Driving in Italy
 

I would like some advice for driving in Italy. Specifically in Tuscany. Is it OK to drive to Rivenna? Has anyone ever driven Rivenna to Venice?

See post above on same topic.

Bob, being new to the site, I can not find the post above. Can you direct? Thanks

Put Driving in Italy in the Search box.

Hi ken,

If this is your first trip to Italy, I recommend against a car. It's just too different.

However,

Keep to the right, except to pass.
Don't pass on the right.
Have good maps and a navigator.

Go to www.michelin.com and www.mappy.com for suggested routes (they are not always the same).

Do you mean RAvenna?

From where will you be starting to get to Ravenna?

Hi Ken,
My wife and I drove all around the Tuscany area last year. It was our first visit to Italy, and for the most part it was no different than driving the back roads of California. One thing that was a surprise was how good the roads were. I would suggest that you follow the road signs more than relying on the map. Use the map as a reference to what cities you need to travel through to get to your final destination. I would buy all the wine you want, but wait until you get back to your hotel to enjoy. As far as driving to Venice, we drove from Siena to Venice and it was great on the autostrada, BUT HELL TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE TOLL BOOTHS AND OVER TO THE RIGHT TO GET TO THE EXIT FOR VENICE. There are about 10 toll booths, and the far right 4-5 lanes are like express lanes you can't use them. They are used by the BIG TRUCKS. The exit for Venice is about 1/2 mile to the right. The BIG TRUCKS are trying to move over to the left while the little cars (driven by us ) are trying to move over quickly to the right so they don't miss the Venice exit. Note: THE BIG TRUCKS DON'T LIKE LITTLE CARS. You have to have nerves of steel to try this!!!!!! I still don't know how I was able to get over to the Venice exit. I consumed allot of wine that night.... I would drive all you want in the Tuscany region. You will love the freedom of exploring all the hill top towns. Please do yourself a Big favor and use the train to get to Venice. I drive fire trucks professionally and I when I visit Venice again I will fly or train there NOT DRIVE!!!! Venive is an amazing city. If you can try and visit Murano for the glassware and Burano for all the bright colored buildings. Hope you have a great time. Ciao, Louie.

Driving through Tuscany is not only ok, I highly recommend it. We drove from Tuscany to Venice and the drive was easy.

The only caveats are: (1) don't drive in the cities, and (2) you need a good map.

Oh, and also accept the fact that you will get lost once in a while, but that can be fun. But whenever in unfamiliar territory, most of us run the risk of getting lost.

I drove in Italy in both Umbria and Tuscany without any problems, but I do speak some Italian. If you don't, you ought to at least familiarize yourself with the basic Italian road signs in advance. Look at "http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/road_signs/", or do an Advanced Google search on the phrase "italian road signs". Most of the international road signs are symbolic, and are pretty obvious, so concentrate on remembering those that are not.

Even speaking Italian, I ran into problems in real-time: approaching a set of toll booths, a booth with no line in front of it had the legend, "Solo autovetture". "Solo" means "only", as you might expect, but I had no idea what "autovetture" meant, so I didn't use it, but instead lined up behind a bunch of trucks. I looked it up later, and found that "autovetture" simply means "passenger cars". But all in all, driving was not a problem (although the cliffside roads without railings on the Amalfie Coast were rather hair-raising).

I did once get pulled over near Todi by a couple of young policemen on a routine document check. I gave them my rental contract and Massachusetts driver's license, telling them the car was rented ("La macchina è noleggiata"), and the license was from the US ("E degli Stati Uniti"). They scratched their heads over the license for a while, then handed them back with a "grazie", and I was on my way.

- Larry

Here is a link to a site that was recommended to me for a good map of Tuscany. It was recommended to order the Provincial Map for whichever Tuscan area you plan on concentrating.
http://www.initaly.com/ads/maps1.htm

ken_f-

just got back from trip to tuscany and driving was easy. I had no problems at all. i highly suggest it. you would make a mistake by not getting a car.

Renting a car just to get from Tuscany to Venice is not a smart idea.

Relatively to most of Europe, it is expensive.

Driving on the Autostrada is quite a stressful experinece. The Italians are crazy drivers.

BUT, if you plan to use your car driving around Tuscany, yes, by all means, it is worth the money and the effort.

But be extra cautious and alert.

I am over 65 and I rented a car and drove in Italy and France by myself several times. The autostrada which is like our freeways is much easier to drive. You always stay in the right lane except to pass.

When we stayed in Positano, we parked our car in a garage, and took public transportation.

LOL. When I first read Ira's post I thought it said, "If driving in Italy, I recommend against a car!" That is how I felt three out of the four years I lived there.

Driving in Italy is not difficult if you leave LOGIC out of it. Forget about staying in "your" lane and forget about turn signaling and you will be just like everyone else. Driving in Italy is both exciting and terrifying. It is almost done best while blindfolded and with an open container in the front seat.

If you are traveling with tots, be SURE to bring your own car seat from home. Italians are v. lax on back seat safty!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or let's just say safely in general. Many only pull their seat belts on when they see a hwy patrol who might pull them over for a ticket. (Front seat passengers only, BTY) Good luck and have a safe/great time>

For basic rules of the road and helpful hints (like you cannot make a right on a red!) check out http://www.chianti-assistance.com/Dr...taly/index.htm If you do not have a European issued driver's license you will need to get an IDP (there is a section on the site given above called IDP & the Law)

P.S., back seat drivers need to wear seatbelts now too. Lots of new laws since July 2003

Thank you all so much. This has been very helpful. What a great service from Fodors. I will post a response when we get back. I think we will rent in Florence, stay a few days in Tuscany area, and theb drive to Ravenna and on to Venice where we will turn in the car. I am feeling brave. I cut my driving teeth in NYC, but have left that world many moons ago. Thanks all.

Spent 10 days driving through Tuscany last fall. Had a wonderful time. Get a good map. DOH! There ARE no good maps. If you find one, please let me know. (We had three and were amazed at the differences between them. I swear one was really of Poland. Or Ohio. One or the other. I can't decide which.) Throw abandon to the wind! Have a wonderful time!

My wife, son, and I drove from Chiusi (north of Rome) through Sienna and up to Radda in Chianti this July. Then we toured Tuscany by car and then drove to Pisa and Viareggio. No problems (except for getting lost in "old" Sienna and this turned out to be fun). Check out this link for information on driving in Italy:
http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/driving/
Very easy to drive in Italy - and allows you to see much more of the country,

Ken

Too funny, Ramblero, I think I had that same map! Actually I have a good map for Tuscany, the Kummerly & Frey one, that folds out in the front seat of the car to roughly the size of downtown Florence, making it impossible to navigate and drive at the same time -- but it does have detail.

The best lesson I learned a long time ago about driving in Italy is to ignore all route numbers as they change frequently so the number on your map will rarely match the number on the sign.
Instead use city and place names for where you want to go, and follow those signs. A green sign with the name on it means: autostrada -- the fast way. A blue sign means major road, often going through towns. (oops. I didn't get those two backwards did I?). But if you see a white sign (or sometimes yellow) that means you're going to be on the small "scenic" route, certainly the best if you have the time.