If you hire a car in the city of Exeter you’ll find yourself driving into the ancient county town of Devon. This is an attractive rural area of the west of England famed for its lush rolling hills, dark red soil and pretty thatched cottages. It’s the only British county with two separate coastlines, both of which are big draws for tourists. Exeter itself is in the south east of the county, ten miles up the River Exe from the sea, but serves as a major transport hub. The southwest’s main airport is eight miles to the east and the city has easy access to the M5 motorway.
With Exeter car rental it’s easy to explore this compact city. The old city centre is on a hill to the east of the river Exe; the magnificent gothic cathedral is at the heart of this old quarter. The Cathedral’s West front is one of the iconic sights of the west. The ancient buildings surrounding it in the Cathedral Close are worth seeing too. Elsewhere you can visit an extraordinary network of underground passages dating back to the Roman era, as well as segments of the old Roman city wall, built from the distinctive local red sandstone.