Driving in Italy is a big part of the adventure. While most forgo driving in the cities and rely on public transportation, driving your own car is really the only way to access and explore the incredible beauty of the Italian countryside. We will be taking you to beautiful places that no Tour Bus would ever dream of going! You will experience Italy in a way that very few "tourists" ever do... And when we say: deeply immersive and culturally explorative, experiential discovery adventures, trust us - this is much more then just a motto or tagline... We'll show you the real and authentic Italy!
Driving Requirements
If your driver's license is from the U.S. or other countries outside the European Union, you should carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) along with your local license. You'll need to show your IDP if you get stopped by the police for any reason, including if you're in an accident. The IDP is not a license, requires no test, and is basically just a translation of your driver's license. While in over 38 years of driving in Italy, no one has ever asked to see our IDP, Italian Law says you need it so we always get them. Every now and then we hear stories that the rental car offices required them before they'd release the car, but we've never been asked. You get them at your local AAA office . They're approx $20 - $25. (only people driving the car need one)
Checklist for Driving in Italy:
- Your Home State Driver's license (required - if you don't have a license in the US, you can't drive in Italy)
- IDP (required)
- Proof of liability insurance (required, will come with rental car)
- ID/passport (required)
- Reflective safety vest (required to have in car, will come with rental car)
- Reflective triangle (required to have in car, will come with rental car)
- Parking Disc (probably in the glove box or adhered to window of your rental car- if not, ask for it)
Rules of the Road If you know Italian law, you can avoid being stopped by police or photographed by speed and red-light cameras, and return home without incurring a traffic fine. While most of the rules are similar to driving laws in the U.S., some, like the Zona Traffico Limitato (ZTL), are particular to Italy.
Seatbelts: According to Italian law, any time you ride in a vehicle that has seat belts, it is compulsory to wear them.
Distracted driving: You cannot text or talk and drive while holding a phone. Use your speaker phone. (note: we will be giving you a two-way radio to use for our caravans as we go out touring daily... have a navigator/ passenger handle the radio).
Speed limits: Except when posted otherwise, speed limits apply throughout Italy, including 130 kilometers per hour (81 miles per hour) on major highways, 110 kph (68 mph) on non-major highways outside of major urban areas, and 90 kph (56 mph) on local roads. In town speed limits vary by commune & can be much lower.
Traffic lights: Italy has a three-light system (red-yellow-green) just exactly like in the U.S. NOTE: In Italy, it is illegal to make a right turn on a red light even if you stop first.
School Buses: Just exactly like here in the US, you must stop when a school bus is stopped and unloading and loading passengers.
Right of way: The same as here in the US, yield to traffic on the right when you are at a junction or crossroads. In reality, Italian drivers will not wait for you to proceed if you are hesitant.
Roundabouts: At roundabouts, yield to traffic that is already in the roundabout. The driver in the roundabout always has the right of way. To exit the roundabout, use your turn indicator signal.
Parking: When parking on an urban street, park on the right-hand side. In marked "blue zone" areas, you must display a parking disc, valid for one hour, which can be obtained in tourist offices. (again, there's most likely already one of these attached to your windshield or in the glovebox)
Headlights: Even on sunny days, the law requires you to drive with your headlights on outside of urban areas. Always drive with your headlights on while on the autostrada.
In case of emergency: Emergency numbers in Italy are 113 for police, 115 for the fire department, and 118 for an ambulance.
Driving on the Autostrada or Toll Road: The autostrada is Italy's system of toll roads. Autostrada highways are designated with an A in front of a number (such as A1, the major autostrada that connects Milan and Rome) and signs pointing toward them are green.
The maximum speed limit is 130 kilometers per hour (81 miles per hour) but on some parts slows to 110kph and can be as low as 60kph on some curvy stretches, so watch for posted speed limit signs. You'll take a ticket as you enter the autostrada and pay a toll when you exit...
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you'll see plenty of these in Tuscany, and everyone always asks; and the answer is yes, you can rent one of these... they start at about $3000/day... and if you get one, I wanna go for a ride in it! |
Italian drivers tend to drive fast, especially on the autostrada, but are generally not aggressive. But unless you're planning to race in the fast lane, just leave the left lane for passing and stick to the right-hand lanes.
Remember that Italy is the home of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, etc... Every now and then, on the Autostrada, you will encounter one of these coming at you from behind at a very high rate of speed... If you're in the left- lane they will be blinking their headlights at you from way far behind - basically saying "please move over"... use your turn signal to signal your intentions... be careful, if they think you're not going to move over, many of them will try to pass you on the right.
