Complete Info for the Best Car Rental after Your Cinque Terre Visit.
All Nearby Car Hire Branch Locations with La Spezia Car Rental Map & Genoa Car Rental Map.
Advice for Renting at La Spezia, Genoa (Genova), Genoa Airport, Rapallo, Lavagna, Pisa, Pisa Airport, Viareggio, Lucca. See Our Map for Dropping Off a Rental Car in La Spezia.
You can't rent a car in Cinque Terre - or in nearby Levanto. You must take the train from the Cinque Terre villages to reach the nearest car hire office - this guide helps you figure out where to go. There are also no car rental offices in Portovenere or Lerici and this information applies after taking a bus or taxi to La Spezia.
...And before you reserve, read our most important article: Independent Car Rental Reviews for Italy
Sections Below: From Cinque Terre - East / South / North
From Cinque Terre - West / Northwest
Car Rental Tips
La Spezia Rental
Auto Europe Link
Genoa Rental
Rapallo Rental
Lavagna Rental
More Info
Other Rental Locations
About Us & Disclosure
LEAVING CINQUE TERRE
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| Vernazza in the Cinque Terre CC by Alh1 |
Driving out of La Spezia is fairly easy and the autostrada routes from La Spezia south to Tuscany (A12) or from La Spezia east to Emilia-Romagna (A15) are very scenic and the traffic almost always light to moderate. The La Spezia autostrada entrance is on our La Spezia Car Rental Map.
Other possible car hire offices to the south are Lucca downtown (Avis, Europcar), Pisa downtown (Europcar, Hertz), Pisa suburban (Hertz at Ikea), and Viareggio (Avis, Europcar, Hertz).
See More Info below for addresses of these branches, or use a Rental Link under the La Spezia listings.
☞Heading West, Northwest. Going north to rent from Cinque Terre can make sense if your destination is Liguria, Piedmont (Turin), Val d'Aosta, most of France, or western Switzerland.* For your car hire, there are three choices. 1.) Rent in Genoa city or Genoa Airport 2.) Rent in Rapallo (Europcar) or Lavagna (Maggiore) 3.) Rent in La Spezia and backtrack a bit. Look below for details in each city.
The considerations are, 1.) Renting in Genoa center entails a transfer either by taxi or a 10-20 minute walk from Brignole train station. Renting at Genoa airport entails a transfer from the train stations either by Volabus (6E) or a taxi (15-25E). See our Genoa Car Rental Map. While you will have to drive out of this large city, you have the advantage of avoiding the section of autostrada between La Spezia and Genoa which also can be stressful. The city offices have Sat. hours, and the airport has Sat. & Sun. hours. 2.) Renting in Rapallo (Europcar) or Lavagna (Maggiore) provides a very easy transfer from the train, and takes you in the right direction. They're especially useful if you want a car to visit the Portofino peninsula area. 3.) Renting in La Spezia has a much easier transfer than Genoa if you want to rent from Avis, and a comparable transfer for the other companies, but you are also backtracking a bit.
* Dropping off an Italian rental car in a different country will incur a large extra charge.
Car Rental Tip_____________________________________________________________
Renting A Car in Italy. If you drive in urban areas at home, you can drive in Italy. Stick to well known rental companies. Some companies use low rental quotes as come-ons but they often lead to add-ons and worse. We have two articles to help:
Ourselves and many experienced travelers recommend the reputable car hire broker Auto Europe They allow you to compare several companies at once, get zero deductible (excess) insurance if needed, cancel easily, and have 24/7 English customer service.
If you will be renting a car, please consider our affiliate links (which do not affect the prices offered).
We may receive the standard internet commission for a click which results in a sale.
Ourselves and many experienced travelers recommend the reputable car hire broker Auto Europe They allow you to compare several companies at once, get zero deductible (excess) insurance if needed, cancel easily, and have 24/7 English customer service.
If you will be renting a car, please consider our affiliate links (which do not affect the prices offered).
We may receive the standard internet commission for a click which results in a sale.
