How many kilometers to italy by car. Five proven routes for your first trip to Italy

Most tourists prefer the Italian seaside, ski resorts or big cities, with their museums and architectural masterpieces. For those who want to see mountain peaks and alpine meadows, lemon groves and vineyards of Tuscany, old towns and medieval castles, we advise you to rent a car and go along one of the following routes.

1. Road S163 along the Amalfi coast: sea, quiet bays and mountain serpentine

Photo: @ stepcar73 / @emianofficial / Instagram.com

The Amalfi Coast is located in southwestern Italy, near Naples, on the Sorrentino peninsula. In 1997, all 40 kilometers of the coast were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The S163 highway, which has repeatedly been called the most beautiful road in Italy, runs along a mountain serpentine through lemon groves and ancient cities, next to beaches, coves and vineyards. Towns and fishing villages on the coast are special - they, like birds' nests, are attached to almost sheer cliffs and hang over the sea.

The S163 passes through six (Pirano, Amalfi, Minori, Majori, Cetara and Vietri sul Mare) of the sixteen settlements along the coast. The other ten are located a few kilometers from the road. If possible, we advise you to visit all of them, because each of them is unique: in Amalfi there is a cathedral of the rarest Norman-Byzantine style and an ancient arsenal, in Minori there are excellent restaurants and pastry shops, as well as sandy beaches. Ravello lies higher than other cities, from its viewing platforms you can see the entire coastline, and in Conca dei Marini there is a huge grotto with stalactites, medieval towers, a monastery and churches.

2. Chianti road in Tuscany: vineyards, cathedrals, castles and hills

Photo: @ allie.blaire / @ walre037

Chianti is the most famous Italian wine, it is made from the Sangiovese grapes in Tuscany. This region is famous for its excellent wine and cuisine, amazing nature and rich cultural heritage. You can visit nature reserves and medieval towns, taste the best wines and see ancient castles and monasteries by taking the S222 Via Chiantigiana road, which connects Siena and Florence.

Italian travel guides advise you to leave Florence and, bypassing wheat fields, vineyards and olive groves, slowly drive from one medieval town to another. Imprunet has old wineries and oil presses, a Renaissance cathedral and a Medici villa painted by Giovanni Manozzi. Greve in Chianti is famous for its wine cellars with the most valuable Chianti variety - Chianti Classico, ancient frescoes, castles and terracotta taverns. Panzano is surrounded by cypress and olive groves, and there is a medieval castle in the city center.

3. A path through the Dolomites in northeastern Italy: lakes, pink mountains and medieval castles

Photo: Shutterstock.com

The Dolomites are one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in Europe, included in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List. These mountains have an amazing color - during the day they are almost white, and at sunset they are painted in hundreds of shades of red and pink. Le Corbusier, one of the most famous architects of the twentieth century, called them the most beautiful architectural creation in the world. The 110-kilometer road from Bolzano to Cortina d'Ampezzo, called the Grande Strada delle Dolomiti, runs alongside the highest peaks, lakes and waterfalls, through alpine meadows and ancient cities.

The road begins in South Tyrol, in the city of Bolzano, where there are medieval castles and a Romano-Gothic cathedral, and the archaeological museum houses the mummy of Ötzi, the Tyrolean ice man who lived in the mountains about 5,300 years ago. Further, the path lies through Lake Carezza, whose waters shimmer in different colors, and the Catenaccio mountain range, which is called the "gateway to the Dolomites". Further, the path lies along winding mountain roads, through ski resorts, coniferous forests and past the ancient castle of Andraz. Shortly after the castle, the road descends into the Ampezzo Valley, to the resort town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, where the 1956 Winter Olympics were held.

4. Three roads of ancient Sicily: sea, volcano, ancient Greek ruins and lush baroque

Photo: @ nikko1983 / @akselz / Instagram.com

Sicily is washed by three seas, there are pristine beaches, excellent cuisine and amazing architecture. Ancient Greek and early Christian monuments coexist with baroque churches, gloomy catacombs and a modern new building. It is also home to the only active volcano in Europe. Three roads run through the most beautiful places and main attractions of the island: S114, S115, S113.

The S114 runs along the east coast, connecting Messina and Syracuse. The road runs along the coast and the plains, next to the Etna volcano, through medieval Taormina, which lies on the top of the hill, and the port of Catania with baroque cathedrals, marble fountains and houses made of black volcanic stone.

The S115 highway runs from Syracuse to Trapani in the west of the island, through quiet villages and forests, along the coast and valleys with the ruins of ancient cities. In the Val di Noto valley, the road runs through the baroque towns of Ragusa and Noto to the coast, turns to the medieval town of Agrigento and then leads to the Valley of the Temples - the most famous ancient Greek ruins on the island.

The S113 connects two seaports - Trapani in northwest Sicily and Messina in the northeast, running through the mountains and north coast through Palermo, the island's capital and Tindari, a quiet city with ancient Roman ruins and medieval monasteries that is surrounded by beaches and caves.

5. The road around Lake Como in Lombardy: Alps, castles, parks and villas of the kings

Photo: Shutterstock.com

Lake Como is one of the most beautiful lakes in Europe, located 40 kilometers from Milan, in the north-west of Italy. Over the centuries, European aristocrats have come here to relax, and today their villas with huge gardens, parks and luxurious interiors are popular attractions in the region. The lake is surrounded by the Alps, on its shores there are luxurious villas of the 18-20th centuries, parks, medieval churches, museums, ancient castles and a rampart. Como has a rare elongated shape, in which some see an inverted Y, while others see the silhouette of a running man. The length of the road along the banks and the surrounding area is 140 kilometers.

