Renting A Car In Tuscany: 2025 Prices + Pro Tips

Renting a car in Tuscany Italy is an awesome way to see the region. It’s famously one of the most picturesque places in the whole country, with rolling hills and slopes spread with grapevines unfurling before you like a work of art.

We’d been to Florence before, but it wasn’t until this year that we got to spend a bit more time getting up close and personal with the countryside. While the Tuscan capital is deservedly a massive tourist draw, the wider area is just as incredible, the winding roads revealing well-preserved medieval towns and breathtaking vistas around every bend.

Hiring a car in Tuscany allowed us to see a lot more of the region than would have been possible on public transport, which is why we’ve become proselytisers for the joys of vehicular travel! If you’re on the fence or want a bit more info before committing to a hire car, here’s all you need to know from our first-hand experience.

#1 Our Experience Of Driving In Tuscany

We had a great time in Tuscany. We actually wish we had budgeted more time for our Tuscany road trip, so we could enjoy the incredible scenery longer!

We decided to rent a car in Rome airport, driving down from there to Tuscany. It cost us a little more to be able to drop our hire vehicle off in a different city (Florence), but this was partly balanced out by the fact that prices were significantly lower to pick up in Rome. Plus, this worked out better in terms of our itinerary, so we felt it was worth the extra fee. 

Most of the time we were based out of Siena, partly because we don’t like changing accommodation too often if we can help it, and partly because Siena is a great central location for day trips around Tuscany. It was less than an hour’s drive to some our fav places we visited in the region, including San Gimignano, Monteriggioni, and Volterra.

The one place that was a bit further away that we recommend visiting was the Saturnia Hot Springs. However, if you follow in our footsteps and start from Rome, you can make a detour and pass it on the way to Siena.

Roads in Tuscany are in really good condition and well-marked, which makes driving easy. There wasn’t much traffic when we rocked up in October, which for us was the perfect month to visit weather wise and for fewer crowds. Based on our previous trips to Italy, we should warn you that the roads are a lot busier in summer.

#2 Is It Safe To Drive In Tuscany?

Yes, it is safe to drive in Tuscany. Italian drivers can be a little assertive, and the locals seem to have a very clear idea of where they can and cannot get away with speeding. Overall though we’ve had no problems driving in Tuscany (and in Italy more generally).

The roads are usually well marked and in good condition, even on lesser travelled routes, which makes for a pleasant experience. Plus, the countryside is amazing in this part of the world. Enjoying the sight of the rolling hills and lush vistas is one the main reasons for hiring a car in Tuscany Italy!

#3 Do You Need A Car In Tuscany?

Yes and no. Yes, you do need to hire a car in Tuscany if you want to visit the gorgeous rural towns and explore the campana at your own pace. No, you don’t need to if you’re only planning on sticking to major cities like Florence or Siena.

It is possible to get to most places with a combo of trains and buses, but it can be horribly time consuming. 

When we were staying in Florence on a previous holiday, for example, we went on a few self-organised daytrips from Florence, and you basically can manage about 1 thing a day reliably. Totally fine for slow travel, not so great if you want to see as much as possible in a week-long trip.

Another alternative to driving is to go on a Viator tour or something similar, which takes in multiple locations in one day. This is a good idea if you want to schedule a boozy wine experience for a day, but it’s going to get pretty pricey if you want to make multiple daytrips. Compared to this, renting a car in Tuscany is definitely more economical.

Final food for thought: part of what we liked most about our Tuscan road trip was being able to pull over to enjoy the scenery whenever we felt like it. That’s obviously not possible if you’re on a public bus!

#4 Cost Of Hiring A Car In Tuscany?

The cost of hiring a car in Tuscany varies quite a bit depending on the time of year. You also have to factor in things like the size of the vehicle, and whether you go with a well-known rental company or a smaller outfit.

To give you a rough guide, prices in May start at around €300 for a small car and full coverage insurance for a week. That’s from Florence airport. Rental from Rome airport is quite a bit cheaper, taking off from about €200 per week.

Don’t forget to factor in the vehicle deposit, which is normally €1,000-2,000. This gets blocked off on your credit card but should be released about a week after you’ve returned the car at the latest.