LA SPEZIA
The car hire offices in La Spezia are spread around the city and only Avis is easily walked from the train station. See all the locations on our La Spezia Car Rental Map Note the hours: all are closed for lunch, Saturday afternoon and Sunday, except Avis is also closed on Saturday morning. Listed by distance from La Spezia's Centrale train station, they are:
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| Avis / Budget Car Rental, La Spezia |
La Spezia Car Rental Map
Located downtown next to the Hotel Genova, and near the central outdoor market, Avis/Budget is a level 10 minute walk from the train station - mostly on pedestrian streets. A taxi will cost about 8.00 Euro. Reaching it by bus is not an option. See our map for location or dropping off an Avis rental car. Note: Avis and Budget in Italy use the exact same cars - check both and take the lowest price!
Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00-12:30 / 15:30-19:00 Closed Sat. & Sun. (incredible but true).
Avis is our top choice for a rental car in Italy. They are professional, seem to have fewer complaints, and they do respond to customer disputes.
Rental Links:
Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00-12:30 / 15:30-19:00 Closed Sat. & Sun. (incredible but true).
Avis is our top choice for a rental car in Italy. They are professional, seem to have fewer complaints, and they do respond to customer disputes.
Rental Links:
Avis/Budget via AutoEurope (USA) Auto Europe(UK)
See About Us & Disclosures Below. These affiliate links do not affect prices.
☞Maggiore La Spezia Via 24 Maggio, 45 La Spezia Car Rental Map
See About Us & Disclosures Below. These affiliate links do not affect prices.
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| Maggiore Car Rental Office |
This office is a 25 minute walk from the train station or a taxi will cost 8-10 Euro. It's the nearest rental office to the cruise terminal. Note that Maggiore has few offices for drop-off in Tuscany.
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 08.30-12.30/14.30-19.00 Sat. 08.30-13.00 Sun. Closed
In our opinion, while generally reputable, Maggiore has had problems responding to customer complaints. Since it was purchased by Avis, we expect things will be improving.
A taxi will cost 10-12 Euro from the Centrale train station. It's about a 45 min. walk. La Spezia Centrale does have a luggage check facility (reopened July 2017).
Hours: Mon-Fri 08:30-12:30 / 14:30-18:30 Sat 08:30-12:30 Sun. Closed
In our opinion Europcar is, overall, a good rental car company in Italy, although individual branches can be lackadaisical toward customers or persnickety about alleged car damage. They do respond to customer complaints.
The bus stop near the Europcar office is "Campitelli". Bus schedule links can be found in our article Getting Around La Spezia.
See About Us & Disclosures Below. These affiliate links do not affect prices.
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Lerici, Portovenere, La Spezia. Visit Cinque Terre & enjoy the Gulf of the Poets as well.
Part 2 Liguria Hotel Guide & City Selector
Levanto, Bonassola, Moneglia, Sestri Levante, Lavagna, Chiavari. Visit both Cinque Terre & Portofino.
Part 3 Liguria Hotel Guide & City Selector
Rapallo, Santa Margherita, Portofino, Camogli, Recco. The Perfect Portofino Peninsula.
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Where the Heck are These Places?
GENOA City & Airport
Genoa Train. Arriving by train to Genoa, the choices are somewhat inconvenient. There are no major rental companies close to Genova Piazza Principe station (nor near the Cruise Port). Europcar, Hertz, and Maggiore are nearer to Genova Brignole station, but a 10-20 minute walk. Avis labels an office as 'Downtown', but it's really outside the airport!
