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Hire car Bolzano

Exploring Bolzano by hire car

The traveller feels almost still in Austria when exploring the upper Italian city of Bolzano.

It’s rare to find a city as welcoming as Bolzano. In the beautiful South Tyrolean countryside, the provincial capital is nestled in a beautiful Italian landscape.

With just under 100,000 inhabitants, it is manageable and invites you to linger with its architectural monuments and picturesque city centre.

In Bolzano you can discover a charming old town with pretty baroque buildings.

And the surrounding countryside also has some attractive destinations to offer and can be easily explored by hire car. We have put together a few tips for rental and travel.

Taking over the hire car

Most travelers exploring South Tyrol by hire car arrive in Bolzano by train or via the airports in Innsbruck and Verona. There is no hire car station at the train station in Bolzano itself. There you can pick up your car at one of the numerous rental agencies in the city area. At Innsbruck airport, you will find various hire car agencies on the upper floor of the main airport hall or on the ground floor of the multi-storey car park, which is located very close to the airport building.

And numerous hire car companies also operate an office at Verona airport. Before you book your hire car, just make sure that your rental company is also located right at the airport. Because if they only operate their office near the airport, it can sometimes take a long time for a shuttle to take you to your hire car.

Booking the right hire car

If you want to get around the mountains around Bolzano, you should book a small and manoeuvrable car so that you can negotiate narrow serpentine roads with ease. In the winter months, when many roads are covered in snow, a car with four-wheel drive can serve you well.

Hire car prices

Hire car prices in Bolzano tend to be in the mid-range. You can often get the cheapest deals by booking well in advance of your trip and using our handy price comparison tool.

hire car price comparison Bolzano

Insuring the car properly

Even if most road users in South Tyrol are well-mannered, an accident can easily happen with an unfamiliar hire car. You are well covered in the event of damage if you have booked a hire car with fully comprehensive insurance without excess.

With the liability, you should make sure that the sum insured is at least one million euros. After all, if people are injured in an accident or several vehicles are involved, high costs quickly arise. If the sum insured of your rental company seems to be too low, you have the possibility to take out a so-called Majorca policy for further protection. Your insurance company will be happy to advise you.

age limit

You must be at least 19 years old and have held a valid driver’s license for one year to hire car in Bolzano from most rental agencies. And many hire car companies charge drivers under 25 an additional fee. Drivers over the age of 75 will also not be able to hire car from some rental companies in Bolzano. Check with your rental provider’s terms and conditions before renting the car.

Accessories

If you need accessories such as snow chains or a navigation device, you must always order the equipment you want separately from your hire car company. Make reservations well in advance to ensure the items are available when you pick up the car.

Free kilometers

If you only want to get around Bolzano and the immediate area, you might be able to save a little by taking a hire car with limited mileage.

But if you want to explore South Tyrol extensively, you should definitely book a car with all kilometres free. This way you can enjoy your excursions without having to constantly keep an eye on the mileage.

Tank control

Make sure you book with a rental company where you pick up the car with a full tank of gas and return it with a full tank. This is because some hire car companies oblige their customers to buy the first tank of fuel for an expensive service charge. In return, the car “may” be returned with an empty tank. With this variant, there are always additional costs for you.

Bail

If your hire car company actually charges the deposit due to your credit card, it can sometimes take longer for the money to be returned to your account after you return the vehicle. Rather book with a rental company that just blocks the amount. Then it is immediately available again after returning the car. Before you start your trip, you should check whether the credit limit of your card is sufficient to pay the deposit.

Customer Satisfaction Hire Car

Although most customers are satisfied with hire car in Bolzano, some still find fault with the exterior condition of the vehicles. Always have defects such as dents or scratches confirmed in a defect report and keep the document safe. This is the only way to ensure that you will not be held responsible for damage that you did not cause after returning the car.

Safety Hire Car

Most hire cars in Bolzano are perfectly safe to drive in. However, there can always be exceptions, so be sure to have winter tires on during the winter months.

You should also check the vehicle’s lights and make sure you have a warning triangle, safety vests and first-aid kit on board. After you have done a quick brake test in the parking lot of your rental company, the journey can begin.

