Car rental in Salou

Salou is a small resort town on Spain's Costa Dorada coast. While the town itself is walkable, renting a car in Salou becomes essential for exploring the broader coastline and more distant areas. With your own vehicle, you'll comfortably travel between beaches, historic cities, mountain villages, and nature parks, making your holiday more diverse.

Choose routes based on your preferences. You won't need to adjust to public transport schedules or overpay for taxis.

Advantages of Renting with Localrent

Localrent is a service featuring the best car rental offers from trusted local companies. Key advantages include:

1. Transparent terms. You see the final rental cost immediately when booking. This includes all fees and basic insurance coverage.
2. Small advance payment. To secure your booking, you pay just 15-20% of the rental cost by card. The remaining balance is paid when collecting the vehicle in Salou, either by bank card or cash (check specific terms in the vehicle listing).
3. Flexible deposit options. In most cases, the deposit amount is minimal. Some rental companies even offer car hire without a deposit requirement.
4. Convenient filters. The website allows quick vehicle selection by class, body type, payment methods, and other parameters important to you.
5. Customer support. You can contact Localrent managers for assistance throughout the entire rental period and even after it ends. Support is available via online chat, messenger, or email.

Requirements for Renting a Car

To rent a car in Salou, you'll need:

• Passport
• Valid driver's license (category B)
• Bank card for advance payment and balance settlement, if you've chosen this payment method

Rental companies also have requirements regarding driver age and experience. These may vary even for identical models, so check the conditions in each vehicle listing.

Traffic Conditions in Salou

Traffic conditions in Salou and surrounding areas have specific characteristics related to the resort zone. During high season (June through September), traffic is very heavy with possible congestion during peak hours.

For longer trips (for example, to Barcelona), the AP-7 toll motorway is convenient. Note that toll charges are not included in the car rental price.

If planning trips to mountain areas, be prepared for narrow roads and winding serpentine routes.

Traffic Regulations to Know:

• Speed limits: Standard restrictions include up to 50 km/h in town, up to 90 km/h outside urban areas, and up to 120 km/h on motorways. Different sections may have other limits—always watch for signs.
• Road layout: Salou has right-hand traffic with numerous roundabouts and pedestrian crossings. At roundabouts, priority goes to vehicles already on the circle.
• Safety requirements: Seatbelts are mandatory for the driver and all passengers, including those in rear seats. Children under 135 cm tall require age-appropriate restraint systems.
• Navigation considerations: Road signs often display information only in Catalan, so tourists find navigation apps more convenient.
• Prohibited while driving: Using headphones and mobile phones (except hands-free conversations).

Fuel Stations

Salou and surrounding areas have sufficient fuel stations, particularly along the AP-7 toll motorway and C-14 road. At most stations, you first fuel the vehicle yourself, then proceed to the cashier to pay.

Self-service stations are also available where you pay for fuel directly at the pump using a bank card. Insert your card into the terminal beforehand and specify the fuel volume or amount.

Parking

Salou and nearby towns follow standard Spanish parking rules based on marking colors:

• Blue lines — paid parking with strict time limits (typically 2-4 hours). After parking, pay at the parking meter and place the receipt under your windshield. Sometimes free parking is available here on weekends or at night.
• White lines — free parking zones. These are usually located in residential neighborhoods or on city outskirts.
• Yellow/red lines — stopping and parking prohibited.
• Green/orange lines — resident parking zones. Higher rates or complete parking bans may apply to tourists. Check conditions on signage.

How to Book a Car in Salou

The online booking process is quick and straightforward:

1. Specify rental start and end dates, and locations within the city where you plan to collect and return the vehicle.
2. Use filters to speed up finding a suitable model. You can specify desired transmission type, vehicle year, deposit amount (or no deposit), etc.
3. Review the vehicle listing. It shows specifications, rental terms, and insurance details. You can also add extra services here. The list and costs depend on the selected model. Rental companies typically offer child seats by age, adding a second driver to the contract, and permission for travel to neighboring countries.
4. Enter personal details and contact information for the main driver. Review the total rental cost including all charges (advance payment, additional services, deposit, etc.).
5. Pay the advance by bank card. The amount will be no more than 15-20% of the full rental cost.

Receive booking confirmation. A voucher with order details and rental company representative contacts will arrive via email. Save it on your phone or print it. Present the voucher to the rental company manager when collecting your vehicle in Salou.

What to See with Your Rental Car

Numerous interesting locations surround Salou, easily accessible by car. We recommend visiting:

1. Tarragona — one of Spain's most ancient cities with many structures from the Roman Empire era. Main attractions include the Roman amphitheater, forum, and medieval Cathedral of Santa Tecla. The Archaeological Museum offers insights into regional history, while the Mediterranean Balcony viewing platform provides stunning views.
2. Reus — birthplace of renowned architect Antoni Gaudí. Tourists are particularly drawn to Plaça del Mercadal square, featuring the Gaudí Centre, the beautiful Casa Navàs mansion, Sant Pere church, and City Hall building.
3. Cambrils — a resort known as the gastronomic capital of Costa Dorada. Visitors come for seafood dishes and various cheese varieties. Nature lovers will appreciate Parc Samà—a botanical garden with rare plants, ponds, and modernist architecture.
4. Montserrat — a uniquely shaped mountain with a monastery of the same name perched at 720 meters elevation. It houses the statue of the Black Madonna of Montserrat, patroness of Catalonia. The surrounding area offers hiking trails and a cable car to the mountain summit, providing spectacular valley views.
5. Sitges — a village famous for golden sand beaches, festivals, and historic villas. Notable sites include Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla church and the Cau Ferrat Museum with its Catalan art collection. We recommend visiting the nearby Maricel Palace.

For short coastal trips, you can rent an affordable compact car. For extended travels through Catalonia, especially to mountain regions, a more powerful model is suitable—for example, a crossover or mid-size vehicle.

For all trips, choose only paved roads; insurance doesn't cover unpaved routes.

Where to Rent a Car in Salou

Rental companies offer different vehicle collection points in Salou, including:

• Rental offices
• Delivery within the city to a specified address

Available options vary depending on the selected model. When booking, you can immediately specify a suitable location using the "Specify location" filter—the system will show only matching offers.

In some cases, returning the car to another city (for example, Barcelona or Valencia) is possible. This is convenient if you don't plan to return to Salou. However, this service typically incurs an additional fee.

Rental Tips

Here are several Salou rental tips to help avoid common traveler mistakes and make trips more comfortable:

Watch Speed Restriction Zones

In certain areas, particularly in the town center and near beaches, lower speed limits apply. Always carefully observe road signs. Many cameras are installed to detect violations, and exceeding the limit by even a few kilometers results in fines.

Consider Road Lighting Conditions

Roads between major resorts are usually well-lit. However, routes leading to smaller towns and mountain areas have sections with poor lighting or none at all. Reduce speed in such zones.

Depart Early

If you're heading to Tarragona, mountain villages, or nature parks, plan to leave before 9 am. Later in the day (especially during high season), roads will likely be congested with buses and other vehicles.

Frequently Asked Questions