Driving through Italy is one of the best trips you can take – no matter who you go with or how old you are, there is something for everyone! That’s what makes Italy so great – well, that and the wine 😛 Use this itinerary as your Italian road trip planner for your self driving tour of Italy and you’ll have the best time guaranteed!
When we first started planning out Italy trip, we had no clue what we were doing.
Sound familiar? But there are some things you need to know about Italy before your trip.
The more we researched, the more we realized it would only make sense to rent a car and drive through Italy. After all, we had already driven through other countries before, and we got to see so many unique things along the way – things that taking a tour won’t let you experience.
So we rented a car, and set out. Here’s our Italy guide & itinerary – we hope it helps you plan your own amazing Italy adventure!
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Italian Road Trip Planner
First stop: Venice
Our first stop was Venice. We arrived by train from Munich and stayed 2 nights, 2.5 days. We left halfway through the 3rd day and found it to be the perfect amount of time there.
Venice is beautiful and we had just the right number of days to capture all her beauty. From the canals to the architecture, Venice is a sight to see!
Pros:
- Beautiful canals and back alleys that we wandered around (and got lost) in for hours
- Great seafood since it’s on the water
- Beautiful architecture like the St.Marks Basilica and the Rialto Bridge
- Super super instagramable!
Cons:
- Crowded with hoards of tourists from mid-morning until after dark
- The streets
arecan be very dirty (due to so many people roaming around) - So many things (like restaurants and shops) are overpriced and very touristy
Things to do in Venice:
- Visit St.Mark’s Basilica
- Take the vaporetto down the grand canal (cheaper and less cliche than a gondola ride)
- Eat cicchetti mid-afternoon (little snacks like tapas with wine)
- Stand in the middle of the Rialto Bridge early in the morning to watch the workboats go out
- Walk down the Bridge of Sighs
Where to Stay:
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Next up: Florence
From Venice we rented a car on our way out and drove to Florence, about 3 hours away.
We left right before the sun started setting and got some amazing sunset views over the Tuscan landscape.
Imaging…driving through the countryside with the Italian music blasting and the windows down. Make you want to road trip Italy yet?
Pros:
- The architecture is BEAUTIFUL! (that’s the Duomo di Maria right above)
- The food is wayy more authentic (we feel) than Venice due to less tourists
- No need for a car, taxi or public transport – there are so many sights in such a small place
- Food is quite inexpensive, especially at the marketplace stalls
Cons:
- Driving into Florence was crazy because of the super narrow streets and foot traffic
- Can be crowded during the day since lots of tours stop there
Things to do in Florence:
- Wake up before the sunrise and visit the Duomo di Firenze
- Stay out late (after the tours have left) and have a late dinner in front of the Duomo – soo romantic!
- Visit the Statue of David, housed in the Galleria del’Accademia (buy tickets online ahead of time to skip the long line!)
- Have lunch at the Mercato Centrale (the upstairs is more
expensivetouristy so stay downstairs towards the back of the market where you will find local kitchen stalls serving fresh handmade pasta) Also a great place to get souvenirs such as local wine, olive oil and spices. We picked up some fresh pastries for our trip on the way out of Florence. - Visit the San Lorenzo Market for leather goods and an array of other souvenirs. Keep in mind many of the vendors will negotiate with you for the best price. We got a leather bag here to bring back the rest of our new treasures.
We left Florence around 6 pm and headed to the Tuscan countryside!
Next stop: Tuscany
Tuscany was our favorite part of Italy by far!
Homemade wine, rows of olive trees, and sunsets that put any painting to shame. We really could live in Tuscany!
We drove into the countryside right as the sun was setting and had this view of the vineyards
Pros:
- Breathtakingly beautiful
- Very calm and serene for a peaceful getaway
- Easy to drive through
- Amazing little towns and wineries
- Not crowded with hoards of tourists
Cons:
- No nightlife, fancy restaurants, or clubs
Things to do in Tuscany
- Drive into Val d’ Orcia and take photos of Podere Belvedere at sunset (photo above)
- Visit Chapel Vitaleta
- Day trip to Sienna
- Visit Montepulciano for amazing wine and vineyard tours
- Relax at your hotel and drink local wine (our main passtime 🙂
- Visit the Tuscan hot springs (officially Terme di Saturnia) They’re free, but they do get crowded during the day so try to go early. We stopped here on our way down to Rome
- Podere La Casellina (this is where we stayed an we highly recommend it! The hosts Silvia and Michaelangelo are so amazing! To book email or call them directly)
- Agriturismo Mormoraia (perfect location for day trips!)
We left in the morning after breakfast and headed towards Rome – stopping at Terme di Saturnia on the way
Final destination: Rome
Rome was our last stop on our road trip and from here we flew back home.
We also took the opportunity to buy a few souvenirs – and by souvenirs I mean wine 😉
Pros:
- Endless list of things to see and do at any time of day
- Best espresso we had on our whole trip
- The city is very walkable
- Insta-worthy sights on every corner
- Lots of locals live there also, giving the city a less touristy feel than other major cities
- The food is AMAZING
- The metro system is easy to understand
- Super busy and crowded (if you want to see the major attractions without people in your pics then you need to get up early – like before dawn)
- The city is dirty
- It’s most impossible to drive in without losing your sanity – just ask Julien 🙂
Things to do in Rome
- Wake up before sunrise and go to the Trevi Fountain. Then find a cafe and get some espresso shots. Walk over to the Spanish Steps to enjoy the coffee and watch the city waking up.
- Watch the sunset at the Colosseum – be sure to get there early since many many people will be doing the same thing
- Walk the Apian Way if you have some extra time – it’s one of the first roads of the Roman Empire. Remember that saying “All roads lead to Rome” ?
- Cross the Bridge and have dinner in Trastevere.
- See the ruins at the Roman Forum
- Visit Vatican City
- Find the Aventine Keyhole which gives you a perfect view of three different nations
- Generator Rome (where we stayed)
- L’antica Locanda Dell’Orso (beautiful patio area)
- Circus Maximus B&B (near the Colosseum)
And that completes the Italian road trip planner! Have fun planning your own self driving tour of Italy with this guide – I know you’ll love it!
And don’t forget to subscribe for access to our free travel resource library! It will help you plan your Italy trip like a pro and it only takes 5 seconds!
Happy travels!
– Veronica
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I’ve driven all over Italy, but never in Rome! You guys are brave. Looks like you had a wonderful time!
We did! You should definitely return to visit Rome! Its a whole other world!
Wow.. You guys go everywhere before Sunrise to avoid crowd. That’s remarkable.
I was also thinking and tried same but later on decided what’s the fun if I can’t relax on trip 🙂
Thats so true! But our secret is that we wake up before sunset and then after we go back to the hotel to rest or take a nap! And then we go back out to see the city after =)