You can start the route in any of the cities on the shore of the lake. If you wish, you can not go around the lake in a circle, but use a ferry that connects 4 cities (Varenna, Bellagio, Menaggio, Cadenabbia) at different ends of the lake. We advise you to visit the following places: Castello di Vezio, from where you can see the whole lake from a bird's eye view, and the observation deck in Bellagio, from which, according to locals, offers the best view of Como. One of the Star Wars episodes was filmed at Villa Balbianello in Lenno, English kings lived in Villa d'Este in Cernobbio, and Villa Carlotta in Tremezzo is famous for its park and masterpieces of painting. The most beautiful cities on the route are Como and Lecco, with medieval cathedrals, town halls, houses and beautiful embankments.

about the author

I live in Marseille, study to be an illustrator and travel constantly. I love discovering new places and talking about how to make a trip cheaper and more enjoyable, about unusual routes that changed my view of the world and which, I hope, will inspire someone to hit the road.

And we also have

In February of this year, we drove across Italy in a car, and this helped to look at life in the country from a new perspective. How to rent a car, learn the local driving style, see an incredible nature reserve and spend the night on the street in one of the most criminal regions of the country - Anna's word.

Italy is not the most exotic destination to expect some incredible adventures from it. Therefore, we decided to add difficulties and impressions to ourselves and went to the country as independently as possible: without pre-prepared armor, beaten routes and excursions in groups. We wanted to drive through wine-olive Tuscany, descend on the sunny Amalfi-coast in lemons, learn about the Neapolitan mafia and take a hit on Roman outlet villages.

We are Anya, a journalist and an SMM manager, and Vanya, an IT developer, and together - two who have long dreamed of traveling by car. It always seemed useful to us - to see non-tourist places, and in an adult way, or something. And here is a short summary of our trip: "Is it easy and cheap to rent a car in Italy?" - no and no, "How do they drive in this country?" - disgustingly dashing, "Will we still travel by car?" - Yes.

“We were helpfully warned that the insurance is not valid in Campania, the region of Italy where the main trip was planned. Such there, they say, the mafia and robbery, that it is better not to meddle "

Rent a Car

Moscow - Pisa - Florence - this is how the route to the cherished goal began. At the airport of Florence, on the way to which we saw the whole city, a cherished car was waiting for us. According to the first estimates, the main expense items were to be gasoline (about € 1.6 per liter) and the rent itself. In numerous services (Europcar, Herz, GoldCar) prices vary, there are last minute offers and many "conditions with an asterisk". We chose GoldCar because here the one way tax - for leaving your car in another city - was the lowest (€ 65). The rent in general is also adequate - in 6 days we paid about € 40 + € 65.

For potentially spent gasoline, € 149 is blocked on the card. After returning the car, they are also returned. But already at the pick-up point at the Florence airport, we learned that a credit card is needed for a reservation, not a debit card. After all, only from her can the rental collect money if you are brought in on some kind of serpentine. And since we did not have credit cards, the lease was imposed with a full cover - a nice option of insurance against everything, but with a bite worth € 136. True, we were also helpfully warned that in Campania, the region of Italy where the main trip was planned, the insurance does not work. Such there, they say, the mafia and robbery, that it is better not to meddle. Or better without a car. Well, or blame yourself. "Grazie" - we mumbled and got into the car.

Longing for Tuscany and Umbria

We really wanted to see Chianti with its famous wine, misty hills and olives and cypresses. Castellina in Chianti, Bastia Umbria, Spello, Montefalco, Spoleto - these are towns on hills with medieval walls and paving stones, which we managed to travel in a couple of days. It took us only an hour and a half for each one, but the main thing is not to get into the "dead" time from 14:30 to 18:00 - even local cats do not meow these hours, because siesta. From food, you can only hope for a cup of espresso. Shops, restaurants - absolutely not.

The sun was very bright in February, and it seemed that you can run out of the car and take off the next towers of cities in one sweater. As we did, and Tuscany deceived our St. Petersburg naive souls. The result - I have a runny nose, and my companion is preparing a plan to catch a cold: upon arrival at the guest house in Bastia-Umbria, boiling water showers (not every b & b hotel can boast), rubbing, sleeping under three blankets and hot tea ... Medicines on the forums were advised exclusively of lemon and honey, about pharmacies - they unanimously warned about the prices and difficulties of buying something effective.

But the next day, the Tuscan Siena rewarded us with free streets and historical picturesqueness. And also tea. We again seemed to swim against the current and instead of coffee went to drink tea in an interesting place - TeaRoom. By the way, this evening we made a mistake for the first time, which we stumbled on a couple more times: we did not warn the accommodation facility about a late arrival. And they didn't buy a local SIM card (we really wanted an offline trip), and then we were attached to all public places in search of wi-fi. The result - in one of the guest houses we just woke up the owner, but in Campania (this is the one with a notorious reputation) we generally stayed on the street at night.

Mafia, tangerines and pasta god

Now the path ran from Tuscany to Campania, the village of Gaeta, which is about 300 kilometers of road. Driving on this section is no longer so interesting: Campania itself seems to be a rather poor region, and there is garbage and bumps on the road here by default. We also decided to go around Rome along the roundabout and plunged into two stories at once: a sudden toll highway A1 (the main one, you can always navigate along it to large cities) and traffic around the city.

In Gaeta, on the coast, where all the color changed to a palm-southern one, we moored as early as 23 o'clock. Instead of the address via Bologna, 22, where our overnight stay was supposed to be, the map showed an empty space near the road. Here we got acquainted with the special numbering in Italy, when there are several entrances in one house, and all of them are considered separate houses. Total: we searched for our hotel for two hours without a single identification mark, wrote there for half an hour, asking for wi-fi from a neighboring hotel, and stayed to sleep in the car. But every hour and a half they woke up to warm it up (the temperature dropped to +4 at night).

