Driving in Italy
 

I just booked a car with AutoEurope picking up in Rome via vento office and dropping off in Florence at the Europe Car Florence city office. We will have been in Rome for several days so we will not be jet lagged driving out.....but, how complicated are the the stated locations in regard to city traffic and ease of getting out of town? We are headed to Tuscany for a week before the drop off. Thank you

Make absolutely sure that you have a map of the TZL zones (limited travel) especially in Florence. There are dozens of horrid stories of people returning to the US and receiving hundreds of Euro fines a year later when they finally catch up with you. Driving in Italy can be a challenge.

We drive in Italy all the time. The road signs are easy to follow. Print out maps before you go or take a GPS. We never use GPS so I can't help you with what you have to download. AutoEurope offers them for a fee. From the Via Venito it isn't too bad to get out of the city. In Florence is the city drop off near the station? That's where we drop off. If it's more inside the city I would change it to ones on the outskirts and take a bus or taxi to the hotel.

vanne

looks like your rental will be parked in the gigantic underground garage off Via Veneto (under the Villa Borghese). Most rental car companies use this garage. If you get yourself a "Street Wise" Rome handy dandy plactic coated map, it will show the easiest way out of the city from there. You are already in the northern stretches of Roma at that point and you will connect with the Autostrada toward Florence.We found it to be quite easy. Your rental office will also have a good map. Have them go over it with you.
My opinion regarding Florence...arrange to drop at the airport if possibe, bus back into Florence and don't worry about driving in the very walkable city.

Do not drive in Florence--drop at the airport which is NW of town. have fun !

Hey Commander Navigator...why is it that you and i seem to always agree...for the past five or more years???
stu

Just changed the drop off to the Florence airport...many thanks for the help!

Well, here I thought I was going to post a real good idea but our Italian expert fellows beat me to it, lol. Enjoy your time in Italy, vanne, and congratulations on using the Florence airport for your rental car drop off, you made a good decision!

slowtrav.com has pictures and directions for getting out of Rome using the underground car park at Villa Borghese.

My friend LoveItaly suppled a US State Dept. page the other day for someone driving in Spain, and on it, I found the explanation for our terrible arrest in Italy. It seems that if non Schengen drivers are caught speeding in Italy, the must be able to pay the large fine in cash, on the spot, or surrender their license and car. Oh the misery! The wailing I did!

So if you want to exceed the speed limit, take lots and lots of Euros in the car with you. Months later, we did get a lovely card, compliments of the US consulate at Naples,, returning DH's drivers license. The car we had to leave at a parking lot where the rental company picked it up.