Road Trip Italia

Remember the days of packing up the kids and hopping in the family station wagon? Setting out on the interstate to see where the road would take you, stopping along the way to see local curiosities and eat at roadside diners? That was the American way of travel, but it’s equally possible in other countries. This year we’re recommending you reinvent the Road Trip – Italian style.

The benefits of traveling by car in Italy are numerous. First of all, it offers you more possibilities to get away from high tourism / high price areas. During this tougher time in the economy, road-tripping can be a great way of reducing the cost of your Italian vacation. If you’re traveling as a family or with a group of friends, you’ll save money on a car rental as opposed to buying individual train and plane tickets from one destination to the next. The true value of a road trip, however, is gained in the ability to see more of Italy and experience the country more fully than the average tourist.

There’s also a certain convenience factor. Traveling by car gives you the flexibility to stay longer in cities that you discover you love, not wasting a moment of your trip. Due to the shaky economy, less people are traveling, which means this year it’s easier to make last minute itinerary changes. As you’re driving, glance ahead at your map or guidebook and make a quick call on your cell phone for availability, or plan to stop in the afternoon and inquire at hotels or B&Bs if they have a room. You’ll want to make advance hotel reservations in the biggest cities, but most smaller towns will have rooms available (unless you're not looking for 5-star luxury or a room at the beach in August!).

Driving in Italy can be easy. Like the US, Italy has a well-developed “interstate” system called the Autostrada. In the 1960s, Italy invested millions in their autostrade to make highways level with a system of tunnels and bridges so that traveling through mountain ranges is much faster and smoother than elsewhere in Europe. As you travel the autostrade, you’ll be exposed to gorgeous panoramas and countryside vistas that reveal the true nature of Italy. As do the Autogrills! Conveniently located along the major highways, Autogrills may look like typical US roadside rest stops, but they actually have great food and the espresso is better than at most coffeehouses in the U.S. Give at least one Autogrill a shot. We also recommend that you stop at a market to pick up an Italian meal to eat on the go: fresh bread, cheese, tomatoes -- what more could you ask for? A picnic lunch is a great money saving alternative to dining in restaurants morning, noon and night.

Stopping for lunch or coffee breaks as the mood strikes you may result in the discovery of secrets you never knew Italy had. Local churches, cobblestone piazzas, farmers’ markets and more await you at every exit. You’ll not only get a glimpse of local customs, but will also have the opportunity to see more sites and cities. Glance through a guidebook before your trip and you’ll doubtless find interesting small town museums or villas that are off the beaten path. Without a car, a stop to see one thing – no matter how monumental and breathtaking – can eat up a lot of your precious time in transit. As you drive from one destination to the next, though, a quick stop suddenly seems possible and well worth the while.

Because of Italy’s unique history and the need to preserve it, there are some driving restrictions to bear in mind. Many cities, big and small, are off limits to non-resident cars (called ZTL, zona traffico limitato). Some cities, particularly walled cities like Siena, do not allow any traffic within the historic center. You won’t be able to drive or park in these areas, so you must plan to find parking nearby. Good maps will note these restricted sections, but make sure to familiarize yourself with international road signs prior to your trip so that you don’t get ticketed. Read ahead in your guidebook to see if a town is drivable or call your hotel to ask if they provide parking.

Planning your Italian road trip is easy. Start with a car rental – you can choose a different departure and arrival city if you want to travel from the top of Italy to the toe of the boot, or from East to West. To reduce your carbon footprint, you can request an eco-friendly, low-emissions vehicle. Invest in a few roadmaps and guidebooks. You’ll also want to get an international driver’s license, available to AAA members for just $15. Then read a little bit about international road signs and driving laws, and hit the road!

Select Italy offers customized itinerary planning for any and all of your trip. If you need help with car rentals, big city reservations or prefer a more structured road trip, speak with a Select Italy Expert at 800-877-1755.

Slow Ride

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Giro d’Italia, Italy’s version of the better-known Tour de France. From May 9th to May 31st Italians and visitors alike have lined the streets to cheer on the pack, which includes American sporting-celebrity Lance Armstrong among the contestants. In a departure from past races, this year’s almost 2,150 mile tour has featured routes through most of Italy’s biggest cities: Florence, Milan, Venice, Bologna, Rome and Naples (and even a trip up Mount Vesuvius!). This means that more Italians than ever before have had the opportunity for a front row “seat” to the action. This month’s Giro d’Italia has inspired us to think about other ways that travelers can experience road-tripping Italian style.

It’s true that Italy is far more bike friendly than the US. While many of our cities now offer Zipcar rentals, some Italian cities such as Parma and Milan have instituted bike-rental programs. Not just for natives, bicycles offer travelers a wonderful opportunity to see their surroundings at a leisurely pace (or a faster pace for those with some competitive spirit!)

While you may not be up for your own Giro d’Italia, or even a full-scale vacation on two wheels, there are certainly ways to incorporate an easy bike ride into your next journey. For those staying in Florence, we recommend a full day trip called Bike Tuscany. All the equipment you need is provided for a relaxing tour and taste itinerary out of Florence. You’ll ride through the beautiful Tuscan hills to the winery at Villa Torre di Cona and enjoy a tour of the wine cellar with the opportunity to taste some of the estate’s famous Chiantis and extra virgin olive oils. This is followed by a delicious Tuscan lunch served in the gardens of the Villa . No need to worry about being out of shape for the trip: the excursion is just 2 hours each way and is set at a leisurely pace, with frequent rest stops along the way.

