DRIVING IN ITALY
For the vast majority of NON-EU visitors traveling to Italy, we would strongly discourage renting a car and driving during your stay. Mainly because driving rules and styles are very different and public transport is efficient and connected to most the main tourist destinations.
YOU WILL ONLY REALLY NEED A CAR IN ITALY IF:
If you are planning to stay in more rural places that are not as well connected to the public transport system such as: the mountains of northern Italy, like the Dolomites in Trentino, small villages or rural villas in the Tuscan countryside, non-major cities in Southern Italy, or Sicily and Sardinia
If you are attending an event such as a wedding, or festival that is not in a major city and will likely end after bus or train service operating hours.
If you already have experience driving in the EU or better yet, Italy specifically and feel comfortable with the rules, driving style and know the street signs.
Like we mentioned earlier, tourist attractions that are near major cities are usually well connected via public transport, or if you rather go with a guide and maybe make some new friends, you can simply book a tour.
MAIN TRAFFIC SIGNS
Deciding to rent a car and drive in Italy, means driving in a very different context from the one you are likely used to. Italy is famous for its narrow, tight streets, an aggressive and seemingly hectic driving style; also lots and lots of signs.
So we have prepared a list of the most common and important street signs that you will need to know for both your safety and your wallet.
ZTL (limited traffic area) - This one is very important, ignore it and you'll likely be receiving a hefty fine!
For a few years now, Italy has decided to restrict vehicle access to its many historic centers, aiming to protect buildings and monuments from structural damage, reduce pollution, making them more pedestrian friendly and facilitating residents. These are usually scheduled, for example, non residents can only access the zone between 8pm and 6am Monday-Thursday. However, these schedules can vary depending on the season and each city chooses its own schedule. Some rental companies do offer passes for their cars, so verify with your rental company, and stay updated on the ZTL rules and schedules of the cities you are visiting, the schedule should always be available on the city hall website. Parking is generally scarce in city centers, and what little there is, is usually reserved for residents so you will almost certainly have to park in a private parking garage, the cost of which you should also factor into your decision.
DIVIETO DI ACCESSO- this is a DO NOT ENTER sign, usually used to tell drivers that is a private road.
STRADA PRIVATA- PRIVATE STREET this sign is not common in the city, but you will definitely find it in the countryside, usually at the entrance to a property or a field.
PASSO CARRABILE & DIVIETO DI SOSTA - These two signs basically mean the same thing NO PARKING! If you see one of them, obey, your car will likely be towed and you will have to pay a fine of up to 200,00€.
DRIVING LANES
BUS LANE - This lane is usually dotted by yellow lines. At the beginning of the bus lane you will always find a sign. As the name suggests, only busses are allowed and fines are very expensive.
TAXI/CAB LANE - Similar to the bus lane, but usually indicate a specific parking area taxis.
PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SPEED LIMIT
Italian streets, highways and freeways are filled with speed cameras, Italians call them autovelox, that are usually well hidden and not easy to see. They come in different shapes, colors and can have different speed limits. These machines are always preceded by a sign that indicates their presence: (mettere foto). If you see this sign, your speed will be measured shortly after, if you are over the speed limit you will get a ticket by mail or to your rental car account..
This is what a speed camera looks like, there is usually a sign that announces the presence of a speed camera 100 meters prior to the camera itself
GENERAL ROAD SPEED LIMIT
Urban areas → 50 kph (31 mph) keep in mind that you may find a speed limit of 30 kph (18 mph) in villages or historic centers.
Secondary roads → 90 kph (56 mph) these streets are characterized by blue signs.
Main roads → 110 kph (68 mph)
Freeways, highways → 130 kph (80 mph) you can recognize these kinds of streets by the presence of green signs.
