How to Travel Around Italy Without Renting a Car

When people think about travelling around Italy, one of the first questions that often comes up is: Do I need to rent a car?

The short answer is no, not necessarily.

I grew up in Milan and have travelled around Italy many times, both personally and through my work in travel. After years of planning trips, I have found that a car can be incredibly useful in some parts of Italy, but completely unnecessary in others.

If your trip is mainly about cities such as Milan, Florence, Rome, Venice or Naples, I would seriously consider leaving the car behind.

Italy has a very good rail network, and travelling by train can often be easier, faster and much less stressful than driving.

Travel Between Italian Cities by Train

For a classic Italian holiday, trains are probably the easiest way to get around.

The high-speed rail network connects many of the country's main cities, making it possible to build a multi-city itinerary without ever needing to drive.

For example, you could travel:

Milan → Bologna → Florence → Rome → Naples

Or, if you want to explore northern Italy:

Milan → Verona → Venice

These journeys are particularly easy to organise because the train stations are generally close to the city centres.

You Don't Need a Car in the Major Cities

If you are visiting Italy for the first time and your itinerary is focused on major cities, a rental car can actually create more problems than it solves.

Milan has an extensive public transport network, including the metro, trams and buses.

Florence is compact and incredibly walkable. Many of the main sights are close enough to each other that you will probably spend more time walking than using transport.

Rome is larger, but it has the metro, buses, trams and plenty of areas that are best explored on foot anyway.

And then there is Venice. You definitely do not need a car in Venice. You do not even need roads.

You arrive at the station, walk outside and suddenly you are surrounded by canals, bridges and boats. A car would simply become an expensive object sitting somewhere outside the historic centre.

Parking and ZTL Zones

One of the biggest disadvantages of driving in Italian cities is parking.

Historic centres were often built long before cars existed, so narrow streets, limited parking and restricted traffic zones are common.

You will also come across ZTL zones, which stands for Zona a Traffico Limitato. These are restricted areas where only authorised vehicles can enter at certain times.

If you accidentally drive into one, you could receive a fine.

It is not impossible to drive in Italy, of course, but if you are unfamiliar with the city, dealing with parking and traffic restrictions can add unnecessary stress to your holiday.

Personally, if I am staying in a city where I can walk or use public transport, I would rather not have a car at all.

But Some Parts of Italy Are Better With a Car

This is where I would make an important distinction.

I would not tell everyone to avoid renting a car in Italy. There are parts of the country where having your own vehicle makes a lot of sense.

If you want to explore the Tuscan countryside, visit small villages in Puglia, discover rural Sicily or drive through the Dolomites, a car can give you much more freedom.

Public transport does not reach every small village frequently, and sometimes the whole point of the trip is being able to stop whenever you want.

Try a Combination of Trains and Car Rental

You also do not have to choose one option for the entire trip.

In fact, this is often what I would recommend.

You could spend several days in Florence without a car, then rent one for a couple of days to explore Tuscany.

Or you could travel by train from Milan to another part of Italy and only rent a car once you reach the countryside.

This can make the trip much easier because you are only paying for the car when you actually need it.

You also avoid paying for fuel and parking while the car is sitting outside your hotel in a city.

For me, this is usually a much more logical way of planning a trip.

What About the Amalfi Coast?

The Amalfi Coast is another place where I would think carefully before renting a car.

Driving along the coast looks incredibly romantic in photographs, but the reality can be quite different, especially during the busy summer months.

The roads are narrow and winding, traffic can be heavy and parking is limited.

Depending on your itinerary, trains, buses, ferries and private transfers can be much easier.

And there is something special about seeing the Amalfi Coast from the water.

Instead of concentrating on a difficult road, you can sit back on a ferry and enjoy the views.

Sicily Is a Different Story

Sicily is one destination where your choice really depends on what you want to see.

If you are visiting larger cities such as Palermo, Catania or Syracuse, you can use trains, buses and other forms of transport.

But if your plans involve beaches, smaller villages and more remote areas, having a car can be extremely useful.

Sicily is also much larger than many first-time visitors realise, so distances can add up quickly.

For a trip like this, I would look at your itinerary first and decide where a car would actually be useful, rather than renting one for the entire holiday automatically.

Don't Forget Day Trips

Another advantage of travelling around Italy without a car is that you can use one city as a base and take day trips by train.

For example, you could stay in Florence for several nights instead of changing hotels constantly, then take a day trip to another destination and return to the same hotel in the evening.

You unpack once, leave your luggage behind and spend the day exploring somewhere new.

It also gives you more time to enjoy the place where you are staying instead of constantly checking out, travelling, checking in and unpacking again.