Smart Traveller

The Spanish city of Malaga, birthplace of Pablo Picasso, is a popular tourist destination and has many attractions, including historic buildings, beautiful parks and gardens, and more than 20 museums. It’s also within easy reach of a number of other excellent tourist destinations, so if you hire a car during your holiday, you’ll be able to enjoy day trips as well as exploring the city itself.

Here are three places that you can visit on day trips in your Malaga hire car:

1. Ronda. The historic and picturesque village of Ronda is situated to the west of Malaga and it will take you about an hour and 40 minutes to drive there in your Malaga hire car. Park your rental car and take a stroll through Ronda to see some of its historic buildings and ruins, such as the Arab Public Baths, the Palace of the Arabian King and the Palace of Mondragon. Ronda is also known as the birthplace of modern bullfighting, and you can visit its bullring and take a tour of the Bullfighting Museum.

2. Benalmadena. This Costa del Sol resort lies to the west of Malaga and is comprised of three areas: the Old Town (Benalmadena Pueblo), the beach resort (Benalmadena Costa) and the neighbouring commercial district of Arroyo Miel. It will only take you about half an hour to reach Benalmadena in your Malaga rental car.

Head for Benalmadena Costa and take a stroll along the beach or wander through the cobbled streets of Benalmadena Pueblo, where you can enjoy seeing the traditional Andalucian architecture, shop for souvenirs or stop for a meal in one of the restaurants. In the Arroyo Miel district, you’ll find some great family attractions, such as Tivoli World, which has a wide range of rides and shows.

3. Granada. The city of Granada is about an hour and a half’s drive from Malaga, but it’s well worth making the journey, as there is plenty to see and do there.

Granada has some beautiful architecture, with many of the city’s historic buildings showing a strong Islamic influence. Make sure that you visit the Alhambra, which was constructed during the 14th century and was the official residence of Granada’s Muslim rulers. Within the Alhmabra, you’ll find the Alcazaba, the oldest part of the site, and the Palace of Carlos V, which was constructed during the 16th Century on the orders of Emperor Charles V, as well the Casa Real, which includes the beautiful Court of Lions.

Other attractions in Granada include Granada Cathedral, the Archaeological Museum of Granada and Sacromonte Abbey.

Image: Elena Magaeva

Nice,  in the South of France,  is a popular tourist resort because of its beaches, seaside promenade, shops, restaurants, bars and museums. However, if you hire a car during your stay, you’ll also be able to visit nearby towns and attractions.

Here are three ideas for day trips that you can take as part of a Nice car hire holiday:

1. Cannes - Most famous for its annual film festival, which is held in May, Cannes is a glamourous coastal resort and it can be expensive to stay here. However, if you use Nice as a base and drive to Cannes for the day in your rental car, you can explore the town without breaking the bank. Stroll through the narrow streets of the Old Town, gaze at the luxury yachts in the marina and window-shop in the designer boutiques in La Croisette. It will take you about 40 minutes to drive to Cannes in your Nice hire car.

2. Grasse - France’s perfume capital, Grasse, is under an hour’s drive from Nice, so it’s a perfect place to visit as part of a hire car holiday. Take a break from your rental car and explore the town by taking a walking tour, before heading to Fragonard’s Historic Factory, where you can learn about how perfume is made and explore the Museum of Perfumes.

3. Monte Carlo - Situated in the independent state of Monaco, which borders France, Monte Carlo is known for its wealth and as the venue for the annual Monaco F1 Grand Prix. It will only take you about half an hour to drive to Monte Carlo in your Nice hire car. Take a stroll through the picturesque Old Town district of Monaco-Ville, take a tour of the Prince’s Palace (Palais Princier), visit the Exotic Garden (Jardin Exotique) and explore the Oceanic Museum and Aquarium. If you’re feeling wealthy, you can gamble with the rich and famous at the Casino de Monte Carlo or go shopping in Monte Carlo’s designer clothing stores.

Orlando, in Florida,  is one of the U.S.A.’s most popular tourist destinations, mainly because of its theme parks, which include the Walt Disney World Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and the Universal Studios Resort. However, if you hire a car during your stay, you can take a break from the hustle and bustle of the parks and explore more of the Sunshine State. Here are details of three places that you can go for a day-trip in your Orlando hire car.

1. Daytona Beach

Daytona Beach is only about an hour’s drive from Orlando, so it’s the perfect place to visit as part of an Orlando car hire holiday. Daytona Beach has more than 23 miles of white sandy beach and in the early history of motorsports, cars would be tested and raced on the sands here. Some parts of the beach are still accessible by car today, but it’s also a great place to go for a stroll.

Daytona Beach still has strong links with motorsports. It’s home to the Daytona International Speedway and hosts many motorsports events throughout the year. Other attractions in Daytona Beach include museums and galleries, several golf courses and some excellent shopping malls.

2. The John F. Kennedy Space Center

The Kennedy Space Center is one of America’s most famous tourist attractions. It will only take you about an hour and a half to drive there from Orlando in your hire car, but make sure that you head off early, as it will take you a full day to really explore the centre.

Attractions at the Kennedy Space Center include: the Shuttle Launch Experience, in which you can experience what a launch feels like for astronauts; Space Shuttle Plaza, where you can see a full-sized replica of the NASA Explorer space shuttle; the NASA Rocket Garden; the Apollo/Saturn V Center, where you can see a real rocket from Saturn V; and the U.S Astronaut Hall of Fame.

You can also take a guided tour of the space center and, if there is a shuttle launch taking place during your holiday, you can book tickets to watch it (the next shuttle launch is due to take place on the 7 February 2010).

3. St. Petersburg

It will take you less than 2 hours to drive to the city of St. Petersburg in your Orlando hire car. St. Petersburg is situated on the coast, on the Tampa Bay peninsula, and the area is known for its white, sandy beaches.

Whilst in St. Petersbug, you can feed pelicans from the pier, visit the Salvador Dali Museum, explore the city’s Sunken Gardens or spend some time in the Great Explorations Children’s Museum. You can also take a boat trip or use your hire car to drive to the beautiful Fort DeSoto Park.