Driving in Italy

By the way, I know it's not recommended but I'm driving my rental car back to Rome near the main train station. Should I go early in the morning when everyone is sleeping? Haha

Learn the road signs and traffic rules.
Do not drive in cities.
The further south you get the more manic the drivers are.
Apart from that you should be OK.

*Read the terms and conditions on your rental agreement before signing it.** This is very important and will tell you what fees you may incur, what holds will be put on your card, how you must pay for the card, what insurances they offer and other important information. Don't take it for granted that it will be the same as renting a car back home.

Do not drive into any city center. If there are walls around the city, do not enter it. You will face huge fines if you do.

Do not speed. Do not drive in bus lanes. Do not park illegally.

You must get an international drivers permit before leaving home. You must use this permit along with your license when driving in Italy. A lot of rental companies are refusing rentals unless you can produce an IDP. It is NOT a license, it's a permit that is a translation of your actual license. You can get one at any AAA office for under $20.

Read and learn all the road signs.

Use a GPS so you don't get lost.

Check out your car before driving it off the rental lot. Notate every scratch, ding or discoloration and have the attendant sign off on it. Take video or photos if possible.

Be sure to have a credit card. Most companies won't rent without one. A debit card will not suffice.

Be aware that a lot of companies will put a hold on your card for gas and for extra insurances. If you have extended insurances they will still put a hold on your card but will remove it after the car is returned if there is no damage. Same with the gas. They will put a hold on your card to cover a tank of gas until after the rental is over and they confirm it was returned with a full tank.

Donna

It is not difficult to drive your car to Roma Termini station. The place is just some 4 blocks off the end of a highway.

Note the ZTLs in cities, if you "wander" into one you will get a charge to your credit cards in the next billing cycle for a processing fee; this means the car rental agency has given your information to the police so they can send you a traffic violation citation which may take up to a year or more to reach you. Processing fee is small compared to the traffic fine.

Late April means May perhaps the best month of the year in Tuscany if the meteo is friendly; and the 'Crete Senesi' are one of the most amazing places of this fantastic region.
Driving thru those winding roads is just a drop-dead -better a convertible or a 'spider', so you won't loose the sky ( a little two-seat Alfa Romeo could be ideal, but a Fiat 500 convertible also if the first one is too expensive).
You don't indicate where you made the first reservation by the way, but my suggestion is that it should be in the center of the area you want to visit so you'll be able to do a ' go and back' as your mood will have taken you out from the bed . Wake up early in the morning, I mean around 6 am so the traffic will be inexistent and your pics will have the best light, so by avoiding the crowds (and the hot sun) of the late morning.
Another point very important if you'd like to have a real taste of this imbelievable land is to leave the main roads and take the small ones (even not asphalted- the so called 'strade bianche', 'white roads')... let the road take you toward the ...unknown- may be a 'fattoria' with home made cheese, 'salami', oil, wine, vegetables, or other genuine things you might not find in the surrounding stores; or an 'osteria' with good food and wine at not crazy prices; or a small ancient abbey not so underlined by famous guides. Meet the local people stopping by in small villages, asking them perhaps where to find the best 'prosciutto crudo' of that corner of territory; let them try to give you their stories: together you'll find a way to make each other understood -take your time, in other words, relaxe, you're in Tuscany not stuck in the Cross Bronx Expressway.

I know very well this region, I leave in Florence since years (born ...many years ago in Lake Como area) , and I travelled a lot in US also (airplane, convertible car, and small roads more than main highways, from Maine to California)...and my experience is... ok the guides...ok the pass the word...ok museums, churches, statues, monuments and history, but... a 'panino' in a good company just off a 'strada di campagna' (country road) under a Tuscan sky...well , is something that will give you extraordinary sensations ...even more, I'd say, than a famous starred-up restaurant (who knows, try...).
Have a nice trip though, and enjoy the driving, but caution, curves might be tough, so slow down -we don't have the CHIPS out here, but sometimes even our Police could get nervous if you exceed the speed limit ( 50 kilometers per hour in towns, villages and other centers; 70, 90, 110 elsewhere; 130 in autostrada -turnpike).
Claudio Fantuzzi , Firenze, Italy.