In fact, sleeping in a car is quite comfortable. But € 32 for the "overnight" flew off us, like a handbag from a gaping tourist in Naples. In this city, by the way, we did not call in, but immediately moved to the Amalfi coast. Here it was already possible to run out with impunity for a photo in one sweater, climb the cliffs and hang over the sea. The nature of the mountain-sea region gave us just a childish delight, although we were seasick on the action-packed serpentines.

“In fact, sleeping in a car is quite comfortable. But € 32 for the "overnight" flew off us, like a handbag from a gaping tourist in Naples "

Parking in Campania is even more troublesome than in Umbria and Tuscany, but the behavior of Italians saves everything. Yes, even if you are stupid and rush into a one-way traffic not into your traffic light, no one beeps or fouls - they just smile. Moreover, both cars and pedestrians move as the pasta god commands them.

On the Amalfi coast, we pulled up in the obscure village of Cetara, and were so glad that we stayed there for two days. We were finally lucky with the hotel (everything in ceramics, chic furniture, 3 minutes from the sea and all this for € 38). We examined everything within a radius of 40 kilometers: in Praiano we went to liquor shops for tastings, in Amalfi we admired boats and boats, and closer to our Chetara we sat down in an excellent fish restaurant in the evening. What must be done in this area? Taste local cuisine, buy ceramic dishes and steal a lemon.

When the coast was tested in all directions, we chose a hiking trail called Pogerola - Noce Fica (Valle delle Ferriere). There, the path leads through lemon and tangerine plantations, where everything looks ripe, but in fact it is still very sour. We had a halt and a homemade lunch of mozzarella, tomatoes, tuna and ciabatta in olive oil near the ruins of a 15th century abbey. Then the trail came to a dead end: water is rustling ahead and a waterfall is barely visible, but everything is surrounded by a fence. "Attenzione!" the signs stopped us at first, but such a long journey simply had to be rewarded with something impressive. We passed the fence and were stunned. From the rocks, from the ferns, from the strands of moss, water flowed down in small crystals. Here we made a couple of 360-degree panoramas to take with us at least some of this beauty!

We can say that the Mafia Campaign persuaded us to break the law and infiltrate the reserve. But we are sure - it was a call of nature. And, by the way, here we thanked ourselves for the hundredth time for deciding to take the car - without four wheels it would not have been possible to see all this.

All traffic jams lead to Rome

We left the capital for dessert, and it was true: even Italians advise to do so, otherwise the Roman charm will not let go of the whole journey. However, getting to Rome by road is not always the most convenient option: for the first time we really got stuck in traffic jams, and even the jeweler's driving masters had to stand. Very often the road narrows, crosses from the motorway to settlements, there are many speed limits everywhere. Motorcyclists are not embarrassed by this, but if a flash flashed behind your back, they probably captured a high-speed ride. This is another reason why car rental services ask for a credit card: the fines in Italy are rather big. But is this what you think about when you rush to the outlet village in Valmontone to buy a Trussardi jacket for only € 69?

The end point of our journey by car was Fiumicino Airport - the largest in Rome. We decided to arrive before the indicated 20.00 - and it was the right decision! The courteous GoldCar gives you another hour up front before charging you a late fee, but considering how maze the main Roman hub turned out to be, we were just in time. Do not forget about Fuel-to-fuel - the system by which the car is issued and accepted fully fueled. Just don't pay with the machine at the gas station in large bills: in the evening the cashier did not work and no one gave us the change of € 5.

“The fines in Italy are rather big. But is this what you think about when you rush to the outlet village in Valmontone to buy a Trussardi jacket for only € 69? "

And now - on foot

Leaving the car, we were even glad that we hadn't bought very thoroughly in the outlets, since everything had migrated to our hands and backs. The remaining three days in Rome itself, we did not need a car. But to see more than one city and just see another Italy, a car is a must-have, as the experts in English say. Even all the nerves with the navigator, getting used to Italian expressive driving and spending almost € 350 for renting a car instead of the expected € 170 - everything was compensated by impressions.

Rome - Pisa - Moscow - so the journey under the hashtag #otheritalia ended. But not forever - you have to please the Italians and mark more days in your passport “on the territory of the country that issued the visa”!

Photo - Ivan Yakovlev

Photo-article about a trip to Italy by car. Petrol prices, toll roads and parking. Where to rent a car, where to refuel and park. Pros and cons of traveling in Italy with your own transport.

Our trip to Europe lasted 25 days. During this time, we drove from the Czech Republic (Prague) through Austria and Germany to the south of Italy along the eastern coast, reeled about 1000 km in Sicily, and then returned along the western coast of Italy back to Prague. A total of about 6000 km.

I will describe the route and details of the trip in another article, but here is just a story about what everyone should know who is going to travel around Italy in their own or rented car.

The car that drove all of Italy
Freeway in Italy

Car rental and travel in Italy

• You can rent a car in Italy and other European countries at rentalcars.com

• We traveled in Czech rooms. The traffic police stopped one time while entering Italy. We checked our passports. The documents for the car, license and insurance were not checked. The traffic police were not seen again

• Permitted speed on the freeway 130 km an hour, but Italians drive faster. There are cameras recording the speed. The signs on the scoreboard warn that there will be a camera soon. Also, the navigator rang, warning of speed control.

• On the day of departure from the Czech Republic, the navigator broke down, so in Italy they bought a new navigator from Tomtom with a lifetime update of the maps of Europe. While we were driving without it through applications on an iPhone, we repeatedly climbed to the wrong place because of interchanges and 180-degree turns.

