Road Trips in Italy: Amalfi, the Dolomites, Tuscany and Sicily

Five main Italian road trips and three shorter extras: the Amalfi Coast, a Dolomites loop, Tuscany's hill towns, a circuit of Sicily and the Ligurian coast, plus the Great Dolomite Road, Sardinia's east coast and the Stelvio Pass. They range from a day to two weeks. Spring (April to June) and autumn (September and October) suit everything except the high passes, which are a summer job. Driving rules for UK drivers are at the end.

1. The Amalfi Coast

The SS163 Amalfitana runs about 50 km along the south side of the Sorrento peninsula, from near Sorrento to Vietri sul Mare at the Salerno end. It's a narrow cliff road with blind bends, coaches, scooters and very little parking, and it's beautiful.

Which way to drive: Italy drives on the right, and the sea is to the south, so heading east (Sorrento towards Salerno) puts you in the lane on the sea side. Heading west you're in the inland lane against the cliff. Either way, the driver should keep their eyes on the road; pull in at the viewpoints rather than looking while moving.

• Positano: the town stacked down the hillside to the beach. Parking is expensive and fills early.
• Praiano: quieter, with good evening light.
• Amalfi: the old maritime republic, with its striped Arab-Norman cathedral.
• Ravello: high above the coast, with the Villa Rufolo and Villa Cimbrone gardens.
• Cetara: a working fishing village, known for colatura anchovy sauce.

In recent summers the authorities have restricted non-resident cars on the SS163 by odd and even number plates on peak days, so check the current rules before you go. Out of season it's a much easier drive. Combine it with Naples, Pompeii and Herculaneum over three or four days; see our Amalfi Coast route page and the Naples to Amalfi drive.

2. The Dolomites

Pale limestone towers above green pastures, and well-engineered passes over 2,000 m with hairpins that are steep but not narrow. A good four- or five-day loop from Bolzano:

1. Bolzano: the South Tyrolean capital, where German and Italian are both spoken.
2. Val Gardena: Ortisei and Selva, with Ladin, the local language, on the signs.
3. The Sella Ronda: four passes around the Sella massif (Gardena 2,121 m, Campolongo, Pordoi 2,239 m and Sella), about 55 km in all. Half a day without stops.
4. Lago di Carezza: a small green lake under the Latemar, on the road back towards Bolzano.
5. Cortina d'Ampezzo and the Tre Cime di Lavaredo: the Tre Cime are reached on a toll road from Misurina to the Auronzo hut, then a walk.

The Sella passes are kept open most of the year, but from mid-November winter tyres or chains are required and snow can close them for a time. Summer weekends bring heavy motorbike and cycle traffic. The Stelvio, below, makes a good add-on.

3. Tuscany

Short distances, gentle roads and hill towns every half hour. Use Florence as a base or a starting point, but don't drive into the centre (see ZTLs below).

• San Gimignano: the town of medieval towers.
• Siena: built around the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo.
• Val d'Orcia: the UNESCO-listed farmland of cypress-lined lanes and round hills.
• Pienza: rebuilt by Pope Pius II as an ideal Renaissance town, and known for pecorino.
• Montepulciano: Vino Nobile on a high ridge.
• Montalcino: Brunello country.

The SP146 from San Quirico d'Orcia through Pienza to Montepulciano is the classic Val d'Orcia drive; go in the late afternoon for the light. A week is ideal, three days is enough for a first visit.

4. A circuit of Sicily

Car ferries cross the Strait of Messina from Villa San Giovanni in about 20 to 30 minutes. A full circuit is roughly 900 to 1,000 km, and two weeks lets you stay more than one night in most places:

1. Palermo (2 nights): Arab-Norman churches and the street-food markets.
2. Trapani and Erice (1 night): salt pans and a hilltop medieval town; try the fish couscous.
3. Agrigento (1 night): the Valley of the Temples.
4. Ragusa and Modica (2 nights): baroque towns rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake. Modica is known for its grainy chocolate.
5. Syracuse (2 nights): stay on the island of Ortigia.
6. Mount Etna (1 night): the road climbs to Rifugio Sapienza at around 1,900 m, where the cable car starts.
7. Taormina (2 nights): the Greek theatre with Etna behind it.
8. Cefalù (1 night): a Norman cathedral above a sandy beach.

