Car rental companies in Sorrento, Italy
Feb 25th, 2008, 08:34 PM
#1
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Car rental companies in Sorrento, Italy
I want to rent a car for 1-2 days while in Sorrento and drive down the Amalfi Coast.
The cheapest rate I can find is Europcar.com at ~$130 a day. Argus rental is ~130euros (~$200 a day). I also searched Auto Europe and Kemwel, and they both said "no car available" for mid April.
I wonder if I am doing my search wrong (why "no car" at Auto Europe site). Does anyone know if Europcar at $130 is the cheapest?
The cheapest rate I can find is Europcar.com at ~$130 a day. Argus rental is ~130euros (~$200 a day). I also searched Auto Europe and Kemwel, and they both said "no car available" for mid April.
I wonder if I am doing my search wrong (why "no car" at Auto Europe site). Does anyone know if Europcar at $130 is the cheapest?
Feb 26th, 2008, 01:34 AM
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Hi John - Have you tried Sixt, Maggiore, Avis, Hertz ...
http://www.sixt.com/main/car-rental/...ento/index.php
www.maggiore.it
www.avisautonoleggio.it
www.hertz.it
Hope this helps ...
Steve
http://www.sixt.com/main/car-rental/...ento/index.php
www.maggiore.it
www.avisautonoleggio.it
www.hertz.it
Hope this helps ...
Steve
Feb 26th, 2008, 08:00 AM
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Steve - thank you so much for the information!!! Hertz and Avis are much cheaper that Europcar!! This is what I found out, based on just one day rental of "city car" or compact (April 25 9am to April 26, 9 am):
1) www.hertz.it
starts at 50e (range ~50-70e)
2) www.avisautonoleggio.it
starts at 63e (range 63-90e)
3) www.maggiore.it
Closed Sat & Sun. I have not been able to get a price because the website does not seem to work well even when I entered wed or thursday rental
4) http://www.sixt.com/main/car-rental/...ento/index.php
Also have problem with getting a quote, but they do have Alfa Romeo for 128e a day!!
5) www.Europcar.com
Starts at 102e a day.
Although 50e (= $75US) is about 2.5x more than what I would pay in US for a mid-size car, it is very good compared to the other prices (Europcar) I previously got. Based on the above I will probably rent from Hertz or Avis. Their basic car is small (Fiat Panda) but for 2 people we don't need a big car to drive in the Amalfi Coast!
Thanks again Steve!!
Hope this helps ...
1) www.hertz.it
starts at 50e (range ~50-70e)
2) www.avisautonoleggio.it
starts at 63e (range 63-90e)
3) www.maggiore.it
Closed Sat & Sun. I have not been able to get a price because the website does not seem to work well even when I entered wed or thursday rental
4) http://www.sixt.com/main/car-rental/...ento/index.php
Also have problem with getting a quote, but they do have Alfa Romeo for 128e a day!!
5) www.Europcar.com
Starts at 102e a day.
Although 50e (= $75US) is about 2.5x more than what I would pay in US for a mid-size car, it is very good compared to the other prices (Europcar) I previously got. Based on the above I will probably rent from Hertz or Avis. Their basic car is small (Fiat Panda) but for 2 people we don't need a big car to drive in the Amalfi Coast!
Thanks again Steve!!
Hope this helps ...
Mar 3rd, 2008, 08:06 AM
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Sometimes what you are looking for ... is right under your feet/nose!
I have been researching rental car prices on many Italian website, including Hertz.It, Avisaunoleggio.It etc. etc.
- since I couldn't come up with anything using the Europcar website, I went instead into the Europcar UK link, and bingo!! the cars are available. Then I thought since I live in NA I would go to the NA link. Now no cars are available. So I called the North American agent listed in their website, and he told me that not all the area web branch have the same cars. But he said he could go into the UK site and reserve the car for me!!
- then it occured to me that Avis, Hertz, Budget etc. etc have worldwide reservation 1-800 numbers, so I tried that too, and yes, it is much easier to book the car through the world-wide 1-800 number (at least there is no language barrier!!). However the price is still a little bit higher than the local Italian websites.
- Now the last thing is that I book through the www.avis.com website since I have an Avis Wizard membership number - and you know what? the price is cheaper than calling the Avis 1-800 agent, and cheaper than the Sorrento Avis website. I also do not have to give them my credit card number to reserve the car!!
I have been researching rental car prices on many Italian website, including Hertz.It, Avisaunoleggio.It etc. etc.
- since I couldn't come up with anything using the Europcar website, I went instead into the Europcar UK link, and bingo!! the cars are available. Then I thought since I live in NA I would go to the NA link. Now no cars are available. So I called the North American agent listed in their website, and he told me that not all the area web branch have the same cars. But he said he could go into the UK site and reserve the car for me!!
- then it occured to me that Avis, Hertz, Budget etc. etc have worldwide reservation 1-800 numbers, so I tried that too, and yes, it is much easier to book the car through the world-wide 1-800 number (at least there is no language barrier!!). However the price is still a little bit higher than the local Italian websites.
- Now the last thing is that I book through the www.avis.com website since I have an Avis Wizard membership number - and you know what? the price is cheaper than calling the Avis 1-800 agent, and cheaper than the Sorrento Avis website. I also do not have to give them my credit card number to reserve the car!!
Mar 3rd, 2008, 09:05 AM
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John thanks for posting the details. Since you do not have to pay in advance I may also book a car for a day in late April. We could always cancel..I suppose, if we change our minds upon arrival.