• If your goal is only Sicily or just a vacation in southern Italy, and not travel as such, then it would be cheaper and more logical to buy a plane ticket, fly to Sicily or southern Italy and rent a car on the spot. How to look for air tickets, including for low-cost flights, I told in the article:. Ryanair flies in Italy, Alitalia has normal prices for flights within the country.

• Take out full coverage insurance when renting a car. In 8 out of 10 cases, your antenna will be torn off, doors will be scratched or your rear bumper will be knocked.

• There are cafes along the highway, but the prices in them are quite high (a 300% markup to prices in supermarkets), so if you want to save money, buy food and water for the trip in advance in cities

• If you plan to catch a plane or somewhere else, take more time on the road. For example, when we returned north, we drove through Calabria. The freeway suddenly ended. There were repairs going on there, which had not been warned about in advance. There was no bypass road. Just a blocked freeway and repairs. I had to go along the serpentines to the coast, which is why we lost 4 hours. In Italy, anything can happen.

Entry to Italy from Austria

Gasoline prices in Italy

Gasoline in Italy costs 1.6-1.8€

• The cheapest gasoline we could find in Italy cost 1.53€ at a half-abandoned Sicilian gas station. Prepare to pay on average 1.64-1.7€ refueling in the north and 1.55-1.74€ refueling in southern Italy in Calabria

• Refueling is better in cities than on the toll highway - it will be cheaper. Gasoline and diesel on the freeway cost 20-30 cents more per liter than in cities. Gasoline prices on the freeway go up to 1.9-2€

• In Italy, diesel is cheaper than gasoline by an average of 20 cents per liter, so if you are traveling by a rented car, it is better to take a car on diesel

• Natural benson is 95th. Available at almost all gas stations. Usually the hose with 95 m gasoline is colored green.

Prices for 95 gasoline in Europe:

Czech Republic 1.2 €
Germany 1.5 €
Austria 1.3-1.4 €
Italy - 1.6-2 €

Diesel prices in Europe

Czech Republic - 1.15 €
Germany - 1.25-1.3 €
Austria - 1.2 €
Italy - 1.4-1.7 €

Senza Piombo is gasoline too
Super SP is gasoline too

Gas stations in Italy

In Italy, there is such a thing as a tanker. What does it mean? There are two types of gas stations at the same gas station:

Self

1. Refuel yourself. The price of gasoline corresponds to that indicated on the plate at the entrance to the gas station.
2. To refuel, you need to insert a bill into the payment machine (it stands next to one of the columns). For example, insert 20 euros. The inscription “Credito 20 euro” will appear
3. After that, you need to select the column from which you will refuel. Next, insert the hose into the gas tank. If you inserted 20 euros, gasoline will be poured into the tank exactly 20€ .
4. The filling machines accept 10, 20, 50 € bills. They don't take 100 and 500 euros, they don't give change.

The column says Self. On the left, a little further away, there is another column on which it says "Serv" - prices are higher there
Shown are the number of liters, the price of fuel and the amount
A miracle of nature - a terminal at a gas station that accepts bank cards for payment Standard terminal that only accepts cash in euros

Servado or Servito or SerV

If the column says "Servado" or "Servito", it means that the tanker will fill you. This person can accept payment in cash, sometimes they take cards, give change. The only drawback is that gasoline with this option will cost 10-15 cents per liter more than the price originally indicated on the plate at the entrance to the gas station. There is no need to give a tip to the petrol station - it is already included in the price of gasoline.

If you want to save money, drive up to the “Self” dispenser and refuel yourself.

Gas station labeled "Serv" and higher prices

Toll roads in Italy

All of Italy from north to south can be driven on the toll highway. To travel from north to south along the east coast, you need to spend 70€ , along the west coast - 60€. Procedure on the motorway:

• When you enter the motorway, you press the red button in the machine, you get a ticket. Or the ticket is already in the machine, you just need to pick it up.

• At the exit you insert a ticket and pay the amount indicated on the machine. If a person is sitting in the window, you give him a ticket, money or a bank card.

• Do not drive up to the exit with Telepass written in big blue letters on a yellow background - this queue is only for those with Telepass. If there is no Telepas, then choose the exit with biglietto written on it, cards or pennies are drawn.

• It is advisable to have small euro pennies with you, since not all machines accept banknotes, and there is not always a person in the window

• Roads in southern Italy (south of Naples) are free.

• Sicily was crossed by ferry. There - 38€ , back - 40€

• There are toll roads and free roads in Sicily. The road leading through the north of the island through Palermo is toll and costs 10€

Freeway in Italy
Highway ticket
Ferry ticket to Sicily

Parking in Italy

• We rented apartments in Italy and hotels through booking, setting in advance in the filters of additional amenities "availability of free parking"

• In cities, parking behind the white line is free, for the blue, yellow and red lines - by tickets. Some car parks are only for residents of a certain area or for people with disabilities.

• In some resorts, parking is free even behind the blue line during low season, and payment is introduced from June.

• In northern Italy, you can often find such a picture when you drive into a free parking lot, and there is a certain person standing in an empty space, waving his hands and trying in every possible way to help you park (and in fact only interferes). The aforementioned person after the rendered "service" asks for money and pretends to be a parking attendant. They can ask from 1 before 3€. This face can be understood - a person illegally arrived in Italy from Africa and is trying to somehow survive. Whether to give him money is a private matter for everyone.

• The price for paid parking in Italy is on average 1-3 euros per hour or 15-25 euros per day. You need to pay at parking machines.

