Are you thinking of driving in Italy? I am a local, and while some people would tell you they don’t enjoy driving, I actually do! Road trips are my favorite – in my home country and elsewhere too.
Of course, since I live here I know the rules, I know the customs, and I know what to expect when I get behind the wheel. But what is driving in Italy as a tourist like?
Let me start by telling you that if you are planning a trip to Italy, you don’t have to drive. Public transport is very decent, and there are bus (and train) connections between many major and minor cities and towns, as well as tourist destinations.
However, at the same time, Italy is a great destination for a road trip, and there will be many occasions where you’ll just feel you want to drive.
Plus, if you like to travel according to your own schedule (or no schedule), with the freedom to go wherever you want whenever you feel like it, having a car is definitely better than having to rely on public transport.
Some regions simply don’t have good public transport: think Sardinia, Puglia, or even some parts of Lazio (Tuscia, for example).
So, while you don’t have to do it, you will find that driving in Italy is really rewarding.
Want to find out more about it? Great – I am about to share my best driving in Italy tips. With my guidance, you can rest assured you will have a great time in the Bel Paese.
I have written an extensive guide on How To Rent A Car In Italy which will guide you through the process of selecting the best cars for your needs and landing a good deal. For reference, whenever I rent a car anywhere in the world (including Italy) I use Discover Cars – it’s my favorite comparison site.
Is It Safe To Drive In Italy?
Your first worry about driving in Italy will likely be one about safety.
Driving in Italy is usually safe. Of course, driving in Italy varies a lot depending on where you are. If you are in the populated north, or anywhere in the area of Rome or Naples, you will find there’s a lot of traffic.
Other areas are not nearly as congested, and driving is certainly more pleasant.
If you are driving around the mountainous areas of the Dolomites, there’s less traffic (except in the summer months, when camper-vans may slow down the traffic), but you can expect hairpins, sharp turns, sheer drops – and you need to drive with precaution (and slowly).
Another concern are the large trucks, which are especially common on the highway, and of course Italian drivers who don’t exactly have a good reputation (I will address this in more detail in a bit).
Depending on the area – for example if you are driving in Sardinia in the summer – you will have to watch out for motorbikes and even for bikes. There are areas where there are no bike lanes so you will have to be extra careful!
What To Know When Driving In Italy
What side of the road do they drive in Italy?
Unlike in the United Kingdom and Ireland, South Africa, Japan or Australia, but very much like in North America and the rest of Europe, we drive on the right side of the road in Italy. Overtaking is done on the left.
If you’re not used to driving on the right, make sure to take it easy at first, especially when you’re pulling out of junctions or using roundabouts.
I know that you will have the feeling of driving on the wrong side of the road – it’s the same I have when I drive in South Africa. But it normally takes just an hour or two to adjust.
Legal age for driving in Italy
The legal age to drive in Italy is 18.
What documents are needed to drive in Italy?
In order to drive in Italy, you will need a valid driver’s license. If you have a driver’s license from another European Union country, you will not need any additional document.
Otherwise, you will need an International Driving Permit (IDP). This works as a translation of your license and will need to be carried with you at all times when you’re driving. If you are visiting from the United States, you can obtain one via the American Automobile Association (AAA).
Let me stress that you may or may not be asked to show an IDP when you are renting a car in Italy, but this remains a legal requirement. If you don’t have it when you go to pick up your car, they may not give you the car. And if you are stop for a random police check while driving, you may be fined if you don’t have it.
The road system in Italy
Italy boasts a pretty amazing network of roads. In total, there are around 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles) of express highways to explore, as well as 288,000 kilometers (180,000 miles) of secondary roads that are simply asking to be explored.
Italy’s roads come in all shapes and sizes.
Autostrada is the word we use to refer to the highway. Autostrade are always toll roads, and the main arteries between Italy’s major cities and towns. As you’d expect, these are very well maintained. And I’ll talk more about the tolls, and how to pay them, later.
The superstrade come next. Basically, these are freeways. They usually have two lanes going in each direction. These are often in the same category as strada statale.
