Car & Van Hire - Ferno-Varese

Ferno-Varese is a small town near Milan, best known as the location of the city's main airport. It's located about halfway between Milan and Varese, so it's a good base if you'd like to visit either or both of these cities. You can pick up your rental car at the airport and start right away. Milan is about 40 km away to the southeast, while Varese is 35 km to the north.

Car hire in Ferno-Varese is a great way of exploring the city of Milan. World-famous for centuries, Milan is synonymous with art, culture and style. It's also a major draw for football fans and lovers of gourmet food. In short, it has something for everyone. Whatever your reason for visiting Milan, don't miss the chance to see the Duomo. This mighty cathedral is the city's most important monument. Visitors can climb to the top for stunning views across the skyline. It's traditional to take the stairs, but in recent years an elevator has been added for greater accessibility.

While in Milan, you also have the chance to see one of the world's best-known paintings. Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper is on the wall of the dining room inside Santa Maria delle Grazie, a former Dominican convent. From the exterior, this building may not look as impressive as some of Milan's other historic sites, but the painting is truly breathtaking.

With car or van hire in Ferno-Varese, you can also visit the nearby city of Varese. Here you'll find the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Isolino Virginia, one of the oldest pile-dwelling settlements in the Alps. As well as having plenty of historical interest, it's also a great place to visit if you're a nature lover. It has become a sanctuary for migrating birds, and many species can be seen here.

In the heart of the city, you'll find Palazzo Estense, known as "Little Versailles". It was originally built as a home for aristocrats, but today it houses Varese's Town Hall. Parts of the building are open to the public, and their grand marble walls and beautiful fireplaces are well worth a look. This palace has immaculate gardens, which today are open as a public park.

Of course, no trip to Italy would be complete without trying out the local cuisine. This part of the country is famous for polenta and risotto, so loosen your belt and get ready to indulge! Minestrone soup is also a popular local favourite. This hearty broth will give you the energy you need to explore.

You won't find much traffic in Ferno-Varese itself, but things are a bit different when you head into the city. Milan is a major economic centre, attracting commuters from all over the surrounding region. You can expect heavy rush hour traffic, so it's best to plan your trip at off-peak times. There is less traffic in Varese, which is a much smaller and quieter city.

Like almost all Italian cities, both Milan and Varese have ZTLs. These limited traffic zones are a familiar sight for visitors to Italy and are sometimes the source of serious headaches. A ZTL is a largely pedestrianised zone designed to reduce traffic in the historic centre of an Italian city. If you drive into one without a permit, you will be subject to a fine. The system is complicated by the fact that each city sets up its own ZTL with its own rules, timetable and so on. What's more, some cities have multiple ZTLs, each with a separate timetable. This is true for Milan, which has separate Zone B and Zone C ZTL areas. Check your route carefully before you start driving into the city.

You should familiarise yourself with the sign that marks the entry to a ZTL, which is a white circle outlined in red. As ZTLs are controlled by cameras rather than physical barriers, it is unfortunately quite easy to drive into one by mistake. It's usually a good idea to park your car on the outskirts of the city centre and continue on foot. Watch out for on-street parking: if it is marked with blue lines, you will need to pay and display, but if the lines are white, it is free. It's often easier to find a large car park, particularly if you plan to spend all day in the city.

When driving outside a city in Italy, you are legally obliged to keep your headlights on at all times, even in broad daylight. You'll find many different options to get between cities. If you are driving on an Italian highway, you may have to pay a toll. To avoid this, look for roads marked as SS or strade statali. These are older roads. It will take you longer to get to your destination, but you won't need to pay any tolls along the way.