Italy is an ideal country for a road trip. Of course, you can use your own car, but you can also rent one. During our road trips through Italy, we have rented a car multiple times. We drove from Rome to Milan with a rental car, toured the Italian islands by car, and visited the Amalfi Coast with a rental car. Whether with your own car or a rental, you can reach the most beautiful places. Finding a cheap and good rental car can be a bit overwhelming. There are so many rental companies, so what should you look for? Here are my tips and experiences about driving in Italy.
Driving in Italy, Our Experience
Driving in Italy is quite different from driving in the Netherlands. The Italian driving style can best be summarized as impatient. Italians really tailgate, honk immediately if you don’t merge quickly, and don’t follow traffic rules as we know them. On the highway, they sometimes overtake on the left and don’t always use turn signals. You don’t get the right of way; you take it. Italians will throw their car in front of yours without having the right of way.
In busy cities, it can be quite hectic. Scooters overtake you from the left and right. Cars honk, overtake, and sometimes even drive on the wrong side of the road. My tip is: don’t let yourself be rushed and prioritize safety over speed. It is also helpful if you have a few years of driving experience in the Netherlands before renting a car in Italy.
Special Italian Traffic Rules
Every country has its own traffic rules, and Italy has some special ones. It is always good to be aware of these before driving with your own car or a rental car in Italy.
Zone Traffico Limitato
Imagine you are on your way to your accommodation in a nice city in Italy—Rome, Milan, Salerno, Amalfi, Pisa, etc. You follow your navigation system while trying to get your car safely to your destination. As scooters overtake you on the left and right and you have to brake for a pedestrian, the car behind you honks impatiently. Without realizing it, you drive into a ZTL zone. ZTL stands for Zone Traffico Limitato, or a restricted traffic zone. In many cities and smaller towns, these ZTL zones are in effect almost 24 hours a day, meaning you are not allowed to drive into them! If you accidentally drive past such a ZTL sign, you will be caught by a camera and can expect a (hefty) fine at home. The tricky part is that Google Maps will navigate you through these streets, and the traffic signs are all in Italian and sometimes very confusing due to the blue signs above them. The rules regarding the Zona Traffico Limitato can vary by city, so be very alert!
Odd and Even License Plates
This year, we encountered a very strange rule on the Amalfi Coast! The last digit of your (rental) car’s license plate determines whether you can use the coastal road on a certain day. If the license plate ends in an ODD number, you cannot use the coastal road on odd-numbered days between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM. On even-numbered days, vehicles with a license plate ending in an EVEN number cannot use the coastal road. This rule is in effect daily from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM in August and September 2023. Although we adhered to this rule, it was not communicated anywhere and it is unclear how it is enforced!
If you have a reservation at an accommodation in one of the villages on the Amalfi Coast, you can use the coastal road regardless of the license plate number to reach your accommodation.
Uphill Traffic Has Right of Way
Are you driving through the mountains? Keep in mind that on narrow mountain roads, uphill traffic always has the right of way over downhill traffic. If the uphill traffic is close to a passing place, the downhill traffic has the right of way.
How are the roads in Italy?
Italy is a large country, and the roads can vary by region. However, the quality of the roads is generally quite good! The maximum speed is usually well indicated, but other signage can sometimes be lacking. In Italy, you will also encounter very narrow roads or roads with so many parked cars that you have to drive against the direction of traffic to get through.
Which car to rent in Italy?
The roads in most parts of Italy are good (we have driven rental cars from Rome to Milan, in Puglia, Campania, and Sardinia, and Sicily). There are highways and various fast connecting roads. Italy is (fortunately) not entirely flat, so sometimes you will encounter a challenging hill and fun hairpin bends. The roads to the beaches can sometimes be a bit more challenging for your car, but if you drive calmly, any car is generally suitable! A Ford Fiesta, Citroen, Kia, or Fiat 500… all are fine. Just keep in mind the number of people and your luggage. A Fiat 500 with two kids and two suitcases gets tight.
Parking the car in Italy
Parking your car can be a bit tricky in Italy. In some cities, for example, you may not be allowed to park during the day but can in the evening. The parking spaces along the street have different colors. White spaces are free, yellow spaces are for disabled/residents, and blue spaces are paid. Make sure to have cash with you for this and download the Easypark app.