These roads should be well maintained but I must admit that there are some that are full of potholes, and where roadworks are a common scene.
Lastly there are the strade provinciali. Literally translating to “provincial roads”, these are more important than municipal roads (strade comunali). These are all named by the governing area that manages the upkeep of the roads, from states, to provinces and lastly to municipalities.
Tolls
If you’re heading off on a roadtrip in Italy, make sure to factor in the cost of tolls (pedaggio in Italian) into your journey.
The charge for using the Italian Autostrada is determined depending on the distance you have traveled, though there are some areas where the pedaggio you will have to pay is not determined by the distance.
Toll booths are dotted along the highway. When you get on the highway, you will need to pick a ticket from the booth. To get off, you will go through a booth again, this time inserting the ticket, and the machine will tell you how much you need to pay.
You can pay for tolls by either cash, debit, or credit card. You can also opt to use a prepaid card called a Viacard (available at toll stations and service areas).
Italian drivers who use the highway on a regular basis usually have an electronic payment system called Telepass, which is fixed into cars and lets you drive through toll booths without stopping. These booths are clearly marked “Telepass” so make sure not to drive through them!
Roundabouts
Here is something that we are super accustomed to in Europe, but which has the potential of becoming your worst nightmare if you are used to driving in North America.
We have lots of roundabouts in Italy – they are super common in cities and suburban areas. They often substitute traffic lights or stop signs and they are meant to help traffic flow.
The roundabouts can become annoying once you have to tackle a few in a row, but the main annoyance can be other drivers using them.
Indicators are not often used so it can be hard to know where people intend to exit the roundabout.
As you approach a roundabout make sure to slow down and take your time. You have to give way to traffic on the left (I know, it can be confusing as we normally give way to traffic coming from on the right).
When you’re exiting the roundabout indicate to let others know your intentions. And don’t bother with other drivers honking!
Keep your headlights on outside of cities
This is another legal requirement when driving in Italy. To be fair, I never understood the need, but I simply take it for granted that I have to do it. Regardless of whether it is day or night, and whether you are driving on the freeway or on a country road, you must turn your headlights on as soon as you get out of any urban center.
Speed limits in Italy
Speed limits in Italy change frequently, and often suddenly, and you need to keep an eye on the road for signs specifying the speed limit or for speed cameras.
If you have a car with a GPS, this should usually warn you about the speed limite in the area where you are driving, and also about speed cameras.
The speed limit in Italian cities is usually 50 km/h, but some areas within cities (usually the historic center, or wherever there are schools and hospitals) have a limit of 30 km/h.
Some cities – for example Bologna, in Emilia Romagna, and Olbia in Sardinia – have adopted a 30 km/h speed limit throughout the city.
Outside urban areas the speed limit varies, and I won’t deny that it can be confusing. You may find provincial (marked as SP) and even state roads (marked as SS) where the speed limit is just 50 km/h because the road is very windy.
The limit can go up to 70 or even 90 km/h on other provincial or state roads.
The speed limit is 110 km/h on the freeway and 130 km/h on the highway.
Italians often drive well above the speed limit. You should not do that. It’s dangerous, especially if you do it in a city where there may be pedestrians crossing the street. There can be intersections, road works or speed bumps too.
Also, quite importantly, there are speed cameras and police checkpoints and if you’re caught speeding you may get fined. The amount of the fine will depend on the speed you were traveling and the type of road you were on.
Fines can range anywhere between €40 to €4,000, but there are also additional penalties such as having your license confiscated.
I know that a lot of people get notified of fines by the car rental company and will ignore fines they receive when driving in Italy, but this is simply a bad practice!
You need to have insurance when driving in Italy
You need to have insurance whenever you are driving in Italy.
Italy is part of the Green Card System. This allows the insurance policies of those from countries participating in the same scheme to be recognized in Italy (the UK, for example, is also currently a part of the Green Card System).
If you are from a European country, the insurance that you already have will be able to provide coverage for you when you drive your car in Italy – it obviously does not apply to rental cars. However, it is important to ensure that you contact your insurance provider. Additional cover may be required, so it is a very good idea to check.