You shouldn't have any troubles driving in Tuscany. I'm sure you have driven the mountains roads in the Cascades before. So those are the types of roads you will be driving in Tuscany, although occasionally you might take the freeways for a quicker trip (for example to Assisi it's mostly freeway from where you are). As others have said, you need to become familiar with the International Road Signage system used in Europe. Most signs are self explanatory and some have been adopted in the US as well (e.g. the triangular 'yield' sign, the "No U turn" sign, the "Do not enter/wrong way" sign, etc.). Google "road signs in Italy" and go to the related Wikipedia article, then print the list of signs for easy reference.
Become familiar with driving in roundabouts, since they are rare in the US. There are a few in Portland where you can practice, not sure about Longview. Most intersections in Italy have been made into roundabouts. The rule is simple. Those already inside the roundabout circle have the right of way, while those about to enter it must slow down and yield to the vehicles already in it. No need to stop before entering unless you need to yield to vehicles.
On the freeway you must keep the left lane clear. The left lane is passing lane only and you must move back to the right when you are done passing to permit faster vehicles to pass you. So no cruising in the left passing lane. This is very important, as passing vehicles on the right is illegal on the freeway. You must always pass a vehicle on their left.
As mentioned most historical centers have traffic restrictions. These are called "Zona Traffico Limitato" (ZTL) or restricted/limited traffic zones. Only residents with permit can enter. You are not one of them, so park in a lot outside the ancient walls.
Below is an example of the sign indicating the start of a ZTL.
To return the car in Rome choose an office near the TIBURTINA station, not the Termini station. Tiburtina is closer to the freeway exit coming from Rome East (Roma Est-A24)
http://www.milanofree.it/images/stories/trasporti/ztl_milano.gif

All of the above is good advise. I would just add bring your own GPS! I did for 2 weeks of driving in Italy and it was invaluable. You want you own GPS as you do not want to be trying to operate a strange device. If you can program it before you leave home with your destinations, all the better.

In the old days on this Forum, we used to have a special topic on "Driving Experiences in Italy", people would send in their Italian Driving Stories. There were a lot of stories.

So maybe you don't want to quite believe anyone who tells you: oh, no problem.

In Italy, if the train goes there, you probably want to take the train.
And for those locations without regular train service, yes, of course drive there--being aware ahead of time of the differences, between driving there and here, for example, driving in the ZTL's and parking.

Driving and parking are a bit different over there.

No sweat. I never had any problems driving in Italy.

Actually that's where I learned how to drive.

I don't think driving there is any different than driving in the US under similar conditions.

Driving on country roads in the Alps or Tuscany is no different than driving on country roads in the U.S. I can mention several roads near where I live in the Santa Cruz mountains that resemble Italian roads in Tuscany. I can tell you that driving in the narrowest and most treacherous Italian roads is no different than driving on Maui's road to Hana.

Likewise driving in Rome or Milan is not much different than driving in Manhattan.

The problem arises when someone has no experience driving on winding country roads in the U.S. or has never driven in a big chaotic city like Manhattan or San Francisco. Some people have experience driving only in freeways and suburbs (where streets are straight and wide, traffic is not chaotic and parking easy). Others live in parts of the U.S. where they never had to drive a hill or negotiate a road with curves.

So it really depends on individual driving experience.

Well, referring to some posts above: a number of travel advisers believe that driving and parking in Italy are not quite like driving and parking here.
http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/driving/index.htm
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/europe/travel-tips-and-articles/76993

Great advice so far. I would add that I found Italy helpful when driving to the towns you mention because Rick gives great directions and advice on parking (legally) when visiting these towns. Review the book before you set out, and then have your passenger (if you have one) double check the suggestions while approaching the towns.

Enjoy!
Sharon

We too are interested in spending 4-6 days at an Agriturismo . . . is driving the only way to see this area/Sienna? We really aren't interested getting a car. We plan on doing this after our RS Venice, Florence, Rome Tour . . . just trying to figure out what to do after the tour for a week or so . . . would prefer not to deal with a car

Grazie everyone for the great advise. You all have been very helpful!