Is it difficult to drive in Italy as a tourist?

Driving in Italy can be intimidating for a foreigner, but it is safe if you prepare and follow Italian rules. While it is easier to travel between big cities by train, sometimes renting a car is the best option.



People Also Ask

Driving in Italy can be intimidating for a foreigner, but it is safe if you prepare and follow Italian rules. While it is easier to travel between big cities by train, sometimes renting a car is the best option.

MORE DETAILS

Driving Rules in Italy
  • You must be over 18 to drive.
  • Keep to the right and overtake to the left.
  • Dipped headlights must be used on two-lane motorways.
  • When passing through towns and villages, the horn may only be used for an emergency - keep that road rage in check!
  • Trams and trains have the right of way.


MORE DETAILS

While renting a car isn't necessary or even advised if you're only visiting major tourists city (you can't even bring your rental car into the old town Florence, and having a car in Rome is a very bad idea not just because of traffic but also because many main attractions are only accessible by foot anyway), if you ...

MORE DETAILS

Italy signed 2 United Nations conventions (Geneva 1949; Vienna 1968), and it is a legal requirement for visitors from non-EU and non-EEA countries to have a valid International Driving Permit (IDP) in order to rent a car and legally drive in Italy.

MORE DETAILS

The best way to travel around Italy, if you mainly want to visit the cities like Rome, Florence and Venice, is by train. Italy has an extensive network of both fast speed inter-city trains and regional services that connect the smaller cities and towns.

MORE DETAILS

When you are on the motorways, you will need to look out for signs marked 'Alt Stazione' – this is where you make the payment at the toll booth. All payments are made in Euros at either a manned or electronic booth – however, they do accept debit cards from other countries.

MORE DETAILS

Driving on the Autostrada or Toll Road You'll take a ticket as you enter the autostrada and pay a toll when you exit, and credit cards do not always work at the toll booth so have cash with you. Italian drivers tend to drive fast, especially on the autostrada, but are generally not aggressive.

MORE DETAILS

Checklist for Driving in Italy
  1. Driver's license (required)
  2. IDP (recommended)
  3. Proof of liability insurance (required)
  4. ID/passport (required)
  5. Reflective safety vest (required to have in car)
  6. Reflective triangle (required to have in car)
  7. Spare tire (recommended)
  8. Fire extinguisher (recommended)


MORE DETAILS

One of the most common ways to pay for parking in Italy is to use the street parking meters to buy a ticket that you put on your car's dash – 'pay and display. ' Park your car. Note your license plate (Helpful Tip: Keep a photo or note on your phone if you're driving a rental car).

MORE DETAILS

Yes, you can Uber in Italy, but it's not the same. It's available in Rome and Milan. However, only Uber Black is available, meaning higher prices and nicer vehicles. If you don't mind the slight price increase, then Uber is perfectly safe to use in Italy.

MORE DETAILS

With trains, ferries, water buses, taxis, drivers, mountain cable cars and funiculars, bikes, e-bikes and hiking paths, “you can really explore the corners of Italy for quite a ways before you need a car.”

MORE DETAILS

If you're a non-EU citizen that would like to rent a car in Italy, it's essential to hold an International Driver's Permit. The Italian car rental might not ask for it, but it is required by law that you have one, and it may be requested during a police check.

MORE DETAILS

If you have a valid license from your home state, you can drive in European countries for up to 90 days without further documentation. However, once you have spent more than 90 days in Europe and wish to continue driving there, it is recommended that you get an International Driver's License (IDL).

MORE DETAILS