Driving in Tuscany: what to expect + tips from a mama

Dear MLI friends, today I received a great question about driving in Tuscany. A lovely mama shared concerns about the roads there, the parking situation and the dreaded zlt areas. I love Tuscany...

…and drive there regularly. So, inspired by her question, I put together this quick guide with tips and thoughts about Tuscany and what to expect driving there. I also look at tips for renting a car.

Tuscany is one of the areas of Italy where a car comes in handy, especially if you are traveling with children.

While many of its pretty cities and towns are connected by a good network of trains and buses, many of the things the region is most known for are best accessed by private vehicles.

Farms, vineyards, thermal springs and many hilltop medieval towns are hard, if not impossible, to reach without a car and country stays also make a car a necessity.

Of course, you don't need to drive yourself to have a car, as there are services called NCC (private car service) that can take care of your transport needs.

However, these services are very expensive and need advance booking, and are therefore not suitable for everyone or if you want some freedom and flexibility.

For a more budget-friendly option, I recommend renting your own car.

I know driving in Italy scares many (often too much, as often the only stories shared online are the bad ones; no one shared unremarkable driving experiences!); so, today, I want to share our experience of driving in Tuscany and my best tips.

As usual, these tips are based on my own experience. I am from Rome and drive up to Tuscany several times a year, plus have taken many vacations in Tuscany that required a car.

So, when I say my tips are based on my experience, I mean it!

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Driving in Tuscany - in brief

You want to have your own car if staying in a country stay, planning on visiting farms and castles, or venturing beyond main towns.

The roads in Tuscany are generally very good and well-maintained. There is a mix of motorways, national roads (strade statali) and smaller roads.

You do not need a special type of car to drive here; normal city cars are ok in most cases (exceptions are usually private access roads to remote properties. Ask your accommodation host if in doubts about car accessibility (in most cases, there is no issue as hosts make sure to be easy to reach).

Town centers are closed to car traffic of non-residents, and fines for accidentally entering them are steep. See below for our tips on identifying and staying clear of them!

Renting a car in Tuscany is no different than renting anywhere else. The region is served by many well-known car rental companies and you can rent and drop back in the same place or different locations. I am going to give an overview of my favorite options below!

If driving in Tuscany with kids, make sure you abide by Italian car seat rules.

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The roads of Tuscany: what is driving there like?

One of the biggest worries I hear about driving in Tuscany is about the roads, how large they are and how bendy.