Thanks to cheap car hire and low-cost airlines, it is now possible to travel in complete freedom and not worry too much about the expenses. Due to improved mapping systems and satellite navigation, exploring the world off your own back has never been easier and is available to all who hold a valid drivers’ licence. If you choose, you can avoid big cities and get to know the country you’re visiting in your own unique way, and get to know it more intimately. It’s entirely up to you.

Let’s take a trip through the Italian regions of Liguria and Tuscany as an example

Image by IK's World Trip

Bypassing the bustling seaport of Genoa, you can drive, at your own pace, down the scenic and meandering coastal route. Some sections are mountainous; others dip to seaside villages where you can wind down your windows and breathe in the salt air. The roads will be quiet, especially in comparison to the nearby autostrada. An off-peak visit (perhaps in early-spring or autumn) will award a rare tranquillity to coastal resorts and popular areas such as the five villages of the Cinque Terra. Tourists flock there in summer and it’s easy to see why. Each town holds a unique, medieval charm. Yet they also seem as one, connected: not just by the popular hiking-trails linking one to the next, but in their daintiness, colourful architecture and rustic aura. With the benefit of having your own vehicle, you can park at Monterosso and walk the trails whilst they’re not overly crowded, or enjoy regional specialities, such as Pesto alla Genovese, in peaceful restaurants.

In Tuscany, why not try somewhere other than the regular tourist destinations (Florence, Pisa…) Head for somewhere like Pistoia: a lesser-known city nestled under the shadow of the Apennines. Despite being the capital of its province, it is blessed with the constant hush of a small village. The majority of Pistoia’s activity – daytime markets, evening dining – takes place in its main square, the picturesque Piazza del Duomo. Take a seat in a restaurant with views over Florence to one side, the mists of the Apennines to the other. Now is the time to delve into the beauty of Tuscan cuisine and do so at a much cheaper price than you would find in the big cities. Pistoians value traditional methods and culinary finesse. The ever-flourishing agriturismo and ‘slow-cooking’ movements began in Tuscany – as well as in Umbria, its neighbouring region. Dining here is a sort of practical lingering, a meditation on taste. Dining is as it should be. Fill yourself to the brim, wash it down with red wine and top it off with fine espresso or perhaps some other digestif. Just remember not to drink too much; there are more roads to be travelled in the morning.

These are a couple of suggestions, ideas of the type of places you might wish to visit. But remember: car hire allows you to create your own holiday so be creative. Your destination is yours to explore, in your own time.