Low-cost car rental Reading - from 9€/day

Reading is a medieval market town in Berkshire, England, located in the Thames Valley at the junction of the Thames and Kennet rivers. It is located 40 miles east of Swindon, 25 miles south of Oxford, 40 miles west of London, 15 miles north of Basingstoke, 13 miles southwest of Maidenhead, and 15 miles east of Newbury on the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway.

Reading dates back to the eighth century. It was an important trade and religious center in the Middle Ages, the location of Reading Abbey, one of medieval England's largest and richest monasteries with strong royal ties, the site of which the 12th-century abbey doorway and considerable old remains still exist. Reading was the largest town in Berkshire and ranked ninth in England in terms of taxable value by 1525. The English Civil War had a severe impact on the town, with a massive siege and loss of trade, but it played a crucial part in the Revolution of 1688, with the sole substantial military engagement taking place on its streets. The 18th century witnessed the establishment of a significant ironworks in the town, as well as the expansion of the brewing trade, for which Reading would become famous. The Great Western Railway arrived in the nineteenth century, bringing with it the growth of the town's brewing, baking, and seed producing enterprises, and the town expanded swiftly as an industrial center.

Reading is a significant business center, particularly for information technology and insurance. It is also a regional shopping center that serves a major portion of the Thames Valley, as well as the home of the University of Reading. It holds the Reading Festival, one of England's largest music festivals, every year. Reading Football Club and Reading Hockey Club are among its sporting teams, while the Reading Half Marathon attracts over 15,000 runners each year.