• If you plan to stay in cities (for example, in Florence, Siena, Rome), it is better to rent a house with parking in advance to avoid headaches. For example, vehicles are not allowed to enter the center of Florence until 19.30. You can, without knowing this, rent an apartment in the center and not be able to drive up to it by car. More about (agritourism, camping, guesthouse, hostel, apartment or hotel)

There are no lines on the asphalt. Free parking
Blue lines on the asphalt - paid parking

Pros of traveling in Italy by car

• Freedom of movement, independence from public transport schedules

• You can rent accommodation on the highway, stay in agritourism or small towns, where the prices for renting apartments and hotels are lower. All the apartments we rented during the trip cost 50-70 euros per day for a three-room apartment.

• Possibility to get off the road, change the route, go to the deserted beach found on the map.

• We saw the whole country. We drove by car along the eastern coast of Italy to the very south, drove around Sicily (about 1000 km), and returned back along the western coast. We saw rocks, volcanoes, bare fields, cacti, tangerine plantations, vineyards and high mountains. In Italy, there are landscapes that are typical for Georgia, Armenia, Mexico, Austria, Croatia, Uzbekistan and even Belarus. All this can be seen on the scale of one country.

Cons of traveling to Italy by car

• Expensive. Gasoline, parking, toll roads, ferry to Sicily. Considering that about 4,700 km have been covered in Italy, the cost of fuel and toll roads has become a significant cost item. More about

• Parking problem. If you plan to travel to cities, rent the smallest car. It is almost impossible to park and ride in narrow streets in a jeep or station wagon.

• Our car was scratched. If you look closely, all cars in Italy are scratched. The streets are narrow, there are few parking spaces, so a typical car in Italy is often without a bumper with dangling mirrors and huge scratches on the sides.

The car is scratched
Other cars are scratched too

Should you travel to Italy by car?

A controversial issue, the answer to which everyone is looking for himself. On the one hand, it is expensive, tiring, there is a high risk of scratching the car, plus a constant headache with finding a parking space. On the other hand, our trip was so intense and full of positive impressions that it was definitely worth the money spent on it.

If you are traveling to Italy for the sake of a seaside holiday, but want to save money, it may make sense to go not to Italy, but to Croatia. Holidays in Croatia are much cheaper than in Italy. You can read my article about last year.

Have you traveled by car in Italy or other European countries? Liked? Or does public transport drive? If you still have questions regarding a trip to Italy by car, ask them in the comments to this photo post.

Have a wonderful holiday in Italy! Sincerely,

By car in Italy? It's fun and challenging. If three to five people are traveling, then it makes sense to consider traveling by car. And the closer the number of participants on our tour to five, the more profitable rent a car and take a ride with the breeze, in passing, looking into some amazing city or two, or three.

For example, for a company of five people, a Florence-Rome ticket, for example, will cost 34.9 × 5 = 174.5 euros. This is if you go to the Eurostar (Silver or Red Arrow - Frecciaargento, Frecciarossa) for about an hour and a half.

And the car can be taken on week(!!!), for example, in September for ...

The approximate cost of a week of rent

but for a couple of days, generally for ...

The approximate cost of renting a car for 2 days

… It is clear that a fiesta is a small car and five large men will not feel very comfortable in it, but there are always different options.

When choosing a car, along with the class, size and model (which, upon receipt, can be replaced by another of the same class), it is IMPORTANT to pay attention to the “fuel policy”. Some “tasty” prices are due to the fact that the rental company offers to buy gasoline from them, usually a full tank, of course, at a seriously overpriced price. Therefore, I recommend choosing tariffs with a fuel policy “return and receive with a full tank”. And, of course, you need to pay attention upon receipt so that the tank is really full. If this is not the case, demand that the fuel level be entered into the contract! The only disadvantage of this rate is the need to refuel before returning the car. Fill a full tank and remember that 5-10 kilometers you can then safely drive to the return point and the arrow is unlikely to show this.

Minuses:

• additional costs for gasoline (not cheap);
• additional costs for toll roads;
• additional parking costs;

Pros:

• freedom;
• the opportunity to see many interesting places;
• there seem to be few of them (pluses), but with the correct preparation of the route, they easily outweigh all the minuses!

I must admit that it is very difficult to find a car during the high season, so I highly recommend it. book in advance... In two or three months, and better for six months. Once in Genoa (not the top tourist city), at the airport, out of almost a dozen rental offices, only one free car was available. In the last one we have bypassed. Our joy knew no bounds and we took it at exorbitant prices.

Since then, if you plan to rent a car, we always book it in advance.

International driving license and CREDIT (!) Card

When booking a car, you need to understand that large international companies with big names are more preferable in terms of their decency, the absence of problems in receiving and returning the car, possible assistance on the road and other parameters. However, the cost of renting in such companies is higher, and sometimes significantly higher than in less "promoted", less branded offices. And the requirements for documents can be stricter. They can resist and demand international law. Or refuse to accept a debit card for payment and require only a CREDIT card. Pay attention to this when preparing for your trip.

On the one hand, the rental rules are the same for everyone. International law (for non-citizens of the European Union) and namely a credit card. But, in practice, I personally was asked international rights only once - HERTZ in Florence, and when they were not there, for some reason they demanded to show return plane tickets.)) ?? When I ran after them to the hotel, the stern guy at the counter saw something in them that allowed him to close his eyes to my lack of an International driver's license and calmly give the car.

It's the same with a credit card. She and her and only her (credit card) was demanded only once, at the Barcelona airport. Well, maybe this is because, before the payment procedure, we had a fight with a very unpleasant aunt from Europcar, who, with obvious pleasure, glee and open disgust, said that with our luggage and a stroller, we WOULD NOT fit into the car we had chosen and paid for in advance. WELL NOW. Take a class higher! Pay only 800 euros and it's at a discount. And if you still ride this little panda, then you will be constantly stopped by the traffic police and you will pay very heavy fines. At these words, her face expressed such genuine joy and pleasure that ………… .. In short, we had a fight, took the keys, came to the parking lot, saw that it was not even a panda, but a yaris, but completely new. With a mileage of 7000 km, but already knocked several times.

