numerous squares, green areas, shops and cafes.
The city offers various museums including the International Bagpipe Museum and the Railway Museum. Another interesting place to visit is the archaeological park of Campa de Torres.
If you just wish to lie in the sun, there are beautiful beaches with golden sands and great promenades near Gijon.
Area: 182 sq km
Population: 275,000
Country: Spain
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +1
Telephone Area Code: 85
Monetary unit: Euro
