Car hire Padova

Cheap Car Hire Padova

About Car Hire in Padua

Found in the province of Veneto, northeast Italy, Padua is the third-largest city in the region, with a population of around 207,000. It is just 40km west of Venice, making it a great place to base yourself if you’re planning on visiting northern Italy.

The best way to get around Padua is by car. Whether you want to drive in and around the city or take road trips to nearby villages, towns and cities, the freedom and flexibility with a hire car is all yours.

How to Drive in Padua

There are several rules of the road which must be adhered to when driving in and around Padua. Taking the time now to familiarise yourself with these rules will ensure that you have a safer and more enjoyable driving experience in and around Padua.

• Drivers must be at least 18 before being eligible to hire a car in Padua. In addition, you need to have held your driving licence for at least a year before you are eligible to hire a car in Italy.
• While this is generally at the discretion of each individual car hire company, drivers under 25 may be charged a young driver surcharge.
• Cars drive on the right and overtake on the left. This is the same as much of the rest of continental Europe and the US, but the opposite of the UK.
• Speed limit signs are displayed in km/h (kilometres per hour), not mph (miles per hour).
• Children under 12 years old must sit in the back at all times.
• It is compulsory to wear a seatbelt at all times while the car is in motion. It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that all passengers are wearing seatbelts. Drivers will receive a fine for each passenger caught not wearing a seatbelt.

What to see in Padua

The Botanical Gardens are a must-visit when in Padua: not only are they a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but they are also the oldest botanical gardens in the world at the same location, having been founded in 1545.

The Basilica of Saint Anthony pays tribute to the patron saint of Padua, and is a fantastic example of the Romanesque and Gothic architecture that characterises the city.

Prato della Valle is a large oval square in the city next to the canal, which is the perfect place to enjoy a leisurely stroll while taking in the sights and sounds of Padua.

Best road trips from Padua city

Padua is a great place to base yourself to explore other Italian cities, and even other countries.

For example, the tiny landlocked country of San Marino is just over two and a half hours away from Padua, and can be easily done in a day. Similarly, the Slovenian border can be reached in under two hours, while Ljubljana, the Slovenian capital, can be reached in under three hours from Padua.

The Dolomites are also reachable from Padua in under three hours, while cities like Venice and Vicenza are even closer. For those wanting to go on longer road trips, Rome can be reached in five hours and Naples in seven.

Range of Car Types in Padua

There are plenty of different types of cars available to hire from Padua, from small and compact cars which are ideal for solo travellers, such as the Citroen C3, Fiat Panda and Kia Picanto, to larger vehicles like the Mitsubishi ASX, Toyota C-HR and Volkswagen T-Cross.

Car Hire Suppliers in Padua

The main car hire suppliers are Europcar and Sixt.