RENTAL CAR TIPS:
- Transmission- It is significantly cheaper to rent a standard than an automatic. That being said, if you haven’t been driving a standard your whole life, Italy is not the place to learn. In addition to costing more, there aren’t as many available. Book your rental ASAP in order to ensure that there’s an automatic available for you.
- Insurance- GET THE INSURANCE. I can’t stress this enough. I’m talking the bumper to bumper, tires, and mirrors coverage. We had the car for a week and were able to add it for $150. We decided this after the lovely older couple in front of us returned their car with barely a scratch and got charged over $100 in knit-picky details. Your own insurance won’t cover everything and most likely the cost of the extra insurance will be less than your own insurance deductible.
- International Driving Permit- Did you know that you have to present an international driving permit in order to rent a car in Italy? This was not always the case, but in recent years it has become so. These are only available at AAA. You don’t have to be a AAA member to receive one.
- I’ve had good luck by using Sixt Car Rental: https://bit.ly/30UlzFX
- I’ve also had good luck using Locauto Car Rental: https://www.locautorent.com/en/
HIGHWAY DRIVING TIPS:
- Stay in the right lane unless you are in the process of passing. This is how it’s supposed to be in the US and many people ignore it. This is a hard and fast rule of traversing the Italian Autostrada. The left lane is truly for being in the act of passing and nothing else.
- Have both cash and credit cards for the tolls. Most will take euros, but on occasion, you get a 13 euro toll for a two-hour drive and you simply don’t have exact cash. To keep the line of cars behind you from getting angry, just swipe your credit card to get through as quickly as you can.
- Go to the rest stops for amazing food! Yes, you heard me correctly. I couldn’t believe the Italian “fast food”. It’s incredible. It’s so impressive that it’s the food you see as my featured picture on this page.
- Italy has speed cameras. They will always be posted beforehand. Keep an eye out for this sign.
PARKING:
- There are four types of parking in Italy: Free, Paid, Residential, and the Non-Parking Spots Italians Make-Up.
- Free has white lines- have at it!
- Paid has blue lines- make sure you find a parking tower. They’re not always close, so look for the biglietto sign with an arrow pointing in the direction of the closest tower.
- Residential has yellow lines- don’t park here.
- Creative Parking Spots- Italians somehow get away with this, you will not.
CAR TRANSFERS:
- Sometimes renting your own car isn’t in the cards. Maybe it’s your comfort level of the notorious Italian driving, or maybe you’re going somewhere, like Sorrento, where you don’t need a car. A great option is to do a car transfer to/from an airport or a train station. It’s so easy! You get off your plane or train and a professional driver is waiting for you, holding a sign with your name. They take your luggage and you enjoy an easy ride to your destination.