Is Driving in Italy the Best Decision?

You may wonder if driving in Italy is a good idea or not?  I’m asked this question a  lot, and the answer is complicated because it depends. When I ask other travelers this question, the replies I get range from a resounding no to a strong yes. The latest yes was actually from a 95-year-old woman who has driven “all over Sicily,” from what she tells me.

All sorts of opinions exist about this question, but I can tell you what I have learned from my own experiences driving in Italy. As a general caveat, though. If you are only going to big cities, such as Rome, Milan,Naples, Torino, Bologna, or Florence, you do not need a car. The trains, metros, and buses are efficient enough to travel around in these cities.

And even if  you want to venture out on excursions, you can easily book a tour or hire a driver.

However, if you want to spend time in small villages or explore the countryside of Sicily, Puglia, or Umbria, you may want to rent a car and drive. Also if you want to meander through the hillsides of the wine country of Tuscany or other less-traveled regions in Italy, then a car is likely advised.

What I would definitely advise against is driving 8 or 10 hours to another area of Italy, if flights between the two cities are available.

Just  now, I did a random search and found a price for a one-way nonstop 2-hour flight between Milan and Catania for $60. If you can be flexible with departure times, flying makes more sense than driving 14 hours with tolls and a ferry crossing. The time alone isn’t always worth it, plus the added expense of the car rental plus gasoline (or petrol) costs need to be considered. Petrol currently ranges around €1.64  a liter, or €6.21 a gallon, and with today’s weakened dollar, that amounts to $7.31 a gallon, so this should factor into your decision-making process. And make sure you know if your vehicle uses diesel or gasoline, as the cost will be different.

I’ve driven in Italy myself on two different occasions. My first time driving in Italy was in 2009. I made the mistake of deciding to drive all day from Rome to Sicily. And after arriving in Milazzo, Sicily at 10:30 pm, exhausted, I doubted that I would ever drive to Sicily again.

The exceptionally long day plus navigating the the streets of Messina, where the drivers were the absolute worst, made me grateful to have arrived without any incidents. Moreover, the cost of diesel fuel at the time was €1.73 a liter. Flying to Sicily would have been a wiser and less expensive option, for sure.

The trip continued as I had to drive in Sicily and then back to Rome. According to the odometer, I was able to proclaim that I had accrued 1200 miles of driving experience in Italy. For my first time driving here, I was satisfied with my performance; however the decision to drive from Rome to Sicily and back in five days was not very economical. With all the low-cost flights within Italy, I could have purchased a round-trip ticket to Sicily for much less than the cost of a rental car, tolls, and diesel fuel. Live and learn.

During that 2009 trip I also drove on the Amalfi Coast, but only from Salerno to Maiori and back, so it was not too bad. I would never attempt to drive in towns like Positano, where walking is really the best way to get around. Driving in Positano is a real challenge, to say the least. This photo says it all.

Do you notice how the cars on the left side of the road are parked facing both directions? I doubt if any rules exist here regarding street parking.

The Vespa appears to be parked just barely in front of the traffic lane, and I am amazed that a cement mixer can navigate these narrow streets. I have often wondered how construction equipment makes it to sites in cliff side towns like Positano. I think I’m glad my transportation in Positano was my own two feet.

I did drive once more on a trip in 2016 when my friend Victoria DeMaio and I flew to Sicily (smart move) and rented a car and shared the driving . We traveled all over the island for ten days, clocking 1200 miles. We were able to visit small villages, since we had the car, and it turned out to be a good trip.

And parking is another story, which actually deserves its own blog post. This photo  depicts some creative parking maneuvers in Milan.

It seems that it is OK to park in a crosswalk, to double park, and to park at the edge of an intersection.

What’s amazing to me though, is the reactions of the Italians. Their viewpoint is that this is normal and that everyone sort of knows how to drive without traffic lights or signs or police officers. Maybe it’s true, because I did not see too many cars involved in accidents, although I did see plenty with dents and scratches; in fact most of them had some type of minor damage.

One final suggestion is to familiarize yourself with Italy’s rules of the road. An older blog post has more on this very topic, and you can check it out here.

This article by the Automobile Club d’Italia is also very informative. Everything you need to know about driving in Italy: road rules, tips and useful information

So. should you drive in Italy? It’s really up to you. I hope the information here might help you make the best decision.

I love all feedback and would like to hear your thoughts, so please consider leaving a comment.

Grazie and Ciao!

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In case you haven’t checked out my Italy travel books, they are available on Amazon and Audible. Enjoy!