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Rental car- pick up in big city or small town?

Okay folks, need your expertise here. Our all adult family of five will be traveling for 2 weeks this spring. After a week on Amalfi coast, we will be heading north for a week before departing from Rome. We will spend several days in Volterra before heading south to Montepulciano for several more, then back to Rome. We want to train as much as possible, but know we will need a car for Volterra and Montepulciano. So, do we rent a car in Rome, drive to Volterra, then down to Montepulciano and return it in Rome? Or should we train from Naples to Florence, rent a car there, make our town trips, return it to Florence, and train back to Rome? Or should we take the trains from the big cities, take bus to close to our destinations and try to find rental car in smaller towns?

I know, lots of questions and options. But we want to do this in the most time/budget conscious way as possible. Thank you for any help you can provide!

Posted by
11613 posts

Volterra and Montepulciano are accessible by bus and/or train, but the car will give you a chance to visit other, less accessible hill towns.

Posted by
8371 posts

Just take the train up to Orvieto and pickup a Hertz rental car there--70 minutes from Rome Termini. Their office is across the street from the train station--100 yards.
It's an easy drive from there to your destinations. You could return the car at FCO airport if you wished. I would avoid driving into any big city centers with a rental car, however.

Posted by
16232 posts

If I understand correctly the sequence of events is:
-Amalfi Coast area
-Tuscany
-Rome
-Back home

In your case I would:
Rent car in Sorrento (very near Amalfi Coast)
Drive from Sorrento to Volterra (about 5 hours, mostly freeway except for last few kilometers from Colle Val D'Elsa to Volterra)
Stay in Tuscany with car.
Drive to Rome. Return car in Rome upon arrival.
Taxi from rental car drop off to hotel. Stay in Rome without car.
Taxi to airport on morn of departure.