Driving in Italy is easier than you think -- but there are some important things to be aware of, especially if you're coming from North America.
It's fair to say that driving in Italy has a reputation. It's not considered part of La Dolce Vita. But the fact is that driving in Italy is a much more pleasant experience than it's made out to be. The quality of driving in Italy is no worse than you'll find in any developed country and better than some places (Boston, I'm looking at you).
More importantly, outside the major cities, Italy is a rural country. It's very advantageous to have your transportation. Wineries, national parks, hot springs, hill towns: you'll need your own wheels to reach many of these places.
That doesn't mean that driving is without complications. This post will help you through some of the issues you may encounter on the road in Italy.
Relax!
The rest of this post discusses the "gotchas" of Italian driving and while forewarned is forearmed, the purpose is not to frighten you out of driving. Remember, millions of visitors every year experience Italy by car and do so safely and without incident. I've been renting cars in Italy for over twenty years and never experienced a significant problem of any kind.
Consider Getting an International Driver's Permit
It's a little known fact that, technically, you're required to have an International Driver's Permit to rent a car and drive in Italy. This is a booklet form by your national automobile club (the AAA in the United States) that shows they've examined and authenticated your home-country driving credential.
In twenty years of renting in Italy I've never carried one of these and have never been asked for one. Millions of people rent cars throughout the country without even knowing that the IDP exists. If you show up for your rental, there's a 99.99 percent chance that everything will go fine.
That said, 99.99 percent is not 100 percent, and I've seen two reports online of people who were asked to present their IDP when picking up a rental car, and were denied the rental (they were able to find another agency who did rent to them). It's also possible that if you were to be stopped by the police and asked for a permit, that you'd be assessed a heavy fine if you couldn't produce one. For those reasons, I personally plan to carry an IDP with me for future Italian rentals.
Avoid the ZTL and Town Centers.
Many cities and small towns have a designated "limited traffic" zone (Zona a Traffico Limitato or ZTL) in their centers. These are zones which prohibit non-authorized vehicles to enter when active. If the ZTL sign is lit up it's active; otherwise traffic is permitted.
However, I recommend avoiding the ZTL at all times even when not activated. In fact, I extend this to all town and city centers. The highways and byways of Italy are well made and easy to drive but the town centers were not designed for anything wider than a donkey, and can involve very, very narrow streets where you have to tuck in the side mirrors to pass.
Parking can be scarce in towns and cities but even small towns generally have several public lots just outside the town walls. Park there, and walk into the town.
Don't Smile For The Camera
Italy relies on speed cameras for much of their traffic enforcement. They're located on highways, in towns and cities, and in the countryside. In a week of touring you'll probably encounter hundreds of cameras, but they are generally signposted, and Google maps has speed camera indications when navigating. Stay aware of the speed limit and learn to recognize the signs and the audio signal that Google gives you.
If you're coming from the United States, don't forget that speed limits are denominated in kilometers. Your speedometer will also show in kilometers, but it's not hard to see a sign that says "70" and think "highway speed", when it really means about 40 mph.
If you are photographed the ticket will arrive some months later at the address from your rental documents. Do pay it quickly as the price goes up the longer you wait (ask me how I know).
Blue and White Good, Yellow Bad
Parking spaces in Italy are marked with three colors of paint. White spaces are free for anyone to park, but good luck finding one! Blue spaces are for anyone, but you need to pay. You'll pay at a nearby machine which prints a ticket with an expiration time, and you must display this ticket on your car's dashboard. Yellow spaces are for residents only (although I think you can also use them with a valid handicapped placard).
Make Your Car a Video Star (and pay the CDW)
You may hear horror stories about renters getting charged weeks or months later for damage to their rental car. These stories are true, but not universal. I've never received a charge during or after returning a car in Italy. But it does happen and sometimes it happens to people who are sure that no additional damage was caused to the car while in their possession.
For this reason it's a good idea to take extensive photographs and even a video of the car when you take possession of it in the rental lot or garage. I like to narrate my video so I note any scratches that might not show up well on camera. I've heard of specific cases in which the claimed damage was either to the roof or the undercarriage, so try to get as much of that in pictures as you can. And make sure that any outstanding damage is documented by the rental company before you leave the lot.
On the other hand, it's quite easy to scratch your rental car navigating small town centers or parking in areas with low stone walls. So you should make sure that you're covered for damage to the automobile either by paying for the rental agency's Collision Damage Waiver or by having your own insurance coverage. Your own coverage could be through your automobile insurance or through Collision Damage insurance from certain premium credit cards.
It's worth noting that this advice is valid for any car rental anywhere in the world, not just Italy.
Take the Curves Slow (or take Dramamine)
Italy is a country of mountain ranges, and the roads that traverse them are some of the curviest in the world. It's fair to say that if you're prone to motion sickness anywhere in the world, Italy will be one of those places. One of our attendees told me "You warned me about the road but I still thought it was some kind of prank".
For passengers who suffer mal de mer in cars, it means being prepared with the appropriate medication or supplies. And for drivers it means suppressing our Mario Andretti urges when on the curvy roads.
Enjoy
Italy is a wonderful country, and having your own transportation can add enormous depth to your visit. Be aware of the issues discussed above and you can have a relaxing and pleasant experience driving Italy's highways and backroads.
Comments