We will be traveling from Portofino to Calamandrana, Italy. We will need a rental car for 5 days. I am trying to figure out the easiest place (driving wise and efficiency) to pick up a rental car. I can easily get a ride to the rental car agency or take a train. I just don't know the best place to pick up the rental car from.
Thanks in advance.
Google maps is your best bet--just enter car rental agency in search and see what is closest. Looks like there are options in Santa Margarita Ligure, Rapallo, and Chiavari. You can always go to Genoa as well.
Edit: Portofino! I thought you were leaving from somewhere on the Amalfi Coast! Now it makes sense, ignore the previous version of my post. Alzheimer is arriving...
Out of curiosity, do you know what a ZTL is?
Hi,
Yes, we are aware of the ZTL zones. Things like that were part of my thinking and inquiring about the “easiest” place to pick up the rental. I couldn’t decide if getting the car closer to Portofino (Rapallo or Genoa) or if it would be better to take a train from Santa Margherita to a location near Calamandrana area (perhaps a rental car location just outside of a city center or a smaller pickup town such as Alba, Bra, or Alessandria).
do you need anything special on the rental car - GPS, child seat, automatic transmission, large car, etc., in which case a major location will perhaps have an advantage.... otherwise a smaller one may suffice if you prefer
A deciding factor may be where you have to return it. Given the location and overall distance of the drive, I don't think it will make much difference where you pick up (just depends on your personal preference on driving), but the only way to really compare is to contact some agencies and see what they offer. Different-location drop-off fees within Italy are minimal in my experience.
There are also very nice biking routes around that locations. I'd rent a bike and go 5 days on bike easy.
Between Liguria and Piedmont there are the Appennines. In my opinion depends even you you want to drive directly and following the fastest route to Calamandrana or you want to discover the area and spend one or two days wandering around. The direct route through the highway could be boring, but otherwise the hillside is very nice and if you like driving could be even very funny.
In the second case, you could rent the car in La Spezia and start a route far from the beaten path and visiting Aulla, Ponteremoli, Borgo Val di Taro, Bardi, Bobbio, Voghera, Tortona, Acqui Terme before arrive in Calamandrana (or maybe other villages and towns along the route).
The easiest is Europcar in Rapallo. The office is an easy walk from the train station. BTW, if you don't have a driver's license from the EC (and not UK), you'll need an International Driver's Permit.
https://www.europcar.com/en/stations/italy/rapallo
