Mountain pass · 3 km off the route
Passo della Futa
- Summit
- 903 m summit
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Road trip route · Italy
Florence to Venice drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 2 hr 53 min
- Distance
- 255 km
- Fuel (est.)
- €33
- Tolls (est.)
- €14
The Florence to Venice drive
The drive from Florence to Venice covers 158 miles (255 km) and takes about 2 hr 53 min without stops. That makes it a comfortable one-day drive. Leave in the morning and you'll arrive with the day ahead of you.
About 45% of it is on the A13, and most of the rest on the A1 and the A1var. On the way you go past Bologna, Rovigo and Padua, and you'll be near Ferrara roughly 1 h 39 min in.
There's real climbing in this one: the road gets up to roughly 690 m, with something like 726 m of ascent over the whole drive. The Passo della Futa is 3 km off the route if you have time for a detour.
Expect fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) to cost around €33 one-way plus roughly €14 in motorway tolls. Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
At 158 miles this is longer than 37% of the 144 routes covered here.
The road, kilometre by kilometre
Towns within a few kilometres of the fastest route, with the time it takes to reach them without stopping.
- StartFlorence
- 106 kmBologna1 h 12 min in
- 147 kmFerrara1 h 39 min in
- 178 kmRovigo2 h 1 min ingood place to stop
- 224 kmPadua2 h 32 min in
- 255 kmVenice
How high it goes
Roads you'll be on
- A13116 km · 45%
- A148 km · 19%
- A1var33 km · 13%
Famous roads on or near the drive
From the 500-plus passes and driving roads drivers collect in the Plan Your Road Trips app. None are on the fastest route, but these are close enough for a detour.
Best stops between Florence and Venice
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Museums
Museo Lamborghini (MUDETEC)
Situated at the Lamborghini headquarters, it displays the evolution of the brand's iconic supercars and future technology.
Landmarks
Bologna
Italy's gastronomic capital, a lively university city with medieval porticoes, leaning towers, and the world's oldest university.
Museums
Ducati Museum
Interactive museum at Ducati's Bologna factory showcasing legendary Italian motorcycles and MotoGP racing heritage.
Landmarks
Pagani Automobili Factory Tour
Exclusive guided tours of the atelier where Pagani Zonda and Huayra hypercars are hand-assembled like works of art.
Landmarks
Prato della Valle, Padua
One of Europe's largest squares, an elliptical island ringed by a statue-lined canal in historic Padua.
Racetracks
Mugello Circuit
Ferrari-owned circuit in a green Tuscan valley, host of the Italian MotoGP. Its 1.1 km start straight and fast sweepers make it one of the most beautiful racetracks in the world.
Mountain Passes
Passo della Futa
A flowing 903 m Apennine pass on the SS65 between Bologna and Florence, a beloved stage of the historic Mille Miglia route and a weekend pilgrimage for Italian drivers and riders.
Castles & Palaces
Rocchetta Mattei
Fever-dream castle in the Bologna Apennines mixing Moorish courtyards, onion domes and neo-Gothic halls, built by the eccentric healer Count Cesare Mattei from 1850. Reopened after decades of decay; book weekend tours ahead.
Landmarks
Museo Horacio Pagani
An exclusive visit to the Pagani factory and museum near Modena, where each hypercar is hand-assembled to perfection.
What you need for this drive
Rules for each country on the route, in the order you meet them.
Italy
- Motorway
- 130 km/h · 50 in town
- Tolls
- Autostrade
- Must carry
- warning triangle, hi-vis vest
- Winter tyres
- 15 November - 15 April
Low-emission zones: ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato).
Checked against national road authorities and the ECB reference rates. Rules change — confirm before you travel.
Famous drives in Italy
Legendary routes you could bolt onto this trip, with real distances and stop counts.
Florence to Venice FAQs
How long is the drive from Florence to Venice?
Driving from Florence to Venice takes about 2 hr 53 min nonstop, covering 158 miles (255 km). Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from Florence to Venice?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly €33 one-way. Expect around €14 in motorway tolls. Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from Florence to Venice in one day?
Yes, at about 2 hr 53 min of driving, Florence to Venice is a comfortable one-day drive with a couple of breaks.
Which roads do you take from Florence to Venice?
The fastest route uses the A13 (about 116 km), the A1 (about 48 km), the A1var (about 33 km). It passes Bologna, Ferrara, Rovigo, Padua.
Where should I stop on the way from Florence to Venice?
If you stop every couple of hours, Rovigo comes up about 2 h in. All are just off the main road.
What other drives can I plan on Plan Your Road Trips?
We publish drive times, distances and fuel estimates for 144 routes across Europe and beyond, including 17 other drives in the same country. Browse them all on the routes index.
What are the best stops between Florence and Venice?
Top-rated stops in the drive corridor include Museo Lamborghini (MUDETEC), Bologna, Ducati Museum: see the full list of 9 stops on this page.
More drives from Florence & Venice
Florence → PisaLjubljana → VeniceMilan → FlorenceMilan → VeniceMunich → VeniceRome → FlorenceRome → VeniceVenice → Verona
Planning a bigger trip? Try the free Italy road trip planner, browse every destination we cover, take it with you on the road, or read the driving in Italy guide.