Comprehensive Guide for a Car Rental in Italy

One of the best ways to explore Tuscany, Verona, Venice, Rome, and any other cities in Italy is through car rentals. You can be amazed by the scenic drives in the countryside. You’ll also be able to get to your destination early on, especially if you’re going to the more popular tourist destinations.

With this said and provided that you took some time to research Italian’s driving rules and regulations, it’s best to rent a car, so you’ll have more freedom. Enjoying the country to the fullest is something you should miss while you’re in this beautiful country. For more convenience, visit bilutleie Italia to book a pickup and return date to make it a more hassle-free experience for you. You can also make price comparisons, so you’ll save more if you go to the right platform.

Tips to Know About

Renting a car is more flexible, making things easier for you. For one, you can go to a far town with beautiful landscapes and visit off the beaten paths that are lesser-known to tourists. You can visit San Marino’s mountaintop and the rolling hills and evergreen trees in Tuscany. Get to know more about the ancient city of Pompeii and forge a route in the country that doesn’t have a lot of people.

Visit fishing villages, churches, lakes, fortresses, museums, and more. It’s possible to pay a visit to Florence, Milan, Verona, Turin, and Venice with little advanced planning and a reliable GPS, specify the itinerary and take that trip.

1. About the Process of Renting

Know that Italy is one of the most popular destinations for tourists during the summer months. You’ll have your preferred car and save a lot if you make reservations early. Visit legitimate sites and compare prices.

Some like Sixt, Hertz, and Europcar are operating all over the country, so you may want to sweep off some sites for the best deals and discounted rates. One-way rentals are available as well as long-term ones, so it’s useful if you could specify how long you’re going to stay in the country.

2. When to Book

Nowadays, it’s common for people to ask for automatic cars since they are more convenient. However, these types are limited in European countries and especially in Italy. The situation of non-availability is compounded by the pandemic where, so few individuals are taking public transport, and many prefer to drive a car to go everywhere. 

Book in advance, and it’s best to secure the vehicle you want months before you travel to avoid headaches and disappointments. Set your expectations accordingly and ask the representatives for your options when booking.

3. Where to do the Pickup?

You might wonder where you should collect your vehicle after you’ve arrived at the airport in Italy. If it’s convenient and affordable, the answer is that you prefer to do the pickup at the airport so you can drive directly to your hotel without a hitch.

Other options may require you to pick up the rented sedan in a less congested area and away from the city’s center. This way, you can do upgrades and talk about insurance better without too much interruption and noise. It’s best to avoid the central pickup zone offer as you might face hefty fines when you run into historic zones. Learn more about historic districts on this site here. 

The choices might be limited but rest assured that you will get the best ones if you make the transaction from a legitimate company. Airport pickups will make a good driving experience, so do this whenever possible.

4. Choose the Size and Type of Vehicle Wisely

Sometimes, you might find out that the vehicle selections in Italy are different from the rest of the world. They are not your average vehicle, and some tend to be smaller than what you’re driving at home. If you have a family with you, it’s best to get the bigger ones so even the luggage will fit comfortably. With the less spacious parking lots, twisting roads, and narrow paths, you may also want to get a small one if you’re alone.

Prepare your luggage or if there’s an option to leave it at the hotel so you can do some sightseeing, then take this opportunity to do so. Medium-sized ones may provide you with more than enough space, but vans and a Mercedes can provide you with more room if you’re with your significant other. Parking spots in some areas are tight, so it’s best to keep these in mind.

As with any other European car, you might need to get used to the stick shift gear system. If you’re used to driving an automatic and are dead set on having these kinds of transmission, make sure to make an advanced booking and secure these during the non-peak seasons.

5. Arrange your Paperwork and Make it More Orderly

You need to have an International Driving Permit if you’re a citizen of Australia, the USA, or Canada. Anyone driving from the outside of the Schengen Zone or the EU is required to show the necessary paperwork. While some companies may not necessarily ask for these, you might need to show these to the insurers in case of accidents. If you don’t have one with you, you might risk paying fines or facing jail time.

A permit is possible to obtain from your local auto association. There’s just a small fee required, and you should be at least 18 years old. Your driver’s license should be more than a year or so, and, in the US, these are usually available when you visit the AAA website. Get more information about the paperwork required from one of the car rentals companies so you can do the preparations accordingly.

6. Understanding the Insurance Required for your Trip

Anyone who wants to book a car rental service knows that a Collision Damage Waiver is mandatory, especially if you’re going to another country. This insurance protects you from liabilities such as vehicle damage, injuries, accidents, and even death.

Fortunately, there are a lot of companies that offer this insurance, especially if you don’t have international coverage. You may want to check the prices and see if you’re comfortable with their provisions. Before you’re allowed to pick up the car, you need to include decent insurance protection that will serve as your collision damage waiver.

7. Know the Rules

You need to know the rules before you can specifically drive in Italy, and they are different from other countries. Some of the points that you need to know about the Italy road rules or Codice Stradale are the following: 

• Italy uses kilometers instead of miles for the measuring of distances
• You need to drive on the right-hand side
• It’s illegal for you to turn right when you see a red traffic light
• Passengers should wear seat belts at all times
• You need a blood alcohol limit that’s less than 0.05% to avoid getting fines and penalties
• There’s a need to carry your ID and passport as well as your insurance paperwork anywhere you go. Aside from these, you need headlamp beam deflectors, reflective jackets, and warning triangles with you at all times. These are all provided by the right rental company and if not, ask about them before you go.
• Children around 12 years old are required to have their car seats. Non-compliance with this will result in hefty fines.

Speed Limits to Know About

The speed limit in each country varies, but you’ll be able to spot the signs while you’re on the road. Here’s some information that may help you out:

• The speed limit for built-up areas is usually up to 50km/hr.
• When you’re on a freeway, Autostrade, or motorway, you can run for up to 130km/hr.
• Standard limit on any other roads and towns is 90km/hr.

What to Know about the ZTLs

There’s a term called ZTL or Limited Traffic Zones that are common in major cities. If you’re found to illegally enter into one of the historic areas in the city, you might find yourself paying heavy fines. CCTVs are often in place so the authorities can impose this law better, and you’ll be notified when the car rental company receives the charge against you. You might also pay an admin fee and serve penalty notices, so be careful where you’re going.

You might want to park on the city fringes if you want to avoid ZTLs. Use public transport to see the popular tourist attractions and other historical zones, so you don’t need to worry about penalties. Get more info about the things that you should know when driving in Italy on this site: https://www.worldnomads.com/travel-safety/europe/italy/driving-in-italy. 

Information about Parking

Italy’s parking areas are narrow and limited, so it’s best if you could prepare and research your options before you go. Finding a safe and secure underground car park is usually possible via Google or Trip Advisor. The main reason for the underground parking is that many people want to avoid vandalism on the rented vehicle.

If you’re going to prefer the street parking option, you need to be on the lookout for the blue zones. These are clearly marked areas where you need to pay the fees through a machine, or it’s available at the tabaccaio or tobacco shop before the ticket is displayed. You may want to take a stash of coins for the payment as many spots don’t accept credit cards, and they prefer cash.

A word of warning though, both tourists and locals don’t usually park neatly, so you might see everything as comical. The seemingly random style might be amusing at first, but you might find it a hassle when someone actually blocks your car in, and you don’t have any way to get out.

Use a Sat Nav, GPS, or Google Map so you can go to other places within the day. Ask the hotel where you’re staying for further directions and print a physical map with you, so you don’t get lost.