My wife and I are planning to rent a car in Seville to visit a few hill towns, Tarifa and then turn it at La Linea. We've driven in large European cities before but would it be easier to pick up the car at the airport, to avoid center city congenstion?
With all due respect, I think you answered your own question....
Mitigating factors might be where the rental place(s) in the city are, the cost of renting
downtown vs the airport, and the ease/extra cost of going to/from the airport to rent
the car.
It has been at least ten years since we did this, but my memory of picking up a rental car at Sevilla Santa Justa train station and driving towards the hill towns is that it was very much on the relaxed end of the spectrum of European city driving.
I agree! From Santa Justa to the highways leading out of town is a simple drive..
There is a big difference in cost. Picking up and dropping off at the airport is a lot cheaper than picking up and dropping off at the train station.