Advice on renting a car in Tuscany

It will help if you tell us where you're planning to pick up/drop off the car.

Hi Jill, I have used Bob Bestor from Gemutlichkeit Travel Letter.com a travel newsletter. Twice the rentals have been in Tuscany. He is based in Oregon and very nice. He even helped get some charged removed after we got home once. You can call or email. Usually the car is rented through AutoEurope, but he gets better deals than I have found on my own. Italy is an expensive place to rent a car.
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Have fun! I loved driving the brand new Alfa Romeo lst year in Tuscany.

Thanks Tara! That is great info. I am not sure where in Tuscany the pick up/drop off will be yet.

I have rented from www.autoeurope.com. It was an Avis rental agency in Siena and I returned it in Florence, best to drop off at F. airport to avoid horrible traffic and camera fines of Florence city.

"I am not sure where in Tuscany the pick up/drop off will be yet."

That at least tells us that you plan to pick up in Tuscany, as opposed to the Rome airport or something.

I think Autoeurope is what most people use.

The advice is to take out all the insurance they offer you since most credit cards that offer such coverage will exclude Italy because damage to rental cars is so common there. In fact, you can expect the insurance to be added automatically. I don't think they'll rent to you unless you take it.

Don't rent with a debit card. Use a credit card.

Be sure to get an International Drivers Permit from AAA before you leave. Italian law requires this, to give them an Italian translation of your Washington drivers license.

You will find a GPS unit with European maps installed most helpful in Tuscany. I was there a couple of months ago and found that my Garmin Nuvi had pretty much every dirt path in Italy recorded. It worked flawlessly for us.

Get the smallest vehicle that will hold you and your luggage. The narrow streets, tiny parking places, and high fuel costs will make you glad you didn't get a car bigger than you need.

Don't try to drive into the old town section of Siena or Florence. These are restricted traffic zones. They have cameras that really work, and they'll photograph you, make your rental agency pay the huge fine, and the rental agency will bill it to your credit card. Don't think the card company will cancel the charges. These are legitimate charges and they'll make you pay them.

Other places have restricted traffic zones too. Siena and Florence are just the most notorious. Also, the crowded, narrow streets are another good reason to avoid driving downtown in places of any size.

Jill, I have just rented from autoeurope for an upcoming trip and it was a breeze. The gentleman on the other end of the line compared every aspect of the rental, from the car, to how long the walk would be from the train station. I was very impressed with the price as well. Good luck, and have fun. Jeff

"The problem with the smaller cars is they only hold one or two suitcases. Is that REALLY all they hold? We're planning to travel with four of us and the smallest car that autoeurope offers for four suitcases costs twice as much and is a station wagon..."

I've found the luggage estimates on the car rental sites to be pretty accurate. The smallest cars are best for just one or two people.

For four people I'd get something like the Ford Focus wagon. It will just hold four people and their luggage. It's still plenty compact and while you won't feel stuffed into it, it's small enough to drive the narrow streets and park without problem.

Remember that you need something that will hold your luggage hidden from site, in a trunk or under a screen. If you get a car so small you have to leave things out in plain sight, you risk having your car broken in to.

Thanks, Patrick. I forgot about the "luggage out of sight" issue. We'll go with a wagon. Thank you!

cindy - I'm with Patrick, nothing smaller than a ford focus wagon. We had one for five people a couple of years ago and while the luggage just fit (only 1 carry on each) the 3 folks in the backseat were crammed in. this was five adults.

Four people would be better.

Alfa 159 is also about the same size.

The problem with the smaller cars is they only hold one or two suitcases. Is that REALLY all they hold? We're planning to travel with four of us and the smallest car that autoeurope offers for four suitcases costs twice as much and is a station wagon...