Car rental Rome
Compare prices and find cheap car hire in Rome from well-known and local car hire companies. Insurances and unlimited mileage are included. Save up to 70% on car rental in Rome through us.
Rome guide
Rome is the capital of Italy, and is centrally located in the country – in the region of Lazio. Rome has about 2.7 million inhabitants (2011), and is the country’s administrative, cultural and religious center. In Rome is also located vatican city, which is controlled by the Pope, and is the spiritual and adminstrative center of the Roman Catholic Church.
Rome is located on both sides of the River Tevere (Tiber) – about 25 km from the Mediterranean coast. The city is an important national and international transport hub.
The city has great tourism and is known for its many archaeological and art historical treasures. In addition, Rome has many museums and art galleries – among others. National Museum of Modern Art. The town also has 400 churches, opera houses as well as a rich theatre and cultural life.
Attractions
Some world-famous attractions in Rome include: Vatican City with St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Peter’s Square and the Vatican Museums, the impressive amphitheatre “Colosseum”from the year 80 e. Kr., the famous fountain “Fontana di Trevi” from 1766, the archaeological site “Roman Forum” – with ruins from the Roman era, the building “Pantheon” from the year 125 e. Kr. as well as “Palazzo Venezia” – a 15th-century palace that is today a museum with exhibitions of medieval and Renaissance arts and crafts.
Explore Rome with car hire
Even if you have plenty of sights and things to do in Rome, a trip out into the surrounding area is certainly to recommend. With car hire, you take a short time to reach many beautiful and exciting villages, beautiful landscapes, archaeological gems, and not least lovely beaches. Here are some of the best excursions from Rome.
The city of Tivoli and Villa Adriana
Tivoli gardens beautifully up the hills, with stunning views of the typical Italian countryside. The small town is especially known for its many sights associated with roman times.
Here you will find the remains of Villa Adriana, the holiday palace of the Roman emperor Hadrian. Nearby is Villa d’Este, built in the 16th century, famous for its magnificent architecture and very beautiful garden. Both villas are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Also stop by Villa Gregoriana and the Temple of Tempio di Vesta, located on top of the hill that rises above Tivoli Gardens, or some of the other ruins that also date back to the Roman era.
- The historic city of Tivoli is about 18.6 miles from the centre of Rome. There you can get in about 40 minutes by car rental, and most of the trip goes on the motorway.
Ostia Antica Ancient Port
Ostia Antica is believed to have been one of the Roman Empire’s first colonies, and eventually served as a port city for the Romans. The city was constantly developed, especially during the reign of Julius Caesar, reaching about 100,000 inhabitants in the third century. Today Ostia Antica is an archaeological excavation, known for accommodate very well preserved buildings, mosaics and frescoes. Here you get a very good impression of what life was like in the heyday of the Roman Empire.
- The stretch from Rome to Ostia Antica is about 26 kilometers. It can be reached by car rental in 40 minutes.
- Ostia Antica is just 1.9 miles from the coast, and it’s summer to treat yourself to one of the many beautiful beaches in the area.
Beaches on the coast
It is no more than about 25 kilometers in line from Rome’s center to the beautiful coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Here you will find many good beaches that are adjacent to pleasant small towns and villages. Several of the places also have sights that alone are worth the trip. Here are three of the best:
- Ostia – If you continue about 3.5 kilometers from Ostia Antica, you will reach the beach town called Ostia only. There you have a great beach with very tidy conditions, and access to the bathroom, shower, sun loungers and many activities. The driving time from the center of Rome is about 35 minutes (29 kilometers).
- Anzio – Nice small town with one of the best beaches. Here you can also visit the ruins of many Roman villas,including Domus Neroniana,the summer house of the brutal emperor Nero. Anzio is also known as the place where the Allies landed during World War II, and fierce battles took place between German and Allied forces. The driving time from Rome’s center is about 55 minutes (62 kilometers).
- Fregene – This small seaside resort is just north of Leonardo da Vinci airport. The beach here is one of the better and most popular, also because Fregene is known for both a good nightlife at the many beach clubs located here. You will also find family-friendly areas on the long strip of beach, with pleasant eateries and cafes, if you want to have it more quiet and quiet. The driving time from the center of Rome is about 40 minutes (38 kilometers).
Lago di Bracciano
If you drive an hour north from Rome, you will reach Lake Bracciano. Around this there are many pleasant small and old villages. Take, for example, the medieval Old Town in Anguillara Sabazia. Then drive a few kilometres west to Castello Orsini-Odesalchi, the impressive 15th-century castle where Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes married in 2006.
- It is 30 miles to Anguillara Sabazia, the lakeside village closest to Rome, if you choose the fastest route. The driving time is then around 45 minutes.
Orvieto
This picturesque city is located some distance north of Rome. The settlement stretches dramatically up a hill, with an acropolis at the top (from ancient Greek – “the city at the top”), and a well-preserved city wall that surrounds the city centre.
In Orvieto you will find many sights, including an impressive cathedral built by Pope Nicholas IV in the late 13th century, a papal palace from about the same era, an underground labyrinth and tunnel system, the 15th-century Fortezza dell’Albornoz fort, as well as many archaeological excavations. There are also pleasant restaurants, with local specialties on the menu, and fine wines produced in the area around the city.
- From rome city center to Orvieto it is about 120 kilometers. With a rental car, you spend about 1 hour and 30 minutes on the drive.
Traffic in Rome
The traffic in Rome is probably a little more hectic than you’re probably used to from home. The cars tend to drive close to each other, and the Romans are not afraid to use the car horn. To make it easier to concentrate on traffic, we recommend that you have a rental car with satellite navigation on board. Navigation also helps to avoid driving errors, for example, into the areas where only taxis and buses are allowed to drive (ZTL – Zona Traffico Limitato). Note that the ZTL zones have different rules. Some zones are closed to regular passenger cars only during rush hour, while others are closed to cars with high exhaust emissions.
Parking in City Center
In the streets there are two different markings showing where you can park. White stripes mean you park for free, while blue stripes mean you have to pay a fee on vending machines that stand on the sidewalks. You can pay with banknotes, coins or cards, and get a receipt that must be placed clearly visible on the dashboard. There are also many parking garages in the city, and these are normally well marked with signs. It’s easy to find indications of where the parking garages are if the rental car has navigation, or on the map app on your smartphone.
Airport
Virtually everyone who flies to Rome from other cities in Europe lands at Fiumicino Airport, also called Leonardo da Vinci Airport. The exception is the occasionally chartered aircraft, as well as some of the low-cost airlines, which land at Ciampino Airport.
The major car hire companies, such as Budget, Sixt, Europcar, Avis, Hertz, as well as several Italian rental companies, are well represented at the airport. You can also easily and quickly reach the city centre by train, bus or taxi.
- Fiumicino/Leonardo da Vinci Airport is located between 30 and 40 kilometres from the centre of Rome, depending on where you are going. The driving time by car is about 30 to 40 minutes.
- From Ciampino Airport to the center of Rome it is about 16 kilometers, with a driving time of around 25 minutes.