☞Europcar Genoa City Via G.Casaregis 42/1 Genoa Car Rental Map
Mon-Fri 08:00-12:00 / 14:30-18:30 Sat 08:00-12:00 Sun. Closed
☞Hertz Genoa City Via Ruspoli 1/3 R Genoa Car Rental Map
Mon-Fri 0830-1900 Sat 0830-1230 Sun. Closed
☞Hertz at IKEA Luigi Perini 5
Hours: 24/7
Check for Hertz at AUTOEUROPE
☞Maggiore Genoa City C.so Sardegna 275r Genoa Car Rental Map
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 07.00-13.00/14.00-19.00 Sat. 07.00-13.00/15.00-19.00 Sun. Closed
Genoa Airport. At Genoa's Cristoforo Colombo airport the rental office hours include Saturday, Sunday and lunch. The companies include Avis/Budget, Hertz, Europcar, and Maggiore. To reach the airport from Brignole or Piazza Prinicipe train stations, use the AMT's Volabus which costs 6 Euro A Taxi will cost 20-25 Euro from Brignole Station and 15-20 Euro from Piazza Principe Station. We show these places on our Genoa Car Rental Map.
☞Avis at Genoa Airport
Hours are Mon - Fri 7:30 - 23:00 Sat. & Sun 8:30 - 23:00
☞Avis Near Genoa Airport Via Pionieri Aviatori D'Italia
Open Mon - Fri 8:30-13:30 and 14:00-17:00 We don't know why this office is here. Please tell us.
☞Hertz Genoa Airport
Monday-Sunday 8:00 - 23:00
Check for Hertz at AUTOEUROPE
☞Maggiore Genoa Airport
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 07.30-23.30 Sunday 08.00-23.30
Rapallo
☞Europcar Via Gen. A. La Marmora, 33 Rapallo
This office is just a 5 minute walk from the Rapallo train station.
Hours Mon-Fri 09:00-12:30 / 15:00-19:00 Sat 09:00-12:30 Sun. Closed
Lavagna
☞Avis(formerly Maggiore) Via Aurelia, 1 Lavagna
This office is on the Piazza just outside the train station.
Mon.-Fri. 08.30-12.30 14.30-19.00 Sat. 08.30-12.30 Sun. Closed
Check Avis/Budget through AutoEurope (USA)
More Info
Trenitalia (English) for train information. Trains might not show until a few weeks ahead, depending on the type of train and seasonal schedule changes. Use fake dates to see possibilities.
Autostrade Italia Plan your route, see traffic conditions & warnings, find tolls and rest stops.
IDP: International Driver's Permit Drivers from non-EU countries are required by Italian law to possess an official translation along with their driver's license. Car rental companies MAY decline to rent if you don't have one. The IDP should be obtained only from a vendor authorized by your country's Department of State. Other websites offering to supply one are fraudulent! In the USA, the authorized entity is the AAA. In Canada, it's the CAA. In Australia, they are issued by the States: SmartTraveller.gov.au.
Map Link: Where to Park for the Piazza dei Miracoli & the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Parcheggio di Piazza dei Miracoli 8, Via Vecchia di Barbaricina, 2, Pisa PI, Italy
ZTLs Made Easy. Be sure to learn about the restricted driving areas of Italian cities before you travel. This article Italian Limited Traffic Zones (ZTL) has all the info as well as maps of the Rome ZTL, Milan ZTL, Florence ZTL, and Pisa ZTL.
Maps. For driving around Italy, we recommend Touring Club Italiano (TCI) 1:200,000 paper maps, even if you will have a GPS or Smartphone App (or offline Google maps). It's more expensive (they're about $9. in Italy), but easier to buy the maps before you arrive, - here are Amazon links to some of the TCI maps. (See About Us & Disclosures below).
TCI Tuscany 1:200K TCI Liguria 1:200K TCI Veneto+ 1:200K TCI Umbria/Marche 1:200K
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Enjoy Your Visit to La Spezia, read our story: La Spezia Travel Guide: Top Ten Attractions
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Other Locations Mentioned
Lucca Downtown
☞Avis Viale San Concordio 404 Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-13:00 & 15:00-18:30 Sat 9:00-12:00
☞Europcar Viale Castracani 110 Hours: Mon-Sat 9:00-13:00 Mon-Fri 15:00-19:00
Pisa Downtown
☞Europcar Via Lungarno Sonnino 1 Hours: Mon-Sat 8:30-13:00 Mon-Fri 15:00-19:00
☞Hertz Via Cisanello 168 Hours: Mon-Fri 830-1230 & 1500-1830 Sat 830-1230
Pisa Suburban
☞Hertz Via Rino Ricci 8 (IKEA) Hours: 24/7
Viareggio Station Area & Downtown
☞Avis Via Aurelia Nord 101A (10 min. to train) Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-12:30 & 15:00-19:00 Sat. 9:00-12:30
☞Europcar Via Aurelia Nord 143 (10 min. to train) Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00-13:00 & 14:30-18:30 Sat. 8:30-12:00
☞Hertz Viale Marconi 107/A (at the shore) Hours: Mon-Fri 900-1200 1530-1830, Sat 900-1200
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Spring Weather & Holidays in Liguria When should you should visit? Answers on the left.
