Hello, we're staying in Florence for 3 nights and are thinking of renting a car for a "day trip" around Tuscany. Is this even possible?
It's possible, but many online, advance bookings will charge the 3-day rate (maybe $100), even if you only keep the car for one day. (This is typical if booking through the consolidator Auto Europe.) On the other hand, if you walk up to a car rental agency that still has cars available, they may have a one-day special advertised. Are you willing to take any type of car or to plan on the fly?
Of course, van tours are run by many companies, such as Tours by Roberto.
Rent the car for the minimum days allowed and then turn it in early. Just make sure before you rent if there are any early drop penalties. We did this for a car rental in Fussen Germany. We only needed it for one day, but the website would only rent for a minimum of 3 days. It was a very affordable price with no early drop penalties so we just returned the car early. No problems.
Or consider a tour company to take you around Tuscany. Tours by Roberto and Florence for Foodies are both great choices. Check out their variety of tours.
Thanks for the suggestions.... I sent Tours by Roberto an email earlier today.