Car & Van Hire - Erbusco

Like most Italian towns, Erbusco has plenty of old buildings and historic monuments for visitors to admire. There are no fewer than three castles within 10 km of the town centre. Castello Quistini, which dates back to 1500, has a beautiful botanical garden. It's at its best in the spring and summer when the flowers are blooming, creating the perfect background for a stroll. The older and more imposing Castello Oldofredi has over a millennium of history and played an important role in regional conflicts.

Perhaps the most beautiful castle in the area is Castello Di Clusane Sul Lago. This overlooks Lake Iseo, so as you walk through its grounds, you can enjoy stunning views across the water. Once a key strategic point for the Republic of Venice today, it is one of the area's top attractions.

With car hire in Erbusco, you can also take a day trip to the nearby town of Ome. This charming village has plenty of concealed treasure to enjoy. At the Museo il Maglio Averoldi, you can inspect an original 15th-century forge, still with a working water wheel. It allows you to see how artisans and tradesmen carried out their crafts in centuries gone by. Another museum worth visiting is the Casa Museo Pietro Malossi. This is an eclectic private collection that includes a wide range of exhibits, such as artwork, vintage weapons and beautifully-preserved pieces of furniture. The 16th-century Santuario Maddona dell'Avello, perched on a hill overlooking the town, is one of the most important religious sites in the area. Be sure to go inside, as the interior walls are covered with exquisite frescoes.

Of course, car or van hire in Erbusco will also allow you to go further afield. Many visitors choose to spend a day or more visiting the chic city of Milan, famous across the world for its spectacular architecture and incredible history. While in the area, you should also make sure you indulge in some of the delicious local food. The region of Lombardy is particularly famous for polenta. This hearty grain makes a great accompaniment to all kinds of meat, fish or vegetable dishes. It's eaten in a number of different ways. Try it paired with osso buco, the famous stew from Milan, for a satisfying meal that will leave you full of energy to explore. Lombardy is also the home of stracciatella gelato, the delicious chocolate-studded flavour that has become a favourite worldwide.

Whenever you are driving in an Italian town or city, keep a look out for the ZTL. These limited traffic zones are designed to keep the historic centres free from cars. If you accidentally drive across the limits, you'll be subject to a fine. Times and restrictions vary between cities – and in some cases, the same city can have multiple ZTLs, each with its own timetable. You'll want to familiarise yourself with the telltale sign, a white circle outlined in red. This marks the entry point to a ZTL, so don't cross it unless you are absolutely sure.

Erbusco is a very small town, so traffic is not a serious concern. If you are driving to Milan, you can expect to encounter traffic. To avoid it, try driving outside of rush hour. Traffic flows towards the city centre in the morning, peaking at about 08:00. It moves away from the city in the evening, with the worst jams between 17:00 and 18:00.

On-street parking is available in Erbusco and in many of the other small towns in the area. Keep an eye out for the colour of the parking space. Blue parking spaces are pay and display, while white lines indicate a free spot. You will usually find a parking meter available for pay and display, but in some small towns, they are nowhere to be seen. In this case, go inside the nearest bar or tobacco shop, as you will usually be able to pay for your parking there.

If you are parking on the street, take care with your wing mirrors. Many of the streets in this area are very narrow, so you should tuck your mirrors as you leave your vehicle. When driving in quiet towns, you should also pay attention to petrol stations. In rural and semi-rural areas, they are often closed from 13:00 to 16:00 and all day Sunday. You will always find petrol stations open on highways and in large cities.

When driving to Milan or other large cities, there are some toll roads to keep in mind. In general, you will find toll roads across Italy, on the highways that link major cities. If you want to avoid them, look for roads marked SS (strade statali). These are smaller roads without tolls that will take you on less direct routes to your destination. Don't be surprised if you have to share the road with agricultural vehicles.

When driving outside urban areas in Italy, make sure to keep your headlights on at all times. It is a legal requirement.