The motorways are fine; rural roads can be rough, and town driving is assertive. Palermo's centre is a ZTL, so park on the edge.

5. The Ligurian coast

The five Cinque Terre villages (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore) are a train-and-footpath trip; driving into them is difficult and parking is minimal. Around them, the coast is a good short drive:

• Genoa: a working port with a large UNESCO-listed old town and the best pesto you'll eat.
• Portofino: a small harbour with an expensive car park. Out of season it's easier.
• Sestri Levante: a town on a narrow peninsula between two bays.
• Cinque Terre: park in Levanto or La Spezia and take the train between villages.
• Portovenere and Lerici: either side of the Gulf of Poets. Shelley lived his last months at San Terenzo, next to Lerici.

The A12 motorway is quick; the old SS1 Aurelia is slow and winding, and much of it runs inland between Sestri Levante and La Spezia. Allow three or four days.

Three shorter extras

The Great Dolomite Road

About 110 km from Bolzano to Cortina d'Ampezzo on the SS241 and SS48, over the Costalunga, Pordoi and Falzarego passes. Completed in 1909, it was the first road built to open the Dolomites to tourists, and it's the easiest way to see a lot of the range in one day.

Sardinia's east coast

The SS125 Orientale Sarda heads north from near Cagliari through the mountains of Ogliastra and the Gennargentu, with side roads down to the coves of the Gulf of Orosei. Four or five days. Ferries to Sardinia run from Genoa, Livorno and Civitavecchia.

The Stelvio Pass

The Stelvio climbs to 2,757 m, with 48 numbered hairpins on the north-east side up from Prato allo Stelvio; Bormio is on the south-west side. It's usually open from late May or June to early November, it's busy with motorbikes and cyclists in summer, and the upper bends are tight. The Stelvio route page has it mapped.

Driving in Italy: what UK drivers need to know

• Licence: a UK photocard licence is enough, no IDP needed. See using your UK licence abroad.
• Speed limits: 130 km/h on motorways (110 in rain), 110 km/h on main dual carriageways, 90 km/h on other roads outside towns, 50 km/h in towns.
• ZTLs: most historic centres are Zona a Traffico Limitato, enforced by camera. Driving in without a permit brings a fine, often from around €80, that can arrive months later, with an admin fee if it's a hire car. If your hotel is inside one, ask it to register your number plate.
• Tolls: most autostrade are tolled, paid at booths by card or cash, or with a Telepass tag. The A2 Autostrada del Mediterraneo from Salerno to Reggio Calabria (the old A3, renamed in 2017) is toll-free.
• Average-speed cameras: the Tutor system covers long stretches of motorway, so braking for the camera does nothing.
• Fuel: pumps marked servito (attended) cost more than fai da te (self-service). Rural stations may close for lunch.
• Hire cars: check what the excess is and photograph the car at pick-up; damage checks on return can be strict.

For more, see our guide to driving in Italy. Driving down from home? Our London to Rome route has the options.

Frequently asked questions

Is it hard to drive in Italy?

Not on the motorways, which are good and well signed. The hard parts are narrow roads in old towns, ZTL cameras, parking, and assertive driving in cities, especially Naples and Palermo. Outside the big cities it's straightforward.

Do UK drivers need an International Driving Permit in Italy?

No, not with a UK photocard licence. You'll need your licence, the car's V5C or hire documents, and insurance details.

When are the Dolomite passes open?

The main Sella passes stay open most of the year, with winter tyres or chains required from mid-November to mid-April. The highest passes, such as the Stelvio and Gavia, usually close from early November until late May or June.