Italy car rentals

On average a rental car in Italy costs 31 € per day.

Take a look at our extensive car rental location map to find the best rental cars near you.

Based on car searches on KAYAK, the most popular cities to hire a car in Italy are Olbia (20% of total searches of users looking to hire a car in Italy), Catania (11%) and Palermo (9%).

On average a rental car in Italy costs 215 € per week (31 € per day).

On average a rental car in Italy costs 923 € per month (31 € per day).

Italy has a reputation for being a difficult country to drive in, but this is largely unfounded: generally, roads are in good condition, and renting a car in Italy is usually a good value. The driving style can be more aggressive than what non-Italians are used to. All highways in Italy operate on a toll system, and payment is accepted by cash or credit card at the point of exit from the highway.

To rent a car in Italy, most rental agencies require drivers to be at least 21 years old and to have held a driving license for at least 12 months. Drivers under 25 will usually be charged an additional young driver’s fee, starting from €24.50 ($27.70) per day through Hertz. While the vast majority of agencies will accept an English-language domestic driver’s license, officially, any foreign driver needs to have an International Driver’s Permit (IDP); in case of spot checks by the police, it is advised to have one on hand.

Petrol prices in Italy are generally quite high, a liter of fuel costing around twice what it does in the USA. Expect to pay around €1.50 ($1.70) for a liter of diesel and €1.65 ($1.87) for a liter of petrol. To get the best mileage possible, consider renting a compact or midsize car or opting for a diesel model if available. Petrol stations are usually pretty commonplace and are well signposted, although they often have different prices for self-service and serviced fueling; the latter is usually around €0.10 ($0.11) more per liter.

The official speed limits are 50 km/h (31 mph) in urban and residential areas, 90 km/h (56 mph) or 100 km/h (62 mph) on single-lane highways, 100 km/h (62 mph) on national highways, and 130 km/h (80 mph) on autostrade, the large national highways that link major cities.