Car rental in Italy
Hill towns, coastlines and lakes
Italy is best seen from behind the wheel - the places that make it unforgettable, the Tuscan hill towns, the Amalfi Coast, the Dolomites and the northern lakes, are exactly the ones that are awkward to reach any other way. Whether you rent for a long weekend or lease for a grand tour, a car turns a checklist into a proper journey.
Where you can go
- Tuscany & Umbria - Siena, the Val d'Orcia, Assisi and endless hill towns
- The Amalfi Coast - the cliff road south of Naples, past Pompeii and Positano
- The Italian Lakes - Como, Garda and Maggiore, gateways to the north
- The Dolomites - the most dramatic mountain driving in Europe
- Puglia - the heel of Italy, whitewashed towns and the two coasts
- Sicily - Etna, baroque towns and beaches, a country of its own
Driving in Italy
The autostrade are tolled, fast and efficient for the long moves; the real pleasure is the SS and SP roads that wind between the hill towns. A smaller car makes narrow lanes and tight historic streets far less stressful, especially on the Amalfi Coast.
The golden rule: never drive into a historic centre. Almost every old town has a camera-controlled ZTL restricted zone, and fines arrive by post months later. Park in the signposted car parks outside the walls - every town has them for exactly this reason.
Good to know
Northern Italy connects easily to Switzerland, France and Austria, so a one-way loop is very doable. Pick a city below to see its pickup points and check live prices for your dates.