We want to rent a car in Florence and drive through a few towns, stopping in Siena to spend the night. Our question is: can we drop off the car in Siena and continue to Rome, our next destination, by train? Or since we have the car, is it sane to drive to Rome? I've heard that it's a nightmare (unless rental car dropoffs are outside city limits?). Any advice, please?

We didn't have any particular trouble driving to Rome. Driving in Rome is the problem.

I will agree with the previous poster. The roads to Rome are wonderful however driving in Rome is a nightmare.

I'll dissent on several counts...

It's hard to get a good value for a one- (or even two-) day car rental, so the plan has this intrinsic problem to start. Siena is not exactly a "car-friendly" place - - whether you seek to turn the car in, or to keep it overnight, with the plan to continue onward with it.

That said, if you are going to spring for the expense of renting, I would drive it to the front door of your hotel in Rome. It's part of what you get with renting a car... the pleasure of not having to shlep your luggage from car to train to taxi, etc...

Driving from one point in Rome to another (as in using it to drive around town to see the sights) is an impossible goal. But driving one time, from outside Rome to your hotel ought to be described as an "adventure", not a nightmare.

So, my answer is mixed. Knowing more about your itinerary in Italy might cause me to change my advice.

Best wishes,

Rex

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