Car rental & road trips
Coastal roads. Hilltop towns.
A car for the days you need it.
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A week. A few good stops. Your own pace.
Follow the coast, head into the hills or link a handful of small towns. These routes explain where a car adds to the trip, with places to stay and ideas for each day.
Coast & hill towns
Roman Pula, colourful harbours and hilltop evenings. This compact loop gives the coast and the quieter interior a share of the week.
A small car suits the inland stops. Leave it outside the old towns and explore their narrow lanes on foot.
Cliffs & coastal towns
Spend the week between the eastern Algarve, the western cliffs and an inland castle town. Each base brings a different stretch of the region into reach.
Faro makes a natural starting point. A car links the smaller beaches and inland stops; town-centre days need less driving.
Vineyards & river villages
Begin with two nights in Bordeaux, then trade city streets for vineyard country, market squares and the villages of the Dordogne.
Collect the car after your Bordeaux stay. Walking and trams cover the city days, leaving the rental for the countryside.
Harbours & history
Follow the route from Rouen’s old streets to Honfleur’s harbour and the coast around Bayeux, with time for the places between the main stops.
The car earns its place on coastal outings and rural detours. A hotel with parking makes the evenings in each town simpler.
Mountain roads & lake days
A city opening, mountain bases and a lakeside finish. The changing scenery is the reason to take this week slowly, with proper time outside the car.
Start with Verona on foot, then drive into the mountains. Choose luggage space and comfortable handling over a larger car you do not need.
Crater lakes & hot springs
Link the island’s western lakes, eastern valleys and north coast. Several bases keep the journey varied without adding an inter-island flight or ferry.
Collect and return on São Miguel. A car gives you freedom between viewpoints, while a flexible day leaves room for a clearer view when the clouds lift.
Good choices before the first mile
The right car fits the route, the people and the bags. These six details make offers easier to compare.
Put the same dates, driver and pick-up location into each search. Add any extra driver, child seat, airport charge or one-way fee to the rental total. A lower daily rate can cost more across the week.
The deposit is money held or collected as security. The excess is the amount you may pay towards a covered claim. They are different figures. The offer’s payment and cover details explain the card needed and what remains your responsibility.
Two nights in a walkable city can mean two fewer rental days. Compare an airport collection with a city pick-up after your stay, including the journey between them. Return location and opening hours also shape the last day.
Five seats do not promise space for five large suitcases. Picture your actual bags in the boot, then choose the car size and transmission. A compact car can be easier to park on a trip built around old towns.
A mileage allowance matters more on a long loop than on a short coastal stay. Fuel terms, toll payments and parking add to the trip too. On GetRentacar, the published fuel policy is to return the same fuel level you received.
A road across a border or a short ferry crossing can change the rental conditions. Permission, fees and cover depend on the offer and owner. A route within one country can still include a ferry, so include that leg in the conversation before booking.
A minute at pick-up is useful later. Take a few clear photos of the car, fuel level and mileage, and have existing marks recorded in the handover. Do the same at return so both ends of the rental are easy to compare.
Before you pick up the keys
The search on this page is provided by GetRentacar. Search opens the provider’s site, where you choose an offer and complete the booking. Payment, rental conditions and booking support are handled through the provider and the vehicle owner. StartBooker helps you choose a route and reach the car search.
No. Each is a separate StartBooker itinerary with suggested stops, places to stay and ideas for your days. The car rental is booked separately. The suggested collection places help you connect the route to a search; they do not promise vehicle availability or a particular price.
Some offers allow this. Use the widget’s different return location option to describe your trip. The available locations and any one-way fee depend on the owner and offer. For a loop such as Istria, returning to the starting area is another option to compare.
The rental price pays for the hire; the deposit is security and can tie up money separately. GetRentacar says deposit amounts vary by vehicle and appear in the listing. How it is taken, released or refunded depends on the offer, payment method and rental conditions.
There is no single answer for every car. GetRentacar lists cover details with the offer, and some owners offer additional cover. Payment methods for the online booking and the deposit can differ. The relevant comparison is the total price, the card required, the excess and what the cover includes.
That needs to be part of the agreed rental. GetRentacar says cross-border travel requires the owner’s permission. Ferry use also depends on the specific conditions; a route shown on a map does not establish permission or cover. Share your intended crossing when discussing the offer.
The trip suggestions link to our full itineraries. Rental explanations draw on the sources below; each offer has its own price, payment and cover terms.
Rental information reviewed 17 October 2026. Bixby Creek Bridge photo: Barrett Shutt / Pexels. Pexels licence. Cropped to fit.
