Car Hire Italy

In our Car Hire Italy section, you will find essential advice on renting a car as well as how to get the best car hire deal for your holiday...

Car Hire Italy: Essential Rental Advice

When you rent a car in Italy it will be rented for a 24-hour day, usually with a 59-minute grace period. You will most likely get the cheapest car hire deal if you rent by the week with unlimited mileage. Typically, the longer the rental period, the cheaper it will cost you per day. The daily rental rates are generally pretty high.

Before you comit to a rental, it helps to plan in advance and be clear on the following points :

• What is the weekly unlimited mileage rate ?

• What are the insurance costs (theft insurance is required in Italy) ?

• What are the age restrictions ?

• What is the cost of adding another driver ?

• What documents do you need – make sure your driving licence is valid, your credit card is accepted and has enough funds for the deposit. If you are coming from the US or Canada, we recommend that in addition to your American or Canadian driver’s license you also carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) as you may be required to show the permit to pick up your car. The IDP provides a translation of your license and you can obtain one at your local American Automobile Association or Canadian Automobile Association office ($15 plus the cost of two passport-type photos). In addition, you are likely to be fined if stopped and found without a permit. Note that you must carry your American or Canadian driver's license as well as your international permit.

  To ensure that you have a worry-free driving while on your holiday, it is imperative that you get acquainted with the Italian driving laws and etiquette. To help you in that, we have summarised the important points for you in our Driving in Italy section.

• Request a list of offices in the Italy (allowing you to consider the most efficient pick-up and drop-off points for your holiday).

• Is it cheaper to pick up the car at the airport or in town ?

• Are extras available - such as automatic transmission, child safety seats, roof rack or GPS - and what is the cost ? At peak times supplies of extras can be limited so make sure you book in advance.

• Are there additional charges or local taxes such as VAT (value added tax), and airport fee, or a mandatory refuelling fee ?

• Consider the type of car do you need based on how much space you will need for the number of people plus luggage (plus sports gear).

Car Hire Italy: How to Get Cheap Car Hire Deal 

To ensure you get the best car rental deal, always book your Car Hire Italy in advance. It is never a good idea to arrive at an airport and hope the rental car you need will be available for pick up.

Start your search on a travel-booking site such as Expedia.com or Travelocity.com
, to see who has the best deals, then you can try to book on that company's own site. 

However, booking directly with the major car rental companies (like Avis, Budget, Hertz etc.), generally will result in higher charge than if you book through
rental consolidators such as Auto Europe and Holiday Autos.

The reason for this is that rental consolidators compare car hire rates among various companies (including the major car rental companies), find the best deal, and - because they are wholesalers - pass the savings on to you.

Essential Qs to Ask Before Driving Away

So you have secured the best car rental deal, got the property directions and you are ready to go... Before you drive off, though ask the following question to the local rental office and make sure you are clear on :

• Local driving laws - for example, in Italy headlights are required to be on at all times when you are driving on motorway.

• If you are getting an extra like a GPS unit, be sure it is set to English and has all the maps you need before you drive off.

• How to use the wipers, alarm system, lights, radio, etc.

• What type of fuel the car takes (diesel vs. unleaded) and how to release the gas cap? In Italy, the word for diesel is "gasolio" while unleaded pertol is indicated as "benzina verde" at petrol stations.

• Make sure you know where the car paperwork is located.

• Making repairs and emergency roadside services as well as changing a tire.

For further information and advice on travelling to and around Liguria by car, visit our dedicated Liguria by Car section.

Welcome to Liguria and have a safe journey !

Thank you for visiting our guide… we look forward to welcoming you to Liguria and hope you will love it as much as we do !

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