Car rental Italy is not for the feint of heart. Italians have reputations as ridiculous drivers, whether it is the aggressive way they fly through busy city streets, or the high speeds at which they prefer to go on the autostrada. Driving in Rome is hazardous to your health if you are not familiar with Italian driving customs, such as never, ever stopping for pedestrians or other cars. Mopeds whiz everywhere, often times darting back and forth from the sidewalk into traffic and back. It's really an amazing thing to witness. Florence is not much better; tack on another day to your travels if you are planning on braving the traffic of Naples - most people can walk faster than cars move here.
It's a different story, however, if you are planning leisurely trips through specific regions of the country. Car rental in Italy is convenient as you travel the soft hills of Tuscany or Umbria. The beach towns of the Campania region are another section where car rental in Italy is a viable option. Though you cannot always find parking in many of the exclusive resorts, there is often plenty available on the outskirts of cities like Sorrento or Pompeii. Ferries can often cut significant time from car travel, though fares certainly vary.
Car hire in Italy, it has to be said, is for the brave! That said, car hire will give you access to a wholly different Italy than that which can be accessed using public transport, and, as such, is well worth considering. In the more rural areas, there will be little transport provision, and the smaller and more remote attractions can sometimes only be accessed if you have a car rental. Car hire is more expensive in Italy than the main Mediterranean countries, so do not expect similar prices as you'd find in Spain.
Italy car hire is practically essential in areas such as Tuscany, where you will want to explore the beautiful scenery. More generally, car hire gives you the freedom and independence to explore at your own pace; to and make a quick stop at an appealing restaurant, or to detour to a fascinating castle. Car hire is also ideal for exploring the mountainous coastal region of Amalfi, or for discovering the Italian Lakes. It also comes into its own for getting out of the city - Milan, Rome, or Verona - and exploring the many nearby attractions. Verona, for example, is close to many archaeological sites.
The easiest way to source cheap car hire in Italy is to use our price comparison tool, and an airport pickup allows easy transfer to your hotel, as well as the benefits of car hire from the very start of your holiday.
Bus networks throughout most of Italy are reliable and convenient, though they're not the recommended way to make your way about the country - they offer few, if any, advantages that the rail systems do not.
To explore the ruins at Pompeii or to ogle the architecture of the Roman Colosseum at your leisure, you'll find that a rental car in Italy is the optimal mode of transport. Tour the shimmering marble city of Assisi on its perch at Mount Subasio, keep your date with David in Florence, and check out romantic Venice. Don't miss the well-preserved medieval city of San Gimignano near Tuscany, or Cinque Terre, the lovely meeting place of five towns wedged into a mountainside where you'll enjoy some of the best food and drink that Italy has to offer.
Hire a car in Italy with easyCar.com – the low cost, online car hire specialist. Fashionable, ancient, vibrant and stunningly beautiful, Italy is a country where the sheer number of attractions and adventures leave you breathless. easyCar provides rental facilities at locations throughout Italy, including Milan, Naples, Rome, Florence and at airport and city destinations across the country. Car hire Italy gives you the freedom to discover this wonderful country on your own terms.
