Looking for advice from anyone who has rented a car in Italy

[AnnieK]

We will be renting a car this April to explore Tuscany. I understand we need to have an International Driver's License which is available through AAA. We do not have AAA and are hoping to find another way to get the IDL without having to pay the membership fee.

Also, can anyone unravel the mystery of auto insurance? It seems credit card benefits apply everywhere but Italy. Should we buy insurance from the rental agency and what type of policy will be need? Thanks for any input.

 

[ragtop]

International license from AAA is not necessary.

The car rental co. insurance is usually mandatory in Italy because of theft problems.

Have fun!

 

[Jimster]

Italy

Do not drive in Rome.

 

[Jennie]

Do not drive in the south of Italy--Naples, Sorrento, Amalfi coast. The locals drive insanely there. They speed, try to change lanes on bliind curbs, etc... You see many crashed vehicles along the roadside.

Renting a car at the Rome airport to head out to Tuscany is fine.

We have rented many times through Auto-Europe which is based in the U.S. and have always been satisfied.

 

[marion10]

At least here in Illinois you can get the International license without being a memeber of AAA. (Althugh we are already. My husband did get the locense- but never had to use it. H epicked up the car at the Rome airport and drove to Tuscany/Umbria.

 

[AnnieK]

Thanks for the quick replies. We are going to Rome and Venice but not picking up the car until we get to Siena. It will only be used to see Tuscany in the spring. I can't wait!!

 

[donnaval]

As others have mentioned, as long as you aren't driving in Rome, or in Southern Italy, you will be fine. Be sure to familiarize yourself with some Italian words for what you will encounter on street and highway signs. You won't have time to slow down and try to figure out what signs say. I have always found Italian drivers to be pretty darned good drivers, which is why they drive so darned fast!

Siena is one of my favorite places but a little tough for driving. Very tiny streets, easy to get lost, very little parking--I would recommend you park outside the city walls and take a bus or taxi inside if it's physically possible for you.

Have fun!

 

[hibbeln]

We didn't have an international driver's license. No problem. You don't need it.

Don't sweat too much about the driving. As stated before, Italians are good drivers, and have surprisingly few accidents. What you need to watch out for (and we had it be the person in the passenger seat) is when you're in/near a town WATCH OUT for the motorcycles & vespas. Often they are kids riding double (or in one case in Sicily, 2 kids on a vespa with one holding the reins of a horse that was trotting along behind) and so starry-eyed in love (it IS Italy, after all) that they think nothing of making a sudden LEFT turn right in front of you from the vicinity of your right bumper. YIKES! Also, they zip up behind you and hover at the front corner of your car. There must be some unspoken thing they all know, but just make sure you don't make any sudden moves with your car or there might be one you clip. What we finally figured out is that if they are BEHIND the driver/passenger (say behind the front seat section of your car) then don't worry about them, they're watching you. Italians literally never look in their rear view mirror and you don't need to either. But once they've pulled up even with the driver/passenger (so riding along parallel with you, front seat or forward) then make sure someone is watching them because I believe they're counting on you to be watching what THEY'RE doing. Make sense?

But don't let me scare you, Italian driving is mostly a breeze, especially once you're north of Rome.

 

[sstamm]

This discussion reminds me of our Italy driving experience several years ago.
We rented a car and were driving through Naples. Crazy, I know now, but we didn't know then.

Definitely watch out for the scooters!!! We were constantly amazed how they zip in and out of traffic.

Funniest one we saw- Dad driving, then 2 kids, then Mom on back (one of the kids, age 7 or 8, in soccer uniform) and a net bag full of soccer balls, all on one Vespa!

Makes me smile to think of it!

My husband had the International Drivers license and never needed it.

Have fun!

 

[johnfornal]

Tuscan Sun

Hi,

We drove all around Tuscany then all the way to San Paul Vence and Provence...used Avis picked up in Florence...get something with power...Opel two classes up worked fine.

Late March early April...expect Very bright sunshine and high speeds on dry roads or wet....with lots of turns along the sea...beautiful drive...don't miss the Cinque Terra and San Barthalemu and Sestre Levante was very nice as well....you will be quite close to Tuscany...

The biggest surprize was the number of pitch black tunnels you encounter along the Mediterrean...From Piza to Nice you will need dark sunglasses then you go to hardly being able to see back to bright sun again....about 60 times....it can be a challenge at 125KM...that was in the middle lanes...

With your car you can stop at the Firenze Leather factory outlet follow the signs along the frontage road between Arezzo...It was well worth it...a $500 jacket in the window in Firenze was $200 at the outlet and everyone I meet wants to know where I got it...my birthday present nine months early but something to remember for all time...she got four pairs of shoes that were nine months ahead of the styles...cheap 60% off and well made...clogs and bowling shoe look...

That's my shopping reason to always rent a car...save money to justify the expense...

Sadly we flew right by the twin towers going home from NJ (our home state) and again in early September... can you imagine...

Enjoy,

John

 

[PStreet1]

The insurance problem. The reason your credit card company doesn't have insurance that applies in Italy is rental cars are VERY often stolen in Italy. You really have no choice but to purchase from the rental company, and yes, that increases the cost of car rental considerably--but you'll be in Italy and it will be glorious!