Car Hire in Italy

When you rent a car in Italy, the first term you need to become familiar with is Zona Traffico Limitato, usually displayed on road signs as ZTL. These are no-parking zones that cover the old central districts of all of Italy’s major cities. These areas are monitored by cameras 24/7, so don’t take any chances, as you are guaranteed to receive a ticket at a later point. Despite what you may have heard about fast and reckless driving in the country, the Italian police enforce speed limits strictly, and fines for serious offences after dark are 30% higher . Stick to the limits and watch out for signposted changes. There’s a further drawback to incurring traffic fines, as your car hire company may require you to pay an additional administration fee when you return your car. There are also legal restrictions on hooting – drivers are only allowed to use their horns in an emergency, which can feel like a bit of an adjustment when driving rental cars.

Booking rental cars in Italy comes with a few legal and administrative requirements. You will need to be 18 years or older and must present your valid UK driving licence as well as an international driving permit and a second form of ID – for which you can use your passport. It’s also a good idea to do a car hire comparison, as some car hire providers will charge an additional fee if the intended driver is under 25. You must also take out insurance, which can be arranged when you make your booking. Make sure to collect the relevant documentation when you pick up your car rental. It’s a legal requirement that you carry proof of insurance in your car at all times, and the Italian police are known to carry out random vehicle checks.

The busiest roads in Italy are in the regions around its major cities, and these are located all across the country. If you’re taking the car hire option and will be driving yourself, the Lazio region is the most congested of all, as it contains Italy’s famously busy capital, Rome. Not far behind is the Lombardy region, where Milan is situated. If you add the Italian island of Sicily to the mix, the region around Palermo is the third busiest in the country. The central region of Umbria has another city that experiences heavy traffic, Perugia. Lastly, the far north-east region of Piedmont contains Turin, another city where you need to try and avoid traffic build-up. You’ll also have to park outside of the older central districts of most of these cities due to the ZTL laws. Instead, you can park and walk, as these areas are fully pedestrianised.

The cheapest rental cars in Italy are generally found through Car2Move. When booking with Car2Move, you may be able to find car hire prices for as low as £9/day, depending on the city you intend to visit. In comparison, the average price to hire a car in Italy is £62/day.

According to our data, SICILY BY CAR is the most popular car hire company in Italy. In the past month, 13% of users selected SICILY BY CAR for their rental car needs. 13 of our users have reviewed their experience with SICILY BY CAR during their stay in Italy, giving the agency an average review of 5.8 out of 10.

Booking a car hire in Italy via momondo could save you time and money. momondo provides you with a wide selection of options and cars as we search thousands of car hire websites and locations to enable you to make the best choice for your trip.

momondo enables you to find the best car hire deal in Italy by providing useful filters to narrow your search. Filters include, but are not limited to: price, body type, rental company and specific policies that you may want.