Rental car companies will offer basic insurance, but it is better to get Discover Cars Full Coverage insurance to have better coverage, just in case.
Do you need to wear a seatbelt?
You need to make sure you’re wearing a seatbelt at all times when driving in Italy in both the front and rear seats. Some people in Italy keep “pretending to ignore” the fact that wearing a seatbelt is a requirement even when you are sitting in the back.
If you are caught not wearing a seat belt you may receive a fine of up to €300.
Children need car seats
If you are traveling with a child, you will need to make sure that your car has a child seat. Italian law requires all children that are 150 cm (4’11”) and under to use a car seat or booster seat regardless of age or weight. Most car rental companies will be able to provide a car seat for you to rent.
Drinking and driving
Drinking and driving is never a good idea anywhere in the world. In Italy the rules about getting behind the wheel after drinking are as strict as other European nations.
You have to make sure your blood alcohol limit is 0.05 percent or below, but remember that this varies a lot depending on your body weight and what you eat too.
This means if you’re stopping off for a wine tasting experience or spending the afternoon at a vineyard, you need to make sure you have a designated driver.
Don’t talk on the phone
Too many locals still ignore this rule, but you shouldn’t be on the phone while driving. Of course, if you have a hands off device (it’s available with most cars and can be connected via the bluetooth system) this is not an issue. But if you don’t, it’s better to pull over if you need to make a phone call or send a text message.
What to do if you have an accident in Italy
112 is the number to call for any sort of emergency in Italy – health-related emergencies, the police, firefighters etc. It’s free to call from all devices, even if you don’t have an Italian SIM card.
How much does fuel cost in Italy?
Unfortunately, gasoline is not cheap in Italy. At the moment, it costs more than €1.825 per liter (which is just short of $2 USD). For comparison, that would be around $9 USD per gallon.
When you head to the gas station, take extra care that you’re filling up with the correct fuel. The car will usually run on either ‘unleaded’ petrol or diesel. You check the type of fuel by noting the color on the pump, it’s usually green for unleaded and black for diesel.
It’s usually cheaper to fill up if you do it yourself. In this case you have the option of paying at one of the automatic machines. You need to insert banknotes for the exact amount you wish to fill (in Italy we generally use a price as a base to fill up, in multiples of €10) or you can pay by card.
You then have to select the pump you want to use (they are identified by a number) and fill up.
Some gas stations will allow you to first fill up and then pay a member of staff, again by cash or card.
What is it like to drive in Italian cities?
This really depends on the size of the city, but generally speaking driving in Italian city is not too much fun for tourists. Large cities – Milan, Rome, Bologna, Florence and especially Naples – are busy and often crammed with traffic and it’s simply easier to move around by public transport.
In many cities such as my hometown Cagliari, the historic centers have narrow roads which can be a challenge for even the most experienced driver (and at times for locals like myself too!).
Not only that, but parking is also difficult in Italian cities – more about this in a bit.
Don’t always trust road signs
Road signs in Italy can be aggravating at times – even to locals. You will find them aptly placed right at the intersection you need to take, and unless you are going really slow, you will easily miss it. And when there are roadworks or diversions, it’s easy to get lost too.
Which is why…
You need to have a GPS
You will be way better off when driving in Italy if you have a GPS or can at least use Google Maps or another navigation system on your smartphone.
But – there is a but. One thing you need to realize if you use Google Maps is that it always wants you to pick the shortest road, which isn’t necessarily the best one, and at times it is outdated (for example it won’t point out road works).
I have often ended up driving around absurd country roads in Sardinia because the app decided that was the best way to go, and this ended up being simply more time consuming.
If you get lost while driving, at times it is best to just pull over and ask locals to help you with directions – even if they don’t speak English, they will be eager to help.
The infamous ZTL (limited traffic zone)
Many of Italy’s city centers have designated limited traffic zones. These protected areas called ZTL (zona a traffico limitato) are parts of a town or city that are only for residents to use, and where non-residents can have access only at certain times of day.
