Thelma & Louise On Tour: ITALY

fat,

The first thought that comes to mind is that you'll need to do some research on the potentially expensive "caveats" of driving in Italy. It's not just a simple matter of getting behind the wheel for a carefree drive into the sunset. When is this trip taking place?

A few things to consider......

It's important to note that for driving in Italy, each driver listed on the rental form must have the compulsory International Driver's Permit, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. These are valid for one year, and easily obtained at any CAA/AAA office (two Passport-sized photos required, which may be provided by the issuing office). Failure to produce an IDP if requested can result in fines on the spot! Have a look at http://italy.usembassy.gov/acs/general-driving.html for more information on I.D.P's and driving in Italy.

You may also want to have a look at some of the other posts here concerning the dreaded Zona Traffico Limitato areas that are becoming increasingly prevalent in many Italian towns & cities especially Florence, which is almost saturated with automated ZTL cameras. EACH PASS through one of the automated Cameras will result in a €100+ ticket, which you won't know about until several months after you return home! This website provides more information - http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/driving/traffic_cameras_speeding.htm

There's also the issue of parking tickets, high fuel costs, tolls and automated speed cameras including the devious Traffic Tutor system which measures not only instantaneous speed but also average between two points. Violate either or both parameter and expensive tickets will follow. You may also encounter automated fuel pumps that will only accept Chip & Pin credit cards.

A GPS along with a good Map would also be prudent. Be sure to give some thought to the question of CDW and theft insurance. In Italy, buying CDW from the rental firm is usually compulsory, so coverage provided by credit cards will not apply. Check the Car Rental section in Europe Through The Back Door for further information. You could also download the "Car Rental" PDF Guide from http://www.gemut.com/ (they have a toll free number if you have any questions).

I'm sure the others will have some comments. Good luck with your planning!

EDIT: Good luck with that ladies! Not my idea of a "camper" - not even close! Ken made some very good points - be sure and take heed.

You will need a map - if for nothing else to find campsites and commuter parking lots where you can leave the camper to explore cities.

I have to agree with the others that the map or some form of GPS is a must. We drove for a week around Tuscany (used trains everywhere else) and you'll often get to an intersection with signs pointing both directions to the same town. Or, unless you are looking for the adventure of getting lost and seeing what you can find? Though gas is so much more expensive over there, you might not want to get too lost ;) I would highly recommend Tuscany -- so beautiful and we loved the Cinque Terre, but you won't be able to take your camper into the towns.

Wow, thanks Kaeleku. I just googled "88." I had no idea... It's amazing what I've learned on this forum, and much of it has nothing to do with travel: YMMV. DNFTT, etc.

I know that several people expressed their concerns, but I'll let this stay without the blog/twitter links per our Community Guidelines.

As Kathy nailed it, I'll use her words to explain that "if you wish to ask questions here then you must be willing to read the responses provided here. Additionally, assistance provided here can provide help for others with similar questions who may be searching these forums." Hopefully, there can be some helpful information shared here.

Regards,
RS Webmaster

I am in Tuscany and seeing a number of small camper's on the road (this seems somewhat new for Italy). My comments: I drive in Itsly every year....but never Naples. I would park well outside Naples and take the train in to the city. I usually drive the smallest vehicle you can rent, and even then I've gotten myself into some very tight spots. You will have a blast, but you will find some difficulty getting around in a huge vehicle.

Life is short and you are going on an adventure. I personally would not travel in a camper but that's just me. A train might be better and you can just go wherever and stay overnight in a cheap B&B. I like most of the above suggestions. Also buy a RS book or more and read up about traffic people customs and so on. When I was 18 I hitchhiked from Germany to Greece to the Island of Crete to Crete by ferry . People told me I was crazy and perhaps I was. Back then we had no internet and my info was very limited. I had a blast and I still fondly remember all my memories I made. Happy Traveling

Camper...hardly - it's a mini suv with a mattress in the back basically. The are really stretching it calling it a camper!

Christi how do you know?

I'm not Christie but I know because of the picture they posted before it was pulled.

Originally the post had a link to the "camper" rental place.

Wow - this thread has a whole lot of missing pieces!

fatand50plus - I know a little something about that ;-) - please come back and get the help you were looking for; we can get you steered in the right direction...but not if we never hear from you again. Maybe some people came on rather strong; I'll never know since so many posts have been deleted :-( but we just want to do our best to give you the benefit of our experiences in Italy and Europe. Please return and keep an open mind...

It would seem that "fatand50plus" didn't get the hoped-for response on this forum, so has departed into the sunset in her "wicked camper".