Car versus Train in Italy question
Dec 3rd, 2004, 10:10 AM
#21
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I'm not sure what's not clear about the pick up/drop off. If you're doing Rome, Florence, Venice and the countryside in-between you pick up the car when you leave rome (after howevermany days) use it to drive aroud the coutryside, park it in a garage in florence for however many days you spend there (we typically stay in florence 4/5 days and do 1/2 day trips - by car - to some of the smaller towns - but you can stay in smaller towns in-between and fewer days in FL if you want), tour part of the countryside to Venice and drop the car there. In this case you have payed for only a couple of days you are not actually using the car.
Yes, you do have to pay for the garage - but to us - traveling by car is just so much more convenient and flexible that the little extra money is more than worth it.
We have never had any trouble parking our car to drop off luggage - although a couple of times in rome we had to park on the sidewalk to do so (but in italy no one has a problem with this).
And of course, its always possible in a specific situation that construction or accident can make traffic a mess - but in my experience its quite rare - just as it is in the US. And we've never had the "you can;t get there from here" experience - esp with one driving and the other acting as navigator.
Yes, you do have to pay for the garage - but to us - traveling by car is just so much more convenient and flexible that the little extra money is more than worth it.
We have never had any trouble parking our car to drop off luggage - although a couple of times in rome we had to park on the sidewalk to do so (but in italy no one has a problem with this).
And of course, its always possible in a specific situation that construction or accident can make traffic a mess - but in my experience its quite rare - just as it is in the US. And we've never had the "you can;t get there from here" experience - esp with one driving and the other acting as navigator.
Dec 3rd, 2004, 12:01 PM
#22
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We've rented cars in Italy for driving between longer stay in larger cities. I also like the freedom of having a car. The highway driving is very easy. The big city driving is horrible. If you've gone with the car approach in the pass and were comfortable I don't see why not do it again.
Dec 4th, 2004, 08:16 AM
#23
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If you have felt comfortable before driving in Europe, there is no reason not to consider driving in Italy. Assuming there are four of you, you might even save some money over the cost of trains.
If you rent a car for 17 days or more, you should consider leasing a car from Renault. You get a brand new car you can pick up at the airport in Milan and return to the airport in Rome.
Having said that, I still wouldn't recommend driving in Florence or Rome. However, for Florence, you could easily park your car outside of the city and take public transportation. You would also have to do that for Venice. Since Rome is at the end of your trip, just turn in your car and take public transportation into the city.
Like you, I appreciate the freedom and flexibility a car offers. It is especially nice to have a car in the Lakes region and Tuscany and Umbria. where you can stop wherever you want and stay as long as you like. Make sure you get some good maps before you go.
If you rent a car for 17 days or more, you should consider leasing a car from Renault. You get a brand new car you can pick up at the airport in Milan and return to the airport in Rome.
Having said that, I still wouldn't recommend driving in Florence or Rome. However, for Florence, you could easily park your car outside of the city and take public transportation. You would also have to do that for Venice. Since Rome is at the end of your trip, just turn in your car and take public transportation into the city.
Like you, I appreciate the freedom and flexibility a car offers. It is especially nice to have a car in the Lakes region and Tuscany and Umbria. where you can stop wherever you want and stay as long as you like. Make sure you get some good maps before you go.
