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We're in the process of booking accomodation and flights for a family holiday in northern Italy this summer. Having never been before I'm wondering whether to hire a car to give us more flexibility or whether to use public transport. I've driven in France a couple of times and survived but I'm probably leaning more towards letting the train take the strain these days.
Depends what you want to do/where you want to get to, and need for flexibility. Have always hired cars makes life much easier than waiting around/working out timetables. If self-catering it's way easier for getting a supermarket supplies shop in. Lots of bits of North italy also not on convenient train/bus routes I suspect.
I would definitely hire a car. In fact that's what I did. I'm not the most confident driver, but I didn't find it too stressful except when returning the car to the rental office in a multi-storey at Fiumicino, but driving around Tuscany was fine.
I hired a car a couple of times last year in northern Italy, it was fine. I wouldn't want to do Rome at rush hour, but driving out of Venice and Milan airports and back again wasn't particularly stressful.Â
Only issue we had was returning one of the cars, where the hire car guy very suspiciously went immediately to a scuff on one of the rear wheels and claimed we'd done it. Luckily we had a walk around video + a whole load of photos, otherwise we'd have been conned out of our deposit.Â
I've done both too.
Took a minibus from Venice airport to our campsite and it was approx 130 euros. At the end of the holiday when we'd used the buses and got used to them we took the bus back to the airport and it was approx 12 euros. Also hired a small (read gutless) car two years back to drive from Milan airport to Puglia. That was very stressful as we were trying to do the trip on a shoestring budget so eschewed the usual insurance excess protection etc. All was well but the standard of Italian driving is woeful and I was convinced I'd lose my deposit. And triple-check for any dents etc before you accept the car and video every panel and wheel.
If your area has good bus networks then go public transport, it's frequent, reliable and quick. Just make sure you validate your ticket as you board the bus as it's a big fine if you don't.
Depends what you want to do/where you want to get to, and need for flexibility.
Definitely this. Venice mainland you can drive/cycle; Venice lagoon neither, so you have the problem of parking. Use the bus
Tuscany, car is probably better overall
Definitely more south, but Pompeii and Herculaneum. Use the train. Sorrento coast, car
etc.
Be careful what you hire. A Fiat Panda was a family sized car when we hired it from Venice mainland. Let's just say it was more than a squeeze with two adults, two teens and four bags! Driving is fine, although Mrs Tired was pulled by the Police for holding them up along Lake Como. The officer spoke no English and just pointed at me to drive! The kids still laugh about it.
We stayed in Venice for a couple of days without a car, then toured the lakes from Lake Maggiore. Recommend the Alfa Romeo museum in Milan, and a car helps to get there.
We've also hired in Puglia without issue (parking ticket sports aside).
It really depends where you are going. We normally use public transport as the busses and trains in italy are pretty good. Although we hired a vespa last time we went to Tuscany. Way more fun than a car.Â
As many have said, depends where you are going and what you want to do. We have holidayed in Italy numerous times over the years. We have only hired a car for a full holiday when in a remote hotel in Sicily. We have hired a car for a day here and there when needing to get somewhere off the train network (e.g. San Gimignano). We normally let the train take the strain.
We hire in Italy 3 or 4 times a year. I've never considered it an issue although we don't drive in Milan or Rome. Standard rules apply, buy an annual car hire policy, be extra nice/friendly with everyone involved in the transaction, take photos/videos when you pick up and get them to sign it back in OK when you return. I try to hire from an on airport supplier than have to do the shuttle bus nonsense. Filling up on return is now much easier than a few years ago, as most 24hr petrol stations take cards rather than cash as they used to do. Just beware the attendant filling surcharge, which can be as much as 25c a litre.