Getting to Portofino - Walking, Hiking and More Walk, Hike, Boat or Bus to famous Portofino.
Portovenere Travel Guide - The Top Ten Attractions All about beautiful nearby Portovenere.
Complete Summer Cinque Terre, Portovenere, La Spezia Boat / Ferry Schedules
A Guide to the Local Food around La Spezia Food of the Gulf area, including Cinque Terre.
Most Beautiful Villages of Liguria Part 7 Four Gulf villages including Tellaro, Montemarcello.
The Jewish Ghetto of Lerici An ordinary Ligurian street crowded with a unique history.
About Us & Disclosure
We are Martha and Mike from Boston - recently retired photo editors who enjoy travel, food, and helping people. We have visited Italy for three decades, and we live in Liguria part-time. We have no connection to the car rental or hotel industries, and we receive no payments or free stuff for our writing or opinions. As is internet convention, we receive the standard commission for clicks on many of the affiliate links that result in a purchase. Buon Viaggio.
We only list car rental companies with numerous branches in Italy that have - in our opinion - a reputation for fair dealing and reasonable customer support. We are not aware of any car rental companies in La Spezia that we have not listed.
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Photos credited 'CC by' are used via a Creative Commons copyright license thanks to community-minded photographers. They are not altered, and can be found on Flickr.
Written by Mike.
Ligurian Proverb: Ogni promessa e un debito. (Every promise is a debt.)
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 08.30-12.30/14.30-19.00 Sat. 08.30-13.00 Sun. Closed
In our opinion, while generally reputable, Maggiore has had problems responding to customer complaints. Since it was purchased by Avis, we expect things will be improving.
The bus stops near the Maggiore office are "Porta Rocca" and "Ospedale". Bus schedule links can be found in our article Getting Around La Spezia
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☞Hertz La Spezia Viale San Bartolomeo, 389 La Spezia Car Rental Map
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| Hertz Car Rental Office, Viale San Bartolomeo, La Spezia, |
A taxi will cost 10-12 Euro from the Centrale train station. It's about a 45 min. walk. La Spezia Centrale does have a luggage check facility (reopened in July 2017).
Hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1230 1430-1900, Sat 0900-1200, Sun closed.
Hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1230 1430-1900, Sat 0900-1200, Sun closed.
We think Hertz is a decent rental car company, although some branches have management issues. They do respond to customer complaints.
The bus stop near the Hertz office is "Vecchia Dorgia". Bus schedule links can be found in our article Getting Around La Spezia.
Check for Hertz at AUTOEUROPE
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☞Europcar La Spezia Viale San Bartolomeo, 515 La Spezia Car Rental Map
Check for Hertz at AUTOEUROPE
See About Us & Disclosures Below. These affiliate links do not affect prices.
☞Europcar La Spezia Viale San Bartolomeo, 515 La Spezia Car Rental Map
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| Europcar Rental Office, La Spezia. |
Hours: Mon-Fri 08:30-12:30 / 14:30-18:30 Sat 08:30-12:30 Sun. Closed
In our opinion Europcar is, overall, a good rental car company in Italy, although individual branches can be lackadaisical toward customers or persnickety about alleged car damage. They do respond to customer complaints.
The bus stop near the Europcar office is "Campitelli". Bus schedule links can be found in our article Getting Around La Spezia.
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Where To Stay to Visit Cinque Terre?
We list the Pluses & Minuses of all the towns nearby with Recommended Hotels.
