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Car Rental - Perugia
Rent a car in Perugia to discover Umbria's hilltop capital, an unsung hero of Italy. Rising up from the Tiber valley you’ll discover a maze of cobbled alleys, arched stairways and sun-drenched squares. The city’s university adds to the vibrant atmosphere as bustling student hangouts rub shoulders with ancient relics.
Rent a car in Perugia to explore the many treasures of the beautiful Umbria region. Renting a car in Perugia from one of our convenient pick-up points, including the main train station and nearby Perugia Airport, allows you to take in the stunning scenery of central Italy and enjoy the region to its fullest.
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Perugia Locations
A Quick Guide to Perugia
Strolling through Perugia’s historic streets feels like you’ve stepped back in time. You can happily spend days exploring the ancient treasures of this hilltop city, before venturing out into the Umbrian landscape in your Perugia rental car.
Admire the History of Art
Start your trip in Piazza IV Novembre, once the political heart of Perugia and now the hub of community life. In the center is the Fontana Maggiore, a decorative pink and white marble fountain. You’ll also see Perugia Cathedral, an impressive medieval structure which overlooks the bustling square below.
Across the way stands the Palazzo dei Priori. This fortress-like building now houses the city's main art display, the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria. Stretching across 40 rooms, this gallery boasts almost 3,000 works ranging from 13th-century Byzantine paintings to Renaissance masterpieces by the city’s famous son, Perugino.
Also housed in the Palazzo is the Nobile Collegio del Cambio, the medieval money exchange. These vast rooms and domed ceilings feature outstanding Renaissance frescos by Perugino. The Sala dei Notari hall is a standout feature of this tour. Built in the late 13th century as a meeting point for the city’s nobility, the detail of the magnificent illustrations that color the vaulted Romanesque ceiling are truly breathtaking.
Learn the Secret of Stained Glass
Schedule in a visit to Studio Moretti Caselli, a stained-glass studio founded in 1860 by master painter Francesco Moretti. His work adorns churches and buildings in Perugia, wider Italy and across the world.
Now run by Moretti’s relatives, the workshop and museum is set in a gorgeous 15th-century house and offers a fascinating insight into the technical process of stained glass making.
Spend a Day at the Festival
Perugia plays host to two festivals every year. In July, the Umbria Jazz Festival – one of the most famous in the world – fills the city with velvet tones and smooth melodies. A star-studded line-up of musicians play in venues around town and on pop-up stages in the street, creating a fun atmosphere as the sun shines down.
In autumn, Eurochocolate transforms the city into a sweet-toothed dream. This indulgent festival is a celebration of the local history of chocolate production, with cookery classes, chocolate sculptures and free samples drawing in the crowds.
Enjoy a Lakeside Drive
Perugia is close to some of Umbria’s other great sights. Less than 30 minutes’ drive west in your rental car from Perugia you’ll find Lago Trasimeno. This serene blue lake is home to several miniature islands, which are a delight to explore by boat from Passignano sul Trasimeno. Drive around the lake to discover sleepy villages like Monte del Lago, where opera composer Puccini used to vacation.
See the Tomb of Saint Francis of Assisi
One of Umbria’s standout destinations is the beautiful town of Assisi, the birthplace of St Francis of Assisi. The highlight here is the Basilica di San Francesco, a gleaming white church built to honor the humble saint, who lies in the crypt chamber below. Inside, there are vivid frescos by Giotto, Cimabue and Simone Martini.
Driving In and Around Perugia
Rent a car in Perugia and you’ll be driving on the right-hand side of the road. Highways, called autostrada, are toll roads, indicated by green road signs, and US credit cards don’t always work, so make sure you’ve got some currency to hand.
It’s easy to get to grips with the different routes around Perugia, which in turn makes navigating a breeze. Each autostrada route is prefixed with an A, such as the A1 or A29. On these major highways, the speed limit is 130km/h (80mph) unless signposted otherwise. If you take your rental car from Perugia on the A1 north for two hours, you can enjoy a couple of days in the serene city of Florence.
The strada statale routes – prefixed with SS – are highways with a limit of 120km/h (68mph) when there are two lanes, dropping to 90km/h (55mph) when there’s just one lane each way. These routes are government-maintained and are free of tolls. Smaller regional roads are called strada provincial – prefixed with SP – and usually have a speed limit of 90km/h (55mph). In built-up areas the speed limit drops to 50km/h (30mph).
In Perugia’s old town, called the centro storico, there are traffic restrictions on weekdays from 1pm until midnight, and during public holidays from 7am until midnight. This means you’re not allowed to drive in central zones signposted ZTL. If your hotel is inside the restricted area, ask them to arrange a temporary permit.
On the outskirts of the historic center, on-street parking is unlimited and quite cheap, so you can easily park your rental car in Perugia and explore the inner area on foot. There are also numerous parking lots dotted around the city, as well as parking garages that are indicated by a square blue sign with a white P.
Rent a car in Perugia to make the most of your Italian trip, discovering the best of the city as well as the countless must-see sights in the wider region.
