Driving in Italy?

Sherry,

A few points about driving in Italy.

As you'll be driving in Tuscany be especially careful of the "ZTL" zones. There's lots of information on the Helpline about those. Even if you can't manage with the language, you should know what the signs look like.

Especially as you'll be alone, a "talking" GPS unit would be a really good idea. I'd also pack along a Michelin map for "backup". I've found that GPS units aren't infallible, so it's a good idea to confirm the information provided by the GPS using local road signs or whatever. They sometimes get confused with the local names in foreign countries.

In order to drive in Italy, you will also require an International Driver's Permit, which must be used in conjunction with your home Driver's license. Failure to produce an IDP if requested can result in fines on the spot!

I'm sure the others will have lots of suggestions for you as well.

Happy travels!

I say do it! Rent or buy a GPS with Italian maps, learn your international street signs and learn to drive a stick shift and you'll be fine. Really there is nothing to 'translate' as far as sign reading goes, and if you have a GPS you won't have to worry about getting lost. As for driving on the highway stay in the right hand lane until you're comfortable. In Italy people drive by some rules (only pass on the left on the highway), but other rules that we have they don't (passing on the right on country roads).
Driving through Tuscany and Umbria is actually really relaxing by Italian standards. It's driving in the big cities that is scary.

As mentioned, a GPS will make life so much easier when driving through a strange country. The good thing about signs in Italy is that while they may look quite different from what you're used to at home they conform with the international conventions for European countries and thus don't require you to understand Italian to the most part. Have a look at this website and familiarize yourself with the most common signs and rules of the road:

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

Lots of good suggestions above. If possible, get a GPS that is equipped with European and US maps before your trip and start using it now so that you are familiar with it.

Remember, do not get in the far left lane except to pass and then return quickly to the middle or right lane.

Even though the drivers in Italy are 'crazy', on our trip we drove for four weeks, over 4000k, and saw only one accident.

Enjoy Tuscany and (especialy) Umbria.

Sherry,

Driving in Italy reminded me of driving in Mission Beach, CA as a teen. The narrow roads are crammed with cars and all the parking spots are full. The major differences were I didn't know where I was going and none of the streets have signs. I had fun and didn't get even a scratch on the car but I'm not sure it's for everyone.

Italian drivers aren't committed to lanes and traffic signals are often viewed as suggestions. They are aggressive. They will always let you in but get impatient quickly if you don't go and start honking their displeasure. Scooters and motorcycles drive like lunatics but seem to recognize it's their job not to hit you.

I drove without a GPS and wouldn't do it again. As I said streets have names but no signage. I stopped regularly for directions and was complemented endlessly for my limited Italian. Directions didn't help much - did I mention none of the streets have signs?

Get a good GPS with European and North American maps pre-installed. I have a TomTom 920 and really like it. I would buy either a TomTom or Garmin because those seem to get the best reveiws. The GPS will get you to where you're going without getting lost. The time you save will be worth the price of the GPS.

The question I've never seen answered is if GPS keep you out of ZTL's, limited traffic zones, to avoid tickets. We knew about the zones and carefully avoided them. If a GPS keeps you out of them, it would be a valuable service - one ticket equals the price of a good GPS.

Definitely need a GPS!

Wow. We drove all over Tuscany and up to Monte Carlo. First I ever heard of ZTL's. Dumb luck. I agree, a GPS would have been helpful, if nothing more that to get on the highways going in the right direction. Also, filling up the car was very strange. I was so reluctant to put my credit card into one of their pumps. No problem it turned out, but it took a bit of getting used to. I had 3 "co pilots" all capable of reading maps, so I agree a talking GPS for you would be most helpful. Have fun, driving in Tuscany is a treat.

I have rented in Italy several times. Their rental agencies have funky hours of operation so be aware of pick-up and drop-off dates and times. Do not rent a car to drive in any large city. Most have "ZTL" Zona Traffico Limitato zones which, especially in Florence, are going to get you VERY expensive tickets. Only for driving out into the countryside will you need a car. Renting from the train station, if it is outside the "ZTL", is a good bet, or in the case of Florence, take a taxi and rent at the airport. Buy all the insurance available, and make yourself aware of the fine print on the rental contract. I use my own GPS (GARMIN) which has European maps installed. It works wonders!! If you want to learn Italian, I suggest Rosetta Stone software. It's quite expensive but very easy and intuitive to use. Again, stay out of the city centers, especially Florence!!!

I have driven in Italy and didn't find it that bad.

My advice. Get a GPS unit. Honestly, it's SO much esaier then "reading the map" while driving!