On the other hand, if there is at least a theoretical possibility of refusing to provide a car booked in advance, then it (this possibility) should be excluded as much as possible. Let's not let gloating bourgeois spoil our vacation !!!

The best service for renting a car in Italy BOOK WITH A DISCOUNT ON rentalcars.com

Therefore, I think that it is not difficult to apply for a credit card and international law and no longer worry about it. Yes, I almost forgot, you need a credit card in the name of the main driver! It is important! Well, a couple of thousand euros, which are blocked on the card for the duration of the lease, will probably be enough to get a prepaid compact and economy class car. By the way, this money is unlocked, as a rule, 3-7 weeks after the end of the lease, so be prepared to live this time without them).

By the way, that time in Barcelona, ​​we perfectly fit with all our belongings and a stroller in the yaris and there were no questions for us from the police.

By the way, I remembered about the wheelchair ...

Insurance

I recommend to everyone renting a car do not be stingy and purchase either full CASCO insurance or “deposit protection” insurance offered by aggregators of rental companies. For example, Rentalcars... You can read in detail the conditions of both types of insurance on the respective websites, but personally I recommend purchasing one of such insurance and, firstly, to protect yourself from unnecessary worries and worries about possible scratches, cracked glass and other troubles possible along the way. And secondly, to save the employees of the rental companies from the temptation to “heat up” these Russians for a tidy sum for the fact that they caused damage to the car. Moreover, this damage is often imaginary.

In fact, there was nothing, but they still withhold part of the deposit and a long correspondence and proceedings begin who is to blame. And in the end, many spit, say: “Well, to hell with them, with these 300 euros. Bastards! I will not take a car from this company anymore ”. Or even cooler: “I won't take a car anymore in Italy”. Or like this: “I won't go to Italy anymore !!!”.

You and I should not bring the situation to such a turn and even allow the thought of not going again and again to this wonderful country. And that's why we just acquire CASCO or “full protection of the deposit”. When rental workers see a Russian client with such insurance already purchased on the site in advance, their mood immediately deteriorates, but they can no longer do anything.

The reasons for the bad mood of the rentals:

Sad italian

1. "Damn. These Russians already have insurance. You will not be able to get the hull insurance on the spot. And it costs much more than in advance on the site. Though…. Maybe they are loshars and they can be bred? We need to tell them that their insurance is bad, and we have the best insurance for 500 euros! Yes Yes! Need to try!!!"

Mostly cleverly ... opy employees of the rental offices tell such a story to those who have purchased the “deposit protection” service on the aggregator site of rental companies. In this case, your deposit is fully refundable if it or any part of it was withheld by the rental company for any reason. Except for an accident where you are to blame (God forbid you !!!) and accidents while intoxicated (It does not matter who is to blame).

And if you don't need a navigator, a child seat, wheel chains, a second driver or something else from their list of additional services, they will be sad at all. By the way, many airlines carry baby car seats for free if the children are under 2 or 3 years old. If the children are older and the car rental period is more than, for example, 5 days, then even having paid 10-15 euros for luggage, you need to take your own seat for the baby with you. First, it will save 50-100 euros (for gasoline, for gasoline). Secondly, the quality and cleanliness of rented child car seats raises big questions for me personally.

Very sad italian

2. “Since they have CASCO or“ deposit protection ”, then what's the point of looking for new scratches on the body and cracks on the glass. All the same, we will not receive money from them. What kind of Russians are they after all ... ”With these thoughts, a disappointed employee of the rental company will reluctantly and turn a blind eye to inspect the car that we will return to him ... if at all. Often they do not even go out to see in what condition we are returning the car, and whether we are returning it at all ... because the insurance will cover everything. They brought the keys - it means everything is fine!

SUMMARY on insurance: I recommend purchasing a full deposit protection service from an aggregator of rental companies. Cheaper than CASCO from a particular supplier, but it works with a bang! But in any case, regardless of whether you decide to purchase CASCO or PROTECTION, you need to do this in advance on the website, and not at the last moment in the rental office itself. On the spot it will be much, much more expensive.

Car pick up

When picking up a car, there is only one rule that must be followed. It is necessary that everything ... no, not so. It is necessary that ABSOLUTELY all defects of the body, such as scratches, dents, scuffs, chips, cracks and other problems, should be entered in the form of acceptance and delivery of material value - a car.

Be patient after a long flight / move, put your bags / suitcases in the trunk and inspect the entire car in the most thorough way and make sure that all the problems that happened to it before you "met", every single, even the smallest scratch, are included in the act ... If the caretaker tells you that scratches up to five / ten centimeters in length are not considered a defect, ask him to mention it in writing in the contract. If something is not included in the document, do not hesitate - demand that this defect be fixed. Don't forget to look under the front and rear bumpers and make sure everything is fine there too. Nothing is torn off, dangling or scratched from the bottom, which you just may not be able to see. Open all the doors, inspect where it is available all the paintwork, glass, tires, wheels, mirrors, antennas - absolutely everything that is outside the car.

It's also a good idea to inspect the car inside. Although, as a rule, internal breakdowns, such as a torn window handle, a broken seat belt retainer, an inoperative socket (“cigarette lighter”) and others, are not subject to mandatory troubleshooting, it is still recommended to report this to a car delivery specialist.

