We are thinking about renting a car to travel for 2 days in Siena and the Chainti region. Guided tours seem awfully expensive, but we are also unsure about the driving, license, etc. Does anyone have any recommendations for this? Thanks!!

You do not need an Italian driver's license if you have a valid driver's license from any of a number of countries (i.e., like the US). There is something called an "International Driver's license". Basically just a translation of your existing license, and you need to have your original license to go with it.<BR><BR>Driving in the countryside of Tuscany is not terribly different from driving through the countryside of West Virginia or New Mexico (arbitrarily chosen examples) - - except when you get into some small towns (narrow little streets, not much in the way of signs) - - or into some larger towns, where car access is quite restricted altogether (example, Siena, San Gimignano).<BR><BR>It's hard to get a decent price on a TWO day rental. Usually three days is the minimum to get a decent price. Or you can get one day at the same price as three.<BR><BR>These are good sources to checki prices:<BR><BR>www.autoeurope.com<BR>www.its-cars-hotels.com<BR>www.kemwel.com<BR><BR>or<BR><BR>www. travelocity.com<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

I will chime in and say that I found driving in the Tuscan countryside to be no problem. I have done it 3 times in the past 5 years and depending on how you like to travel, I think it's the best way to see the area. You can stay for dinner in towns like San Gimignano, which change a lot when all the day trippers leave. You can get to more places that are out of the way and charming. We never had trouble parking outside the hill towns and it was a short walk in to the center.<BR><BR>My only caveat would be to know your route back at night, as sometimes the roads (local vs highway) can be a bit confusing especially if you have to go through a large town to get to the highway. There is often no one around at night to ask directions.

Driving in the beautiful countryside of Tuscany is one of the great pleasures of life. Make a memorable lunch a priority, bring a good map, and go get lost. However, be warned that the level of intensity of the Italian driving experience gets turned up a serious notch as you get into bigger cities - I much prefer the the small hilltowns...bb

Driving in Tuscany is the only way to go. As for license, as Rex said, you need to egt an International Driving Permit which cost US $10 (if you bring your own pictures or $16 if they take the pictures from AAA. If you are from another country, I am not sure where you would get the IDP.<BR><BR>Helpful hint: I wrote a section about driving at the Slow Travelers site. It has printable sheets with the road signs and their descriptions as well. Gives some basic facts and goes over the new laws. Please check it out : http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/road_signs/index.htm The signs are on the links on the right of this link.

When I rented a car a year ago in Rome my US drivers license was all I needed. I did not have an international license, nor did I have to pay any extra fee for one. Has this changed?

We rented a car from AutoEurope this past April and they never asked for anything but our regular driver's licenses (from CA).

There is not a requirement for an international drivers license. Your state license will do fine. The international license is just another profit center for AAA.

The IDP is required in Italy for anyone using a non transferable license. Licenses from the states are non transferrable. The rental companies do not care about the IDP (they know what the translation of your license means and anyway, it is required to drive not to rent)but the police do. Granted you may get someone who thinks it is easier to just wave you on because they do not want to deal with another foreigner but you could also get someone who is having a really bad day and when they find you do not have it you will have to pay a fine on the spot. <BR><BR>The IDP may also be obtained from ACI in Italy.<BR><BR>I honestly hope that all of the idiots who tell people that you don't need an IDP to drive in Italy, come over, get pulled over and get ticketed or arrested. I for one am sick of all of the people who come here and laugh at breaking the law. Would you do the same in America? How would you feel if an Italian went to America and didn't get an IDP?

Whoa, Cristina! I wasn't deliberately breaking the law, and no one told me I DIDN'T need an international license. But also, no one told me I DID need one, and I would think the car rental agencies would inform their customers if this was the case. I think it should be their responsibility in fact. [Maybe it was somewhere in the small print?]

Sorry Marilyn, I should have directed my message specifically to Roland as it was in response to his post that I got bent out of shape. I agree that rental companies should inform but the bottom line is they do not care.

"I for one am sick of all of the people who come here and laugh at breaking the law."<BR><BR>LOL!!<BR><BR>Christina, do you really think that most all ITALIAN drivers (including yourself I presume) don't break the law every day? Speeding, illegal parking, going the wrong way down a oneway street, running red lights etc. seem a lot more important to me than getting your driver's license translated by AAA or ACI.<BR><BR>IMO a cop who can't recognize an authentic driver's license from another developed country doesn't belong on a road patrol (this goes for US cops as well).<BR><BR>Andre

No offense taken, Cristina. But actually, I have to both agree and disagree with Andre. I assume there is SOME speed limit on Italian roads, and I'd say at least 75% of the drivers were exceeding it, not by a little, but by a lot. I would say they pose a much greater threat to the public safety than someone driving with a license from another country.<BR><BR>As for "a cop who can't recognize an authentic drivers license" -- well, that's not really the point, is it? It's about obeying the law, not common sense. (If only they were always the same!)<BR><BR>And Cristina, if you knew how many drivers we have here in California who don't have ANY valid drivers license (not to mention insurance)! I wouldn't really care if an Italian citizen with a valid Italian license was driving without an international license.<BR><BR>But I suppose, like most things, it all comes down to money. The state doesn't get any if we don't pay for the IDP, right?

Oh don't get me started on the speeding, tailgating and straddling the white lines . I grew up in San Francisco and moved here when I was 30. I finally got my Italian license last year. Even though I had been driving for 21 years I had to take driving lessons. While taking the lessons I told my teacher that it was completely ridiculous that I had to do it because nobody else was driving properly and he said "as soon as you get your license you can drive just like them". What a shame. I wish they had more police out there stopping all of the men who need to prove their manhood so that we could be safe while driving. <BR><BR>My children have learned lots of very interesting words being in a car with me.

I wonder what kind of additional driving lessons one would need to cope with Italy after 21 years experience? That's a scarier thought than all of those maniac Italian drivers. Imagine what kind of lessons you might take - speeding, tailgating. "I'll take passing on curves for a thousand, Alex".

My first 2 trips driving around Tuscany we had a running joke that we were followed everywhere by "Tailgateman" who changed cars frequently and was often in disguise. <BR><BR>We pondered frequently how the usually so kind and charming Italians became insane maniacs once they got behind the wheel of a car. Finally one day the light dawned. You know how everyone tanks up on espresso before they hit the freeway in the morning? Maybe that has something to do with it?

PS Love your driving teacher's remark, Cristina. That must be a classic.<BR><BR>Billyb -- what about the Daily Double? Yikes!

Marilyn - Today's daily double - the category is "Maniacs" - and the answer is: <BR>"They somehow manage to drive at incredible speed, pass on turns and cross over into the other lane; while waving both hands in the air, talking on a cell phone and smoking a cigarette after drinking double espressos".

Billyb -- What is the College of Cardinals?<BR><BR>Do I win?

On my first visit to Italy I heard someone say.." The speed limit is only a suggestion"...<BR>They weren't kidding. They drive really fast and park anywhere...Gotta love it !!!