Car Rental - Bolzano

Set in the mountains of South Tyrol, Bolzano is a city where Germanic charm meets Italian flair. Get to know both sides of the city in streets filled with Viennese architecture in an Italian pastel pallet.

In the heart of the city, Piazza Walther is the perfect spot to sip a coffee and admire the Cathedral of Bolzano. This 12th century marvel features a colorful mosaic roof and striking Gothic bell tower. During the Christmas season, this square is awash with warm light seeping from wooden huts as Italy’s biggest Christmas market comes to life. Shop for handmade crafts and sample comforting street food.

Stroll down Via della Mostra where pavement cafés spill onto the cobbles and boutique shops hide under arched porticos. Continue to the Dominican church. This 11th century place of worship was built by the Dominican friars who settled the city. Made up of several chapels surrounding a courtyard and featuring well-preserved frescoes, you can easily lose yourself in the reverence and beauty of the building.

Perched on a rocky outcrop outside the city, medieval Castel Roncolo is an easy drive. Admire the ancient, grey stone against forest green hills. Step inside and be transported back to the Middle Ages where fresco cycles illustrate knight sagas, court ladies, kings and queens.

Park up your rental car and take a trip on any of Bolzano’s three cable cars for magnificent views across the city and into the mountains. Here you’ll find the longest cable-car journey in Europe, which ascends from Via Renòn to Soprabolzano. Admire the mosaic roof of Bolzano Cathedral from above as the cabin leaves the city. On the way you’ll be able to see over the rooftops and out to the snow-capped peaks of the Alps in the background. Once at the top, in the quaint mountain village, you can enjoy 13th century churches as well as stunning views across green meadows as revered Haflinger horses graze.

Running since 1908, the cable car to Colle from Ponte Campiglio is the oldest in the world. Take in views over the city at the top and explore the idyllic village of Colle. While you’re there, take in some natural greenery and check out the surrounding nature reserve made up of peaceful woodland and meadows speckled with Alpine flowers.

Bolzano is the Gateway to the Dolomites, and there are stunning mountain vistas and walking trails for all levels of fitness for those that take the time to drive into the heart of this beautiful region. Head east out of the city in your Bolzano rental car and stop at Carezza Lake. Colored with every shade of blue and green under the sun and flanked by slate-colored mountains and towering fir trees, this is the most beautiful lake in the Dolomites. Get a breath of fresh, mountain air and follow the gentle walking trail around the shore.

Continue for a breathtaking drive in your Bolzano car rental through the Fassa Valley in Trentino. You’ll have the freedom to stop at every photo opportunity to snap pictures of sharp peaks dressed in snow. Continue through the Sella pass where sheer, grey rocks rise out of a blanket of green. Stop to admire the impressive Marmolada glacier, snaking its way through the surrounding stone.

On your journey, pause in the chic town of Ortisei, nestled in a valley, hemmed in snugly by mountains. The quiet high street is home to a plethora of cafes and restaurants - pause for refreshment before continuing on the circular route back to the city.

Base yourself here and car rental in Bolzano will allow you to explore the best of northern Italy at a pace that suits you.

Framed by the frosted peaks of the Alps on one side and the rugged Dolomites on the other, Bolzano, or “Bolzen” in German, is a handsome city with a dramatic backdrop.

The center of the city is home to beautiful old merchant buildings and cobbled streets, so a Zona Traffico Limitato (Limited Traffic Zone) is in effect. Only local vehicles with permits may enter, but visitors can use their hotel parking or drop off passengers and luggage. Register your license plate with hotel staff to avoid a fine if entering the ZTL.

When driving outside of urban areas in Italy it’s compulsory to use dipped headlights during the day. Speed limits shift from 30 mph in built-up areas to 80 mph on the highways of Italy, called ‘autostrades’. There are numerous toll roads in Italy, which offer less traffic for a small fee, although these routes aren’t as scenic as the minor – but fee free – roads.

South Tyrol offers some of the most spectacular drives for your Bolzano car rental in Italy, if not Europe. Take the A22 to get to Ortisei in the heart of the Dolomites in just 45 minutes. Or, take the narrow SS241/SS242/SS12 in a circle to complete a perfect day drive, stopping off to admire mountain lakes, glaciers and towns along the way.

Hopping from city to city and even country to country is easy as the A22 autostrade skirts Bolzano. Follow this toll road north in your Bolzano rental car to the Austrian border and it’s a short journey on the A13 to Innsbruck.

The A22 south will take you to medieval Trento, continue to the capital of romance; Verona. Branching off the A22 at Mori will get you to the northern shores of Lake Garda for lakeside relaxation and serenity. Change to the A70 at Verona to reach the canals of Venice.