Best Road Trips in Italy: Routes, Cars and Insider Tips

Best Road Trips in Italy: Routes, Cars and Insider Tips

Italy is arguably the greatest road trip country in Europe. The combination of dramatic landscapes, world-class food, ancient history, and coastal beauty makes every kilometre an experience. But driving in Italy also comes with unique challenges — ZTL zones, aggressive local drivers, and toll costs that add up fast.

Here are the six best Italian road trips with practical advice for each one.

1. The Amalfi Coast

Route: Sorrento → Positano → Amalfi → Ravello → Salerno Distance: 65 km Duration: 2-3 days Best car: Small hatchback (Fiat 500 or similar)

The SS163 Amalfitana is one of the world's most famous coastal roads — and one of the most nerve-wracking. Carved into sheer cliffs above the Tyrrhenian Sea, the road features blind corners, buses coming the other way, and scooters overtaking in gaps that do not look wide enough for a bicycle.

Insider Tips

• Drive early morning. The road is significantly quieter before 9 AM. By midday in summer, traffic is gridlocked
• Go east to west. Driving from Salerno toward Sorrento puts you on the cliff side with better views and easier right turns
• Park and walk. Positano and Amalfi have almost no parking. Use the municipal car parks above the towns (EUR 5-8/hour) and walk down
• Skip July and August. The road is nearly impassable in peak summer. May-June and September-October are ideal

2. Tuscany's Hill Towns

Route: Florence → Siena → San Gimignano → Montepulciano → Val d'Orcia → Pienza Distance: 250 km loop Duration: 4-5 days Best car: Compact or mid-size (VW Golf, Fiat Tipo)

This is the classic Italian road trip — cypress-lined roads, rolling vineyards, medieval hill towns, and some of Italy's best food and wine.

Insider Tips

• Stay in agriturismi (farm stays). They are cheaper than hotels, include parking, and serve incredible home-cooked dinners
• The SP146 through Val d'Orcia is the most photographed road in Tuscany. Those iconic cypress-lined hills? This is where they are
• Book wine tastings in advance at Brunello di Montalcino wineries. Walk-ins are rare at top estates
• Avoid Florence by car. The city's ZTL zone is a trap for tourists. Pick up your rental after leaving Florence, or use a hotel outside the ZTL

3. The Dolomites

Route: Bolzano → Val Gardena → Passo Sella → Cortina d'Ampezzo → Tre Cime di Lavaredo Distance: 200 km Duration: 3-4 days Best car: Diesel SUV or powerful compact

The Dolomites offer the most dramatic mountain driving in Europe. Jagged limestone peaks tower above green valleys, and the passes twist through some of the most spectacular scenery on the continent.

Insider Tips

• Diesel is essential. The steep gradients demand torque, and diesel cars handle the passes much more comfortably than small petrol engines
• Drive the Stelvio Pass (nearby) if you want 48 hairpin turns and one of the most famous drives in the world
• September is perfect. Summer crowds have gone, autumn colours are starting, and the passes are still open
• Carry warm layers. Temperatures at the top of passes can be 15°C colder than the valleys, even in summer

4. Sicily Circuit

Route: Palermo → Cefalù → Taormina → Syracuse → Agrigento → Trapani → Palermo Distance: 800 km Duration: 7-10 days Best car: Compact with good ground clearance

Sicily is Italy's largest island and feels like a country unto itself. Greek temples, Norman cathedrals, active volcanoes, and some of the best street food in the world.

Insider Tips

• Sicilian drivers are intense. Expect creative interpretation of lane markings, stop signs, and traffic lights. Stay calm and defensive
• Tolls are minimal. Most Sicilian motorways are toll-free, a pleasant surprise after mainland Italy
• Visit Mount Etna from Taormina. You can drive to the Rifugio Sapienza at 1,900m and take a cable car higher
• Do not miss the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento — one of the best-preserved Greek archaeological sites outside of Greece

5. Italian Lakes

Route: Milan → Lake Como → Bellagio → Lake Garda → Verona Distance: 300 km Duration: 3-4 days Best car: Compact or convertible

The Italian Lakes have attracted travellers since the Roman era. The combination of alpine scenery, Mediterranean climate, and elegant lakeside villas is irresistible.

Insider Tips

• The west shore of Lake Como (SP340) has better driving roads than the east shore
• Bellagio is car-unfriendly. Park in the large car park at the edge of town and walk
• Lake Garda's Gardesana road on the west shore passes through 70+ tunnels carved into the cliffside — dramatic and slightly terrifying
• End in Verona for the city's Roman arena, Juliet's balcony, and some of Italy's best restaurants

6. Cinque Terre and the Ligurian Coast

Route: Genoa → Portofino → Cinque Terre → La Spezia Distance: 120 km Duration: 2-3 days Best car: The smallest car you can find

The Ligurian coast is stunningly beautiful but not designed for cars. The five villages of Cinque Terre are effectively car-free, and the roads leading to them are narrow, steep, and often congested.

Insider Tips

• Do not drive into Cinque Terre. Park in La Spezia or Levanto and take the train between villages (EUR 4 per trip or EUR 16 day pass)
• Portofino is worth the detour but parking is EUR 8-10/hour in summer. Arrive before 9 AM
• The SP227 from Genoa to Portofino is a beautiful coastal road with far less traffic than the Amalfi Coast

Understanding ZTL Zones

Italy's Zona a Traffico Limitato (ZTL) zones are the biggest trap for foreign drivers. These restricted traffic areas in city centres are monitored by cameras, and fines of EUR 50-100 per violation are automatically mailed to your rental company, who add an administration fee of EUR 30-50 on top.

ZTL rules to remember:

• Signs are small white circles with a red border
• Restrictions often apply only during certain hours (check the sign carefully)
• Florence, Rome, Milan, Bologna, and Pisa have extensive ZTL zones
• Your hotel may be inside a ZTL — ask them to register your licence plate for temporary access
• GPS apps like Waze show ZTL zones but are not always up to date

Toll Costs

Italy's motorways (autostrade) are tolled. Budget approximately:

• Milan to Rome: EUR 45
• Rome to Naples: EUR 22
• Bologna to Florence: EUR 18
• Genoa to Nice: EUR 35

Most rental companies offer a Telepass transponder for EUR 1-3/day, which lets you use the fast lanes at toll booths.

Ready to plan your Italian road trip? Compare rental cars across Italy on World Auto Hire and find the perfect vehicle for your route.