ZTL's maps - where can I find them???

The ZTLs are in so many cities and towns you would be stunned and amazed. Tuscany is loaded with them. Siena, Arezzo, Cortona, Pisa and so many others. In general, just don't go inside the city walls. That's where most of them are located. Most seem to have free parking outside the city walls. The entrances to the ZTLs are really well marked with signage. However, the signage is in Italian so you have to be quite vigilant.

If you google "ZTL La Spezia" you will get some news related to changes in the boundaries of the ZTL in La Spezia effective 9/26/2013, in Italian, with a challenging map. You can click on "translate this page" and chuckle some over the almost incomprehensible translation into English.

Nick,

From what I've seen, MOST towns in Italy have ZTL areas, but few are as highly automated as in Florence. Other towns use the "cop on the beat" to enforce them, and in some towns the ZTL conditions depend on time of day, whether it's a work day, etc.

I'm not sure, but THIS may be the map for La Spezia. It's a bit quirky to use, so you'll have to use the small tools in the menu bar at the top.

Hopefully Roberto will spot this Thread, as I'm sure he'll be able to provide some good and accurate information.

In my opinion ALL of the Old City or Town Centers are ZTL areas.
Lucca is a walled city (the old section is inside the walls and you can't drive in there.)
But, I will let the more experienced travelers/drivers give you more info.

Thanks Larry. Comparing that online La Spezia ZTL map to a Google map, it looks like only a very small, central area of the city is affected, between the main post office and Piazza Cesare Battisti, not on the main Viales or near the train station.

Practically every town and village in Italy now has a ZTL in place, so it's hard to tell. But most places limit it to the ancient core of the town. In any case keep an eye to the road sign linked below. It means "no motor vehicles allowed", however it will have also more details in it, such as the hours of operations and the days.

Most rental places in La Spezia are close to the port where you can freely drive, so don't worry about infringing into La Spezia's historical center (not even sure if La Spezia has anything historical).

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/75/Italian_traffic_signs_-_divieto_di_transito.svg/600px-Italian_traffic_signs_-_divieto_di_transito.svg.png

Just go by Roberto's picture. It's hard to miss a target staring you in the face.

I've been mucking around Italy for years and have never punched a zone. I suspect they're either something to talk about or blunders made by blind idiots.

To the best of my knowledge, La Spezia's small ZTL is not enforced by cameras although the possibility has been in the news. I visited half a dozen times this spring, and didn't see any changes. Central La Spezia is a fairly sane city to drive around by Italian standards.

If you are returning a car to Avis, going away from the waterfront, you want a right turn (Pizzeria Mima on corner) from Viale Amendola onto Via dei Mille, go straight past the covered market until the street ends for cars, and turn right on Via Roma, which also ends and turn right onto Via Rosselli and it's right there next to Hotel Genova. Then you won't be able to park, so have a companion run in to ask them why they put a car rental agency in such a stupid location, and why they have such inconvenient hours. Closed for lunch and also Sat. and Sun.

Your consolation prize could be Osteria All'Inferno, a wonderful La Spezia institution. It's only 2 blocks away near the corner of Via Rosselli and Via Costa.

Thanks for all the info.

Boston Mike, your info was exactly what I was looking for as we are renting from Avis. Is the train station walking distance from the Avis rental? It looks like it may be long but doable walk, but I have not google mapped it yet to determine the distance.

PS.
You guys in Boston have a great marathon! We missed it this year, but were there the two previous years.

The train station is an easy 10-15 minute walk, no hills, mostly pedestrian zone. The driving route to Avis is visible on Google street view, though the street signs are generally not.

Thank goodness the Marathon was the happy event it should be this year. Last year we were watching 2 miles from the finish line and I can still hear the sound of terror.

Happy Trails.