Bike Tuscany can be booked on selectitaly.com or through a Select Italy Expert by calling 800-877-1755. If you’re interested in other bicycle themed day trips or vacations, please contact a Select Italy Expert.

Exploring Veneto, the “Other Venice”

Magical Venice, with its streets paved in water, doesn’t exactly call to mind the classic Italian road trip: it's a place more suited to romantic gondola rides and evening strolls along the silent canals. If you'd like to extend your horizons beyond Venice and hit the highway, however, it's easy to pick up a car rental in Piazzale Roma and drive across the causeway that separates the city from the terraferma. Once on the other side, you will find yourself in the heartland of the Veneto, a historic region of villas, vineyards, and walled villages — close to Venice, yet an entirely different landscape.

Less than 20 miles from Venice you’ll start seeing the first Palladian villas. Many of these date from the Renaissance, built by Andrea Palladio and his followers as plantation houses on the working farms where the grain to feed the Venetian Republic was grown. There are hundreds of these magnificent villas scattered about the countryside, although only 18 were designed by Palladio himself. Two of the closest to Venice are Palladio’s Villa Cornaro at Piombino Dese, now owned by an American couple from Atlanta, and his Villa Emo at Fanzolo, purchased by a local bank in 2004. The gardens and frescoed reception rooms of both villas are open to the public several times a week. They provide a fascinating glimpse into the lifestyles of the Venetian aristocrats who, in past centuries, moved their entire household there each summer to escape the oppressive heat on the Grand Canal.

The stately, columned whiteness of these 16th century Palladio facades is a striking contrast to the bristling, red-brick profiles of the medieval walled towns of Castelfranco Veneto and Cittadella. Separated by only a dozen miles, these two towns were nevertheless bitter enemies: they mark the fortified boundary between the rival communes of Treviso and Padua. Park your car alongside Cittadella’s city walls and climb the ramparts for great views of the town and countryside. Afterwards, cross a moat and drawbridge to arrive at Piazza Pierobon where pleasant outdoor cafés serve lo spritz, the official cocktail of the Veneto. White wine, fizzy water, and either iridescent orange-red Aperol (sweeter) or Campari Bitter (drier and stronger) are mixed together, then garnished with an orange slice or a green olive to provide a pleasing color contrast. If the citizens of 13th century Castelfranco and Cittadella had had this drink, they probably wouldn’t have been so war-like!

Further north in the foothills of the Dolomites is Marostica, an even prettier walled town that boasts two medieval castles, an Upper and a Lower. The town’s claim to fame is the giant chessboard in the main piazza. During the second weekend of September in even-numbered years, a chess game is played with human chess pieces outfitted in elaborate Renaissance costumes, the Knights even astride real, live horses to add to the pageantry. June is the perfect month to celebrate Marostica’s other claim to fame: sweet red cherries that are sold by the kilo from roadside farm stands or baked in delicious cakes, such as the one served at the elegant Ristorante al Ponte in nearby Bassano del Grappa. For lodging, a comfortable “room with a view” can be reserved at the Hotel Due Mori, the only hotel within the city walls. Monica, the owner, speaks English beautifully and she’ll provide a warm welcome and lots of useful advice, as she’s also an authorized tour guide for the area.

Leaving Marostica for the return trip to Venice, you can head east towards wine country and the northern grape-growing region that produces Prosecco, now a popular aperitif in the U.S. This landscape is at the same time majestic and homey: the snow-covered peaks of the Dolomite range of the Alps form a backdrop to a patchwork of rolling, green hills with neatly-laid out vineyards, punctuated here and there by the vertical steeple of a parish church or the ruined tower of a long-abandoned castle. The area between Valdobbiadene and Conegliano is the heart of Prosecco production and almost every vineyard, no matter how small, has a sign advertising “Vendita Diretta,” which means you can buy bottles of this sparkling, white “nectar of the gods” directly from the producer.

Another worthy stop is the Vigne Matte vineyard found outside of the tiny, picture-postcard village of Rolle near Cison di Valmarino. Although it’s only been in business for five years, this estate has won a slew of gold and silver medals at international wine competitions. Their Prosecco Spumante Extra Dry Millesimato is exceptional, and they offer free cantina tours and wine tastings, too. For lunch, there's the Osteria Senza Oste in Santo Stefano di Valdobbiadene. This unique “inn without a host” is a rustic building right in the middle of a vineyard whose owners, the De Stefani brothers (Giacomo and Cesare), run it on the honor system. Come in, take what you want to eat and drink from the well-stocked fridge, and when you’re done, leave the money to pay for it in a locked box. Nothing could be easier (or more trusting in human nature!). Then, with your tummy pleasantly full, it’s an easy 2-hour drive back to Venice and the hordes of tourists in St. Mark’s Square.

Rent a car to explore the Veneto at your own pace or reserve one of Select Italy’s single-day, private tours with a car and driver: Hill Towns of the Veneto and Palladian Villas.