Not all car rentals are alike nor are all car rental companies. The big rental giants found in the United States often handle the car rental services in Europe as well. However, a regional rental agency found online may have some insight and deals you just won’t get any place else. The first step in determining what kind of vehicle you need is to first determine if you need one at all.
Do You Need a Florence Car Rental?
Think long and hard about what your plans will be for your trip to Florence before deciding to automatically rent a car. If you plan to do all of your sight seeing within the city limits a car may be more of a nuisance than a convenience. Parking is limited and streets can be narrow and difficult to navigate. If you have ever even ridden in a taxi in Italy, you will notice that the logo over the horn is worn right off because Italian drivers tend to signal with their horns and voices over any factory installed directional signal! Driving in Italy is not for the timid!
If you think you have what it takes to drive with the big boys, and you know you want to travel freely from city to city and into the countryside then renting a car is a good choice.
What Kind of Car to Rent
Car rentals in Florence will be set up just as the in the U.S. You can choose from economy or luxury cars, standard transmissions or automatic, and choose between a minivan and an SUV. You will find the different sizes and classes of cars have different manufactures than in the U.S. with fewer U.S. models and more Italian, German, and other European makes. There are also models by these manufacturers that are rarely seen in the U.S., and usually the ones one the smaller end of the scale.
When you rent your car, you can choose to rent by the day or week. Reservations should be made ahead of time, although if on a whim you decide to go for a ride in the country, the rental agencies can usually accommodate your request.
Like U.S. rental agencies you can also choose to pick up and drop off your rental car in different locations, including different airports. For example, if you want to fly into Rome, spend a few days touring and then rent a car and drive to Florence you can. Then you can leave the car there and fly on out of Florence without making the trip to return the car in Rome. European car rental agencies work well with their surrounding countries as well, so a car can be rented in Switzerland and returned in Florence, Italy.
A car rental gives you the freedom to travel on your own schedule. Gasoline is a bit more expensive in Europe, but the economy cars are much more efficient than most of the larger American vehicles. The best part about a Florence car rental is that if anything goes wrong, you can get a new car and be on your way without much delay.