It is extremely useful to film the entire process of inspection and communication with the caretaker on video. In this case, you will have indisputable proof that it was not you who caused the damage to the rental office, but someone else did it before you. God grant that the matter does not come to the presentation of such evidence, but it is better to have and not need than to need and .........

It would seem why waste time on such a thorough inspection of the car before renting it if we have a CASCO or PROTECTION of a deposit. You can, of course, not do this, however, if the rental employee, upon returning the car, discovers real or imaginary new defects on it, then of course your deposit will be returned to you, but how long it can take - God only knows. The trial can drag on for a month, or two, and possibly more ...

SUMMARY on getting a car: we are not lazy ...

Application MAPS ME- super offline navigator

An indispensable application for travelers, and not only by car, is the MAPS ME application. Being at home or somewhere in a hotel (where free wi-fi is at hand), we download a map of the region we need. And then we use it as an off-line navigator - that is, without an expensive Internet. VERY USEFUL application - I recommend it to everyone !!!

Let's hit the road

The car is received, the maps me navigator is on, let's go ...

It's so great to drive a car in a foreign country. It's so great to breathe in the air of freedom deeply. Freedom from schedules, from excursion plans, from the mood of the guide and his motivation by all kinds of shops and restaurants, from the rush and bustle of organized groups, from the organization and grouping of organized groups ... asphalt along the road, streaming like a ribbon between the emerald hills of Tuscany, for example, among cypresses, vineyards and olive plantations, ancient castles and walled cities.

We buy tickets for OMIO

If we are talking about rally Florence - Rome For example, on this ancient path, which was followed by legionaries and pilgrims, there are many wonderful routes, amazing towns and wineries. Somewhere nearby (in southern Tuscany) is the village of Montalcino, where the most famous Tuscan wine, Brunello de Montalcino, is made. Montepulciano, Monterrigioni, Siena, San Gimignano, Lucca and many other towns and villages along the way. Some of them are majestically important, some are cute and funny, but all are imbued with the spirit of antiquity, tradition, cordiality and hospitality.

Read on the internet, read a lot, cook your own travel by car, his every day should be filled with new cities, new emotions - and you will be happy.)

As a result of your many hours of research, sleepless nights and heated debates, the road from Florence to Rome should turn into an unforgettable road trip with a visit to 5-7-10 points of your, and only YOUR program! And perhaps even with an overnight stay somewhere in Voltaire ...

