5 Things You Need To Know When Driving In Italy

Driving in a new country can be a scary thing. I know I was not prepared at all for driving through Italy. Here are some things you need to know when driving in Italy.

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Recently I drove all the way through Italy, north to south (including Sicily) in 9 days. Let me tell you, the Italians really do have their own way of driving. When I talked to Italians, they all agree.

Just as every country, the northern parts were vastly different than the southern parts. Let’s just say, the more south, the crazier the driving.

This post is not meant to put you off from driving in Italy, but preparing you, so you won’t be as shocked as I was when I entered the roads in Italy

5 things I learnt about driving in Italy

Italians are pro-active drivers. This was true from the moment we crossed the border. You really have to step up and take your place on the road; they are not giving it up for you!

This may sound scary at first, but I honestly enjoyed it. (My driving instructor would never believe this.) Once you get the hang of it, you will start to find it pretty easy too.

They don’t give a damn about speed limits. Every so often you’ll encounter road construction (but nothing is ever really being constructed) and the speed limit will go down from 110 or 130km/h to 60km/h. Italians don’t care and fly you by at 100km/h still.

I found that just following the masses worked best, but that’s a decision you’ll have to make yourself.

Neither do they about being on their phone while driving. I checked and it’s illegal in Italy to use your phone while driving. I suspect the chance of getting caught is really small, because I have seen it happen A LOT.

They will almost crawl in your booth. And they will blink their headlights way too far ahead. Even if you’re already driving too fast. Even when you can literally not move faster or to another lane.

Do they even know what blinkers are for?? In my almost 2000km drive I have barely ever seen anyone use a blinker, and even less people use them correctly.

The odd moments I’ve seen the blinkers being used was when they would switch from the right to the left lane to overtake, only for them to leave their blinkers on for minutes, even when they move back to the right.

I’m still confused about this one. Can’t you hear the blinker still clicking? Don’t you see the blinking light on your dashboard? What’s up with that, Italy?

Fortunately, you can usually tell when a driver is about to switch lanes or when they are about to turn, but you should definitely still be cautious.

The worst part where I’ve driven, ever, was Napels. I was literally shaking when I got out of the car. It felt like they didn’t really have any rules except for the traffic lights. It was really each on their own here. I’m still surprised I didn’t hit anyone and no one hit me. I’ll probably take a bus next time!

Some extra info on driving in Italy

Can I rent a car in Italy?

Yes, you can!

Discover Cars has 20532 car rental offers in 252 cities! This means you can easily rent a car in Italy, wherever you are. Their services have an average of 4.3/5 reviews and offer multilingual service.

To rent a car you need a driver’s license, usually at least 1 year old and a credit card. Make sure to also check the minimum age. This is usually 21, but some rentals charge a ‘Young Driver Fee’ for drivers under 25.

Rent your car here

Do you need a vignet?

No, but expect quite some toll roads. You can pay by card or by cash.

You can use maps to drive around them, but it’s honestly not that expensive. You will probably spend more gas on driving the extra km’s.

What are the speed limits?

As mentioned above, Italians don’t care much about their speed limits, but if you do, here is a general list:

In built-up areas	50km/h – 70km/h (according to local signs)
Outside built-up areas	90km/h – 110km/h
Motorways	130km/h

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Happy driving in Italy!

5 Things You Need To Know When Driving In Italy

5 things I learnt about driving in Italy