Parking in Spain

In Spain's cities, as in many other metropolises, looking for a parking space is often a real challenge. However, it's worth being prepared and paying attention to a few important details that can make life easier for drivers.

The first thing that may surprise travelers arriving in Spain are the colors of the lines marking parking spaces. Here is a brief classification:

• White lines mark parking spaces where parking is free. This is a great option for those who want to save some money.
• Blue lines indicate paid parking areas, parking in the such a place, look for a parking meter and pay for parking to avoid unpleasant surprises.
• Green lines are parking spaces reserved only for residents of a neighborhood. Visitors are not allowed to use them.
• Yellow lines, on the other hand, are parking bans. Parking on them risks a fine and often even having your vehicle towed

However, even finding a suitable place to park does not guarantee peace of mind. In Spain, there are times when someone will block our car, leaving us frustrated and struggling to get moving. Spaniards tend to leave their vehicles for a while while they "just go buy something to eat" or run other errands. Many times they can be seen leaving their cars in the middle of an intersection, just going to a nearby store or ATM.