How to Rent a Car in Italy

Located on the Mediterranean sea in Europe, Italy has a population of more than 56 million. The country's beautiful cities include Rome, Milan, Tuscany, Verona, Bologna and Naples. Rich with history and landscape, Italy offers a wide variety of places to explore and activities to enjoy. With the aid of a road map or a GPS system and a dependable rental car, you can make your stay in the country very rewarding.

Instructions

1. Visit or telephone your local travel agent. Provide your dates of travel, cities you will visit, and your car rental and fuel budget. Request information about specials and discounts you can take advantage of. Ask for a car with a GPS system to make it easy to find places you plan to visit.

2. Visit the car rental section at the airport. Check with agencies that have a global presence such as Hertz, Enterprise, Alamo and Dollar. Insure that the price the clerk at the counter quotes you is "turnkey" so that you are aware of the total cost (including the tax). Ask if you can waive the payment for collision damage. Keep in mind that some rental agencies may require you to pay for this insurance, especially if you are not a resident of Italy. Ask about drop off charges if you want to pick up and drop your car off in different locations. Check with the clerk about re-fuel policies. Make sure you are aware of typical cost of "Gasolio," or gasoline, so you can properly budget for fuel. Present your local driver's license or international driver's permit and passport. Keep in mind that many car rental agencies in Italy require that you pay for your car with a credit card.

3. Rent a car online. Visit websites such as Argus Rentals, Auto Europe, Europcar, Italy Logue and Car Rental Italy (see Resources). Provide the dates, times and locations where you want to pick up and drop off your rental car. Include your age or the age of the person who will be driving the rental car. Select the size of the car you want to rent, such as economy, mid-size, luxury or minivan. Specify whether you want an automatic or manual transmission. Identify your country of origin. Select the method of currency you will use to pay for the rental car. Click "Search" and pull up price quotes.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider getting an international driver's permit through AAA (see Resources).

Resources

• AAA: International Driver's License
• Italy Logue
• Europcar
• Auto Europe