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Car rental in Italy
Europe is a strange and scary place in which to drive. Before setting off on any driving holiday, check your insurance, license and breakdown cover are all valid whilst abroad, and if you need European breakdown cover just ask your insurance provider whilst you are checking you insurance policy.
Italy. Even thinking the name invokes ancient culture, beautiful landscapes and delicious cuisine for many people. And the reality can live up to it all. Italy is a delight to visit especially if you have time and opportunity to see more than one place. There are many options for a slow, relaxed sight seeing holiday by car in Italy. You could explore the French-Italian border and the areas of Piemonte and Valle D`Aosta and their beautiful maintain ranges, which include iconic peaks such as the Monte Rosa and crystal clear mountain lakes such as the Lago Maggiore. Or maybe you are more interested in medieval cities such as Padua, Verona and Venice, which are all situated in the wide plains of the Po and which can easily be explored by car.
Of course there is the stunningly beautiful Tuscani, back ground to many mouth-watering cooking programmes with such memorable places as Florence, Pisa and Siena. There is Rome, the eternal city, the mountainous Abruzzo region, the Gulf of Naples and the most southern regions of Calabria and Sicily. With so much beauty to explore who wouldn`t want to go?
Renting a car in Italy is easy, safe and convenient. Italians drive on the right side of the road as most of Europe. However, even if you normally drive on the left side of the road, you will not experience any great difficulties. Although the driver sits on the left side of the car all internal arrangements such as the foot pedals are in the normal position you would expect them to be in. You will need to be extra careful to choose the right side of the road when setting off in the morning and when you are the only car on the road. Any of the few roundabouts are circumnavigated anticlockwise to the right.
The roads are usually good in Italy, but some of the motorways called autostradas can be busy and many of them are toll roads so make sure you have plenty of change. There are many service stations and you will always find places to refuel, use the bathrooms and restock with snacks. Italians are passionate drivers and like to make a lot of noise, but all is done in good spirits. Generally speaking, Italians are in no way precious about their cars and will always help you out if in need. Additionally, people normally drive smaller, fuel-efficient cars, as you would expect from a nation that produces the Fiat. It is certainly a good idea to rent only a small car should you wish to visit some of the important cities in Italy. Parking is often very sparse and find a parking space for a large car becomes doubly time consuming.
Prices for rental cars in Italy vary, as you would expect by location, season and demand. It is advised that you check a few online sites for prices and compare them with the major international car rental companies in Europe. With a bit of luck you might be able to pick up an excellent deal. Additionally, if you have more time you could also rent a car outside of Italy and then slowly make your way to your favourite region. There are many ferry services connecting Italy with neighbouring countries and of course with all of them belonging to the EU you will have no problems crossing borders. You could for example, rent a car at car hire Mahon airport in Minorca exploring the island before taking a ferry to Barcelona, visiting the city and the surrounding countryside and then taking a further ferry to either northern Italy or to a harbour near Rome. The only problem is, that with so many possibilities one visit may not be enough to see it all!
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