There are a couple of ways that we try and get the cheapest deal. First, we book as far in advance as possible. Second, we usually go for a manual over an automatic car, since these are always priced lower.

We always use DiscoverCars to see what’s on offer. The interface makes it really easy to view what the various leasing companies can offer us according to our criteria. Plus, they have a generous cancellation policy, so we can always back out up to 48 hours before pickup if any issues arise.

#5 Where & How To Rent A Car In Tuscany?

We recommend getting your rental car straight after landing at the airport. That way, there’s no stress about taxis or buses. At the end of the holiday, we just drop our car off right before our flight. 

There are quite a few airports where you can start your Tuscan road trip. We rented a car from Rome because we wanted to revisit the city before heading off to the countryside. Even if you don’t plan to do any sightseeing in the capital, you might find it’s the best option, given that Rome airport has the best international connections and the cheapest hire deals.

FYI, the drive from Rome to the south of Tuscany is about 2.5 hours or 150km (roughly 95 miles). That’s not a huge distance to cover, though of course you might not fancy it if you have just got off a long-haul flight or are arriving late at night. Bear in mind that it will take an hour or two more if you choose smaller, more scenic roads rather than the highway.

Alternatively, it’s easy to rent a car in Florence airport or in Pisa airport. These are both super convenient starting points for a road trip in Tuscany if you can get a good flight inbound. 

It’s also possible to rent a car in some of the smaller towns, which might be the best option if you only want a car for a couple of days.

Regardless of where we’re going, we always rent through DiscoverCars. We’ve found the whole booking process with them super easy. Plus, we’re fans of their full coverage insurance, which means we can apply for refunds on any charges associated with damage to our vehicle. 

We’ve claimed a couple of times and never had any problems getting our money back. It has also covered us when we’ve had disputes with the local rental office over alleged damage.

#6 Is Renting A Car In Tuscany Safe?

Yes, car rentals in Tuscany are as safe as anywhere else in the EU, although we have a standard process that we use for hiring a car on holiday to try and avoid any issues.

To start with, we search DiscoverCars for the cheapest deals. We then crosscheck any offers that we like the look of with reviews on Google Maps and Trustpilot. We do this for the exact rental shop as opposed to a brand, since we’ve noticed there’s quite a bit of variation in quality of service between different outlets of the same company.

On top of this, we always take out DiscoverCars full coverage, so that we can claim back any charges, including those that result from disagreements over scratches or superficial damage. 

#7 Car Rental In Tuscany: Requirements

There are a few renting a car in Tuscany requirements that you need to prep before travelling. Here’s a handy checklist to help you out:

✅ You’ll need a valid driver’s licence. EU, UK, and US citizens don’t need any additional documentation like an International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive in Italy. This is the case for many nationalities that use the Roman alphabet, but make sure you check on your government or Italian embassy website for exact details.

✅ You’ll usually require a second form of ID. This can be a passport or a national identity card, just to confirm that you really are who you say you are.

✅ You’ll often need a credit card. This is used to charge a security deposit. A hold is placed on the amount (normally €1,000-2,000), which is released up to one week after the return of the car. If you don’t have a credit card, some hire companies will accept a debit card as an alternative, but you’ll need to check if this is possible beforehand. DiscoverCars has a filter for this to help you see your options.

Another thing to take into consideration is your age. It is legal to rent a car to 18-year-olds in Italy, but most companies don’t like to lease a vehicle to anybody under 21. There’s also often a surcharge for anybody under the age of 25.

#8 What Kind Of Car Is Recommended?

Roads are good in Tuscany, even in the remoter countryside, so it’s not necessary to get a beast of a vehicle. There wasn’t anywhere we visited that required an off-road detour, and while the roads can be scenically winding, they aren’t steep by any means.

We managed just fine in a Volkswagen Polo, though if there are more than 2 of you in the car you may want a larger vehicle so you can spread out in a bit of comfort.

#9 Essential Checks Before You Get Into The Car

Even the best car rental in Tuscany can turn pear shaped without a bit of due diligence. There are some checks that are pretty standard wherever you travel in the world, but it’s worth reminding yourself, just in case:

✅ Check the type of petrol (e.g., unleaded vs diesel) and the petrol level. Most hire companies require either a full tank or a like-for-like tank when you return your vehicle, so make sure to visit the nearest petrol station just before taking the car back to avoid paying a penalty.

