driving in italy - can't speak Italian
 

Is it unreasonable to try to drive in Italy (Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Pisa) if you don't speak Italian?

Thank you for your help!

Nope. Not unreasonable at all. I do it every year. Get a good map, have an idea what to expect, have an idea where you are and where you want to be, learn your roadsigns and you'll be fine.

not at all. if i had to speak all the languages of the countries i have driven in.. heavens!

but you should have a phrase book and certainly learn the simple questions and answers related to the road.

carry a good map and know where you are going.

www.mappy.com will give you great precise directions.

also, always write down the name of street where you left car and a store or monument and next corner. get your bearings visually as you go off touring.

learn the no parking painted lines/signs/ restrictions or you could be looking at an impounded car and hefty fine.. (and i do mean..HEFTY).

beware of nighttime driving in hills of piemonte.. have never been so lost... plenty of signs.. but none to where we wanted to go!

enjoy! a car gives you so much independence in the small towns, but if you are not doing much but from point to point.. the trains are excellent and inexpensive.

Just be sure you know what senso unico means............

Don't worry about driving in Italy!

We( 4 of us all in our 60's)
did it for the 1st time in May.
In about 12 days we drove from Monaco to Cinque Terre and then to Lake Garda and after that to Lido di Jeselo ( took ferry from there to Venice -very easy to do)and then stopped in Belluno to see a young lady and her family.
Anyway, all along the way I used my little phrase book and said in Italian(using the phonetic guide) "I'm sorry I don't speak Italian", and I smiled a LOT! It was amazing how many people spoke English-or if they didn't, we managed via sign language, gestures, and one man even used a stick to draw a map in the dirt to show us how to get to one place. It helps to have your map with the place name to point to, or the address or hotel name written down to show.
The young girl I mentioned above had been an exchange student in USA and stayed with our friends for 3 weeks 2 years ago.
We got close to the area but couldn't find the street where she lived in Belluno. So I stopped in a gelateria to inquire. I showed Frederica's name and address and gave my "mi dipiace no parlo Italiano" speech, but NO ONE spoke English. After a few attempts to communicate directions to us one of the young men behind the counter whipped off his apron and took out his car keys and motioned to us to follow him.
He drove about 1 mile with us following and stopped right in front of Frederica's home!
Now, how nice was that?
So go for it- you'll love Italy, we had a great time! All the people were so wonderful to us and of course the food and wine were terrific.
Carol In South Carolina

I did it from north to south east to west.You need good maps and the further you go from the cities, I am talking just the main roads just outside of there towns many of the citizens will say no capeto or no capice.I stopped in gas stations and asked where a large city was and I would get nothing.The most important thing when driving is to be sharp and wide awake the itailians don't like careful drivers there more interested driving fast and taking risks.This my opinion,but I recommend to be on your toes.You can get some help with the rules of the road and street signs,learn what to do when you park in a lot. where to place your permit for parking ,and also where to pick up these permits, Good luck I found that part of the trip the most frustrating Good luck,its still the most beautiful place I have ever been to.

Thank you all. We have been to Italy twice, but have never braved it with a car. I was not too worried about the more rural areas, but did wonder about getting from the car rental places TO the country. Have any of you done that?

Also, is a car really necessary in the Tuscany countryside and/or Cinque Terre, or are there other means of getting around? (i.e. tours, etc.)

Have any of you stayed OUTSIDE of FLORENCE? If so, is there a place that would be nice to see the countryside AND the city? We will spend up to $200/night....

Trying to decide whether to spend 2 nights IN Florence, and THEN 3 nights OUTSIDE Florence in Tuscany.....or if we could do as mentioned above (staying in the countryside outside Florence and using that as a "base."

So much to do...I would love to keep going back to Italy!

Thanks again!

No cars in the cinque terre. A must in Tuscany unless you do busses.

I drove last year and I do not speak Italian, though I am a pretty great mime. The only time we had trouble was figuring out how to use the gas machines at the station. We spent about 45 minutes bumbling around and laughing until finally we located an attendant (off on lunch) and got him to help us.

