DRIVING TO ROME

Kathleen, I'm coming into this a little uninformed...

Are you planning on spending the night in Rome on your way south? If so, what part of town are you staying in? Like Kent's previous post regarding Florence, are you in a hotel and do they have parking?

If you can answer some of these I may be able to point you to a close-by parking garage - or at least one that's near a train or metro line to get you TO your hotel...

As Kent said in his Florence message, parking there is difficult due to the pedestrian only issues - in Rome it's difficult just to park ANYWHERE! I read in the Rome paper last month there are 3 million cars around Rome... and only 300,000 "legal" parking spaces...

So give us more info and we will try and help you!

Ron

I don't really understand your post, but based on your other previous one I would once again like to try and convince you to ditch the car.
Consider taking the train, or in the spirit that your questions are asked, TAKE THE TRAIN.
Parking is impossible in Orvieto, Florence, Rome, Naples. But all easily accessible by train. Think about it? Or fill us in the details on why the car is so necessary for where you want to go.

Kathleen: Ron and Claire (2 above posts) live in Italy and their knowledge of the differences between here and there has been very helpful to those of us who only visit. IMO they both make an important kind of "big picture" point: that renting a car to drive everywhere in Italy is not necessary and often adds complications which detract from the quality of your travel experience and are not necessary. Driving on the autostradas/freeways is relatively easy but the complications begin when you get off those and look for parking, etc. When I made my first trip to Europe, it was to Italy and there was no Rick Steves Helpline--and with my American and Canadian travel instincts ("renting a car is automatically the way to go and what's with all these trains anyway"), I learned the hard way. What I now know is that there are reasons the locals mostly travel by train to areas that are well served by trains. I do rent a car for the Hill Towns of Tuscany/Umbria or to other areas such as Sicily where some (but not all) travelers feel that a car is worth the hassles because they can't get by train to the things they want to see. In Italy: if trains regularly go where you want to go, ask yourself if what you'd do here (automatically rent a car) is going to add to or detract from the experience that you want your vacation to be.

Kathleen,

I would second Claire and Kent's opinions. Why hassle with a car in Rome? I drive a motorino (scooter) out of need, but there's a car at my disposal and I NEVER DRIVE IT! It's just too hard to park and too much hassle in traffic... with a motorino you don't have to wait in traffic...

That being said, I agree with them - and they are pretty "Italy-savvy." Dump the car after you see the Tuscan country side and get on the train! It will probably save you money, but undoubtedly it will save you a ton of stress!!!

If you still feel you need the car (Gulp!) we will all try to help you if you give us more info!

Ciao,
Ron