With a vast network of narrow, winding roads, loosely enforced speed limits, and aggressive native drivers, touring Italy by car is a memorable experience. Despite the initial intimidation that may come from cruising bumper to bumper on a cliffside road along the Amalfi coast, with a little bit of courage and a decent helping of driving competence, car travel opens up corners of Italy that are not easily reached by—or inaccessible altogether to—the average explorer.
While the Italian bus and train systems are quite effective in negotiating travel between the major cities, travelers looking to explore smaller cities and rural villages might find renting a car to be a more viable option. A single traveler won’t save by renting a car (especially considering the high gas prices), but four usually will. If you can’t decide between train and car travel, you may benefit from a combination of the two; RailEurope and other railpass vendors offer rail-and-drive packages. Fly-and-drive packages are often available from travel agents or airline-rental agency partnerships.
You can generally make reservations before you leave by calling major international offices in your home country. It’s a good idea to cross-check this information with local agencies as well. The local desk numbers are included in town listings; for home-country numbers, call your toll-free directory.
To rent a car from most establishments in Italy, you need to be at least 18 years old. Some agencies require renters to be 25, and most charge those 18-24 an additional insurance fee of €12 per day. Small local operations occasionally rent to people under 21, but be sure to ask about the insurance coverage and deductible, and always check the fine print. Rental agencies in Italy include:
Rental car prices start at around US$39 a day from national companies. Expect to pay more for larger cars and for four-wheel-drive. Cars with automatic transmission can cost up to US$100 per day more than cars with manual transmission (stick shift), and, in some places, automatic transmission is hard to find in the first place. It is often difficult to find an automatic four-wheel-drive.
Remember that if you are driving a conventional rental vehicle on an unpaved road, you are almost never covered by insurance; ask about this before leaving the rental agency. Be aware that cars rented on an American Express or Visa/MasterCard Gold or Platinum credit card in Italy might not carry the automatic insurance that they would in some other countries; check with your credit-card company. Insurance plans from rental companies almost always come with an excess of around US$5000 for conventional vehicles; excess ranges are even higher for younger drivers and for four-wheel-drive. This means that the rental company’s insurance only applies to damages over the excess; damages up to that amount must be covered by your existing insurance plan. Many rental companies in Italy require you to buy a Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), which will waive the excess in the case of a collision. Loss Damage Waivers (LDWs) do the same in the case of theft or vandalism.
National chains often allow one-way rentals (picking up in one city and dropping off in another). There is usually a minimum hire period and sometimes an extra dropoff charge of several hundred dollars.
If you plan to drive a car while in Italy, you must be over 18 and have an International Driving Permit (IDP), though certain regions will allow travelers to drive with a valid American or Canadian license for a limited number of months. It may be a good idea to get one anyway, in case you’re in a situation (e.g., an accident or stranded in a small town) where the police do not know English; information on the IDP is printed in 11 languages, including Italian.
Your IDP, valid for one year, must be issued in your own country before you depart. An application for an IDP usually requires one or two photos, a current local license, an additional form of identification, and a fee. To apply, contact your home country’s automobile association. Be vigilant when purchasing an IDP online or anywhere other than your home automobile association. Many vendors sell permits of questionable legitimacy for higher prices.
Most credit cards cover standard insurance. If you rent, lease, or borrow a car, you will need a green card, or International Insurance Certificate, to certify that you have liability insurance and that it applies abroad. Green cards can be obtained at car rental agencies, car dealers (for those leasing cars), some travel agents, and some border crossings. Rental agencies may require you to purchase theft insurance in countries that they consider to have a high risk of auto theft.
Driving in Italy is similar to driving in the rest of Europe: vehicles drive on the right, pass on the left, and follow international rules and road signs established by the Geneva Convention. Roads range from the autostrade —superhighways with 130kph (80 mph) speed limit, increased to 150kph (93 mph) in some areas—to the narrow and sometimes unpaved strade comunali (local roads). Mountain roads can have steep cliffs and narrow curves; exercise caution if you must drive in the Dolomites or the Apennines. Highways usually charge expensive tolls, often best paid with a credit card. In cities the speed limit is usually 50kph (31 mph). Headlights must be on when driving on the autostrada. For more driving rules and regulations, check Moto Europa (www.ideamerge.com/motoeuropa) or In Italy Online (www.initaly.com/travel/info/driving.htm).
When traveling in the summer or in the desert, bring substantial amounts of water (a suggested 5L of water per person per day) for drinking and for the radiator. You should always carry a spare tire and jack, jumper cables, extra oil, flares, a flashlight, and heavy blankets (in case your car breaks down at night or in the winter). If you don’t know how to change a tire, learn before heading out, especially if you are planning on traveling in deserted areas. If your car breaks down, stay in your vehicle.
While road conditions are perfectly safe in most areas of Italy, the further you get from civilization, the narrower and more poorly paved roads are likely to be. Use caution on minor roads in the countryside, as many are not well maintained and best taken at a slow and steady pace.
The Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI) is at the service of all drivers in Italy, with offices located throughout the country (www.aci.it). In case of breakdown, call ☎116 for assistance from the nearest ACI. On superhighways use the emergency telephones placed every 2km. For long drives in desolate areas, invest in a roadside assistance program and a cell phone, but be aware that use of phones en route is only permitted with a hands-free device.
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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