Sights in Bolzano

Maria Himmelfahrt: Late Gothic Church
A stroll through Bolzano could begin at the Cathedral of Maria Himmelfahrt. Construction began in the 13th century, and the church was finished in 1517. However, it was partially destroyed by bombing in 1943 and rebuilt in 1949. A church in the late Gothic architectural style awaits the visitor. Especially the colorful roof tiles and the powerful interior know to impress.

Archaeology Museum: Meeting Ötzi
You can admire a strictly Romanesque architectural style when you look at the nave and tower of the Gries parish church, which is located in a suburb of Bolzano. You can travel even further back in time by visiting the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology. The undisputed star of the exhibition is “Ötzi”, a world-famous glacier mummy found in the Ötztal Alps in 1991. It is assumed that Ötzi lived in the late Neolithic or Copper Age. Ötzi was therefore probably born between 3359 and 3105 BC.

Back to the present day, a visit to the fruit market is on the agenda at the end of your stroll through town. Here you can buy the delicious fruits for which the region around Bolzano is famous, every day except Sundays. Just stroll through the streets for a while, sit down in one of the cafés and enjoy the cheerful atmosphere of the city. Of course, you can also take a detour to one of the renowned outlet stores and buy leather goods and fashion.

Find the special restaurant

Lovers of local cuisine will be happy at Restaurant Vögele. The inn was first mentioned in 1277 as the “Roter Adler”. To this day, it is possible to dine exquisitely in the historic walls.

Find the special hotel

You can also discover a special hotel in this charming city. Make a reservation at the Greif. The hotel has been around since at least the 1600s and offers a delightful contrast. You’ll stay in an old masonry building whose rooms all boast modern artwork.

Find a delightful destination in the area

Direct the hire car to the Bletterbach Gorge. An impressive natural spectacle awaits you here. The gorge is 12 kilometres long and is lined with rock faces up to 200 metres high. To get to the gorge, you have to park your hire car at the parking lot of the Lahneralm. It is located near the village of Aldein, which is 39 kilometres from Bolzano and can be reached in just under an hour. You should allow four hours for your hike to the end of the gorge. Since you have to return afterwards, it is highly recommended to start early from Bolzano.

After an eventful day, you then have the opportunity to fortify yourself at the Lahneralm. Order cheese board dumplings with goulash or a vegetarian dumpling tris. The generous portions will satisfy even the hungriest hiker. And while you wait for your meal, you can plan more hire car excursions around Bolzano.

Suggestion for a trip by hire car

Trento: Magnificent Renaissance Streets
A hire car tour from Bolzano could take you first to Trento. In three quarters of an hour you will be there. In Trento, you can first stroll along Via Belenzani, which is lined with magnificent buildings with Renaissance facades. Afterwards, the Cathedral of San Vigilio is worth a visit. It was built from the 13th to the 14th century and impresses with its austere Romanesque architectural style.

Before you turn your back on Trento, don’t miss taking a look at the Castello di Buonconsiglio. In the museum, located inside the Castello, you can see the famous Dodici Mesi cycle, created in the 15th century. It is fully preserved except for the month of March and shows life of the citizens and the nobles during the year.

Riva del Garda: Pretty Town on the Lake
Continue your journey to Riva del Garda at the northern end of Lake Garda. Again, you will only need a drive of three quarters of an hour by hire car. Perhaps climb the 14th-century Torre Apponale first.

From the top, you’ll enjoy a beautiful view over the city. Afterwards, head to the pebbled beach, enjoy some sunbathing or a walk along the lake, and then take a refreshing dip in Lake Garda.

Caltern: Discover delicious wines
Before you head back to Bolzano in your hire car, make a stop in Caldaro, which you can reach in just over an hour.

There you have the opportunity to fill the trunk with a few boxes of the excellent wines for which South Tyrol and especially the area around Kaltern is so well known. Now only a half-hour drive separates you from Bolzano, where you can review the day’s experiences.

conclusion

Bolzano is an excellent location for a trip by hire car. In the city and the surrounding area there is a lot to discover and all places can be reached easily by car. Our practical price comparison will help you to book the right car at favourable conditions.

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