Part 1 Liguria Hotel Guide & City SelectorLerici, Portovenere, La Spezia. Visit Cinque Terre & enjoy the Gulf of the Poets as well.
Part 2 Liguria Hotel Guide & City Selector
Levanto, Bonassola, Moneglia, Sestri Levante, Lavagna, Chiavari. Visit both Cinque Terre & Portofino.
Part 3 Liguria Hotel Guide & City Selector
Rapallo, Santa Margherita, Portofino, Camogli, Recco. The Perfect Portofino Peninsula.
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Where the Heck are These Places?
Our Liguria / Cinque Terre Map showing the all the Towns.
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| Piazza de Ferrari, Genoa CC by Turismo in Liguria |
Genoa Train. Arriving by train to Genoa, the choices are somewhat inconvenient. There are no major rental companies close to Genova Piazza Principe station (nor near the Cruise Port). Europcar, Hertz, and Maggiore are nearer to Genova Brignole station, but a 10-20 minute walk. Avis labels an office as 'Downtown', but it's really outside the airport!
☞Europcar Genoa City Via G.Casaregis 42/1 Genoa Car Rental Map
Mon-Fri 08:00-12:00 / 14:30-18:30 Sat 08:00-12:00 Sun. Closed
☞Hertz Genoa City Via Ruspoli 1/3 R Genoa Car Rental Map
Mon-Fri 0830-1900 Sat 0830-1230 Sun. Closed
☞Hertz at IKEA Luigi Perini 5
Hours: 24/7
Check for Hertz at AUTOEUROPE
☞Maggiore Genoa City C.so Sardegna 275r Genoa Car Rental Map
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 07.00-13.00/14.00-19.00 Sat. 07.00-13.00/15.00-19.00 Sun. Closed
Genoa Airport. At Genoa's Cristoforo Colombo airport the rental office hours include Saturday, Sunday and lunch. The companies include Avis/Budget, Hertz, Europcar, and Maggiore. To reach the airport from Brignole or Piazza Prinicipe train stations, use the AMT's Volabus which costs 6 Euro A Taxi will cost 20-25 Euro from Brignole Station and 15-20 Euro from Piazza Principe Station. We show these places on our Genoa Car Rental Map.
☞Avis at Genoa Airport
Hours are Mon - Fri 7:30 - 23:00 Sat. & Sun 8:30 - 23:00
☞Avis Near Genoa Airport Via Pionieri Aviatori D'Italia
Open Mon - Fri 8:30-13:30 and 14:00-17:00 We don't know why this office is here. Please tell us.
☞Europcar Genoa Airport
Mon-Fri 8:00-22:00 Sat 08:30-18:00 Sun 08:30-13:00 /14:00-18:00Monday-Sunday 8:00 - 23:00
Check for Hertz at AUTOEUROPE
☞Maggiore Genoa Airport
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 07.30-23.30 Sunday 08.00-23.30
☞Europcar Via Gen. A. La Marmora, 33 Rapallo
This office is just a 5 minute walk from the Rapallo train station.
Hours Mon-Fri 09:00-12:30 / 15:00-19:00 Sat 09:00-12:30 Sun. Closed
Lavagna
☞Avis(formerly Maggiore) Via Aurelia, 1 Lavagna
This office is on the Piazza just outside the train station.
Mon.-Fri. 08.30-12.30 14.30-19.00 Sat. 08.30-12.30 Sun. Closed
Check Avis/Budget through AutoEurope (USA)
More Info
Trenitalia (English) for train information. Trains might not show until a few weeks ahead, depending on the type of train and seasonal schedule changes. Use fake dates to see possibilities.
Autostrade Italia Plan your route, see traffic conditions & warnings, find tolls and rest stops.
IDP: International Driver's Permit Drivers from non-EU countries are required by Italian law to possess an official translation along with their driver's license. Car rental companies MAY decline to rent if you don't have one. The IDP should be obtained only from a vendor authorized by your country's Department of State. Other websites offering to supply one are fraudulent! In the USA, the authorized entity is the AAA. In Canada, it's the CAA. In Australia, they are issued by the States: SmartTraveller.gov.au.