I don't know what amount of time you would like to spend, but you could have your car for the Tuscan country side (maybe a couple or three night in San Gimignano area or further south, like the Pienza area) then turn your car in, in Florence. Stay two or three nights.

Take the train to Pisa (if this is a must for you) then on to La Spezia to transfer for the Cinque Terre towns.

You really don't want to come near Florence with a car more than once if you are unfamiliar with the city. In fact, you could take your car rental to the airport if you really don't want to drive into Florence. However, the car rental places to the west of the train station aren't that hard to get to if you have good directions.

Pisa is pretty much between Florence and the Cinque Terre, so it would be a good stop between the two places.

Alternately, you could begin with a few nights in Florence, rent the car for three nights in the Tuscan countryside, then drive to Pisa and turn the car in. Train to Cinque Terre.

Just some ideas for you....

Signs are bascially pictorial - so language is not an issue.

You need to be sure that you have very good maps - real paper maps - not just little computer printouts (although those are good for small local areas - ie how exactly to get to your hotel).

And you must learn the rules of road/style of driving expected of you.

We always do carry one of those pocket size guidebooks that has an "on the road" section - useful in Spain when our "frenos" light started flashing.

Yes, a car is essential in Tuscany if you want to explore the countryside and not loose too much precious time.

We have stayed in a nice B&B in Monteriggione in the middle of the Chianti region. It's called Fattoria Il Colombaia and by the time we were there (2003) they had just opened and the vineyards and olive trees had just been planted. They must have some production by now. I still remember the freshly picked figs we got at breakfast every morning and the home-made bread ...
Check out their website: http://www.fattoriailcolombaio.com/index_uk.html

I did this a few years ago. I took the bus from Florence to Seina and picked up the car there. We returned it to the Rome Airport. Driving was pretty easy, but I did make it a point to stay WELL out of the major cities.

We did drive to Cinque Terre as I indicated in an earlier response to OP.
We stayed in "new town part" of Montorosso( at Ca de Gigante alovely accommodation that had a place to park our car and a very helpful, Engish speaking receptionist, Maria). We took the train from there to do our sight seeing and "hiking". Another option with a car is to stay in Lerici and take the boat trip to visit the villages of Cinque Terre.
Hope that helps you...
Carol in S.C.

You are all so kind to take your time to provide help to others in today's hurried society! Thank you! The input is quite helpful and will help us wrap up our reservations in the next few days!

take_time_2_travel

Try not to have a car if you decide to stay inside Firenze. Parking is very expensive and given Firenze is very much a walking city, you won't be using your car within it.

I was there for 3 nights last month, the hotel parked my car in a private garage and I was charged 84E for 3 days' parking!

See if you can stay in nearby Fiesole. The hotels there may provide free on-site parking and you can take the #7 bus into Firenze for day trips. Besides, the view from Fiesole looking back onto Firenze is amazing.

Back to your primary question re driving in Italy without knowing the lingo. The roads in Italy are well signed (better than that in France). You will pick up a few words on the signs that you see, such as 'uscita' for 'exit'. I definitely encourage you to drive as the freedom of having your own car will open up a lot more touring options.

Enjoy!

S

take time 2 travel,
See http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/road_signs/index.htm for road signs.

Hi take_time Senso Unico means One Way, a good sign to pay attention too!

It is not unreasonable to try to drive in Italy, people that do not speak Italian or that speak very little Italian do it all the time. Do have a wonderful trip!

As others have said, you must have detailed maps. I also recommend a small flashlight for map reading at night. Interior lights in cars are usually not enough illumination for me.

No problem!!!
When we were in Italy a couple of years ago we got to the rental car place in Milan and all of a sudden all our designated drivers could not drive. One forgot her drivers license, the other's had expired, the other couldn't drive stick shift. So it was up to me. I was a bit panicked at first because I had envisioned sitting in the back seat reading my fodors books but oh no....! I had a great time and did not speak or read an iota of italian. Have a wonderful time...I know you will.