Italy: Italian Motorways
Updated: Jan 28
Tourist ready to take on Italy
One of the things I absolutely love to do when I travel is DRIVE!! I love getting in a rental car and just heading out on unknown roads and knowing I can go just about anywhere and see just about everything I want. Now I am not saying the experience of driving isn’t sometimes intimidating or without incident, but it is something that really gets my juices to explore going. Germany is by far my favorite place to drive and not just because of the speed of the Autobahn. The whole experience of great roads, beautiful scenery, high performance super cars, generally courteous drivers, non-stop movement through off-ramps and roundabouts AND did I mention the SPEED, makes for a great driving experience.
German cars & the Autobahn
Over the years I’ve driven thousands of miles/kilometers in amazing places and while there are lots of similarities to driving in different countries, there are numerous subtleties that need to be researched ahead of time or figured out as you go. SPEED is one of those subtleties. In past experiences, I have had only minor incidents with traffic speed while traveling, with single incidents of speeding tickets in Switzerland, France, and UK (late for church!). All were a result of photo cop, where you receive a notice in mail/email a few weeks after the trip indicating the infraction and a charge to your rental car credit card for the citation amount. Fees have been fairly minor and I’ve chalked it up as part of the experience.
Unique roads of Europe
Well that brings us to Italy . Absolutely an amazing country and so much to see. On this most recent trip we travelled as a group of six adults in a 9-passenger van loaded with luggage, but comfortable. The trip would never have worked out if each couple had their own vehicle, so the van turned out great and so much fun. However, the van was not the easiest to maneuver in the centers of Rome, Florence or Verona!! The Italian Motorways are great and easy to travel. Speeds were generally faster than posted and even a number of super cars were not uncommon flying by. My research prior to the trip said to watch out for photo cops, but during our trip I didn’t recall seeing any cameras along the way and I mostly just kept up with the local traffic. However, I am known for driving a bit FASTER than local traffic at times.
Scenic views from the roads of Italy
We had a fabulous two weeks in Italy and drove over 2000 miles (3200 km). About a month after returning I received an email from Italian authorities indicating I was involved in a speeding violation in Florence. The cost was relatively minor and was automatically charged to my credit card. No biggie, again part of the experience!
Well, it’s been four months since we returned and I have now received FOUR such emails for FOUR separate incidents in Italy!! Hopefully I am DONE with these and can chalk them up as an extension of the Italian toll road system.
Beautiful sights of Italy in every direction!!
Adoro Italia !!