Another road trip, this time to southern Spain. But given I only had three weeks I had to fly-drive this time rather than taking the campervan. This meant leaving my own e-scooter at home, because the airlines haven’t yet got their act together with allowing them on board.
I kicked off by flying into Murcia. Murcia airport is a gem by the way, modern, and with just a few flights a day, so quiet, quick and easy. I hired a car with a boot big enough for a scooter, but as usual got caught out by the high pressure tactics of the car hire people trying to sell you more insurance than you actually need. I word of advice – read the reviews before picking your company. After a few days R&R in the local area I hit the road… here’s my thoughts on those places where I stayed overnight:-
Almeria – A major east coast city with plenty of scooter activity. Rentals were available, and locals clearly using them for both commuting and leisure.
Nerja – A fab place, low rise and chilled out in winter. I planned to stop two days and ended up staying four. It’s a tourist destination rather than a working town, but scooters are still to be found.
Marbella – I couldn’t warm to the place – not my kind of vibe, Plenty of scooters around the old town and main shopping streets, but in the blingy resort of Puerto Banus it was mainly flash cars with wannabees at the wheel.
Tavira – Definitely my vibe, laid back and bohemian, with plenty of wind surfers and motorhomes. People were using scooters to get into town from the motorhome parks to the west of the town.
Gibraltar – Deserves (and gets) a blog all of it’s own, check it out!
Cadiz – Lovely city. It’s compact for getting around the tourist sites and a great vibe with people on the beach and promenade watching the sunset. Scooter users of all ages, even inside Mcdonalds!
Ronda – the spectacular gorge and bridge are a must see on a spanish tour. I saw very few scooters here though, it’s possible the cobblestones and steep gradients are a factor, The local rental company supplies bigger (vespa look-alike) e-scooters which have extra range to allow for visiting nearby towns.
Granada – I only had one night left so didn’t venture into the city, but the Alhambra is an amazing place, with no scooters allowed!
It’s clear that Spanish people of all ages have embraced the use of e-scooters in their daily lives. The legal status of private ownership has encouraged this, particularly with the middle aged people and city commuters who see the benefits and want to participate without breaking the law. Hopefully the UK will wake up to this before long.
