Driving thru Italy...

[PigsDad]

It is so hard to tell where it is legal to park vs. not. In Naples we drove around forever trying to find somewhere to park and then my husband would try speaking with people to find out how to pay for parking. The only way we figured it out was that his Spanish was close enough to Italian to minimally understand each other.

This reminded me of parking in Pisa. We took a day trip from Florence and were trying to find a place to park for the leaning tower of Pisa, making lots of loops, and generally not knowing what we were doing. Then as we were going down one street, there was a parallel parking spot with an orange cone in it, with a couple of guys waving us in. Not knowing exactly what was up, I nodded, they removed the cone, and I parked. It was a metered spot, and as I got out, the two very friendly guys started talking to me. Well, I speak no Italian, and they spoke no English, but through gestures, pointing, etc., they helped me buy a ticket for the parking. The max time was something very short, like 60 or 90 minutes, but they indicated they would take care of it and we could stay longer.

When we got back several hours later, the guys were there and they presented us w/ the extra tickets they bought as my original ticket long expired. I paid them for the tickets, tipped them nicely, thanked them, and we were all happy. Very nice guys, but I kind of doubt what they were doing was technically legal (reserving public parking spots)-- but it was very much appreciated by me!

Kurt

 

[Talent312]

We took the train from Florence to Pisa... No parking issues.
In San Gimignano, we didn't have the right amount for the machine.
A passerby stepped up, paid it for us and refused compensation.

 

[pedro47]

Remember you will need Euro coins in Italy. Suggestion only I try to carry at least fifty(50) dollars in Euro coins in various denominations.

 

[lizap]

Have been to Italy multiples times and always rent a car. There's no way to see the Italian countryside and go where you want to go without a car. People do drive fast and lanes are often narrow, but that's part of the allure.

 

[dsmrp]

My random observations:
* they drive like crazy people in Italy, including the notion that most traffic laws are suggestions
* the driver will not see anything of what he's driving by
* transition from highway to city is pretty much instantaneous, so you're going from fairly easy driving to terror and no place to park
* cities all have no-entry zones (ZTL) where you can't go during (mostly) daytime hours. There is no advance warning to these: a sign (and not a big one) and you're there. Camera enforced and big fines
* parking is not generally available or is very expensive
* Italian trains are fine; buses are pretty good
* buy a Europe map for your own GPS and bring it, but don't leave it in the car unattended. Find one on Craigslist or eBay.
* you don't need an international license
* your chip-and-signature card probably won't work in automated gas pumps, but there aren't many places this will be a problem except at night
* Chase Sapphire (Preferred and Reserve) recently added coverage for Ireland, and I think for Italy too.

But I agree that for taking several people to hill towns like San Gimignano a car would be convenient. There are buses, but they go hourly and stop in the evening.

Good to know about Chase Sapphire adding coverage for Ireland, as we're going there next spring, gotta get DH on the Sapphire Reserve card.

I agree with many people who said to use GPS with Europe maps and avoiding the ZTL zones in Italian cities.
We (DH) drove from Rome airport to Assisi, then day trips to Siena and San Gimignano, and dropped car off in Florence.
We brought a small GPS and I used it to help navigate while DH drove. There are a lot of rotaries around the smaller towns,
and the Garmin pronunciations were so bad Couldn't have drove between the places we visited without GPS.

It was easy to stay away from the ZTL in Siena, but returning the car 3 blocks from our hotel in Florence was a little nerve wracking cause of the big fines, one way streets and missing the rental car garage (very small sign). Most Florence hotels will call in one exception to the ZTL police for their guests and ours did, but they were leery of calling in a second when we reported having to go off course. Fortunately even tho' we had to go round the block again, we didn't get fined.

Also automated gas pumps near Florence might not return the difference if you pre-pay and overestimate the amount of gas your car can take.
The station we used had the warning written in Italian.
DH only had a large euro bill and it took a while to find the station mgr who eventually gave him the difference.
Guess he was semi-used to tourists doing this...

 

[jlp879]

Here is a good blog post that details more information about the ZTLs and how to avoid unattended speeding tickets.

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/driving/traffic_cameras_speeding.htm

 

[Glynda]

We have not yet driven in Italy but will when we are able to go and stay for several weeks or months. On our last 21 day trip we made reservations at hotels ahead in Milan, Bellagio, Portofino, and Venice. We traveled with only carry-on luggage and took trains to each destination. We had no pre-booked train reservations. It was a challenge at small train stations that didn't have elevators or escalators as often we had to go down stairs, under a tunnel, and up stairs to further tracks. Also each train was different and most were high off the ground. Being short, I had to lift my luggage up into the train and then find a way to get myself up, sometimes on my knees for the first step! Learning how to buy tickets was a challenge at first but all of this gave us a sense of adventure and accomplishment. Shucks, traveling for 21 days with pretty extreme temperature changes and 2 black tie events with only carry on luggage was a big accomplishment for me who usually overpacks! We took trains and ferries for day trips. I'm glad we did it but as we age we may not be able to repeat that kind of trip.

