Please sign in to post.

Traveling in Italy. Rent a car or use trains?

Hello group
I am taking my first trip to Europe from the states. I plan to spend 20 days in Italy flying in to Rome. Going to Tuscany for a few days ,Then
I know I want to go to Amalfi coast and path of the gods. would like to see sicily and Venice
But may only have time for one or the other.
First question I would like help with is car or train? If I rent a car. Is it hard to find parking in the towns?

Can you get everywhere by train
If so it that experience? My 2nd question is
I am not big on trendy touristy type places.
Hoping to find local small town off beaten path
And little hidden gems to take in with out a million people ,. So would love any tips anyone has about spending time in the real Italy.
Thing that most tourist overlook are the experiences I treasure
Thanks for your time.

Charley

Posted by
23178 posts

You can get to most of Italy via train and to other areas via bus. You may not be big on trendy tourist areas but you have selected some of the biggest tourist areas to visit. Second, there are really no hidden gems that are not well known by many, many tourists -- thank the internet. Rome, Florence, etc. are the real Italy. Have no idea as what experiences you are interested in experiencing. You need to expand that point a bit.

Second you may want to consider flying into Venice and home from Rome. More efficient and probably cheaper.

Posted by
11 posts

I want to go into the big cities and see the sites
But I am also looking for ideas on some small towns where I can slow down and just take in
The lifestyle of Italy ,. Learn what is different
In daliy life there vs. small town American.

Posted by
2098 posts

Charley,

It sounds like a wonderful trip! Having that many days will help.

I haven't been south of Rome but I have friends who were stationed there while in the military. From what I've read, traffic is pretty bad along the Amalfi coast, especially in the summer.

My experience is that a car is more a nuisance than a help in large cities like Rome and Florence. On the other hand, to have the kind of "off the beaten path" and away from the large crowds, a car is almost essential. You can take buses into the countryside, but you are at the mercy of the bus route and bus schedule.

Here's an example from our trip to Tuscany. We wanted to visit the Abbey of Monte Oliveto and participate in evening Vespers. The abbey is off the beaten trail. We had a wonderful leisurely drive through the countryside, stopping at small towns like Radda. We arrived at the abbey around 2:30 and explored it until it closed to visitors at 4:30. We then had a relaxing dinner at the restaurant on the grounds. Vespers started at 6:30 and was held using Gregorian chant. Besides the monks, there was just us and one lady from a nearby town. It was a magical service in a church dating back to the 15th century. We then drove back to our agriturismo, arriving in time for a wonderful dinner. We couldn't have had this experience without a car or hiring an expensive private driver.

Do your homework about driving in Italy. If you use common sense and do some studying, you'll find it easy and pleasant. We had no problem with parking, but we were there in December. The summer will be harder, but I noticed most places had lots of parking.

Posted by
1103 posts

For your first trip to Italy I recommend using public transportation, Keep in mind that the train system in Italy is far superior to that of the U.S. i would save Sicily for another trip. If you visit larger cities, you can take day trips via train or bus. For example, Siena and San Gimignano make great day trips from Florence. For the Amalfi Coast, you could base yourself in Sorrento and join a tour of the AC area.

Posted by
1829 posts

Tough to give a one word answer since for certain things like exploring an off the beaten path place in Tuscany would basically require a car but having a car in Rome would be a complete nightmare filled with unforeseen expenses.

I would say it is also tough not knowing a person to share the same opinion of off the beaten path. I could probably think of 25 places in Italy which some people would consider very touristy and others would never had heard of before and think they found a lesser known gem.

Really best to map out your plans l; what to see where and then once you have that roughly planned out you can see for each stop if a car or train is best. Very likely you will decide either no car or car for a limited stretch or two and not the entire time.

Posted by
11 posts

Do you know if I could park a car at a train station in one of the small towns for a day or two and take a train into the bigger city's?

Posted by
396 posts

I have done both and travel by train or bus is now my preferred way to travel. I try to do one "bigger" city on each trip and then different small towns the rest of the trip. Are you going South from Rome of North? If North, I love Stresa and Cannobio on Lake Maggiorie.

Posted by
11 posts

PS. I would love to hear some of the places you
See as less touristy. Please if you have time .

Posted by
11247 posts

Have you invested in a good guidebook, i.e., Rick Steves Italy guide? It will answer so many questions for you on parking, trains, smaller towns, etc.

Posted by
475 posts

Being that this is your first trip outside of the States to Europe, you would be best served to not rent a car but, use public transportation. You're gonna be overwhelmed with the language and trying to translate that in your head or, your electronic device. Then, you'll be overwhelmed with the sights, smells and views, all the while trying to progress along an itinerary and do some route finding. The train system is very well developed and will take you into the center of whatever town/city you're headed to. A rental will push you to the out-skirts of the city limits, you'll be driven to frustration with one-way streets, trying to find parking and realizing which areas or, streets will funnel you into a ZTL zone. Once you park, you'll still need to find your way to your hostel/hotel/BnB/AirBnB.