But, alas, I/we need an automatic and I fear the price will jump quite a bit if indeed they have these available... must check this out soon...
We will likely see you speeding past us on the curves!
Thanks again!
But, alas, I/we need an automatic and I fear the price will jump quite a bit if indeed they have these available... must check this out soon...
We will likely see you speeding past us on the curves!
Thanks again!
Mar 3rd, 2008, 03:39 PM
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Ekscrunchy:
Looks like we may be at the Amalfi Coast at about the same time!!! we will arrive on Apr24 taking the Marozzi bus, and depart on Apr 29 back to Rome and onto Lisbon.
All these talks about scary driving in the Amalfi Coast, I did manage to find a video for others to judge for themselves:
http://www.travelistic.com/video/sho...i-Coast,-Italy
Slowtravel does say that it is "scary" to drive around Ravello (steep, winding and narrow roads), but I do want to try the Aqua Passa restaurant in Cetara, but that means going through Ravello; so at this point we won't decide until we've gone to Positano to see how we feel and whether we want to continue on completing the circuit.
Looks like we may be at the Amalfi Coast at about the same time!!! we will arrive on Apr24 taking the Marozzi bus, and depart on Apr 29 back to Rome and onto Lisbon.
All these talks about scary driving in the Amalfi Coast, I did manage to find a video for others to judge for themselves:
http://www.travelistic.com/video/sho...i-Coast,-Italy
Slowtravel does say that it is "scary" to drive around Ravello (steep, winding and narrow roads), but I do want to try the Aqua Passa restaurant in Cetara, but that means going through Ravello; so at this point we won't decide until we've gone to Positano to see how we feel and whether we want to continue on completing the circuit.
Mar 5th, 2008, 04:49 AM
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John we want to try the same restaurant! And we will be there at the same time. We arrive on Sunday the 27th and stay until that Friday when we will go to Naples...
I forgot..which town are you staying in? We will be in Amalfi..
I forgot..which town are you staying in? We will be in Amalfi..
Mar 5th, 2008, 12:36 PM
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We'll be staying in San Agnello at the Hotel Mediterraneo. 10 mins walk from the San Agnello Circumvesuviana train station, but close enough to Sorrento, which I think would be quite "central" if we want to go to Capri, or Naples, or Pompeii, or the Amalfi Coast.
The Aqua Passa restaurant in Cetara is a "thought" because I really love anchovies and wonder if the anchovie sauce is similar to the Vietnamese fish sauce (nuoc mam). However my partner dislikes anchovies (especially the canned, salty one) and he always try to hide the canned anchovies I bought at the Italian market, although he never complained whenever I make orecchiette con cime di rapa (rappini)!
The Aqua Passa restaurant in Cetara is a "thought" because I really love anchovies and wonder if the anchovie sauce is similar to the Vietnamese fish sauce (nuoc mam). However my partner dislikes anchovies (especially the canned, salty one) and he always try to hide the canned anchovies I bought at the Italian market, although he never complained whenever I make orecchiette con cime di rapa (rappini)!
Mar 5th, 2008, 12:48 PM
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I think that the anchovies will be served alone and also blended into dishes as you do with the cima di rape. But not as strong as the nuoc mam!!! I thought nuoc mam could also be made with squid...is that true?? (I just returned from a wonderful trip to Vietnam a few weeks ago and developed an obsession with the food there!!)
If you can wade through this, I believe there is lots of information on the anchovies of Cetara and the garum which is made from them in the post linked below:
I had to laugh to think of him hiding the cans of anchovies!!! I sneak them into vegetable dishes and sauces once in a while and have to make sure there is no lingering smell or else I will be the only one eating in my house!
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34967038
If you can wade through this, I believe there is lots of information on the anchovies of Cetara and the garum which is made from them in the post linked below:
I had to laugh to think of him hiding the cans of anchovies!!! I sneak them into vegetable dishes and sauces once in a while and have to make sure there is no lingering smell or else I will be the only one eating in my house!
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34967038
Mar 5th, 2008, 04:34 PM
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"Garum" - fish sauce that dates back to old Roman recipes can be made from various fish including mackerel, tuna or even eel. The fish sauce "colatura" is a specialty of Cetara, made only from anchovies and so is similar to that of the south-Asian (especially Thai and Vietnamese) fish sauce also made usually from anchovies.
So Colatura is a type of Garum. I may be wrong, but Garum can be made in many places in Italy, but Colatura is a Cetara specialty.
When you said ".. could also be made from squid . is it true?" I believe the "squid" came into the picture because a particular Thai fish sauce is considered one of the best, and the bottle has the picture of a squid. But the "Squid" is the Brand name, rather than meaning that there is squid component in the sauce.
So Colatura is a type of Garum. I may be wrong, but Garum can be made in many places in Italy, but Colatura is a Cetara specialty.
When you said ".. could also be made from squid . is it true?" I believe the "squid" came into the picture because a particular Thai fish sauce is considered one of the best, and the bottle has the picture of a squid. But the "Squid" is the Brand name, rather than meaning that there is squid component in the sauce.
Mar 6th, 2008, 04:15 AM
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Johnmango: Thank you for the excellent info. I know the three squids brand of fish sauce because that is usually the one I have in my house. But I was surprised recently, while watching a tv show (Andrew Zimmern) in which he visited a fish sauce factory in Cat Ba and then had a tasting in a restaurant (I think it was in Haiphong). And after tasting, he commented that the finest, lightest fish sauces use squid and not anchovies. I know next to nothing about the subject.. I thought it was very interesting that you thought of the link between Cetara and the fish sauce in the first place!!