The ZTLs are well marked by signs and there are traffic cameras at access points.
If for whatever reason (ie by mistake) you end up driving through a ZTL at a time when you are not supposed to, it’s very likely you will receive a fine. The fine depends on the city and the time of the offense.
Make sure to keep clear of these zones by taking note of the ZTL zone signposts.
Also keep in mind that ZTLs can be active on different days and times in different cities – to create even more confusion.
This site offers up-to-date information on the ZTLs in any city in Italy, by region. You just need to input the name of the place you have to visit in the search bar to find the information you need.
What about parking in a ZTL area? I don’t recommend it. Usually, parking in a ZTL is very limited anyways, and the roads are so narrow that it’s a nightmare. I say, avoid it entirely!
Parking in Italy
Parking in Italy isn’t always simple. In cities it can be very hard to find parking spaces, but outside of that – especially near tourist sights, beaches and smaller towns – you’ll be able to find parking spaces a bit more easily.
Parking spots in Italy have their own separate rules, denoted by different colored lines painted on the road (see below).
You should always carry cash and small change in order to pay for parking, but most parking machines now take credit or debit cards too, and in some cities you can use apps such as My Cicero to pay for your parking – it’s very convenient because you can top up remotely in case you are away need more time!
Here are the main color codes to note about parking:
BLUE LINES: These areas are always paid parking. Note that hours will vary, so check the signage.
WHITE LINES: These are free to park, however you need to double check the signs – sometimes only some (such as local residents or drop-off vehicles) have the right to park here.
YELLOW LINES: These areas are limited or disabled parking.
NO LINES: This is a little confusing. In theory, this means that you can’t park, but most Italians park where there are no lines anyway. I may well be the only one who doesn’t!
Don’t park in the “divieto di sosta” (literally: “do not stop”) – they’ll tow away your car!
You will also often see Italians parking in what is known locally as “doppia fila” (double line), something that is completely forbidden by our traffic laws and yet tolerated.
Basically this means that if you need to run a quick errand, instead of looking for a proper parking spot, you will park next to another car and quickly run into the shop.
I can’t begin to tell you how much it annoys me. I live in the center of Cagliari and I often find my car blocked by random cars parked “in doppia fila” and have to call the tow-away service, which is inevitably slow to arrive.
Don’t leave valuables in sight, or (even better) when you park the car! It’s not worth having anything that could go missing on display, and it would be a hassle to have the glass replaced.
Are Italian drivers as bad as their reputation?
Italian drivers sadly have a bad reputation as being impatient drivers, always in a rush to get somewhere. This is true to some extent – and I must admit I can be guilty of that too.
Drivers in Italy are stubborn and assertive. We honk, that’s for sure, but we aren’t nearly as crazy as some may say!
The best way to deal with this mindset is to drive with confidence, try not to hesitate and stay alert. And don’t bother if someone honks at you. You are just visiting, so take it easy.
Don’t get frustrated if other drivers tailgate you
As I have said before, drivers in Italy are slowly becoming more respectful and not nearly as aggressive as they are made out to be, so you are unlikely to have issues.
However, some drivers don’t respect the so-called safe distance.
This is often the case in cities and urban areas, it can also happen on state and provincial roads. Cars will come behind you and you will literally feel the pressure to drive faster or to steer out of their way.
Some roads in Italy are very narrow, and you won’t be able to pull over or steer out of the way easily. So one of my best driving in Italy tips it to drive defensively, and to not to get anxious if people tailgate you. As soon as it is safe to do, allow them to overtake.
Do you need to speak Italian?
You don’t need to speak Italian to be able to drive in Italy, but a few words or phrases could help. It’s also a good idea to brush up on Italian road signage before your trip.
Further Readings
If you are planning a trip to Italy, these posts will be useful:
- A Classic Italy Itinerary
- The Best Places To Visit In Italy
- A Guide To Renting A Car In Naples
- The Best Italy Travel Tips
- All The Reasons To Visit Italy
Pin It For Later!
