The Land of Valencia has 2 international airports: Manises, located near Valencia City, and L'Altet, in Alicante. Unfortunately, there is no airline flying directly from the US to any of these 2 cities, so it will be also necessary to book a connection flight from Madrid to any of these cities.

Flight-ticket reservations can be made in any travel agency. One fine travel agency here in Austin that offers great deals is Council Travel, located in 20000 Guadalupe St (across Dobbie Mall). Their telephone number is (512) 472-4931. If you do not have an International Student ID, you should go there and get one. It costs about $30, but it will allow you to get cheaper fares. It can also help you get better prices on train tickets in Europe, hostals, and private camping areas.

You can also buy your tickets directly from airline operators. As of December 1998 the most straight flight combination from Austin to Madrid is offered by Delta Airlines, which offers the route Austin-Atlanta-Madrid. All other operators have at least one more scale in their itinerary. However, Delta Airlines does not always have the best fares, so it would be advisable to check out also other airlines. Here are some information on several airlines:

• Delta Airlines, 1 800 221 1212
  
• Continental Airlines, 1 800 851 1588
  
• American Airlines, 1 800 433 7300
  
• Iberia Airlines of Spain, 1 800 772 4642
  

However, keep in mind that you might also need to get a ticket for the flight that goes from Madrid to either Valencia or Alicante, unless you decide to use a different transportation system from Madrid to the Land of Valencia.

If that is the case, the best options you have are the bus company Auto Res and the Spanish railroad company Renfe. These two companies have everyday service to several cities in the Land of Valencia. Ask your preferred travel agency for availability of tickets and reservations here in the US.

If you want, you can also check with the central Tourist Info offices in the Land of Valencia and ask them for information:

• Castellón: 011 34 96 422 1000, FAX: 011 34 96 422 7703
  
• Valencia: 011 34 96 394 2222, FAX: 011 34 96 394 2798
  
• Alicane: 011 34 96 520 0000, FAX: 011 34 96 520 0243
  

Car rentals in Spain are a little bit more expensive than here in the United States (around $50 a day). However, in Valencia, public transportation systems are very dependable, and you may not probably need to rent a car, unless you really want to. In any case, if you think you would be more comfortable driving a car rather than using public transportartion, you can book a reservation at the same time you buy your flight ticket. Most travel agencies and airlines have deals with car rental companies, and they will probably give you better fares than asking directly to the car rental company.

If you rent a car, you must consider that:

• You will need to get an international driving license. You can get them through AAA (Triple A). They have offices in Austin at:

  Austin-North
  13376 Research Blvd., Suite 124
  (512) 335-5222
  Monday through Wednesday and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  
  Austin-South
  3005 S. Lamar, #D113
  (512) 444-4757
  Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  

• Traffic signs and norms differ a little bit from United States'. Most signs are graphic-oriented, and therefore, do not contain written information. Also there are traffic norms that we take for granted here in the US which do not apply in Europe. For instance, in Europe you never turn on a traffic light when it is red. Also, driving habbits are much different, and people drive much more aggresively than in the US. As a rule of thumb, think that signs and norms in Europe are more focused in strictly prohibiting something, while here in the US are more flexible (remember the traffic light example).

• Most cars in Europe are manual shifted. If you do not feel comfortable driving a manual-shift car, ask for availability of automatics (which is minimal) before renting any car.

• Always get insurance coverage!!! You never know what could happen, and you do not want to ruin your vacation because of an accident of any kind. Do not think that your American AAA insurance coverage works in Europe. It may not! In any case, check it with your AAA agent or similar and ask them to issue you a copy of your insurance in Spanish (from their branches in Spain, if possible), along with information and telephone numbers of their offices in Spain. In case of an accident always wait for the Police to come and write down the other car(s) license plate(s) identifications. Police can be reached by telephoning 091.

Other reservations you might be interested in are such as those for theatre tickets or sport events. These are almost impossible to get here in the US. If you are interested in attending any event falling into those categories, as soon as you get there try to get tickets. Ask for information on how to get them in any Tourist Info Office. Also, you can ask in banks and credit unions, preferrably BANCAIXA / BANCAJA and CAM - Caja de Ahorros del Mediterráneo. They usually sponsor many of these events, and sell tickets.