Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

smilealways Posted: Oct 26, 2004 01:47 PM

Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

FI and I are probably going to go to Italy for our honeymoon... a 14 day trip flying into Rome, spending a few days on the Amalfi Coast, heading back into Rome for a few days, then up to Florence and Tuscany for awhile, then over to Venice for a few days, and flying out of Venice. When I went to Italy in high school, I fell in love with it, but particularly loved how everyone zipped around on their little scooters... the wind in the hair, seeing everything.

So here's my question: is it completely insane to want to rent a scooter instead of a car for the whole 2 weeks to get us from place to place? Are scooters even allowed on the 'highway' out there? I know Italy is fairly small, but is it just too much to be on a scooter that long? What if we make several stops along the way? I wouldn't want to be saddle-sore on my honeymoon!

randella Posted: Oct 26, 2004 01:53 PM

Re: Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

I think you'd want a car- particularly for your luggage.. you can do a couple of day trips or overnight trips- where you use the scooter-- and keep all your stuff in your 'home base' hotel.

smilealways Posted: Oct 26, 2004 01:57 PM

Re: Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

Duh, luggage. Whatever was I thinking? I knew I must be insane. Thanks for injecting a little reality here!

september2004 Posted: Oct 26, 2004 02:29 PM

Re: Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

that sounds like a lot to do in little time, but it depends what you want to 'get out of' each city...

we hit 3 cities (milan, florence, and venice) in 10 days - keep in mind travel times from one place to another.

DMcK Posted: Oct 26, 2004 02:30 PM

Re: Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

A scooter is nice for a day in a city but trust me, you want a car!

nferrandi Posted: Oct 26, 2004 02:33 PM

Re: Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

FYI- driving in Rome is a friggin' nightmare!

chicagogal Posted: Oct 26, 2004 02:34 PM

Re: Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

Not fast enough. Rent one in each individual city.

mms Posted: Oct 26, 2004 03:47 PM

Re: Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

Scooters can't go on the 'autostrada' (highway). Plus it would take you forever to get from place to place. Plus, there's the luggage, as someone pointed out. And the drivers there are crazy!! Especially in Rome it really takes a leap of faith just to step off the curb--I can't even imagine driving there!

amyandeddie Posted: Oct 26, 2004 04:26 PM

Re: Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

Maybe you could rent one for like... a day. It's fun but I have to agree dangerous, plus you'll probably gettired of it when you feel the bugs hitting you at 40 mph!

smilealways Posted: Oct 26, 2004 04:49 PM

Re: Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

HAHA! Thanks everyone for your feedback! :o)

RedHead Posted: Oct 26, 2004 05:46 PM

Re: Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

LOLOL...scooters LOL
Did you see the way the drive on those

lgluszak Posted: Oct 26, 2004 05:50 PM

Re: Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

Italy is not 'Fairly small'. Fairly small would be an island the size of Antigua where you can go from end to end in a hour. Italy is a little bigger than the state of Florida and that takes 8 hours from the top of florida to Key WEst...

thiadora Posted: Oct 26, 2004 05:52 PM

Re: Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

I just want to add a note about renting a car in Italy. Your insurance company will not cover you there. If you rent a car, make sure you know all of the rules before you go.

My parents rented a car while we were in Italy in 1996. Their insurance didn't cover them. That year Italy experienced the largest snow storm that it had in years, and unfortunately, we had to drive from Florence to Rome on the Autostrada during it. (Our flight left the next day).

A car ahead of us went into a spin. My dad didn't hit them. He grew up upstate and knows how to drive in the snow. However, a car coming along did not know how to and they hit us.

In Italy, they have a form. The other driver has to sign it saying that it was their fault. We did not know this and therefore, didn't have it filled out. So my parents had to pay for the damage. (Luckily it really wasn't very much.)

I do not know if the same rules apply. But it's definately something to think about. Especially since the Italians are very crazy drivers. [I was in Naples during our honeymoon (a few weeks ago), and they are still NUTS.]

RedHead Posted: Oct 26, 2004 05:57 PM

Re: Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

Posted by lgluszak

Italy is not 'Fairly small'. Fairly small would be an island the size of Antigua where you can go from end to end in a hour. Italy is a little bigger than the state of Florida and that takes 8 hours from the top of florida to Key WEst...

I was thinking the same thing..To so south and then drive up north...well that is a LONG drive. I would suggest you go from one end to the other

akaMrsT Posted: Oct 26, 2004 06:07 PM

Re: Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

You defintely want a car. I did Rome, Naples and Capri and there is no way we could have done it on a scooter. Plus, the cars are small so you would want to leave your luggage at the hotels and just use the car to ride around the city. I even took a pic of the cars since they were so tiny - about the size of the VW new bettle car.

Actually, Rome is small enough that you could walk if you are staying in the city. Some hotels offer shuttle buses every hour or so too.

As for travel time between places, if you are driving you should know they have rush hour traffic too. There is always the train too - Termini is the stop in Rome I think.

You can see the highlight in Rome in 3 - 4 days. We saw The Pantheon, Coloseum, Piazza Navor, the Spanish Steps, wen on the Vatican tour, St. Peter's Bascilica tour and a few other places in 3 days I think. And I got some shopping done too.

Then we went to Naples to look around and to take a boat ride to Capri to see the Fargilioni Rocks and the Blue Grotto (other grotto that we did not see though).

alexlynn7 Posted: Oct 26, 2004 06:24 PM

Re: Is this idea completely insane? (people who've been to Italy)

i really don't want to burst your bubble... scooters are so much fun and SO romantic... but i have to tell you honestly that people drive like absolute MANIACS in italy. anyone who says that 'if you can drive in ny, you can drive anywhere' has clearly never driven in italy! i lived for 6 months in a smaller provincial city, and of the 5 or 6 students i knew who rode bikes around, 2 got hit by cars! 1 broke her collarbone and another broke her ankle...

i guess my point is that maybe a scooter would be fun for a day at the countryside, but riding one throughout a major city may not be the best idea...