As for locations that aren't trendy-touristy places...you do realize you're headed to Italy? The whole world travels to Italy, see all the Chinese and East Indian tour groups, let alone the tour groups for Italians. Being this is your first trip, knock the biggies off your list. You're headed to Rome, Florence, Amalfi, see those sights, check them off your list and you won't have to return, then you can focus on those 2nd and 3rd tier locations on your next trip. Believe me, you will return and will be thinking of returning everyday you're back home until that next trip.

Posted by
11 posts

Thanks. I do know that I am going to a very high touring country. That's why I am asking for advice on the unusual gems to see.
Thanks for you advice. !

Posted by
4138 posts

Until you can get a guidebook, you can explore this link to Italy info right here on the RS website. There are many answers to questions online there.

Even exploring the RS Italy tours can be helpful in deciding where you want to go and what you want to do because they have itineraries and maps.

Once you make some tentative decisions on that, you can decide how to get to the places you want to go. Trip planning is an iterative process. Things will change as you plan. Shoot, they'll likely change while you're there!

As others have suggested, leave Sicily for another trip, and concentrate on your other locations.

I couldn't tell if you plan to do a RT Rome flight or even if you plan to spend any time in Rome at all. I'd just like to say that you can find hidden gems in big cities, too. My favorite from last summer was a Street Art tour in Rome on the back of a Vespa. It was pricey, worth every €, and definitely not something a lot of tourists do. Scooteroma is the company and this is the page with the tours listed.

Posted by
1025 posts

From the questions and answers on this thread, the OP really needs to focus on the trip and get a realistic idea of his goals and desires with respect to touring La Bella Italia. The train/car dilemma can be resolved by purchasing and studying some great guidebooks in an effort to fine tune both the destinations and the sights/experiences of each destination. My trifecta of guidebooks for Italy are these:

Europe Through the Back Door by Rick Steves:

https://www.amazon.com/Rick-Steves-Europe-Through-Back/dp/1631216252/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1520892083&sr=1-2&keywords=europe+through+the+back+door+2018

Rick Steves Italy 2018:

https://www.amazon.com/Rick-Steves-Italy-2018/dp/163121666X/ref=sr_1_1_twi_pap_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1520892134&sr=1-1&keywords=rick+steves+italy

The Lonely Planet Guide to Italy:

https://www.amazon.com/Lonely-Planet-Italy-Travel-Guide/dp/1786573512/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520891563&sr=8-1&keywords=lonely+planet+italy

These books will save a traveler literally hundreds of dollars by allowing him/her to avoid the mistakes of others and by highlighting which sights and experiences are better than others. The process of learning about destinations will make the travel process much more enjoyable and intriguing.

"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Lewis Stevenson

Posted by
1220 posts

I think that many Americans, Australians also, have no concept of just how good the European train system is. Trains are clean, on time and FAST. We travelled from Rome to Naples, the speedometer on the train hit 300 km/hr, or 185 mph, while we were enjoying a glass of wine in the bar car and using the free on board WiFi.

Trains take you pretty much to the centre of the cities or towns.

For getting around, I have used the app Rome2Rio. Just plug in start and end points, and you get suggestions (train, bus, taxi, walk etc).

For smaller towns, I could suggest Treviso, Verona, Padua, Vicenza, Bassano Del Grappa and Castelfranco, all in the Veneto.

Posted by
11 posts

Thanks Peter !
How do I estimate the cost of train travel around Italy. Is the a website for the trains that I could check out?

Posted by
2098 posts

...overwhelmed with the language... overwhelmed with the sights, smells and views...A rental will push you...you'll be driven to frustration...streets will funnel you into a ZTL zone...

I keep reading posts that reflect an entirely different experience from that of my wife and I. I am becoming aware that there seems to be a fundamental difference in outlook. I can imagine that the spectrum of posts can be very confusing.

I think outlook and personality should be considered by those who are traveling to Europe for the first time. How adventurous and resourceful are you? How do you handle the unexpected? Are you easily frustrated? Are you flexible? Are you fairly realistic? Which do you value more, independence or predictability?

It's not how you travel so much as picking the best way of traveling for your interests and outlook. A river cruise might be perfect for some while an independent trip with only a sketch of the itinerary would be best for others.

Those who read responses to their questions should try to determine the outlook of those who respond and figure out which ones seem more in line with your own outlook. Pay more attention to those responses, while still considering information given in different viewpoints.

After reading posts on RS, I've decide my wife and I lean more towards the adventurous end of the spectrum. We love new experiences and have no problem jumping into the unknown, taking calculated risks. We have friends more adventurous than us and we have friends who would be a bundle of nerves if they traveled with us.