Poogie

From all the post that I've read, it seems that renting a car in Italy is more of a pain than it's worth. Please advise:
Milan to Varenna, Lake Como: easy enough to do by train. However if I want to go from Varenna to Stresa on Lake Maggiore seems like a car would be much more convienent? Yes, No? Also, I've read driving around the Lakes reqion is beautiful, without a car we won't experience that. Seems like a shame?
Next: Stresa to Aosta, once again a train will do, however if I want to go to Monte Bianco or the National Park a car seems necessary? Yes/No?
Turin for a few days, car does not seem necessary. Asti, Alba and wineries once again the car seems necessary? Yes/No?
Then on to Camogli and the CT. This is where I read horror stories about having a car, Yes/No? Our final destination was to enjoy the Tuscan country side and Hill towns, a car seems necessary here as well. My original intent was to have a rental car the whole trip, but now I am trying to strategize with a plan that gives me the rental car when I need it and take the trains when it makes sense to do so. The plan goes something like this:
Milan to Lake Como: Take the train spend a 2 -3 days in Varenna.
Varenna to Stresa: Take a bus or hire a driver, skip the drives around the Lakes.
Stresa to Turin: Take a train. Make Turin my base. While in Turin rent a car for a day trip to Aosta and Courmayeur and have the convience of the car. Keep the car a 2nd day and do a day trip to the Wineries in Asti, Alba etc. Return the car. Spend a day in Turin.
Turin to Camogli: Take a train, spend 3 days on the coast, visit CT via train.
Camogli to La Spezia: Take a train, rent a car in La Spezia. Take car for 2 to 3 days to enjoy the Tuscan country side. Return car to La Spezia and take train back to Malpensa and catch our flight home.
Any suggestions on this plan would be helpful.
Thank you.

rex

You're already quite shackled with preconceptions about (problems of) having a rental car in Italy, so my answer may seen bizarre to you.

Everything about your plans says "rent a car" to me.

Best wishes,

Rex

Budman

If you decide on a rental car, you might want to consider staying in Menaggio.

annhig

When are you going? Have you driven in Europe before? Are you prepared to pay a lot extra for an automatic?
If you are travelling in July/august, Have never driven in Europe before, and don't want to pay the extra to avoid a stick-shift, then I would say no - stick to the train.
Otherwise, I agree that the journey will be more fun and easier with a car, especially if you share the driving, so you both get a chance to enjoy the sceneery.

alijay

I agree with Rex. Rent the car!

We flew to Milan in February and hired a car at Malpensa Airport. We drove to Como (which was our base) and used it to visit places which we would never had found if we'd travelled by train - or driver, since we stumbled across some by accident!

We also drove up into Switzerland (which is very close) but if you're going in Winter, you need to snow tyres or chains as I don't think they supply them as standard.

Big_Red

If you have driven a car in Europe before, then it should be fine. If this is your first trip to Europe, then renting a car in Italy might be too much.

If you rent the car then you also need
#1) a good map
#2) a good navigator
#3) a good sense of humor

You do need a plan for parking/storing the car. Not all hotels have even one parking space. You can reserve a room but rarely can you reserve a parking space.

Enjoy your trip

TuckH

>My original intent was to have a rental car the whole trip<

Stick with your original plan!!!

A car is NOT more of a pain than it's worth!!!

Shanti

I don't know about the rest of your trip but I rented a car in Milan and then stayed in Varenna. On the plus side, you can take side trips - I drove up to St. Moritz for a day trip. But other than that, I didn't use the car very much. We ended up taking the ferry a lot.

However, the next time I go to Varenna (I like typing "the next time" instead of "if I go back&quot I'm going to try it without a car. For one thing, renting a car in Italy is expensive - and I rented a manual which is less expensive than renting an automatic.

Also, Varenna was such a beautiful, relaxing vacation - except when I was driving.

On the plus side, I didn't have to visit any Italian churches since driving in Italy was enough of a religious experience as I would often spontaneously call out the Lord's name when driving there.

I would often spontaneously yell other words, but we're not allowed to use those words on the Fodor's site.

Yep, I'll try it without a car next time.

LoveItaly

LOL Poogie, you have been given a lot to think about. And some praying plus some cussing (hopefully in Italian) will help.

We also always had a rental car. But it depends on what type of a driver you are. Even the first time we went to Italy back in the 1970's for two months we had a rental car for the entire time. But my husband loved to drive and drove in Milan, Rome, Florence, Naples, across to Bari, into Switzerland, etc. But that worked for him. That doesn't mean that would work for you.
I would strongly suggest that you decide what you are the most comfortable with predicated on your driving experiences at home. Best wishes to you regarding your decision.

Budman

I'm going to be taking a similar itinerary next May and will definitely have a car. I'm hoping you'll provide some feedback.

I like a car for all my trips if nothing more than sheer convenience. I want to gettie up and go when and where I want to go. I want to stop when and where I want to stop. Since I now have a GPS for my European travels, it has taken a lot of stress off of getting from Point A to Point B.

Lastly, lugging all my crapola (and the wife's kitchen sink) on and off busses & trains for me is for the birds.

Poogie

Thank you all very much. I am sticking to my original plan because of all of you. For one, my husband is an incredible driver, last time I drove in Palermo and he somehow managed to grab the steering wheel away from me in the nick of time and avoid a wreck. And he did this twice. I think he was a stunt driver in an afterlife. He drove fast cars through the mountains in updstate New York as a teenager. He will love driving in Italy, what he won't like is messing around for hours trying to find parking. That was whwat we are concerned about. I guess I'll just have to figure out the parking situtation ahead of time.
Thank you all.

nessundorma

I suggest you consider moving Stresa to the very end of your trip and spending your final nights in Italy there before flying our of Malpensa.

LoveItaly

Hi Poogie, Nessundorma has a very excellant idea regarding staying at Stresa at the end of your trip. You will be close to Malpensa Airport and consequently that should make your last day so much more relaxing. Also, if you happen to be unforunate enough to have a train strike you would not have to worry about that. Or if the train is running late that would be a worry (that has happened to me). Personally I would never count on a train for transportation the day I need to catch the flight home. I would think you could turn your rental car in at the airport. There is also bus service between Stresa and Malpensa also. Best regards.

Jitz

My husband and I just returned from Northern Italy a couple of days ago. We flew to Milan and rented a car and drove to Bellagio. While we were in Bellagio, we did not use the car at all and traveled by ferry. However, once we left Bellagio it was great to have a car. We drove to visit my relatives in a small town about an hour from Venice. We also drove to Venice from there home and back to Milan. I found it very easy to drive in Italy and would most definitely do it again. The convenience was worth it.

maryem

We've always rented a car while in Italy--much more freedom than relying on train schedules. One year we flew into Milan, took a train to Bellagio, stayed there a few days then a train to Como where we picked up a car for the rest of the trip. Been going to Italy every year for the last 7 years and always the car was wonderful to have. We've seen villages nobody knew existed and I doubt would have but for having a car.