Essential Driving Tips for your vacation in Italy

Car rental or public transportation, how to drive and park in the cities and more: read useful driving tips for your vacation in Italy

If you are planning to visit Italy, you are probably thinking about what is the best way to go around and if it makes sense to have car. Read here some essential driving tips that will help you avoid some common mistakes.

GOING AROUND ITALY: CAR RENTAL, PRIVATE DRIVER OR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

If you’re trying to decide whether it’s best to rent a car or rely on public transportation, there are various factors to take into account. Generally, if you are planning to stay in large cities like Rome, Milan, Florence, or Naples, simply walking around and taking public transit is your best option. If you want to explore more off the beaten path, rural areas in the countryside, or the interior of big islands like Sardinia or Sicily, it’s best to hire a driver or rent a car.

GET YOUR IDP, INTERNATIONAL DRIVING PERMIT

If you do decide to rent a car, it is important to remember the different driving rules in Italy. First thing, the American (or other country) driver’s license is not automatically valid, and you do not want to be pulled over by a police officer without a proper, valid license. In Italy, an IDP, International Driving Permit, is a required document for non-EU residents to drive with a non-EU license. It acts as a translated version of your valid home driver’s license and should be carried together, not as a replacement, but a necessary supplement. You can easily obtain an IDP in your home country, or through online services, or AAA in the US.

DRIVING RESTRICTIONS - ZTL

Once you have your valid documents for driving, be sure to understand the many traffic restrictions while driving in Italy. ZTL zones, (Zona a Traffico Limitato – Limited traffic zone) restricts driving in historic city centers, and are acknowledged by a simple sign that says ZTL in red or green. If it is red, that means you cannot enter the zone or will face hefty fines, so it’s best to park outside the center when possible.

Driving in Italy is doable, but be sure to do your research. In big cities, like Florence, Rome, Venice, or Milan renting a car is not so useful, as you cannot typically drive into the historic city centers, due to the ZTL. Plan properly and see where your itinerary will be leading you and decide accordingly. If you are staying in a hotel located within the ZTL, they generally can give you a temporary access to the ZTL, ask your hotel for details. One important thing to keep in mind: each city has their own set of laws and regulation, so much sure to do some research for the specific locations that you will be visiting

NARROW ROADS AND TONS OF TRAFFIC

If you plan to stay in the countryside and want to be able to move around, having a car might be the right choice. However, if you plan to go for instance from Florence to the Amalfi Coast, maybe not. For people not used to driving in Italy, Italian roads can be quite daunting, depending where you go. Naples and the Amalfi Coast, for example, are notorious for their crazy driving, whereas driving through the countryside of Tuscany is quite easier. Some roads in Italy, especially for example along the Amalfi Coast, are one lane, and extremely narrow and winding, with hairpin turns.

These small roads are somehow not one way, meaning it is very common to encounter a situation where you are driving along the Amalfi Coast and a large tour bus comes screeching down the opposite side of the winding road, leaving it impossible for you to continue without backing up. Some places like Cinque Terre are absolutely off-limits to private cars, with very limited exceptions.

PARKING IN ITALIAN CITIES

Be prepared for traffic, tight spaces, and limited parking. In Italy, designated parking spaces are also color-coded and it’s imperative to pay attention to this, because parking incorrectly will also lead to fines. The easiest way to ruin your perfect holiday is stumbling back to your car with a long, white receipt looking paper, signifying a "multa" or ticket, or worse, arriving back home and months later having your mailbox infiltrated with tickets seemingly difficult to pay from abroad.

White lines indicate free parking, but be sure to check for any time limits or specific regulations in the city you’re visiting. It's very common to also see signs designating these parking for residents only or restrictions on specific days (weekly markets, streets cleaning or other). Look for signs that say "Solo Autorizati" or "Solo Residenti" meaning only specifically authorized or resident vehicles can be parked in these white line spaces.

Blue lines denote you are in a paid parking zone, so look for a nearby meter or parking machine and be sure to place the purchased ticket, visibly facing the correct way, on your dashboard. Failure to display properly the ticket will leave you with a fine, even if you paid for parking. Yellow lines usually are for residents, or loading zones, or deliveries, or disabled parking with valid permits. To ensure stress free parking, be sure to always check for signs that could indicate street cleaning days and times, that could prohibit parking during these periods, and if you choose to instead park in a private garage, make sure to confirm the garage’s closing times as they are not always 24/7. One of the nice things about parking in Italy is that garage parking is generally much than in US cities.