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Search for the best car hire deals in Coventry
Once you've inspected the ruins of Coventry's cathedral and admired its surviving timber-framed cottages, head out to explore the West Midlands by hire car. Ancient castles, rolling hills and Shakespeare's birthplace await in the heart of England – not to mention a rather famous chocolate factory.
Hiring a car in Coventry city centre
A handful of companies offer cheap car hire in Coventry, with branches of Avis, Budget and Hertz located just inside the northern edge of the city's notorious Ring Road (the A4053). Enterprise and Thrifty have branches in the north of Coventry, which are convenient if you want to make a swift exit on to the M6.
Fast facts about hiring a car from Birmingham International Airport
Coventry no longer has its own passenger airport, but it's only a 10-mile (16-kilometre) drive to Birmingham International Airport (BHX) where you can pick up a hire car. If you're flying into Birmingham Airport, rent a car and drive to Coventry in as little as 15 minutes.
The airport's convenient location, to the southeast of Birmingham, means it's a straightforward drive to Coventry. Airport Way connects directly to the A45 dual carriageway, which runs all the way into the city centre of Coventry. After a few minutes of driving past open fields you'll hit the city's north-eastern suburbs.
Several car hire companies operate at Birmingham International Airport, including Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt. Having cleared security, you'll find the rental desks in the arrivals lounge between Costa and Wrapchic. Vehicle collection points are next to the entrance of Car Park 4, a five-minute walk from the terminal. Car rental companies at Birmingham International Airport include:
- Avis (Tel: +44344 544 6013)
- Budget (Tel: +44344 544 4602)
- Enterprise (Tel: +44121 782 9030)
- Europcar (Tel: +44371 384 3423)
- Hertz (Tel: +44843 309 3005)
- Sixt (Tel: +44844 499 3399)
Driving in Coventry city centre
Perched high above the inner city on concrete stilts, Coventry's distinctive Ring Road divides opinion. Whether it's the congestion, tricky slipways or unusual 'keep right' instructions, the A4053 can be daunting for first-time users. Still, if you're confident enough with your navigation – bringing a satnav or GPS-enabled smartphone will help – the 40mph dual carriageway provides ready access to the attractions of the West Midlands.
The city centre of Coventry is best avoided. Its long-established pedestrian zone is perfectly admirable, but it causes access issues for road users. The post-WWII rebuilding effort went all-in on no-traffic zones, one-way streets and cul-de-sacs, meaning you're at risk of driving around in circles.
Luckily, most of the city's pay-and-display parking is close to the ring road. You'll find spacious multi-storey car parks at the Skydome Arena, Barracks Way and West Orchards, among other sites. As an incentive to try out Coventry's nightlife and theatres, the city's 450 on-street parking bays are free to use between 6pm and 8am.
Recommended day trips from Coventry
Warwick Castle and Leamington Spa
Driving time: 25 minutes
Warwick Castle is one of England's finest medieval fortresses. This historic stronghold looks out over Warwickshire's county town – a place of cobbles, churches and timber frames – from a tall sandstone cliff above the River Avon. You can explore the towers, turrets, battlements and Great Hall, before heading to the Horrible Histories Maze and Castle Dungeon. It's only a 3.5-mile (5.5-kilometre) drive to Leamington Spa from Warwick, which is known for its wide boulevards and Regency architecture. The town's main attractions are its 19th-century bathhouse, now home to a museum and art gallery, and the landscaped Jephson Gardens.
Stratford-upon-Avon
Driving time: 30 minutes
With its attractive canal basin and riverside setting, charming gardens and higgledy-piggledy Tudor buildings, Stratford-upon-Avon has plenty to catch the eye, though as the birthplace of William Shakespeare, the great playwright's enduring presence dominates the town. His literary work is brought to life by The RSC at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. You can visit five other Stratford properties with Shakespeare connections, including his birthplace, Anna Hathaway’s Cottage, and his mother Mary Arden’s farm – the last proving the most fun for kids.
Bournville and Cadbury World
Driving time: One hour
On a trip to leafy Bournville, most people make a beeline for Cadbury World – don't feel too guilty if you do the same. Rich, gooey, chocolate heritage seeps through the walls of this famous factory, the birthplace of Dairy Milk, Wispa and Flake. Still, there's more to the model village of Bournville than this popular chocolate-filled attraction. Take a look around the village, which was built to provide better housing for the Cadbury workforce. It's a serene haven of tree-lined avenues, mock-timber houses, parks and open spaces, and - over a century after the teetotal Quakers laid the foundations - you still can't order a pint.