We drove to Italy from Moscow in June 2014. Before that we traveled by car more than once to Europe, but for the first time this far. I will say right away that in Europe mileage is calculated differently, because the quality of the road and the speed there are completely different and 2 thousand km to travel in Europe is how to drive 700 km from Moscow to St. Petersburg. The route was as follows: Moscow-Brest-Warsaw-Berlin-Munich-Innsbruck-Rimini. Return: Rimini-Bologna-Venice-Vienna-Brno-Katowice-Brest-Moscow. From Moscow we leave along Kievka, and bypassing Odintsovo on a toll road (although the distance is not great, but it seriously saves time) Then the road goes normal. With Belarus, who does not know our border is conditional - just eat and that's it, then suddenly a sign: Welcome to Belarus. But Green Card insurance (which is to Europe) must start from the day you enter Belarus. It is better to go during daylight hours (although we always eat at night, because it is better to be in Warsaw either in the morning or in the afternoon) The roads in Belarus are very good and of high quality, but completely unlit, they pass far from cities and towns ... It is not possible to buy something on the way. Only at gas stations. Gas in Belarus is a little cheaper than in Moscow, prices at all gas stations are written in rubles and in Belarusian money, you can pay with credit cards. On the border Terespol (Brest-Poland) will have to lose from 1 hour to 5 on average. Be sure to fill a full tank before the border. There is a gas station on the right in front of the checkpoint. There and fill up. The border is easy to cross. Nobody is deliberately "digging in" everything is clear. The main thing is to look carefully at the signs, because there is a green corridor (for those who are unlucky), a red one (with declarations) and another one for citizens of the European Union. 200 km to the capital are very long and hard)) After Warsaw and to Poznan, the autobahn begins. Poland has the best autobahns in the world, the widest, cleanest, toilets at every turn, informative signs and junctions (Germany and Spain just nervously smoke). There are many bridges on the autobahns for animal migration, as well as soundproof glass partitions on the track with drawings of birds of prey so that other birds are afraid and do not beat against the glass. Also the highlighting and markings are awesome. This Autobahn costs money. It consists of plots belonging to different owners. On some of them, you pay immediately when you enter under the barrier, and on some, upon leaving, in fact. In general, this road to the border with Germany will cost you under two thousand rubles. Cards are accepted everywhere. But it is better, when entering Poland, to drop in at some ATM and withdraw money, tk. all parking lots in Poland are paid everywhere, and their parking meters only accept coins. Parking in Poland costs 30 rubles per hour everywhere. You need to pay, as we do in advance. The receipt received from the parking meter must be placed under the front windshield. Inspectors go and see whether they are paid or not. Night from 8 pm to 8 am free everywhere. Gasoline in Poland costs about 62 rubles per fifth liter. They have no second. 95 is called either Euro or Euro 95. The best gas stations are Orlian. There you can ask for a bonus card, on which bonuses will drip and wi-fi on it is free at their gas stations. The border between Poland and Germany, as well as between all countries of the Schengen zone, is conditional. You get to Germany without any identification marks. In Germany, contrary to generally accepted stereotypes, the roads are so-so. Only in Bavaria they have a cool autobahn, but it does not last long about 300 km in total. Gasoline from the Germans is even more expensive than in Poland ... it costs 75 rubles somewhere. Therefore, fill the tank in front of Germany too. Roads are free everywhere and parking in the majority, too, only the center in cities (in Berlin, for example) is paid like ours, and even then not everywhere. When entering the center, you must have a sticker on the glass about the environmental friendliness of the car class. It is called umweltplakette, it is sold in authorized centers before entering the center, or it can be ordered online in advance https://www.berlin.de/labo/kfz/dienstleistungen/feinstaubplakette.shop.en.php You can ask this: Guten tag. Ich brauche eine umweltplakette fur die umweltzone? But we drove to the officials in a Honda in Berlin, we broke off, tk. there they only sell such stickers to Germans, and we did not order them on the Internet, as a result we drove around the center, but parked only in underground parking lots so that our car would not be evacuated or so that a fine would not arrive. The road from Berlin to Munich is very busy with cars, but the lanes are wide. There are practically no speed limits, but 140 or 150 can be driven only in the right lane, because on average, speeds from 160 and more. Everyone there is intelligent, so no one drags along like a snail (150) in the left lane. The Autobahn is also free, with inclines in front of bends, so that you can enter it without any problems. Munich, like the rest of Bavaria, is very expensive. Hotels and cafes and clothes are all more expensive. Therefore, if you want to buy something as a souvenir, it is better to do it in the northern part of Germany. From Munich there is an autobahn to Italy, which captures a piece of Austria and runs through the Alps. The Autobahn is everywhere. No cliffs, no streamers, no limits, so don't worry. The only important thing not to miss is to buy a vignette - this is the payment of a toll on the autobahns for the number of days that you need. They are there from 10 days. If I don’t remember, maybe 10 euros for 10 days. It needs to be glued to the front windshield under the rear-view mirror. Everything will be on the instructions. The main thing is not to miss the border with Austria, because. there will not be any identification marks there at all at the entrance. This vignette can be purchased at any gas station. By the way, gasoline here is simply the best, despite the fact that it costs even more than in Germany (almost 2 euros per liter), but it has such additives that consumption drops sharply and this gasoline is enough for a distance one and a half times more, therefore in front of Austria I do not advise you to flood in Germany, tk. Austrian is more economical as a result. In addition to paying for a vignette, you will have to pay for some road sections in Austria (it is not clear why) in fact. And the price in many cases is not small 7-10 euros. Transhipment point - Innsbruck. When you drive through it, you will have the most beautiful views of the Alps! I strongly advise. At the entrance to Italy there will be signs and even some kind of border guards, but no one slows down, just enter. The Italians' signs are not very informative. The country is dirty. The trash at gas stations and autobahns is far from perfect. Their gasoline costs 2, and sometimes 2 with a penny of euros per liter and it resembles ours. Large expenses, and the car sometimes chokes. Their names are also different! Don't mix it up! There are no petrol numbers. 95 is called Senza PB and benzina senza piombo (this is lead-free gasoline) the rest of the names are diesel. All gas stations are private with incomprehensible names and, as a rule, they employ 1 person who is both a gas station and the owner and a cashier. Leaving a tip is not accepted. Just refuel and pay. By the way, I forgot to say that everywhere in all of Europe there is a postpaid system: first you fill in, then you pay. Autobahns in Italy are all paid and the most expensive in Europe. They are about 10 euros per 100 km. We did not pay attention to parking, because everywhere we stayed we lived, ate, shopped - they were free. The road from Rimini to Bologna is an ordinary toll highway. Pay after the fact. There is nothing remarkable. In Venice, we stayed at a hotel in the Veneto area. This is in front of the island of Venice. For myself, it was a discovery that Venice is an island, but having been there, I was convinced of the correctness of my choice and of a stopover in the Veneto region. From this area, a bus runs across the isthmus to Venice every 15 minutes. In Venice, he parks at the very beginning at the train station. Further on Venice can be moved only by boats - buses or boats - taxis. A ticket to such a boat costs 10 euros per person .. I don’t even know how much the handols cost - probably space.
The road from Venice to Vienna is good, but bald. There are no mountains, but the hillocks are of course the view of the Alps, which cannot be compared from Munich to Italy, but the ride is somehow calmer. Fewer cars. On the way there will be auto grills and even Ikea. In it, by the way, you can eat in a fast food much more varied and tastier than ours! In Vienna, prices are also not very cheap. Parking is very expensive (5 euros in the center of an hour, although, in principle, it is not cheaper to park in front of Tverskaya in the subway) The signs are informative. The road from Austria to the Czech Republic is as good as elsewhere, but when entering the Czech Republic, do not forget to buy a Czech Vignette. It is also sold at gas stations just before entering the Czech Republic. It is more expensive. Maybe 15 euros somewhere. But definitely not 7, as it is written on the Internet, but 2 times more expensive. It is also issued for a period of 10 days, but unlike the Austrian one, you will not need to pay anything else on the roads. Brno is a very cheap city. As in our outback. Eating in a restaurant in the very center is not denying yourself anything, and with alcohol for 2 of them it will cost up to 1000 rubles!) Clothes and parking are also cheap there. We did not find parking meters in the center and prohibiting signs, we stood in front of a store in a private parking lot and agreed that when we would return from a walk, we would pay. We were not there for 5-6 hours. When they returned from us they took 2 euros)) From Brno to Poland and across Poland to Warsaw, completely free autobahns from this side. Those. they have paid only roads to Germany. You won't have to pay for roads from the Czech Republic. There are fewer cars on the tracks and this direction is not loaded at all. We did not refuel in the Czech Republic. High quality gasoline was poured in Austria. But it cost in the Czech Republic, too, in the region of 75 rubles for ours. Well, then I already described the way back from Warsaw to Moscow. The opposite is identical)) Have a nice trip! And don't be afraid! Our 100, as there are 300 of them! You can safely lay 500 km of track per day. You overcome them very quickly!