When we visited Italy our first time, we booked a private driver service through Rome In Limo. There were four of us and we traveled in Mercedes SUVs to Pisa, Florence, San Gimignano, Rome, and Sicily. It was a fabulous experience. The drivers were so kind and professional and were able to pull right into squares, right in front of the Tower of Pisa early in the AM with only a hand full of people even there by then, drop us off, park and either wait for us or go with us as a guide. We could stop when we wanted, got to do so much more than we would have on our own, had a guide and great recommendations for dining and didn't have to deal with GPS, maps, guidebooks, etc. Just enjoyed the scenery and asking questions.

 

[WinniWoman]

We have not yet driven in Italy but will when we are able to go and stay for several weeks or months. On our last 21 day trip we made reservations at hotels ahead in Milan, Bellagio, Portofino, and Venice. We traveled with only carry-on luggage and took trains to each destination. We had no pre-booked train reservations. It was a challenge at small train stations that didn't have elevators or escalators as often we had to go down stairs, under a tunnel, and up stairs to further tracks. Also each train was different and most were high off the ground. Being short, I had to lift my luggage up into the train and then find a way to get myself up, sometimes on my knees for the first step! Learning how to buy tickets was a challenge at first but all of this gave us a sense of adventure and accomplishment. Shucks, traveling for 21 days with pretty extreme temperature changes and 2 black tie events with only carry on luggage was a big accomplishment for me who usually overpacks! We took trains and ferries for day trips. I'm glad we did it but as we age we may not be able to repeat that kind of trip.

When we visited Italy our first time, we booked a private driver service through Rome In Limo. There were four of us and we traveled in Mercedes SUVs to Pisa, Florence, San Gimignano, Rome, and Sicily. It was a fabulous experience. The drivers were so kind and professional and were able to pull right into squares, right in front of the Tower of Pisa early in the AM with only a hand full of people even there by then, drop us off, park and either wait for us or go with us as a guide. We could stop when we wanted, got to do so much more than we would have on our own, had a guide and great recommendations for dining and didn't have to deal with GPS, maps, guidebooks, etc. Just enjoyed the scenery and asking questions.

Your first trip is my kind of travel! What is this Rome in Limo? Do they plan your itinerary and book your hotels?

 

[Glynda]

Your first trip is my kind of travel! What is this Rome in Limo? Do they plan your itinerary and book your hotels?

https://www.romeinlimo.com

Not sure what all they do now (it's been 10 years) but then one could consult with them on tour planning via their driver/guide service. For example, when we were in Rome, they arranged an art major graduate/guide who met us at the Vatican, got us through the lines right away and directed us to the most important spots according to our interests and was just so good at her job! We learned more than we ever would have on our own and moved through the crowds with ease. We were able to choose between places to visit ahead of time according to the time allotted and once with the guide we could add things if we learned of something that interested us more as time allowed. I can't say what their reputation or pricing is now, but then it great and was worth every penny!

 

[CanuckTravlr]

I have driven extensively in Europe on several occasions, including the centres of Rome, Paris and London in rush hour. The OP is from Boston. In my experience, if you are a fairly confident driver and are used to driving in rush-hour traffic in a major city and on congested highways, you will have no problem driving in Europe. You do need to read up on the rules of the road for each country. These are usually available online and include such things as general speed limit rules, traffic signal rules, right of priority at round-abouts, restricted travel areas (such as ZTLs), vehicle lighting and any special or general rules of the road. I just consider it part of my normal research for any trip.

Our rule-of-thumb for European travel is that if we are only staying in a major city or travelling between two or three cities, then we generally travel by train. If we are on an extended visit (3 or 4 weeks) and want to visit smaller towns, more rural areas or cover a region, then we always rent a car. In the last 10 years, we have always used Hertz in Europe with great satisfaction. A car allows you to explore areas you wouldn't otherwise normally see. It is part of the adventure.

