There are quite a few “fly and drive” vacation packages for Italy available right now, and while I personally think some of them are kind of crazy (driving in Rome? are you nuts?), others are fabulous deals. And who knows, maybe you’re one of those crazy people who actually wants to drive in Rome. So, here are a few of the Italy fly & drive deals I’ve found lately.

• From Go-today.com we have a 7-night package that includes round-trip airfare to Rome plus the rental of an economy 2-door manual car from Hertz for as little as $859 per person for two people. With four people, you could get that down to $769 apiece, but my guess is you’d then have trouble fitting into a 2-door economy car… You’ll need to book this trip by August 21, and travel between November 1 and December 11. Trips outside that date are available, too, for an additional fee. The lowest fares are available from JFK or EWR airports (other cities available for an additional fee). The prices quoted don’t include some taxes, surcharges, and fees.
• From EuropeASAP.com there’s another Rome-based fly & drive package – this one is for 6 nights and includes round-trip airfare to Rome plus a 7-day economy car rental starting at $889 per person for two people. Also included is a free Italy road map – wahoo! You’ll need to book this trip by September 8, and travel before March 19, 2009, though some dates are blackout dates. The prices quoted don’t include some taxes, surcharges, and fees.
• EuropeASAP.com has another fly & drive deal, but this one makes the most sense to me – it’s a 6-night trip to Tuscany with a 7-day economy car rental that includes round-trip airfare to Florence. It’s a smaller airport, and driving around Tuscany is bliss (as compared to driving through Rome). This one also starts at $889 per person for two people, and you’ll also get the free Italy road map with this deal. You’ll need to book this trip by September 8, and travel before March 19, 2009, though there are some blackout dates between now and then. The prices quoted don’t include some taxes, surcharges, and fees.

As mentioned, I’m partial to the third deal listed here, if only because driving through Tuscany is actually enjoyable whereas driving through Rome is decidedly not. But if you’re planning to fly into Rome and immediately drive South to spend a week on the Amalfi Coast, or if you really just like the stress and chaos of driving in a city like Rome, then the other two deals are fantastic, too. Just remember to read all the deal details for each of these before you book.