Tuscany, Barolo, Dolomites: Italy Car Rental Routes 2026

3 Must-Try Italian Road Trip Routes

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Hello everyone!

Today, I'm excited to recommend **three incredible routes perfect for an Italian road trip**.

During my travels in Italy,

**my experiences using a rental car were so comfortable and enjoyable**

that if I ever go to Italy again,

I'll definitely be renting a car.

Up until now, I've been sharing separate car rental travel reviews for each region.

But today, among those, I want to bundle together the places I personally drove through—

Barolo, Tuscany, and the Dolomites—

to present my top 3 recommended car rental destinations. 🚘

Why You'll Love Renting a Car in Italy

You can explore **places that are difficult to reach by train or bus**

**at your own leisure,**

and especially, **wineries, hill towns, and mountain drive routes**

are truly hard to experience without a rental car!

Each of these three places has its own unique charm,

so pick the one that best suits your taste. 💡

Recommended Route 1. Tuscany: A Scenic Drive Through Rolling Hills

📍 Siena, Montalcino, Montepulciano, and more

— with charming hill towns as key highlights.

Driving along the verdant hill roads

was incredibly refreshing and healing.

The weather in Tuscany in late June was absolutely perfect.

There weren't many cars either, so driving was easy.

The small towns are compact, and with parking lots

right at the entrance,

it was incredibly convenient to drive around.

And the charming small wineries and restaurants we visited along the way

made the entire trip so relaxing 🌿.

Especially, for a must-do experience in Tuscany:

**an overnight stay at an agriturismo nestled amidst olive groves and vineyards.**

This is difficult to do with public transportation; you definitely need a car.

An overnight stay at an agriturismo

is something I truly recommend!

⬇️Read my review of a beautiful Tuscan agriturismo here⬇️

What's more, when I visited in late June,

the Mille Miglia festival was taking place in Siena,

allowing me to see countless classic cars on the roads,

which was absolutely fantastic.

⬇️Check out my Mille Miglia festival review here⬇️

Recommended Route 2. The Dolomites: Northern Italy's Alpine Paradise

📍 Northern Alpine Region

The Dolomites, located in northern Italy, are an

Alpine region that I truly recommend

**because it offers the majestic beauty of nature at a lower cost than Switzerland,**

**allowing you to experience the grandeur and beauty of nature,**

**making it a truly recommended travel destination!**

⬇️Find out more about Dolomites travel expenses here⬇️

While some people opt for group bus tours,

the Dolomites are also a fantastic place for a rental car trip.

Since it's a mountainous region, the driving difficulty is

medium, perhaps?

But the weather is incredibly unpredictable,

so if you need to adjust your plans on the fly,

it really helps to have the freedom that comes with

exploring by rental car.

As you travel through the Dolomites,

you'll find yourself constantly exclaiming, "Is this even real? It looks like CGI!"

The landscapes that unfold before your eyes are truly breathtaking.

The mountain ranges and cliffs are simply colossal.

Driving through high-altitude areas like Lago di Braies and Sassolungo is an experience I still can't forget!

🚠 Many gondola boarding spots also require a rental car to reach them,

so I highly recommend renting a car!

⬇️Dolomites Trekking Course Recommendations⬇️

Recommended Course 3: Barolo – Peaceful Villages of Wine and Hills

📍 Northern Piedmont Region

This course allowed us to drive ourselves and explore charming,

small winery villages!

While Barolo isn't typically considered a 'drive course' in itself,

it's a region that's quite difficult to visit without a car,

which is why I included it as a recommended rental car itinerary.

🍷 For those who love wine, Barolo is a highly recommended destination.

If you're a fan of Italian wines,

you've probably heard of Barolo.

When you visit Barolo, you can directly taste wines at famous wineries like

PIRA, GAYA, LA SPINETTA, and VIETTI,

and also enjoy delicious meals with stunning views,

where expensive wines can be enjoyed almost at cost.

So, if you're a true foodie and wine lover,

I'd say it's the ultimate travel destination!

⬇️Review of our visit to Pira Winery in Barolo⬇️

And to top it all off, staying in a beautiful agriturismo

adds an extra layer of healing and relaxation to your trip.

The agriturismo where I stayed was absolutely stunning

and I loved it so much that I highly recommend it.

⬇️Review of a beautiful winery (agriturismo) in Barolo⬇️

Organized Rental Car Travel Tips by Region

We paid for everything ourselves (#myownmoney).

For local rental car companies, Noleggiare is very convenient,

so we use them often.

I'll include links in the table below where you can find detailed reviews of Noleggiare

by region.

Region	Rental Car - Noleggiare	Recommended Accommodation Review
Tuscany-Rome	Florence Pick-up Rome Drop-off Noleggiare Review	Tuscany Agriturismo Review
Dolomites	Verona Noleggiare Review	Cortina d'Ampezzo Accommodation Review
Barolo	Turin Noleggiare Review	Tenuta Bussia Review

So, as your Italy travel ambassador,

I'll wrap up today's review right here! Haha.