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Travel Italy by car
Italy has plenty of riches to offer to anyone planning a road trip, whether you’re heading out for a few days, a week, or months at a time. While cruising along the country’s winding roads, you can take in snowy peaks, idyllic lakes, sprawling vineyards, and a huge variety of historic towns both large and small. But with such a wealth of options, it can be difficult to know what routes you should take, and what sights to prioritise.
This guide will give you a detailed rundown of all of the best Italian road trips, with the places that you should explore and all the sights that you shouldn’t miss. We’ll give you tips on how to travel as safely and efficiently as possible.
Italy’s Stelvio Pass
Named the “world’s best driving road” in an episode of BBC’s Top Gear in 2008, Italy’s Stelvio Pass is sure to be the highlight of any road trip in the region, offering a unique combination of heart-racing driving excitement and sublime scenery.
It features 48 (yep, you read that right) numbered hairpin turns spaced very close together, with dozens more at other points along the route, allowing any driving enthusiast to test their skills. You’ll wind your way along 20 miles of road, up a sheer ramp to an elevation of over 9,000 feet, covering several mountains of the Ortler Alps as you go.
Officially known as route SS38 on maps, the road links the town of Prato allo Stelvio, in the South Tyrol region, to the town of Bormio, in the Sondrio region. You can access it from a variety of different starting points in Italy, and there are also a number of small towns on the Swiss side of the Alps not too far away. The immediate surroundings of Italy’s Stelvio Pass might not be the greenest, but you’ll still be impressed by the sparse majesty of this rocky Alpine region. The road is closed during winter for safety reasons, but if you go during the late autumn, you might be lucky enough to see some early dustings of snow.
The slow speed that is required to navigate this tricky road will also give you plenty of time to appreciate what a historic feat of engineering it is. It was first built back in the 19th century, when the Austrian emperor Franz Joseph I wanted a quicker route from Vienna to Milan. Competitive driving started on the pass in 1898, and it’s often used as a challenge for cycling events.
The Amalfi Coast Road
If you’ve been inspired to travel Italy by car with dreams of natural beauty and chic Mediterranean glamour, then the Amalfi Coast road is an unmissable leg on your tour.
Driving along the swerves and swoops of this gravity-defying 30-mile stretch, you’ll soak up the sunlight twinkling off the turquoise blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, and take in the incredible views that have led to the road’s classification as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll climb up past historic lighthouses and cathedrals built on rugged cliff sides, zoom through idyllic port towns and swanky beach resorts, and glide past terraced vineyards and lemon groves.
The Amalfi Coast road is located south of the Sorrentine Peninsula and north of the Cilentan Coast, and is named after the town of Amalfi, the local population centre that’s built at the foot of Monte Cerreto. The region’s splendour has attracted visitors since early Roman times, and countless celebrities and other jet-setters have flocked here over the past century, many of them buying up the luxury villas that are dotted all across the landscape.
With a number of hairpin bends and steep inclines, the road itself can prove to be a challenge for many drivers, and it’s not suitable for caravans or other wide-load vehicles. But it’s all part of the fun of this one-of-a-kind Italian road trip destination.
Driving in Milan and beyond
This globally-recognised capital of fashion and design is an ideal stopping or starting point for many of Italy’s best road trips.
While driving in Milan itself, you’ll take in the historic elegance of its cathedrals and villas in one moment, while passing eye-catching Art Deco stations and other modernist architecture in the next.
You might not want to get caught up in the city centre’s notoriously hectic traffic for too long, but it’s definitely an experience that you’ll remember. And you don’t have to drive too far outside the city to explore the splendid natural beauty and thrilling country roads that Italy is known for.
Just a few hours north of Milan, you’ll find the magical Lake Como, and the opulent lakeside city of the same name. These spots are definitely worth spending a couple of days exploring, if you have the time. Keep driving northwards for a host of other gorgeous lakes and scenic destinations, including Castello di Sirmione (Scaligero Castle), a 13th-century fortress surrounded by water. If you’re able to add another day or so to your drive, you could even pay a visit to Verona, the iconic Italian city made famous by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Tuscany Road Trip
Generally regarded as the cradle of the Renaissance, this central Italian region has a peerless cultural heritage. Whether you’re an art lover or not, driving in Tuscany will offer you a smorgasbord of pleasures, with cypress-lined roads winding through picturesque villages, bucolic valleys, and expansive vineyards. There are also a number of very popular seaside destinations, including Castiglione and Grosseto.
If you’re planning to travel Italy by car, the city of Pisa and its world-famous leaning tower is likely to be on your bucket list. This iconic Tuscan destination attracts huge crowds all year round and is well worth a visit if you’re in the region. It’s an hour’s drive away from Florence, the capital of Tuscany, which would make it a great spot to start or end your visit to this beautiful region. For the rest of your road trip, you should try to take in as much of the stunning countryside as possible, mostly by following the Via Aurelia. Built by the Romans back in 250AD, this is one of the most famous roads in Italy, and it offers great access to coastal villages. If you can, try to spend some time in the Val d’Orcia. It’s a picturesque valley with UNESCO World Heritage status, and has been immortalised in countless Italian films and Renaissance paintings.
Driving in Rome and the Sabina foothills
Millions of tourists flock to the Italian capital every year, with the Colosseum, the Sistine Chapel, and a host of other iconic landmarks making it one of the world’s most popular destinations.
Rome can also be a great start or endpoint to some of Italy’s best road trips.
The Sabina foothills is one of the road routes that is easily accessible from just outside Rome. Head out on the E34 or E35, and soon you’ll be emerging into the unspoilt beauty of these south-facing slopes, which are dotted with castles, medieval towns, lush forests, and olive groves.
The entire route around the foothills is about 63 miles, so you could plausibly head out from your base in Rome in the early morning, and return to the city by late evening. If you have a bit more time to spare, you could also check out the Castel Gandolfo, the peaceful village where Popes have been spending their summers for the past three centuries. There’s also the Villa d’Este, a historic location in the Roman hills which has miles of shady paths and over 100 fountains.
Italy’s capital could be the highlight of your trip, but driving in Rome is often intimidating for visitors. The traffic in the city is heavy, and Italy has driving regulations and customs that might differ from what you’re used to. Wherever you’re going in Italy, we’d definitely recommend you brush up on the country’s road rules before you head out there.
Get ready to travel Italy by car, and take a look at our other Italy pages for more detailed information about road trips in the country. You can also explore other great drives around the world, and see how many locations Avis car rental is available in.