The Ultimate Italian Road Trip by Marie Patrick

Other than the issue of the rising Euro, there is little to dissuade a traveler to explore Italy, over and over again. From its rich art, archtiecture and cultural heritage to its easy-to-love food and wine, Italy continues its enchanting hold on every visitor. Beyond its historic draw, Italy is one of the world's leading destinations for contemporary design and fashion, as well its celebrated reputation for la vita bella, the beautiful life.

If you have "done Italy", that is, the classic cities of Rome, Florence and Venice, then consider delving a bit deeper into Italy's many distinct regions, exploring the unspoiled beauty of Umbria or the rugged natural wonders of Abruzzo. These lesser-known regions can provide a rich travel experience for the curious travel seeking an authentic experience. And while a traditional escorted tour may have been fine for an introduction to Italy's classic cities, renting a car when exploring different regions of Italy is ideal. You can find affordable packaged deals that combine a rental car with international airfare from the U.S., hotel accomodations, and even some meals, thus enabling you to "Fly and Drive" on your own as you take the ultimate Italian road trip.

All you need is a little research and a sense of adventure to create your own dream trip to Italy. To make the most of your road trip, spend a little time to plan out a rough itinerary of places you might like to visit. Start with an up-to-date map. A good choice is the Michelin: Italy Tourist and Motoring Atlas. A number of travel guides even offer specific driving tours of Italian regions, and you can find a lot of information online, even to map out some directions. Do leave time for unexpected adventures and detours along the way, as these often are the memories you'll keep forever.

A couple years ago, my family and I spent a wonderful week in Umbria and Tuscany where we took advantage of a Fly and Drive program through a U.S.-based travel club. International flights were included and after arriving at the airport in Rome, we just went to the airport car rental office, picked up our pre-paid rental car and headed north to Torgiano, a beautiful little town in Umbria.

It was like taking a step back time to the Medieval Ages in Umbria's hilltop towns complete with narrow steep stone streets, massive stone buildings, historic palaces and churches. Here we visited the small spiritual town of Assisi, where St. Francis was born and marveled at the soaring frescos by Giotto. One can almost image daily life in the middle ages when you visit Gubbio's austere ancient feudal castles and walk along the silent steep stone streets. Truffles abound in this region so we were fortunate enough to enjoy their intoxicating flavor every evening at the top notch hotel restaurant. After three days in Umbria, we headed west to Tuscany were we spent four nights in the spa town of Montecatini. Centrally located, it proved to be an ideal base for day trips to Pisa, Sienna, Florence and other small Tuscan villages. My husband loved the zippy rental car and the winding country roads. Accustomed to New York metropolitan driving and traffic, he had no trouble adapting to the Italian roads.

Our package included daily breakfast and dinner. We would venture out for the day, stopping at historic towns, climbing soaring towers, visiting local food markets, and of course, accommodating my 8-year-old daughter's daily quest for the ultimate chocolate gelato! When our week's vacation came to an end, we just drove to the Florence airport, returned the car at the airport's rental agency and boarded our flight home.

We so loved our experience that we are planning another Fly & Drive adventure this spring. The travel club we used has expanded their driving adventures into the regions of Sicily, the Lake District and Abruzzo and more airlines now offer these packages. This style of travel is a welcome alternative for families or travelers who prefer to venture off the beaten path. The best part is that you have the freedom to create your own itinerary, at your own pace, while at the same time, taking advantage of a package price. Tour rates generally feature a compact, manual car, but you can easily upgrade to a larger vehicle or an automatic. You pay extra for gas, tolls, parking (though some hotels offer free parking), total collision damage waiver and super theft protection. You should check with your own auto insurance company to see if anything is cover for international car rentals before you go. You can always purchase these extra insurances at the rental office.

While having your own car to explore the countryside and local villages is ideal, try to avoid driving to big cities like Florence or Venice as parking and traffic are prohibitive. Public transportation is generally reliable and easy. The staff at your hotels can provide information on local trains or buses for those day trips you might take. And make sure to top off your tank before returning your car to avoid a refueling fee plus the cost of the fuel.

Exploring by car can be an affordable way to discover new parts of Italy as you pay for most of your major travel expenses up front so you are less affected by the fluctuating Euro. This is welcome news to all of us who continue to daydream about our next Italian adventure!


About the Author
Marie Patrick loves to travel and share her journeys. She purchases vacation packages and escorted tours for the best travel deals and experiences.