While I am certainly competent with a manual transmission, I prefer to drive an automatic in Europe, since it is one less thing to have to think about while driving. It also means my wife can take over if necessary, since she is not comfortable with a manual. In the UK and the British Caribbean, where they drive on the left, I insist on an automatic, as I have never gotten used to shifting with my left hand! We normally arrange for a class of car that is guaranteed to be automatic, such as a BMW 3-series, an Audi A4 or a Mercedes C-Class. Smaller automatics are certainly available, but we want a trunk big enough to hide our luggage when changing locations. On our last trip to the UK we got upgraded to a Mercedes E-Class, which being a much larger car was a bit nerve-wracking initially on some of the narrow Cotswald roads, but I got used to it. I just accepted it as a challenge, and ultimately enjoyed it. It was a beautiful car!!

In Italy, an international driving permit is legally required, contrary to another poster above. If you don't have one, it may not be a problem, but if you get into an incident understand that you can be fined if you don't have one. Please note that an IDP is a permit, not a licence. You still need your valid provincial or state driver's licence!! The purpose of the IDP is to certify and translate your licence into multiple languages, so that a local officer that has a poor grasp of English can understand it. Technically in France an IDP is also required but I have never bothered with one there, since my Ontario licence is printed in both English and French. In the UK, generally only your valid provincial or state driver's licence is needed.

I love driving and generally find driving in Europe to be much more enjoyable than in most areas of North America, particularly the congested eastern states and provinces. The lane discipline is so much better in Europe. Large trucks are only permitted to drive in the farthest right lane. They can move to the next lane to the left, but only if necessary to pass and then must move back over to the right-most lane. Unlike here in North America where large tractor-trailers are often spread across every lane of a multi-lane freeway. Smaller vehicles also tend to only use the left lane to pass and then pull back to the right, always yielding the lane to faster traffic. None of this sitting in the left lane self-righteously, right at the speed limit and never yielding it to other traffic, that is so common on this continent. In my experience if you follow their rules and keep right, so that you are neither a hazard nor a hindrance, you will be respected and not be bothered by either the locals or the police. And it actually makes driving on the highways so much more relaxing.

Enjoy your trip and don't be afraid to drive.

 

[cp73]

We went to Italy in October. Went to Rome, Cinque Terre, Pisa, Florence, and Venice. We did it all by trains. It was very easy and enjoyable. In Florence we hired a driver and toured the towns and tuscany for a day. You can't believe how bad the signage is on the streets. First at an intersection your lucky if one of the streets have a name on it. Then you have to find it. A lot are painted on the side of a building not consistently in the same place. On foot we didn't know where we were a lot. We had to use the GPS. Using GPS on foot also isn't the most detailed accurate. We had to head in the wrong direction a lot of times just to get our bearings.

 

[pedro47]

CanuckTravlr your advice are all excellent suggestions and to point. To the OP, follow this world traveler and you will be just fine in Europe. Drive to the right and maintain that speed limit.

Another surprise to me was that most taxis vehicles are Mercedes Benz and they used diesel fuel and not gasoline. Please follow CanuckTravir advice and ask for an automatic automobile rental and not want with a manual shift.

 

[Bucky]

I was stationed in Italy for 3 years. It’s really not that hard to get around if driving. Get a vehicle with a GPS or take your own with you loaded with the maps you will need. Like what has already been stated, unless passing stay in the right lane. Also, if you are in the left lane and you see a vehicle coming up flashing it’s lights get over as quick as possible.its just the European way of saying we are coming through and would appreciate you getting out of our way!

 

[pedro47]

Also, most European drive subcompact autos with manual transmission.

 

[lizap]

Also, most European drive subcompact autos with manual transmission.

This is the hardest part of driving in Italy. Manual transmission and trying to park on a hill.

 

[pedro47]

The hardest thing about using a manual transmission is that darn clutch. I have a Mercedes 240D diesel and on the open highway, she was great : and on the open highway she was averaging between 40-45 mpg.
Parking on a hill and going up a mountain was an experience I will never forget.
Again you have to use that clutch; but in the end that was one outstanding auto.

 

[dsmrp]

The hardest thing about using a manual transmission is that darn clutch. I have a Mercedes 240D diesel on the open highway: she was getting between 40-45 mpg.
Parking on a hill and going up a mountain was an experience I will never forget.

Fortunately the pedal order is the same whether it's a right side or left side steering wheel vehicle, and someone said the gear box order is similar except you have to shift with the opposite arm. When DH drove a "right side" vehicle, he was always turning on the wipers when he wanted to signal LOL. But he's not too worried about driving on the left. It can be a lot hillier in Italy and Greece, and he appreciates why locals usually drive manual. It would probably wear out an automatic transmission much faster; and he said sometimes really needed the lower gears on the hills. The GPS pronunciations of Italian street names were a hoot!