I have a Garmen GPS at home. Before I went on my last visit to Italy, I bought a European small disc. You just pop out the American and put in the European. It was great. I felt totally at ease driving in Italy. Also, we took a side trip to France and Switzerland and the disk covered all of these countries.

Agree with the advice about getting a GPS unit, would be helpful. Also I'd suggest getting one of the Michelin maps to use; before you get in the car on each leg, spend 5 minutes looking at the map to become familiar with the cities you'll be encountering on the way so you have a good general idea; you'll be more comfortable driving if you have the bigger picture in mind than just relying on the GPS.

That all said, we've driven in Italy and thought the roads were well marked. The signs have the name of a larger city on branches you can take on the highways, and on the smaller roads the cities along the way are marked. This is why it can be helpful to have looked at the map ahead of time; if you're on a smaller road in Tuscany and know that the sequence to get to C goes thru A and B, then you follow the signs to A, from A to B, and passing thru B you'll see the signs for C. It was much easier than I thought. But having 1 person driving and 1 looking for signs is easier than doing both yourself.

Ditto on the GPS, I wish I had gotten one, but I survived without it.

The things that struck me most:
1. When merging onto a freeway from an on ramp, don't expect Italians in the right lane to move over or adjust their speed for you to let you on, they just don't do it. It's up to you to adjust your speed to sneak in where you can. If your timing sucks, you'll be stuck at the end of the ramp and you'll have to wait for an opportunity.

1. On the freeway (AutoStrade), Italians drive fast like the Germans do on the Autobahn, but they also drive crazy. They will change lanes without notice and often in front of you with only a few inches to spare, so be prepared for that and just go with it.

2. If you make a decision to change lanes, take an exit or whatever, follow through. Other drivers will expect that of you. If you change your mind, bad things happen.

3. As bad as the car drivers are, the motorcycle drivers are even worse.

4. Sometimes, three drivers occupy two lanes. It's weird.

5. In the cities, often times, lanes are not marked, so drivers just tend to make their own lanes and they criss cross in front of you, so be alert.

6. In the cities, sometimes red lights are more of a suggestion really, especially in Rome.

Don't let this scare you though. You should go for it. It's definitely an adventure.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,
Maggie
http://www.maggiewilliamswanderer.com/

We have driven in Italy many thousands of kms and as far as Maggie's post above is concerned, I would say that points 1 to 4 are just as applicable to driving in the US of A as in Italy. Sorry about that.

I disagree with the Canadian writer who argues that Margie's comments on motorcycles and entering Autoroutes in Italy are the same as in the USA. Motorcycles in Europe are simply a problem of a different magnitude. I live in an area which has many motorcycles and I do not find that they are anywhere near the problem that one runs into in Europe.

And it all depends on where you are in the states as to whether people will let you onto an Interstate. People in the Washington, D.C. metro area are reasonably polite,for example; they are much less so in San Diego.

Hi Sherry, If you drive in the more congested cities in the US, then you will have no trouble driving in Italy. I've been driving in Italy starting in 1975, and many times since then. European drivers actually must learn to drive before being issued a driver's license, as opposed to California, where one can have absolutly no clue about driving and still get a license. Driving in Rome or Florence isn't difficult, but parking is another story (there's a parking garage below the train station in Florence). Get a good set of maps, and go for it, and have fun. Charlie, Lodi, CA

Hi Sherry,
you been given excellent advice here. I'll address three points: First, you don't need to worry about crazy driving because you will not be allowed to drive in urban areas. The ZTLs don't just apply to you, they apply to all Italians who don't live in that city. That is not your concern unless you foolishly decide to flirt with the boundaries of ZTLs. I hear you that you want to drive in the countryside. wise choice. 2. Even small towns have ZTLs- research whether or not each town you visit will have one before you depart. They probably all do. 3. They use international signage, so while it's easy to read it is different --but if you prepare you will have no problem. Buy "Italy, Instructions for Use" and study driving in Italy at slowtrav.com. Take the book with you and refer to it before you drive and park. 4. You will need to research all your routes before you depart and study your map the night before each day trip, you will be fine. 5. With the caveat that the culture varies from region as it does here, Italians don't drive all spaced out like in some parts of the US do(LA folks ignore this..)- they are very attentive. Slower traffic stays right (that's you!), always pass on the left, don't drop anchor in the left lane while you're fiddling with your radio, pass and move over! Watch your rear view mirror, and pull over to the right a bit on country roads and make it easy for people to pass you-- that's your job as a driver. 6. Hmmm. Yes, it's true many streets aren't marked but if you're driving in small towns that shouldn't be a problem... 7. If you adhere to the slow traffic stay right/pass left rule I don't think you will have too much trouble with Maggie's warning #2.

How did this become 7 points??