Car & Van Hire - Padua

Padua's remarkable history is the main draw for visitors. Regarded as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, this is a charming city that oozes culture and sophistication in every street. Start your trip with a visit to Prato della Valle, the largest square in Italy. Stretching over an enormous 90,000 square metres, this square is the beating heart of the city. A canal runs alongside it. Take a walk along the edge of the water, and you'll see 78 statues, each depicting a figure from Padua's history. The most famous is undoubtedly the great astronomer Galileo Galilei, who spent many years as a professor at the city's university.

The spectacular Basilica di Sant'Antonio is one of the city's most famous sights. Construction started in 1232, but it has been restored and renovated many times over the centuries. This marvellous basilica houses the relics of Saint Anthony of Padua, venerated in many parts of the world as the patron saint of lost objects. Its beautiful interior is worth a visit, but bear in mind that this is a working church with mass held several times a day. It's best to visit in the early afternoon to avoid disturbing worshippers.

The University of Padua is the fifth oldest in the world, and its star attraction is the Botanical Garden. Dating back to 1545, this garden was originally founded to help students who were studying pharmacology and medicine. Its Historical Garden still has the original layout and is scattered with fountains and water features among the plants. The modern Biodiversity Garden opened in 2014 and offers zones based on different parts of the world. You can also visit Palazzo Bo, one of the university buildings, where Galileo's wooden desk is still preserved.

With car rental in Padua, it's easy to visit nearby cities. The most famous is, of course, Venice, just 40 minutes' drive away. This is a city that needs no introduction, as it has captured the imaginations of visitors for hundreds of years. Take a gondola trip down a canal, explore St Mark's Square and discover this marvellous floating city.

An hour away in the opposite direction lies Verona, another top choice to explore with car or van rental in Padua. It is known as the setting of the world's most famous love story, Romeo and Juliet. With its charming old buildings and picturesque views, it's easy to see why Shakespeare chose Verona as the hometown of his star-crossed lovers.

Like most cities in Italy, Padua has ZTL, which are limited traffic zones. Only vehicles with a special permit may enter these zones. If you drive into one of them, you will be subject to paying a fine. You can spot the entrance to a ZTL by its sign, which is circular, with a red border and white centre. It may or may not have the letters "ZTL" on it.

There are five different sectors: the Piazze area, the Riviere area, the Duomo area, the Businello area and the Eremitani area. Some entrances into the ZTL are closed from 08:00-23:30 on weekdays and 14:00-23:00 on Sundays. Others are permanently closed. It's a good idea to plan your routes and check how the ZTL restrictions will affect you in advance to avoid potential fines.

The ZTL covers the historic centre. If you have accommodation inside the ZTL, you may be issued a permit to allow you to enter with your vehicle. However, you will only be able to unload your baggage, and you will need to keep your car outside the ZTL.

On-street parking in Padua is indicated by blue or white lines. Blue areas are pay and display, while white areas have free parking. You will usually have to pay to park in a blue zone on weekdays from 08:00-20:00, but some have different times. There are also several large parking facilities located around the city. The central car park on Via Annibale da Bassano has over 240 spaces. There are over 480 spaces in the Piazza Rabin car park, which is just a few minutes' walk from some of the city's main sights, like the Basilica di Sant'Antonio and Prato della Valle.

When driving between cities, you may have to pay tolls. Highways in Italy often have toll booths, where you can pay either by cash or credit card. These large roads are the fastest ways to get from one city to another, but if you would rather avoid tolls, there are usually other options. Look for roads marked "SS" (strade statali). They are less direct but do not have tolls.

Remember that when driving in Italy, you need to keep your headlights on. This is a legal requirement when driving anywhere outside urban centres, by day and night.