We love adventures and we would really love to drive from Rome to Florence to enjoy the "reality" of Italy BUT we have never been and I have tried to find information about the drive but have had NO LUCK. I would really like to drive along the coast to Grosseto (should we stay the night there or is there another city along the way we should stop in) and then drive inland to Florence? Good Idea or bad Idea?

Man I love this website,
Thanks
cattenj

t something comonly done, but that doesn't mean it is a bad idea. The train is only 95 minutes, rome to Florence, and the drive not quite double that. On the autostrada it is not more the "reality of Italy" than I-5 Sacramento to Fresno is the "reality of California".

A more common "connection" to the hills and dales of central Italy would be simply day-exploring by car through Tuscany, especially once you are ready to leave Florence.

How long is the total trip? Is there more after Florence?

Best wishes,

Rex

Whoops - - first sentence was supposed to read "It is NOT something commonly done..."

Hi C,

If you are planning to take 3-4 days, it is a good idea.

You could also drive along the coast from Rome to La Spezia, see the Cinque Terre, and then drive through Tuscany.

I would not recommend renting a car for what you have in mind.

The drive to nGrosseto is nothing special. I drove from Montalcino to Rome using that route.
A1 is fairly easy and gives you some good possible places to stop at.

Haven't been to the coast, but our drive to Tuscany, plus 3 nights there, was a highlight of the trip we took last May. We drove from Sorrento, but went right past Rome - so the drive from Rome would be shorter. For details on the drive, click on my name and read my trip report Part 3.

Grosseto is on my go-to list but if this were my first experience, I'd drive along the "via Cassia" from Rome to Florence, stopping to visit (side trip) Montepulciano and Siena.

Much of the road from Rome to southern S. Tuscany is 4 lane, as it also is from Siena to Florence.

NOTE when leaving Rome: If you get on the ring road -- the Gran Raccordo Anulare -- remember that via Cassia antica and via Cassia are 2 different roads. You want the new road, not the "antica", whose exit is a bit further west/ south on the ring.