TRANSPORATION IN ITALY

Considering that renting a car makes you more independent but also creates many limits: if you visit wine cellars in the countryside it is very easy to get lost, when you arrive in the city it is very difficult to find parking, if you drink a couple of glasses of wine or an average beer you will definitely exceed the limits of alcohol allowed by law and you cannot drive... For these reasons and for a more relaxed holiday, we always advise our guests to manage their transfers with a private driver.

• As a connection between the main cities (Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome and Naples) you can find  efficient, cost-effective and comfortable trains. On the other hand, we strongly advise you to not use local or regional trains, which are small, uncomfortable and often late.

• Trains and buses do go on strike quite often. The good news is that strikes are communicated in advance.

• Do not rent a car in Rome. There is a lot of traffic and few parkings, and you have to consider that the city is well served by the subway ("Metro").

• Do not rent a car in Florence. It’s a small city with lots of pedestrian zones. Plan on getting around on foot.

• You cannot rent a car in Venice because it is made up of islands surrounded by canals. You can get around Venice by foot or by boat, that’s it. There are no other options, so remember that when deciding how much luggage to bring.

• Traffic in Italian cities is terrible, so avoid driving inside the major Italian cities if at all possible.

• Many Italian cities have a Limited Traffic Zone, which is shortened to ZTL in Italian. If you enter the zone you’ll get a fine in the mail. This is not a tourist scam. Another reason to avoid driving in Italian cities.

• Parking in Italian cities can be a nightmare. If you must park in a city, use a paid parking garage.

• If you rent a car, beware of and understand international road symbols.

• You cannot flag taxis in Italy. You must either call the taxi to come and pick you up (and the meter will start running the minute you put down the phone) or find a taxi stand and take the first taxi in line. Make sure the meter is on – do not accept driver-dictated fares.