Renting a car in Italy

Myself, I like to drive but in your case I would recommend the train. A rental for that long will be expensive and then add on autostrada fees,gas and parking. Not sure about the other places but in Rome,CT and Venice you'll pretty much just be leaving it parked while you visit. Rome and CT were 10 euro a day and I believe Venice is around 20 euro. Will take up more of your time with the train but cheaper.

Since this is your first trip I would take the train. You will arrive relaxed and generally in the center of town. You would need to do some comparison pricing between the flex pass and point to point tickets. It may be cheaper to do point to point tickets. Most stations have self service kiosks which take American credit cards and they have about 6-8 languages. Also, I would not buy in advance because they are usually cheaper when buying in Italy. Also, Trenitalia will not accept most American credit cards. Buon viaggio,

Definitely the train. Having a car for anything other than day trips is a hassle, especially when you consider that most of these places are easily walkable and driving in the city centers is forbidden. Not to mention the expense of renting a car and then arranging and paying for daily parking.

Kathy[INVALID]if you are by yourself I would for sure take the train (and I am not a person who likes the train). Even if you have help with driving and navigating, it sounds like you are primarily going to the big cities + CT that either don't allow cars[INVALID]Venice, or make it hard to drive in them with their no driving zones/fines and expensive parking[INVALID]CT, Florence, Rome, Milan and Siena. If you were spending more time in countryside, I would recommend the driving, but for your plans I agree (reluctantly) with the train folks.

Thanks everyone for your insights. I think I'll stick with the train.

Kathy, although you've already decided on your travel method, I have a few comments to add. I definitely agree with the others - the train is not only going to be more efficient, but also much faster. If you only have 3-weeks, it's a good idea to minimize your travel time and maximize your touring time (especially on a first trip). ¶ However, using the trains requires some "preparation". I'd highly recommend pre-reading the Guidebook "Europe Through The Back Door", especially the "Rail Skills" chapter. ¶ Regarding the Flex Pass, this may or may not be a good idea. Keep in mind that some trains have compulsory reservations, and those are NOT included in the passes - you'll have to pay "out of pocket" for the reservation portion. ¶ Finally, if you were going to drive, non-EU drivers require a compulsory International Driver's Permit, which must be used in conjunction with your home D.L. Driver's can be fined on the spot for failing to produce an IDP if requested. A GPS would also be a good idea. With a car you'd also have to pay for CDW, parking, toll fees and very expensive fuel. Some Fuel stations are closed on weekends, and often only accept "chip & PIN" credit cards which are almost impossible for US citizens to obtain. ¶ All of the places you're visiting are easily accessible by rail. Carefully planned rail trips are by far a better option (IMHO, of course). Happy travels!

Rent a motorcycle. Its the best way to see Italy. Parking is free, no Zones to deal with.