Italy car hire

On average a car hire in Italy costs R843 per day.

Mini (Fiat 500 or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in Italy.

In the past 72 hours, the cheapest car hires were found at Rent Smart 24 (R130/day), Ace (R401/day) and Rental4Leisure (R476/day).

Based on ratings and reviews from real users on KAYAK, the best car hire companies in Italy are Thrifty (7,4, 153 reviews), Sixt (7,4, 150 reviews), and Dollar (7,0, 243 reviews).

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

Based on car searches on KAYAK, the most popular cities to hire a car in Italy are Milan (23% of total searches of users looking to hire a car in Italy), Rome (19%) and Venice (14%).

On average a car hire in Italy costs R5 899 per week (R843 per day).

On average a car hire in Italy costs R25 283 per month (R843 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.