Hi, this is my first post on the forum and apologies if this subject has already been covered but we are thinking of driving down from the UK to Malaga in December this year and wondered what the driving conditions are likely to be like.
We have done this journey in the spring before by driving down the West Coast of France to the border at Irun and then via Burgos and through the N5 via Madrid down to Malaga. This route was a piece of cake in May but I imagine some parts of the journey could be tricky in December so advice from someone who has or does this route regularly at this time of year would be helpful.
Further to that we are thinking of staying in the Fuengirola area for four months renting a two bedroom apartment from December to March and if anybody can give us details of any apartments that are going for four month rental that would be great.
Is it possible to stay in Spain for four months without registering for residencia? I have scoured many websites including the Spanish Embassy site and not one clear reference to this matter. We are retired and have sufficient funds to support ourselves with no intention of working.
Thanks in anticipation,
Ray & Cheryl new members
Driving to Malaga in December
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Re: Driving to Malaga in December
Welcome to the forum.
4 months is not a problem. Officially you should sign on the foreigners register after 90 days but no one will bother you. Tens of thousands of visitors stay for most of the winter and if they all signed on and then off again the whole system would crash!
As for driving down, December in central and especially northern Spain can be very wintery with heavy snow around. Keep an eye on the forecast and if it looks bad take the longer route via Barcelona and down the coast.
I can’t help with rentals but there are usually plenty in the winter.
Sid
4 months is not a problem. Officially you should sign on the foreigners register after 90 days but no one will bother you. Tens of thousands of visitors stay for most of the winter and if they all signed on and then off again the whole system would crash!
As for driving down, December in central and especially northern Spain can be very wintery with heavy snow around. Keep an eye on the forecast and if it looks bad take the longer route via Barcelona and down the coast.
I can’t help with rentals but there are usually plenty in the winter.
Sid
Re: Driving to Malaga in December
Welcome, The route you are thinking of taking via Burgos can have big dumps of snow. The drive via Lyon, Orange and Barcelona is not that much further to drive and a safer bet if it snows.
Look in the Sur for a long term rent. A lot of people are doing air BNB now so in Malaga long term is harder to find but I think you will be ok in Fuengirola.
Look in the Sur for a long term rent. A lot of people are doing air BNB now so in Malaga long term is harder to find but I think you will be ok in Fuengirola.
Re: Driving to Malaga in December
Thanks costakid and elcid, the route via Barcelona might be my best bet if weather looks iffy, I’m also looking at the possibility of taking the ferry down to Santander then going South through Portugal we are not time conscious so a couple of days in Portugal would add to the enjoyment of the journey. Has anybody done that route and if so are there any advantages as opposed to the route via Barcelona?
Re: Driving to Malaga in December
I have driven Santander to Malaga which takes about 10 hours. The route via portugal is lovely but again weather permitting. Santiago, Orense ( Spain) etc are stunning then you can drive into Portugal via Porto and down back into Southern Spain via Cadiz. Great drive and all different types of food.
Re: Driving to Malaga in December
Hi costakid, are you saying that the weather can be a bit iffy on that route too?, I have been in the Coruna area in December and there was no sign of snow was I just lucky ?
I thought that by sticking to the coast road from Santander would lessen the risk of snow but perhaps that’s not the case then, I know it’s a long way round but as I said earlier we are not time conscious and we enjoy exploring different places.
Looks like I’ve got a bit of researching to do but if anyone else has any ideas please post up.
I thought that by sticking to the coast road from Santander would lessen the risk of snow but perhaps that’s not the case then, I know it’s a long way round but as I said earlier we are not time conscious and we enjoy exploring different places.
Looks like I’ve got a bit of researching to do but if anyone else has any ideas please post up.
Re: Driving to Malaga in December
Before you venture off to Portugal you need to be aware of the problems surrounding the payment of tolls on the motorways there. Having a foreign registered car you cannot link into their simpler means of payment on the motorways that are Electronic only, meaning there are not pay booths but they have gantries over the carriageway at odd intervals for the various payment sections, and they note your reg number and can send on relevant fines - which are expensive -
You can either use a credit card, not debit or electron, to sign in on the border as you enter Portugal on one of the four of these, or call into a post office Correos CTT, during your stay if you know you will need to use an Electronic only motorway - one or the other methods, as they cancel each other out and you cannot be part of the two schemes together !!!! Another way is to sign on to the Via Verde system which now does for both types of motorways, electornic only AND toll booth - and the Spanish one includes access to the Portuguese one, which does not come cheap either!
NIGHTMARE
Some info for all concerned
http://www.tripinsiders.net/electronic- ... -portugal/
http://www.portugaltolls.com/en/web/por ... gens/faq-s
https://www.ctt.pt/fepme/app/open/charg ... _locale=en
http://www.tolls.eu/portugal
You can either use a credit card, not debit or electron, to sign in on the border as you enter Portugal on one of the four of these, or call into a post office Correos CTT, during your stay if you know you will need to use an Electronic only motorway - one or the other methods, as they cancel each other out and you cannot be part of the two schemes together !!!! Another way is to sign on to the Via Verde system which now does for both types of motorways, electornic only AND toll booth - and the Spanish one includes access to the Portuguese one, which does not come cheap either!
NIGHTMARE
Some info for all concerned
http://www.tripinsiders.net/electronic- ... -portugal/
http://www.portugaltolls.com/en/web/por ... gens/faq-s
https://www.ctt.pt/fepme/app/open/charg ... _locale=en
http://www.tolls.eu/portugal
Re: Driving to Malaga in December
The weather in winter can be difficult to predict. It may be a mild one or it can be horrendous. The west and northern coasts gets hit by a lot of rain and storms, so if it isn't snowing it could be rain and wind.
This winter has been particularly cold with a lot of snow in the northern half of Spain, some areas are still close to freezing overnight and there's still snow around from what I saw on the weather forecast today. There was a tornado in Cadiz two days ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm7JiQa__MI
It may be best to monitor the weather nearer the time. I have travelled from south west France to here in early December and early March, and although there was still snow in the Pyrenees in March, the journeys were trouble free. Everywhere seems to be having extremes these days (look at the snow in the UK this year) so it's really difficult to predict.
This winter has been particularly cold with a lot of snow in the northern half of Spain, some areas are still close to freezing overnight and there's still snow around from what I saw on the weather forecast today. There was a tornado in Cadiz two days ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm7JiQa__MI
It may be best to monitor the weather nearer the time. I have travelled from south west France to here in early December and early March, and although there was still snow in the Pyrenees in March, the journeys were trouble free. Everywhere seems to be having extremes these days (look at the snow in the UK this year) so it's really difficult to predict.
Re: Driving to Malaga in December
[quote="Raybo"]Hi costakid, are you saying that the weather can be a bit iffy on that route too?, I have been in the Coruna area in December and there was no sign of snow was I just lucky ?
I thought that by sticking to the coast road from Santander would lessen the risk of snow but perhaps that’s not the case then, I know it’s a long way round but as I said earlier we are not time conscious and we enjoy exploring different places.
Looks like I’ve got a bit of researching to do but if anyone else has any ideas please post up.[/quote
More likely rain but could be nice and bright and just cold. If time is not an issue I would go for it.
I thought that by sticking to the coast road from Santander would lessen the risk of snow but perhaps that’s not the case then, I know it’s a long way round but as I said earlier we are not time conscious and we enjoy exploring different places.
Looks like I’ve got a bit of researching to do but if anyone else has any ideas please post up.[/quote
More likely rain but could be nice and bright and just cold. If time is not an issue I would go for it.
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