Car rental in Reading

Compare & Save on car rental in Reading

Reading is sometimes known as the gateway to the Thames Valley. The town is actually situated at the confluence of the Rivers Thames and Kennet, and with its excellent transport links it makes an excellent base from which the visitor can explore the historic towns nearby and the Berkshire countryside. Being close to the M4 motorway and conveniently near Heathrow Airport there are also links to the West Country and into London on the Great Western mainline railway. Reading is a town of contrasts – a busy commercial centre with one of the highest concentrations of IT firms in Europe, and a popular shopping centre, alongside peaceful riverscapes and parks. The town hosts an annual beer festival, the largest in the UK, and a music festival which has grown in size and popularity every year. The University of Reading was established in the late 19th century and is now ranked amongst the top 1% of universities in the world.

Things to do in Reading

The town has a wide variety of attractions to suit every visitor – with the ruins of the historic Reading Abbey, founded in the 12th century, providing a focus in the centre of the town, a fascinating Museum of English Rural Life with fun and interactive displays for every age group, and for the more technically minded a Museum of Berkshire Aviation. The Hexagon offers a wide-ranging programme of entertainment, including Rock, Pop, comedy and classical music.

Top 3 Must See: Reading

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  Museum of English Rural Life

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  Basildon Park, restored 18th century mansion

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  Windsor Castle

For tourists who want to enjoy the river, there are opportunities to hire a boat or to walk a stretch of the Thames Path. The surrounding towns and villages more than repay a visit, and arranging car rental to allow you to range more freely will make a visit extra special. Close by is the town of Henley-on-Thames famous for its annual regatta and historic pubs and eating places. The pretty village of Cookham is best known for the artist Sir Stanley Spencer having lived there all his life, and including its scenery as background in many of his paintings. The annual ceremony of “swan upping” also takes place on the river here – literally, the counting of the swans. Windsor, with its magnificent castle, still the residence of royalty, is an easy 20 mile drive on the M4 motorway.

Drive Around Reading

Finding the best value deals for car rental in Reading with GoCarRental.com will mean you have the funds to enjoy some of England’s best eateries in the area, including Heston Blumenthal’s restaurants. Reading has a well-signed through road and a pedestrian area in the centre of town. A short drive brings you to the M4, with numerous links to attractions in the area, whether it’s Windsor, or the necklace of villages running beside the Thames from Streatley to Goring-on-Thames off junction 12 of the motorway.