There are also parking garages in Italy, which are often a unique experience. Usually, you are asked to leave your car keys in the ignition. This allows more cars to fit in the garage, and the garage attendant can move your car to let another car out.
Picking up and returning the rental car
How does it work with picking up and returning the rental car? In Italy, this is very well organized. Usually, you pick up the car at the airport, for example, in Rome, Milan, or Naples. The car rental companies are within walking distance of the airport, and some are even in the terminal. A shuttle service is sometimes offered if the car is not within walking distance of the airport. You can also pick up a rental car in most cities, but personally, I find the airport more convenient due to the traffic in the cities.
We picked up our car in Rome and returned it in Milan!
You don’t necessarily have to return the rental car to the same location where you picked it up. It is possible to pick up the car in Rome and return it in Milan, for example. In most cases, you will pay an extra “one-way fee” of about €70 for this.
Finding the Cheapest Rental Car
If you really want to go for the cheapest option, you can rent a car in Italy for as little as €5 per day! I always aim to rent as cheaply as possible, so I checked prices with the following comparison sites:
- EasyTerra.nl – The cheapest! Definitely check out their offers.
- Booking.com / Rentalcars.com – Also cheap, and I have had good experiences with them.
- Sunnycars.nl – All-inclusive prices, no deductible, etc.
- Directly from providers like Europcar, Hertz, Budget, Sixt
EasyTerra turns out to offer the cheapest rental cars (we last compared prices in December 2022 from various providers). Including full insurance, they had the cheapest rental car for Italy (starting from €15 per day in Rome!). Their website is very user-friendly, and during the booking process, you can select additional options like a baby seat or GPS. EasyTerra is a comparison site, so also check the reviews of the different rental companies!
Booking.com / Rentalcars.com also has cheap cars starting from €18, often different from those of EasyTerra. I always book with them, and their service is very good. With most cars, you can drive unlimited kilometers, and you can see what is and isn’t insured. I have had good experiences with them and have rented several cars through them.
Sunnycars.nl also has excellent service. They only offer rental cars with full coverage/insurance. So if you don’t want to take any risks, Sunnycars.nl is the best option for you!
Costs to Consider
In addition to renting the car, you will incur other costs.
Insurance
You can insure your car through Rentalcars. Should you get a flat tire or other damage to the car, you are fully insured. One downside is that the insurance can be quite expensive. However, I recommend getting insurance through Rentalcars. Italians are less careful with their cars than we are. For example, in parking lots, they just open their car doors against another car. A dent or scratch is quickly made.
One-Way Fee
If you drive from Milan to Rome or Naples or vice versa, the rental company may charge a ‘one-way fee’. You pick up the car in one city and return it in another. We did this ourselves: pick up in Rome and return in Milan.
Toll Roads and Gasoline
The highways in Italy are often toll roads. The gasoline price in Italy is comparable to or even slightly higher than ours!
More Tips
By now, I have rented a car many times on vacation. Here are some more tips I want to share!
Wait for Confirmation
Once you book a rental car, the booking is not yet final. The rental company first needs to approve the booking. Sometimes this takes a few minutes, but sometimes it can take a day. Always check whether your car is indeed reserved for you. You usually receive an email about this and a voucher!
Quickly Pick Up the Rental Car
When you arrive by plane and go to pick up the rental car at the airport, there is a good chance you will have to wait a long time before you are actually in the car. To avoid waiting as much as possible, you can split up as soon as you get off the plane. One person waits for the luggage, and the other (the driver) goes to the rental desk with all the papers.
At Sunnycars, you can also choose a “fastlane rental car” at many airports. Ideal. You can skip the queue and be helped immediately! We used this service in Sicily, and it was very relaxing!
Check the Rental Car for Existing Damage
Before you drive even 1 km with the rental car, it’s wise to take photos of the current condition of the car. Almost every rental car has some paint damage, and to prevent them from charging you for this damage, it’s wise to document everything. Take photos of all damage, including on the bumper and under the car. Have this damage entered into the system by the employee, or have the employee fill out a form with the damage. Checking for damage takes time but prevents discussions afterward.