Speed Traps Italy has two main devices for catching speeders, Autovelox and Sistema Tutor. Always be on the lookout for Autovelox, which can be found on the autostrada, regular highways, and even in some towns. The Autovelox looks like a big box with a sign but inside is a camera that takes a photo of your license plate. You could receive a ticket as late as a year after the incident even if you were driving a rental car. You almost always see a warning sign in advance that says Polizia Stradale, Controllo Electtronico della Velocita. (if you're using a GPS, they usually tell you when you're coming up on one of these)
Sistema Tutor is a new system used on some stretches of the autostrada. An overhead camera takes a photo of your license plate as you pass under it. When you pass under the next camera, your speed is averaged between the two points and the average should not exceed 130 kph (81 mph), or 110 kph (68 mph) if raining. You may receive a ticket in the mail or through your rental car company.
While we feel compelled to tell you these things, we've never received a speeding ticket in Italy in over 35 years, and to our knowledge, none of our hundreds of guests have ever received one since we've been bringing multiple tour groups every year for the last 24 years.
Road Conditions. Streets in historic centers of the larger cities are often very narrow, winding, and congested and motor scooter drivers will dart in and out of traffic. Riders of bicycles, motorcycles, and other vehicles may ignore traffic signals and traffic flow. Just be aware of your surroundings.
Italy has over 6,000 kilometers (4,000 miles) of autostrada or superhighways. In rural areas, many roads are often narrow and often have no guardrails. In rural areas of Tuscany, especially in the highly popular Chianti area, be careful of bicyclists... Because of it's beauty, Tuscany is one of the world's premier regions for bicycle vacations, often in Tour groups of up to a dozen. You'll want to pass them - BE CAREFUL! The roads are very windy and it will be hard to see very far ahead... Be patient and be sure you have enough time to safely get around them. And for the very same reasons, Tuscany's quaint & charming winding roads throughout the vineyards & olive groves of Chianti provide fertile territory for local motorcyclists whose primary hobby is cafe' racing, mostly on the weekends... Just be aware of them in your rearview mirrors. They WILL pass you on blind corners at very high rates of speed.
If you are driving a gasoline-fueled car (make sure you find out at the rental car counter), get Benzina (gasoline), not Gasolio (diesel), at the pump. (this is confusing for the obvious reason). Gasoline stations are usually open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and you will find 24-hour stations along the autostrada. Whatever you do, do not put Gasolio in a gasoline fueled car... or Benzina in a Gasolia fueled car; the engine will stop running.
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| you'll find a link in the right sidebar to order this map |
Don't Rely Too Heavily on GPS. You can use the mapping programs/ GPS on your phone if your car doesn't come with GPS. And while a GPS will come in handy for navigation, don't rely on it exclusively. In Italy, it is common to find two (or more) towns with the same name in different regions so be sure to look at your map to see if you are heading the right way. We strongly suggest ordering a Michelin Map of Tuscany from Amazon. In addition, a GPS may direct you into a ZTL or to turn the wrong direction on a one-way street or even into an alley that ends in stairs. GPS systems do not always reflect the latest road openings and closings, so it's always good to travel armed with a map and an appeal to your sense of direction. (if you decide to get a map, we urge you to get a Michelin map; they're the only maps we've found with enough detail. (usually if there's a map in the rental car, it's totally useless - often a bad 8 x1l B & W photocopy of the whole country ).
On-the-Spot Fines. According to Italian law, if a resident of a non-European Union country such as the U.S. violates a traffic law, the violator must pay the fine at the time the ticket is issued. If you do not pay the fine, the police officer may confiscate the car.
Driving on Sundays. Sunday is a good day for long-distance driving on the autostrada because trucks are prohibited on Sundays. Be aware that in summer, coastal roads become very congested, especially on Sundays. Roads around the northern lakes (Lake Como, Lake Garda, etc) are often congested on weekends, too.
We know we post a fair amount about driving in Italy, but we want you to be mentally prepared so it relieves any anxiety... but know that there's really very few differences... and when there are differences, we try to highlight them so you're aware. In all the years, and with 100's and 100's of guests, no one's ever had any problems. Mostly because we take this time to get you prepared... There will be more posts like this... We want you to be comfortable driving. And if you're comfortable driving here in the US, and you follow along with all our Blog postings, you will be comfortable driving in Italy!
We're getting close now and it's starting to get exciting! With all our travels to Italy over 35 years, we still get excited as our Tours grow near! Once you experience the way we do it, you'll understand why we say; What makes us different, makes all the difference in the world!
my favorite artist in all the world, James Taylor singing Carole King's; "You've got a Friend"... (her response to James' "Fire & Rain"). Carole King behind him on Piano (this is from 53 years ago... she suffered stage fright and at the last minute asked James to sing the song for her). Two renowned studio musicians on stage with them; Leland Sklar on bass and Russ Kunkel on percussion, both still play with both James & Carole from time to time
