Car & Van Hire - Perugia

The capital of the region of Umbria, Perugia, has a long and storied history. It is a popular student city, so the nightlife here is lively during the academic year. When you head to the Piazza IV Novembre, the city's central square, you'll see students everywhere. Many visitors choose to make a pitstop here while taking a road trip between Florence and Rome. Others go to Perugia as a destination in its own right, using it as a base to explore the beauty of Umbria.

Rocca Paolina, also known as Underground Perugia, is one of the most interesting things to see. This was once a sixteenth-century fortress built on the orders of Pope Paul III. When the Papal States crumbled and Italy became a unified country, the fortress was razed. Today, the remains of the fortress are a maze of narrow passageways and ancient towers. As you explore it, you'll feel like you've taken a trip back in time.

To see even more history, visit the Etruscan Arch. This dates back to the 3rd century BC and is one of the oldest monuments in the area. Once the entrance into the city, the arch still stands proudly today, a reminder of Perugia's fascinating history.

Foodies will find two unmissable treats in Perugia: truffles and chocolate. Umbria is Italy's main truffle region. They are in season in autumn, when you'll find them in all kinds of special dishes around town. Chocolate, however, is in season all year round! The Perugina Chocolate Factory is open for tours. You can learn about how this sweet treat is made – and, of course, sample a few goodies along the way. The Chocolate Festival takes place here each year in spring for those who really can't get enough of the sweet stuff.

With a car rental in Perugia, you can go beyond the city, discovering more of Umbria. A great spot for a day trip is Lago Trasimeno, one of Italy's largest lakes. Locals flock here in summer to sunbathe on the beaches or have some fun with water sports. The lake has three islands, two of which are open to visitors. On the islands, you'll see Roman ruins, churches and centuries-old vineyards.

You'll also find Assisi nearby, a wonderful place to visit with a car or van rental in Perugia. The birthplace of St Francis, Assisi has an enormous Gothic cathedral which is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the second most visited religious site in Italy. This is an important pilgrimage destination, and much of the charming, picturesque town is dedicated to St Francis' life.

As is common in most Italian cities, Perugia has a ZLT – a limited traffic zone – to protect its old town centre. Cars cannot enter the ZLT between 02:00-13:00 from Monday to Saturday and between 02:00-07:00 on Sundays and public holidays. Visitors will need to park outside and explore the old town centre on foot.

It is easy to identify the boundaries of Perugia's ZLT. The old city walls mark the entry to the ZLT, so just don't cross them during the restricted hours, or you will be fined. You should also familiarise yourself with the ZLT road sign, a white circle with a red border. You'll see this in cities across Italy, and in most cases, the ZLT boundaries are not as obvious as they are in Perugia.

Perugia has six large car parks around the city. The closest to the city centre can be found at Mercato Coperto, but the places here are quite limited, and you will often find queues to enter. Better choices for visitors include the Piazza Partigiani, Piazzale Europa and the Viale Pellini. These are all just a short walk from the old town and have more parking spaces. Be aware that the town centre is on top of a hill, so no matter where you park, you will need to walk uphill to reach it. Comfortable shoes are recommended!

If you are driving to Florence or Rome, there are toll booths on the motorways. It is possible to avoid them by taking smaller roads. To plan a toll-free route, look for roads marked as "SS", which stands for "strade statali". You may have to go quite far out of your way, so you should check the route in advance to decide if you want to make the trade-off of a longer drive in exchange for no tolls.

Remember that drivers in Italy must keep their headlights on at all times of day and night. This law affects you when you are driving outside cities. Inside urban areas, you can turn your headlights off if you wish.