Anyone driven from Rome to Siena?
 

Should we pick up our car in Rome and drive to Siena or take the bus to Siena (our base for several days) and pick up our car there? Anyone done this drive? Obviously we won't be driving in Rome itself, but unsure as to whether we should pick up our car on the outskirts of the city and drive ourselves or not.

We picked up our car at the airport and drove up the coast to Tarquinia (the Etruscan museum and the tombs should not be missed), and from there went inland. There are a lot of things to see between Rome and Siena which would not be a convenient day's drive from Siena.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...7622914974923/

We picked up our rental car at the Termini in Rome (I know people are gasping at this comment!!!). We used a GPS and it really wasn't that difficult to get out of the city. We went to Montalcino, but then visited many of the hill towns including Siena. I think it would be a wonderful drive!!

I would add to Michael's suggestions :

Monte Argentario with its 1950s resorts with are very stylish or the Natural Park at Alberese which has some of the most beautiful coastal walks in Italy.

In short hire in Rome and drive.

If you are spending a few days in Rome first, I would just bus to Siena and pick up the car there (unless you plan to visit some places between the two).

We did the drive from the airport to Siena on arrival day. Total disaster. Overnight flight. Huge delay on flight that connected from Heathrow. Exhausted, hungry, driving at night, lost getting to Siena and then into Siena (I think we circled 5 times!)... My husband did the driving and he said it was the worst experience he's ever had in Europe. If you are spending a few days in Rome first, that's a different story.

Good point Suz!
We will have been in Rome for 3 days so hopefully jet lag will have receded to the point we can cope with the challenge.

SuzChicago,
I had to laugh at "(I think we circled 5 times!)" We were getting dizzy just going through all the round abouts!
Ken

We stopped overnight in Tarquinia when we picked up the car at the airport.

Do not take the SS 2 (Via Cassia) from Rome to Siena.

Take the A1 and then cut across on the free 4 lane motorway around Bettole (nr Chianciano Terme) to reach Siena.

Click on my name to read my Oct 2010 trip report, wh includes our ghastly drive, Fiumicino to Montepulciano.

Basically, first 40 miles out of Rome on SS2 are fine.

S Tuscany portion of SS2 is also lovely and picturesque.

But the part in the middle is a horror -- a totally degrading motoring horror.

I don't know how I had forgotten what that road was like. But I did and we paid for it. In spades. And we were NOT jet-lagged -- we'd just got off a 1 hour flight from Puglia.

I re-read my trip report -- it bears reposting here:
________________

Traffic is moving quickly on the motorway toward Rome, ditto on the west side of the Gran Raccordo Annulare. Only once are we slowed by the apparently decade-long reconstruction of the GRA: Traffic has to merge to go from the wide new lanes through the constriction of a soon-to-be-replaced tunnel.

My memories of bumper-to-bumper crawls along the GRA appear to be a thing of the past -- good news for those heading to FCO with an early flight to catch. (That’ll be us, on November 1.)

It is now 5:30 PM and I am keenly aware that nightfall comes soon. I don’t want to be stuck on back-roads in the dark -- yet I do not want to take the dull A1 motorway if I can avoid it. A brilliant compromise suggests itself: Take the Via Cassia as far as Orvieto, then take the A1 the rest of the way, in the dark. Surely we can be at Orvieto by 6:45 or 7 at the latest….

What a lousy idea. I’ve taken the Via Cassia (SS 2) before, at midday on a weekend. I remember the speedy 4 lane section out of Rome; I remember to the smooth, rebuilt 2 lane section that slices through the grand, empty stretches of southern Tuscany.

What I have evidently forgotten is the motoring hellhole in between, starting somewhere about 40 miles north of Rome. Here the road, reduced to 2 lanes, passes through one ugly town after another. This stretch of Lazio was always Papal territory, hence deprived and neglected where the city-states and duchies to the north flourished and grew rich.

By the time we reach the first of these dreary encampments, the sky is darkening; moreover, it is closing time at the shops and the Saturday crowds are returning home for their “cena”. We frequently find ourselves in stop-and-go traffic. Passing, even for a fairly aggressive driver such as R, is impossible on the hills and blind curves .

It is nearly 7 PM and pitch-black by the time we reach the Viterbo bypass. We have a stark choice: continue 20 km to Orvieto or take the E-W transverse road across to the A1, which doubles the distance to Orvieto but could prove to be faster. We choose the latter, primarily because it feels physically safer. Under a brilliant full moon, we speed toward the motorway.

The loathed A1 suddenly feels very welcoming. It is almost empty of cars. In the sharp moonlight, the rolling hills of Umbria and Tuscany look very beautiful. We get off at the Chianciano Terme exit and coast the final kilometres to Montepulciano.

We rented a car from near the Vatican (I know, another gasp) and had no problem driving out of Rome. We got slightly lost finding our way into Siena but figured that out fairly quickly. I definitely recommend good maps or a GPS.

Having lived in Rome for three years, we often drove, rode the train and/or bus to Siena, my wife's favorite town. Unlike tedgale, we always drove SS2, because we lived off Via Cassia. If you are in a hurry, tedgale is correct... this is not the way to go.

If you’re just going from point A to point B (Rome to Siena) I would agree to ride the train, bus or drive A1. If you’ve got plenty of time, and you're not getting off a plane jet-lagged, then driving is a great way to see this part of the country.

