Tuscany and Umbria by car

Ken,

Thanks for the information. I have an application for an International Driver’s Permit from AAA and will be getting that soon. Actually, I will be in Florence and Vernazza for a painting workshop in early September. I’ll be meeting up with my husband after that when he flies into Florence. Do you know if the airport is the best place to pick up a car? Our first stop is Volterra. I haven’t had much luck trying to find information about pick-up and drop-off points, especially in the hill towns. Also, which is a “good” map?

We also have traffic cameras in San Francisco in certain intersections…but, those are for cars that run red lights. I certainly wouldn’t want a “surprise” violation from Italy! Which is why, if we could drop off the car in Umbria, we would take the train to Florence, Milan, then Varenna. Thanks for your help!

Do the loop. You wear yourself out going back and forth when you use one spot as a base. The 'base' idea is over-hyped and often stupid.

For example, assume a base in the center of a circle with a twenty-mile radius and four spots on the perimeter:

If you drive to the center point (through one spot you want to see), that's twenty miles to the base and three fourty-mile round trips to each exterior point and another twenty miles to get back out -- a total of 160 miles.

If you don't use a base and pass through on spot on the way to the center point and then back out to the perimeter, that fourty miles. If you then drive the perimeter to the remaining two points, that's another sixty-three miles for a total distance of 103 miles or a thirty-six percent savings in driving distance.

The logic's in there somewhere, fiddle with a map and see what works out best. Traveling time subtracts from sight-seeing time. Additionally, driving new roads can lead to unexpected discoveries which can't be found by repeatedly retracing a route.

I see nothing wrong with the towns you selected although some are very similar in appearance. I'd make sure I spent one night in Perugia for sure and another in Assisi if that works out (which it probably won't). I'm fairly indifferent about the rest and would stop at any one that seems convenient logistically.

Driving in Tuscany and Umbria is not bad at all, I recommend a GPS and a good map to help get around. Rule of thumb we use is to park at the first parking lot you see with space available when getting closer to the towns you are visiting for day trips. We like to use a base or multiple bases just so we don't have to pack up, check out, check in, settle again, for us, this means 2-3 nights minimum, some people prefer just 1 night and move on. Only you know which would work better for your situation. You are not looking at huge distances in your travels, so either plan really would work, but I would lean towards adding one or two more stopover towns and doing more of a loop. Cortona to Montepulciano is similar in driving from SF to the East Bay or Marin for time and distance (45 minutes or so), Siena to Montepulciano is similar to a drive to Napa, Cortona to Orvieto took us about an hour to drive. For us it would be planning on overnights in towns that we would want to explore a little more in the evenings, maybe make Orvieto a 2 night stop to make the side trip to Civita more relaxed. I would avoid driving back to Florence to avoid the ZTL, I'd rather deal with a train change than driving into Florence.

Hi May, Driving in Italy and Europe is easy. I drive in San Francisco often, but I keep a map handy to find specific places. The same goes for Italy. European drivers are required to learn to drive prior to getting a license (as opposed to California where many licensed drivers have no clue). This makes driving in Europe easy. I have driven in Rome, Florence, Paris, Berlin, London, etc. but it is not always easy to navigate the cities (stop often and look at your map) and usually difficult and expensive to park. But driving in the countryside is easy and fun. What I like about having a car is all the things you see that aren't in the guidebooks. Pick a home base; go out and ramble. Have fun,
Charlie, Lodi, CA

I recommend using Cortona as a base. We have done that six times now (what can I say, my husband loves Cortona and now we even know people there). It is a great base for Montepulciano, Assisi, Perugia, etc., and likely the other towns as well. On one trip we took our friend to the airport in Rome and stopped in Orvieto and Civita on the way back to Cortona. It is a wonderful place to visit just on its own as well. If you decide to stay in Cortona as a base, I recommend that you rent an apartment in town instead of staying in a hotel. We have rented Pancrazi from Classic Tuscan Homes and an apartment from Il (Le?) Gelosie and were very pleased with both.

Using a base is a good idea. Otherwise you loose half your day every day packing, moving, unpacking, getting familiar with your surroundings.

No miles driven in Italy are wasted. Driving in Tuscany and Umbria is fine. You never know what you will find. And if you aren't rushing to get to your next room for the night, you have time to stop and explore.

Your list of towns is good - but be open to change if you find others!!!

Safe Travels.

This is my first time posting, and I’m amazed at the replies. So much great advice. Thanks to all! I probably will revise our route a bit, include a night in Perugia and do more of a loop. We also hate to pack and repack. BTW, has anyone stayed at Casa Kita in Cortona? Website looks great…I’ve written, but haven’t heard back. Will definitely bring a GPS. Good advice about not driving into Florence. We’ve always taken trains in the past and love them. I would agree…no miles driven in Italy are wasted! Looking forward to some fun and relaxation. Thanks again!

May,

A few comments regarding driving in Italy. You may already be aware of these, but if not the information could help you avoid problems.

First, each driver will need a compulsory International Driver's Permit for driving in Italy, which must be used in conjunction with your home D.L. Failure to produce an I.D.P. if requested can result in fines on the spot! You can obtain the I.D.P. at any AAA office for minimal cost.

Also, especially as you'll be driving in the Florence area, it would be prudent to check some of the other posts here regarding Zona Traffico Limitato areas, which are becoming more common in many towns in Italy (especially Florence). Driving past one of the automated Cameras will result in a €100+ violation notice EACH TIME, and you won't know about this until until a few months after you return home.

A GPS unit along with a good Map would be a really good idea. However, don't trust the GPS units completely, as they do make mistakes. I find that I'm constantly "double-checking" the unit by using road signs, landmarks or the Map.

Happy travels!

I think Michelin has the best maps. It is also a good idea to take a compass.

"Do you know if the airport is the best place to pick up a car?"

I have taken the train, not driven in Tuscany, but I did check out the cost. The airport is a convenient place to pick up a car, but it will cost you about (edit- I meant to say "up to") $100 extra for a week's rental of a compact, and I would not go smaller. You can avoid the extra charge by picking up the car at one of the outlying locations of your rental company, but will probably have to take a bus or taxi to get there. Still, the cost would be a lot less. You can return the car at the airport without charge if you are flying out of Florence.

I did a trip last May similar to your post-Volterra plans. To reduce driving times, I divided my 6 nights between Montalcino and Assisi, although any 2 towns central to the ones you want to visit would work. A GPS was extremely helpful in navigating the roads of Tuscany and Umbria.

Pick up and drop off a car outside the city to avoid city traffic for one, and the ZTLs for another. In Florence, drop off the car AT THE AIRPORT and taxi into town from there. The car rentals in town are smack in the middle of the ZTL, I suppose for the convenience of those people who rent a car after leaving the train station. You would think that the city would exempt rental cars from the fines (especially those rented within the ZTL), but they do not. Avoid driving in the city centers.

Buy a good GPS with European maps pre-installed and learn how to use it before you leave. I wouldn't drive Italy without one. My GPS is a Garmin Nuvi and they have an online tool to help you choose the right one for you. www.Garmin.com