We are going to Tuscany and would like to drive around to the small towns in the area. What are the best driving maps that we can use and that are easy to obtain in the U.S.? Thanks!

I like the regional maps of Italy published by Touring Club Italiano. You need the "Toscana" map. The 1:200000 scale is very detailed: shows the "white" roads and small villages and hamlets. They are available at the larger Barnes and Nobles and Borders or can be purchased through Savvy Traveler on Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

Thanks! I'll check those out.

I bought Michelin's Tourist and Motoring Atlas, which is spiral bound. I found it much easier to use than a traditional fold-out map. My wife, who is the navigator kept the map atlas open on her lap most of trip. Believe the scale is 1:300,000. It contains city maps of many smaller cities.

I agree that the TCI 200k to 1 map is the best. I buy mine at Globe Corner Bookstore online. Good luck !

As a side note, the problem is sometimes not with the maps, it's with the street labels - sometimes not there! Also, once you're headed up the mountain, you're pretty much stuck on the road you chose. If you're from the flat, gridded midwest (like us), that can be a real surprise.

One great thing: our rental car had a talking directional system. Like Mapquest, but it talks to you (in English, btw). You can program street destinations, city centres or even tourist spots like the Colosseum. Then it says 'in 100 meters turn left...' and 'you've missed the turn, turn around'. Took us a few days to learn how to program the thing. I think we got this through Hertz in Florence. I would ask ahead... it was worth it!

We used the Italia centrale map (1:400 000) from the Touring Club Italiano. It covers more than Tuscany but will be more than sufficient for traveling to small towns via the yellow roads.

Michelin's no. 430 "Italia Centro".

Thanks for all the great tips! (Leigh - did the talking-map thing in your rental car cost extra?)

The best map we have, with the most detail of Tuscany came from the Touist Information Office in Lucca and even better, it was free!!

We have an embarassement of maps. The Club map is probably the best stand-alone. The spiral bound Mich. of all Italy is the most used and favorite and has the advantage of keying with the red and green guides. It is by far the easiest to use when in a car and driving. Consider getting the free AAA map of Itlay and the spiral bound. An overall map is far better for trip planning and laying out the course for the day than the spiral. The spiral the best for boring in on a partiular area. The free maps that come with the cars are just fine too, but not so handy at home while planning and dreaming.