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What to Know About Renting a Car in Italy (Honest Advice)
👉 Jump to: Best Italy Car Rental Sites | Do You Need a Rental? | Requirements | Cost | Tips | FAQ
Rent a car in Italy if you want a firsthand experience of the beautiful countryside, vineyards, coastal roads, and mountain passes. There are so many incredible sites that you’ll miss if you only travel by train or plane.
Car rentals in Italy are much safer than motorbikes and Vespas. Take it from me – I broke my collarbone on the Amalfi Coast in 2022 by crashing a Vespa into a mountain. Never again!
Here, I’ll share the best car rental companies in Italy, as well as everything I learned on my recent trip to Orvieto. There are a few very important things you need to know before you get behind the wheel in Italy. All of that to come, so let’s hit the road.
Best Car Rental Sites in Italy
Discover Cars
Discover Cars has always been one of the most reliable and affordable rental options for me. No hidden fees or loopholes here! What you see is what you get, and their many repeat customers prove that transparency.
RentalCars.com
Booking.com doesn’t just specialize in hotels. Easily find the best rental car deal with this helpful price-comparison tool. You can choose from dozens of different makes and models to find the perfect fit for your Italian adventure.
Europcar
I’ve gotten some of the best deals from Europcar. They offer a wide selection of vehicles, not just the tiny little European cars you might be imagining right now! And you can walk there from the terminal at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport (FCO), no shuttle necessary.
Do You Need a Rental Car in Italy?
Italy boasts many different environments. The seaside coasts down south vary drastically from the towering Italian Alps up north and the rolling hills and valleys of wine country in between.
There are many transportation options in Italy. These include a vast network of trains, as well as international and budget airlines flying through Rome, Naples, Florence, Milan, and Venice. There are also plenty of tours that provide transportation. But renting a car is a fantastic way to see Italy’s diverse landscapes up close.
Rental Car Requirements for Italy
🚘 Driving Age – The driving age in Italy is 18 for cars and as young as 14 for mopeds and lower cc vehicles. However, most agencies require you to be at least 21 years old to rent a car. Additional fees may apply for drivers under 25.
🪪 License Requirements – You must hold a valid driver’s license from your home country to rent a car in Italy.
📃 International Driver’s Permit (IDP) – You will need an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) to rent a car in Italy at almost all agencies. Don’t forget this key factor! Some rental companies don’t clearly advertise this requirement, but you will be turned away at the desk without it. Apply through AAA for just a $20 permit fee.
💳 Payment – A credit card in the driver’s name is required to finalize your car rental in Italy.
🚗 Car Insurance – Third-party collision insurance is automatically included in the car rental fees in Italy. Most companies offer a zero-deductible policy that covers most or all theft and damage for an additional €20-€50/day. I highly recommend this if you intend to visit big cities.
How Much Do Rental Cars Cost in Italy?
Rental cars in Italy cost between €20-€50/day, a real win for fellow budget and solo travelers! Of course, prices vary based on the type of vehicle you want, when you visit, whether or not you select insurance, etc.
👉 Pro Tip: Consider renting the smallest car possible for your needs. The ancient roadways in Italy can make for very tight squeezes in the crowded cities. My compact Opel Corsa was the perfect size for the narrow streets of Orvieto.
🚗 Compare rental car prices for your dates by searching these sites:
8 Tips & Things to Know Before Renting in Italy
Expect tight squeezes
An impossibly narrow street in Orvieto
A steep archway in Orvieto
A van driving on a crowded street in Rome
Tourists and cars filling the street at Lago di Bracciano
Some streets in Italy are extremely narrow. I scraped my rental on a rock wall in Orvieto trying to turn out of a tiny stone archway (thank goodness for that zero-deductible daily insurance!).
Expect to navigate a few very tight squeezes, especially if you visit ancient towns. Remember, these places were built for horses and carts, not cars! Take narrow alleyways slow and steady, and ask for outside guidance if necessary. People in Italy are very nice and willing to help!