Map Link: Where to Park for the Piazza dei Miracoli & the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Parcheggio di Piazza dei Miracoli 8, Via Vecchia di Barbaricina, 2, Pisa PI, Italy
ZTLs Made Easy. Be sure to learn about the restricted driving areas of Italian cities before you travel. This article Italian Limited Traffic Zones (ZTL) has all the info as well as maps of the Rome ZTL, Milan ZTL, Florence ZTL, and Pisa ZTL.
Maps. For driving around Italy, we recommend Touring Club Italiano (TCI) 1:200,000 paper maps, even if you will have a GPS or Smartphone App (or offline Google maps). It's more expensive (they're about $9. in Italy), but easier to buy the maps before you arrive, - here are Amazon links to some of the TCI maps. (See About Us & Disclosures below).
TCI Tuscany 1:200K TCI Liguria 1:200K TCI Veneto+ 1:200K TCI Umbria/Marche 1:200K
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Enjoy Your Visit to La Spezia, read our story: La Spezia Travel Guide: Top Ten Attractions
_________________________________________________________________________________
Other Locations Mentioned
Lucca Downtown
☞Avis Viale San Concordio 404 Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-13:00 & 15:00-18:30 Sat 9:00-12:00
☞Europcar Viale Castracani 110 Hours: Mon-Sat 9:00-13:00 Mon-Fri 15:00-19:00
Pisa Downtown
☞Europcar Via Lungarno Sonnino 1 Hours: Mon-Sat 8:30-13:00 Mon-Fri 15:00-19:00
☞Hertz Via Cisanello 168 Hours: Mon-Fri 830-1230 & 1500-1830 Sat 830-1230
Pisa Suburban
☞Hertz Via Rino Ricci 8 (IKEA) Hours: 24/7
Viareggio Station Area & Downtown
☞Avis Via Aurelia Nord 101A (10 min. to train) Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30-12:30 & 15:00-19:00 Sat. 9:00-12:30
☞Europcar Via Aurelia Nord 143 (10 min. to train) Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00-13:00 & 14:30-18:30 Sat. 8:30-12:00
☞Hertz Viale Marconi 107/A (at the shore) Hours: Mon-Fri 900-1200 1530-1830, Sat 900-1200
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Travelling beyond Liguria? Use this Booking.Com.Italy link for accommodation anywhere in Italy.
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Some of Our Area Stories
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Some of Our Area Stories
Getting to Portofino - Walking, Hiking and More Walk, Hike, Boat or Bus to famous Portofino.
Portovenere Travel Guide - The Top Ten Attractions All about beautiful nearby Portovenere.
Complete Summer Cinque Terre, Portovenere, La Spezia Boat / Ferry Schedules
A Guide to the Local Food around La Spezia Food of the Gulf area, including Cinque Terre.
Most Beautiful Villages of Liguria Part 7 Four Gulf villages including Tellaro, Montemarcello.
The Jewish Ghetto of Lerici An ordinary Ligurian street crowded with a unique history.
The Forgotten Villages of the Gulf of the Poets Hike to ancient abandoned villages above Lerici.
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| We help everyone, NY Yankees included. |
We are Martha and Mike from Boston - recently retired photo editors who enjoy travel, food, and helping people. We have visited Italy for three decades, and we live in Liguria part-time. We have no connection to the car rental or hotel industries, and we receive no payments or free stuff for our writing or opinions. As is internet convention, we receive the standard commission for clicks on many of the affiliate links that result in a purchase. Buon Viaggio.
We only list car rental companies with numerous branches in Italy that have - in our opinion - a reputation for fair dealing and reasonable customer support. We are not aware of any car rental companies in La Spezia that we have not listed.
___________________________________________________
Photos credited 'CC by' are used via a Creative Commons copyright license thanks to community-minded photographers. They are not altered, and can be found on Flickr.
Ligurian Proverb: Ogni promessa e un debito. (Every promise is a debt.)