My family, my husband, myself and two teenage boys, are heading to Italy over the holidays. This is our first time. We arrive in Milan, take a train to Rome, spend four days, then take a train to Florence, for four days, then head to Venice, then back to Milan. My question is this: we are renting a car in Florence and thought it would be good to drive to Venice. Is this a good idea? We are concerned about rain, no parking in Venice. Should we just reserve a car in Venice? Take a train to Venice?
Also thank you so much for the ideas to hire a guide. I am looking into this now. Thank you in advance for your thoughts and suggestions.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32921 posts
maria (it might be well for you to remove your last name from your profile - everything here is in the open),
You will be using the train and then renting a car? Why would you want to rent a car in Venice? What do you want to use the car for?
I've driven (my own car) many times in northern Italy (and elsewhere). The train from Florence to Venice is extremely easy and can be quite cheap. The drive between Florence and Venice isn't a lot of fun. From Florence to Bologna the autostrada is narrow, very winding, with a lot of trucks, and with many tunnels. That's because you are winding your way through the Apennine mountains. The drive between Bologna and Padova is boring as the land is flat and you could be on any freeway in the world, except they charge you with the tolls. The hidden cameras will also charge you if you should exceed the speed limit. The drive between Padova and Venezia Mestre (the mainland bit of Venice which you have to go through or past before the causeway) is very difficult. The autostrada has many lanes, most of them wall to wall trucks going much slower than the cars but obscuring the exit signs. Twice in that area I have overshot my exit because I couldn't see it. The causeway between the mainland and the islands of Venice is scenic but much less so than on the train because you can clearly see out the windows of the train whereas with a car you have to keep looking at the other cars and buses - and your speedometer. The low speed of 40 kph is strictly enforced by hidden cameras. When you get off the train at Venezia Santa Lucia you walk through the station and you are at a most amazing sight. You are at the top of a wide flight of stairs gently leading down to the Grand Canal right in front of you, and from the top of those stairs the sights are all there. The view is magnificent. Driving, as soon as you get off the causeway you have to find parking, either at P Roma or Tronchetto. You park your car, making sure not to leave anything in it, and pick your way between the cars and buses trying to find the vaporettos.
I know which I prefer. But perhaps you are different to me.
So if you train to Venice and hire a car there, where will you go with it?
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
Unless you plan to stop off along the way and see places not easily accessible by train, it does not make sense to rent a car with your itinerary. Trains between your cities will be much easier and much faster. With only four days in Florence, you may not need or want a car there either (you can take day trips by bus or train, and the ZTL's will create problems and possible expense later).
There are advance purchase discounts for fast Italian trains, if you can commit to specific trains (and if the discounts are not already sold out). On the other hand, full price tickets in Italy are not that expensive. Look at Trenitalia's website; this post from Ron In Rome may help you use it: http://tinyurl.com/c4t693b