Don’t leave anything in your car
Do not leave any visible belongings in your rental car in Italy, especially in the big cities. Car theft and break-ins are common. Nothing ruins a trip like having all of your things stolen! Try to park in well-lit, populated areas when possible.
Download the EasyPark app
This is the best parking app I’ve used anywhere, and it works in hundreds of Italian towns and cities. You can pay by the minute, so you only get charged for exactly how long you’re there, nothing more or less. And you get refunded if you leave early!
EasyPark tells you which zones you can park in in participating cities, as well as the rules around the color-coded zoning. It’ll make your life a whole lot easier when you park in a crowded, confusing area.
👉 Pro Tip: Online sources recommend leaving a note on your dashboard that says “EasyPark” as a precaution to inform parking officers that you’re paying through the app.
Go for fuel efficiency – gas is very pricey!
Gas is extremely expensive in Italy. One liter costs €1.80 to €1.95, equivalent to about $7 to $8 per gallon. Thank goodness I only had to fill up my highly efficient Opel Corsa once during my weeklong trip.
My mom and I were not the brightest, as we thought prices were in gallons. So we got quite the shock at the end of our trip to find we paid more than €75 to fill up our tank. Typical idiotic American assumptions!
Don’t drive like the Italians
I’ll be blunt: Italians can be absolute maniacs on the road. They’ll pass on blind corners and race way over the speed limit, no matter where you are in the country.
Don’t try to drive like them. Take a deep breath, keep both hands on the wheel, and follow the rules of the road. You’ll be just fine if you don’t give in to the peer pressure of erratic drivers around you.
Book early to rent an automatic-transmission
Most Italians drive manual-transmission, or stick-shift, vehicles. Automatic-transmission car rentals are slightly more expensive to rent and sell out quickly. Book at least a month in advance to ensure you get a car you can actually drive.
Have cash for tolls
Don’t be that guy who gets stuck at the toll booth without any euros like me. Have a handful of coins before you get on the road for smooth sailing through the many toll booths in Italy. They usually require no more than €3 to pass.
Take before and after photos
Snap plenty of wide and close-up photos of the inside and outside of your rental car in Italy before you leave the lot. This will protect you from false damage charges upon your return.
FAQs About Italy Car Rentals
Do I need a rental car for Italy?
You don’t need to rent a car in Italy to get around major cities, but I recommend one if you want to see the countryside or visit multiple areas for longer than a week.
How much per day is a rental car in Italy?
The average rental car price per day in Italy is between €20 and €50, based on a sample search on Discover Cars. Exact prices vary based on vehicle type, availability, season, and driver age.
Which rental car companies are on-site at Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO)?
There are more than a dozen rental car companies on-site at Rome Fiumicino Airport, of which we most highly recommend Europcar. You can walk to the rental car offices via pedestrian tunnels from the terminals.
Is it a good idea to rent a car in Italy?
Renting a car in Italy is a good or bad idea depending on your level of confidence. Driving in a foreign country can be daunting, and a car rental can become a liability if you feel nervous or dread the prospect of navigating streets in a new environment. If you are a safe driver, renting a car is a reliable and convenient way to navigate Italy.
Can I drive a rental car in Italy with a US license?
You can drive a rental car in Italy with a valid US license. But you must use this in combination with an International Driver’s Permit (IDP).
Can you Uber or Lyft in Italy?
Yes, you can take Ubers in Italy, but it’s just as easy to book a licensed taxi as opposed to a rideshare driver. Major cities have decent availability at all hours of the day, and rates are affordable. Download the FreeNow app for a more local option. Lyft is not available.
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You’re all set for the Italian road trip of your dreams. Enjoy your adventure, eat lots of great pizza and pasta, and most importantly, guida sicuro! Next, read Lea Rose’s Italy packing list so you don’t forget anything essential on your journey.