✅ Note all scratches and dents on your phone before leaving the lot, either by photograph or video. We always take a video recording all the imperfections. This can save you a lot of trouble when your return the vehicle at the end of your holiday.

✅ Make sure you have all the emergency contacts in case you need road assistance or other services.

✅ Download offline maps in case you lose network while navigating. We didn’t have this problem during our trip around Tuscany, but we still had the maps ready to go on our phones, just in case!

#10 Gas Stations

There are plenty of petrol stations in Tuscany. Some are completely self-service, some are manned by staff at the pump, and some are a mixture of both. If you want to save money, we noticed that the self-service ones are slightly cheaper.

#11 Parking In Tuscany

Most parking lots in Tuscan towns, such as Siena or Volterra, are paid. There are also sometimes limitations about who can drive where. In Siena, for example, visitors are not allowed to take their cars inside the medieval walls, so you have to park up outside the historic centre. 

Finding a parking spot can be very hard, especially in the summer. We were in Tuscany in October, and parking lots were filled up often. Come in the early morning or the late afternoon for the most popular destinations. 

One of our top driving in Tuscany tips is to book accommodation with (ideally free) parking included. Trust us, this will save you a lot of hassle! If you book through somewhere like Booking.com, you can filter the results so that you only see places that come with a parking spot. Make sure to double check the reviews, as some places supply parking quite far from the accommodation.

#12 Awesome Places To Visit With A Car

Should I rent a car in Tuscany if I only want to hit up cities like Florence and Pisa? No, probably not, but we definitely would if you want to see more of the medieval hilltop towns that make up such a distinctive part of the Italian campana. Here are some of the best places we visited with our vehicle.

📍 San Gimignano

Guarded by 13th-century walls, the tower houses of San Gimignano are some of the most remarkable remnants of the Middle Ages. Head to the Torre de Casa Campatelli for a quick overview of the town’s history, then grab a gelato from the iconic Gelateria Dondoli and wander the streets.

Make sure to stop in at the Duomo di Santa Maria Assunta, which has some fabulous frescoes, as well as the Parco della Rocca, where you can snap views of the surrounding countryside.

📍 Monteriggioni

The tiny settlement of Monteriggioni is even smaller than San Gimignano, but it’s size only adds to the picture-perfect charm. You can still walk parts of the old walls, where we spent ages just drinking in the panorama.

If you want to brush up on your knowledge of medieval armour, there’s a small museum dedicated to the subject attached to the tourism office.  

📍 Siena

The utterly unique, fishbone-patterned Piazza del Campo; the dizzying heights of the Torre del Mangia; the dazzling Duomo di Siena – these are just a few of the reasons why Siena should be top of the list of places you visit when renting a car in Tuscany. 

The historic centre of the city has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it’s easy to see why. Everywhere you look are examples of stunning architecture.

📍 Saturnia

A perfect place just to chill for a half day, the Saturnia Hot Springs are naturally warm waters that have healing properties – at least according to local legend! It’s true that the sulphurous waters smell a little like eggs, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying some R&R.

Access is completely free, so arrive early to nab the perfect spot for a soothing soak.

📍 Val d’Orcia

If you’re renting a car in Tuscany, the Val d’Orcia is one of the most beautiful places to drive, its roads winding lazily past hills topped with cypress trees and grapevines.

Head to the Crete Senesi viewpoint for the iconic snapshot of the region. The valley also has its own adorable towns to explore, including Pienza (built as the ideal Renaissance town) and Montalcino (make sure you try the Brunello wine).

📍 Volterra

Continuously inhabited since the 8th century BCE, Volterra is home to a smattering of half-crumbling ancient ruins, including an Etruscan acropolis and a Roman theatre. 

Our fav attractions in this picturesque town though were the (relatively) modern buildings, including the sumptuous Palazzo Viti and the fabulous nave ceiling of the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta.

Renting A Car In Tuscany: Final Word

There are some places where getting a vehicle is a necessity. Renting a car in Tuscany is more of a joy. There’s just so much lovely scenery to see in this part of the world, perfectly melded with historic towns that are unlike anything anywhere else in the world.