Getting there by car

Anyone wanting to travel to Tuscany by car crosses the Alps through the eye of a needle, which can often lead to long traffic jams. Travelling there individually, does however allow you to be flexible in visiting places off the beaten path.

The motorways and large roads through the Alps are well maintained and therefore their use is subject to tolls. In Austria and Switzerland, buying a vignette, which allows you to travel on the roads, is obligatory.

Toll roads

Additional costs are charged when driving along the Austrian Brennerpass and through the Swiss St. Bernhard tunnel. Tolls are also charged on the autostrade, the Italian motorway.

The motorway between Florence and Siena is the exception. For any other routes, tollbooths are in place to collect tolls for kilometers travelled.

Important papers

Drivers in Tuscany must at least have the patente di guida -their driving license and the libretto di circolazione- the car documents. The green insurance card, the carta verde does not have to be carried, but is helpful in the event of an accident, as are the foreign protection documents of automobile clubs. A safety vest is also mandatory, and must be carried in the passenger area.

Leisurely drive

Even though the distances may not seem particularly large on some maps, you should factor in some more time when planning your trip. In the country, the roads in the Chianti can be very narrow and winding. Lights have to be switched on during the day on all country roads and motorways.

Speed limits

Anyone wanting to enjoy the landscape and to arrive safely at their destination will have no problem driving slower than perhaps anticipated. Italian speeding fines are very expensive and in extreme cases, an instant driving ban can be implemented. On country roads, the general speed limit is 90kph and 120 kph on motorways.

Parking

The historical towns of Tuscany's narrow lanes make it impossible to accommodate today's traffic. For this reason, lots of old towns are now car free. Parking can generally be found in front of the city gates. This variation is also open to visitors to larger cities, where parking spots are very difficult to find. Important: Spaces with yellow painted curbs and yellow-boxed parking spaces are reserved for public transportation.

Common street signs:

parcheggio - parking space

attencione uscita veicoli - attention exit

rallentare - drive slowly

divieto di accesso - no entry

sbarrato - road closed

lavori in corso - road works

senso unico - one way street

strada senza uscita - dead end

zona pedonale - pedestrian precinct

zona rimorchio - tow-zone

desviazione - diversion

{$VAR_EXTRATHEMEN_TEXT}

Tuscanylive bookmarken: