Getting around Italy is a bit of planes, trains and automobiles – literally. Depending upon the areas you want to visit throughout Italy, you may need to consider driving a rental car (Tuscany), taking the trains or be better served by a ferry (Amalfi).
Once you have determined which areas you want to see, it is then a matter of determining how best to get around that area. Below is our opinion on what may be the easiest options depending upon how you like to travel.
Center and Spoke Model. For many visitors, it is easiest to establish a base in one of the largest cities for airports and trains (Rome or Florence typically). Visitors will find a hotel in the larger city and then take day trips by train(s) to see other cities like Venice, Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Pisa, Milan or Cinque Terre.
Pros – It is much, much easier to plan a trip like this and requires less packing and unpacking.
Cons – You will only get to see these areas during the day; when they are often the most crowded. And the nights are truly special in many of these locations. Plus, travel time will account for several hours each way.
If you do decide to stay in each area…
Amalfi Coast. It is often best to plan on taking a ferry from Naples. You can arrange for private cars to get you from Rome or Naples to the port and then pre-book a ticket on the ferry to arrive at your location (Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, etc.) The ferries are much faster than driving. Or you can arrange for a private car to take you directly to your destination, but we would only recommend this as far as Sorrento or Positano. Anything further will take several hours of small, winding roads.
Tuscany. Tuscany is farmland (think Napa Valley) and therefore there are not really trains or buses which will conveniently get you to/from each place during the day. The transportation is designed for locals to get to/from work in the morning and evening. Therefore, a rental car or private cars are the best way to get around the countryside, wineries, farms, cooking classes, etc.
Lake Como. Like Tuscany, Lake Como is remote and large so rental cars or private cars are really the best option to go to either your hotel or to the port in Como and then a ferry to your destination.
Given we wanted to see all these areas, we chose private car transfers and ferries for Naples, the Amalfi Coast and then on to Rome. And then rented a car in Rome to get around Tuscany and on to Venice, Lake Como and finally Milan.
Driving
Foreign Drivers License. If you plan to rent a car while visiting, you will need to obtain an International Driving Permit. You are required to carry this along with your U.S. Drivers License. There is no test. It is simply a filling fee and the easiest process is to find a AAA location where these are issued, go in and pay the fee. Most locations can issue this permit while you are there.
Should you drive? Italy is known for its confident (if not aggressive driving). If you are not a confident driver, you should consider car transfers, trains, etc. However, some regions like Tuscany and Lake Como are very hard to visit without a car being so remote.
Even if you are a confident driver, you should consider whether you want to drive in the Amalfi Coast (Positano, Amalfi, Sorrento). The lanes are only slighter wider than a single lane – yet provide for two lanes of traffic; tight corners; vespas and motorcycles; large buses; and pedestrians popping out between cars. My husband said he drove the Road to Hana himself and was more nervous being just a passenger on the drive to Positano.
We did find driving around Tuscany (where there are very few trains) and to/from Venice and Lake Como to be much easier. Please note, one unique feature of Italian highway driving is cars will come very close to you when passing. It does not seem to be an aggressive gesture like it would be in the U.S., but rather a way of letting you know they are there. However, it can be unnerving at first.
Tolls
Most of the autostrada (highways) in Italy are toll roads. Some are a fixed fee and you will see a price when you arrive at the toll booth. In this case, you insert a credit card and pay the fee. You will know you are done when the booth tells you “Arrivederci”. The second type are based upon how far you traveled. In this case, there will not be a fee when you arrive. You will press a button to get a blank ticket. You will then keep this ticket until the next booth (or you exit) where you will insert the ticket, be shown your fee and then insert your card.
Parking Garages
Unlike the US (where you exit the lot; insert your ticket; and then pay), in Italy, you must find a machine (typically inside the building) to insert the ticket and pay for parking before leaving. The ticket is then validated to allow you to exit for the next fifteen minutes.
Parking Spaces
Parking spaces in Italy are small. Very, very small. So small, most cars pull their mirrors in automatically to allow for the few inches of space between. Take your time and use a spotter to park if you can. Upon returning our rental vehicle, we were proud to be the only car being returned that did not have damage – which also garnered us an approving nod from the Avis employee.
ZTL’s
Most large cities in Italy like Rome, Siena, Florence, etc. have ZTL areas (Limited Traffic Zones). These zones are areas where only residents or others with special approval can drive and park. If you enter a ZTL zone, you may get multiple tickets from the cameras; even as you try to get out of the ZTL zone. It is best to plan to park in car parks (“parcheggio”) and then take trams or other transportation into the city centers.
Signs
Most of the signs in Italy are easy to understand. However, there are a few unique ones so we found reviewing the site below prior to your trip can be helpful.
Speed traps
As you travel along the highways, there are often cameras with a small sign of what looks like an English bobby waving at you or just the head of a police officer. These are camera-controlled speed traps. And as one guide explained, when they say the speed is a maximum of 100 kph they don’t mean 105 kph is close enough. This means anything over 100 will get you a ticket – which they conveniently send to your rental car company who then charges you later. It can be unnerving knowing you could be racking up tickets without knowing until later. The locals all seem to use Waze to be warned of these camera locations. Or, you can simply stay in the slow lane and enjoy the views and countryside.
For notes on our entire trip to Italy, here is our two-week Itinerary. And, if you are just starting to plan your trip, we have created four “how to” guides – Planning, Preparing and Packing, Getting Around and Driving and finally Once You Arrive.
We also have detailed notes for each individual destination for Positano, the Amalfi Coast and Capri; Rome and Pompeii; Tuscany, Siena and Florence; the Palio di Siena; Venice and Lake Como. We would love to hear if you found any of these pages and notes helpful – or if you have any feedback you would recommend for other travelers.