First, if you’re a USA citizen, you will need an IDP – International Driver’s Permit. They are required in Italy, by law, for US drivers. Your rental company may or may not ask to see your IDP – but if you have an “incidente” or are stopped at a rolling roadblock, the police WILL probably ask you for your IDP. You still must carry your US license; the IDP is not a replacement, just a supplement. (http://tinyurl.com/Italy-IDP)

Living in Rome for three years, we’ve driven a motorino every day. When my Embassy friends come downtown, they often toss me the keys and I drive. Downtown Rome is not for the faint of heart! The biggest problem is in knowing where to go and how to get there. The street names change EVERY four blocks! And then, there are those fools on the motorini (like ME!) who drive pretty crazy.

The good news is once you’re out of Rome it’s a fairly easy ride. You might choose a rental office on the northern side of town. That way you would have less Rome traffic to deal with. Many people also just pick up from the Leonardo Da Vinci (FCO) Airport. There is the added expense of the airport fees, and just getting there from Rome – but some folks find this method more “relaxing.” Do check the operating hours of your pick up and drop off points. I DO NOT recommend using a drop off service in Italy – unless you’re quite experienced (and take pictures of the entire car).

I would check out vendors such as AutoEurope, or Kemwel. AutoEurope is a very popular consolidator and they often have some of the best prices. Avis, Hertz, Budget, etc. are all big in Rome - Just be sure that you know where the pick-up sites are and if it’s feasible for you to drive from there! Google Maps can certainly help you here – especially with the Streetview function. You may have to ask/email the pick-up location if you need further assistance. For example, the AVIS location near Via Veneto in Rome can be a little confusing and you may find yourself “accidentally” in a ZTL zone if you make the wrong turn! That could be an expensive wrong turn! Do use a reputable rental agency in Italy. Unless you speak Italian – or have plenty of time and money – the local agencies can become very frustrating to visitors.

You might bring a GPS with you. For most rentals in Italy, the GPS stays with the car and dealers often want their income-earning cars back. Thus, few vendors in Italy offer GPS units for a one-way rental. Check with your vendor before you sign on the dotted line. I realize it’s romantic to “get lost” in Italy, but at some point you want to get “unlost” and if you’re inexperienced driving in Italy, this device may save your sanity… or more importantly, your marriage! There are many GPS units that now have US and European maps available in the USA. If you're doing a one-way rental to Sienna, you'll porbably need your own GPS.

Once you have your car, AGAIN - DON’T take the autostrada… heck, you might as well have jumped on the train! Nope, it’s time to back road to Siena. The drive – via autostrada – can take 3+ hours. We never make it to Florence or Siena - driving – in less than 8-9 hours. NEVER! Because you will find yourself exploring, visiting multiple wine and olive oil farms, having lunch in a Trattoria where NO ONE speaks English, or just stopping and having an expresso at a café. We NEVER make it without continuously stopping --- so if you’re looking for a quick trip, stay on the train!

I’d head out of Rome on SS2 towards Siena… (That’s Via Cassia to us locals). You can swing by Lake Bracciano (beautiful) and then get back on SS2. Since you have the car, you could stop at Viterbo, a walled city – which has one of the BEST bakeries in Italy just down from the marketplace! I’d skip Orvieto on this trip or you’ll never get to Siena! After leaving Viterbo, you can easily get to Siena…

If you have time, drive from Siena to Florence on SS222, (on some maps listed as SR222?). This road has long been regarded by many travel books as one of the most picturesque roads in Italy (and yes, it is prettier than the SS2 ride to Siena). It winds through Tuscany and the Chianti countryside. With many hairpin turns, you’ll often be going under 45 km/hr… but who cares! You’ll see Greve, Castellina in Chianti Sienna, and many beautiful towns. It’s one of our favorite drives (In this part of Italy, we also love the road to San G. and Volterra, and the drive down SS64 from Bologna to Florence).

Now if you are up for a return trip to Rome by car… you COULD go down the autostrada and stop for shopping excursions at the Prada Outlet, or at Deruta for world-renown pottery. If we go by car to Siena or Florence via one path… my wife always makes sure we come back the OTHER way!

Good Luck – It’s a great ride… but it will take (easily) an entire day... if you're focus is on "seeing" Italy!

@ rineurope: The Prada outlet is great. I spent three hours there in October -- I never miss it.

Great selection in men's wear and some very good prices esp business attire and coats.

No real bargains on shoes or handbags or the small, portable touristy items, though.

You can shop at leisure -- no one pesters you. In fact, sales staff just chat among themselves, which is fine with me.

I don't find The Mall (much more extensive and relatively near) to be nearly as appealing, though once in a while I've done well at Gucci.

The Zegna and Armani shops have the best menswear deals. Fendi men's wear is just nutty, over the top dreck, IMO.

bookmarking

rineurope THANK YOU! This is why I love this forum. Next up is purchasing some TCI and Michelin maps to put in my DH's christmas stocking so he can start planning our drives. Who am I kidding - it will be me, the navigator extraordinaire, who has the fun with that.

Thanks Tedgale but something tells me the Prada outlet is going to have to wait for another trip with someone more fashion forward than my DH who cramps my shopping style with toe-tapping, watch staring and heavy sighs.