6-Best Italian Road Trips - Routes and Tips

What are the best Italian road trips? If you’re looking to take a road trip around Italy, you can be sure you’ll find some amazing scenery and interesting places to visit on the way.

To help you plan your Italian road trip, we’ve put together this list of six different routes that will show you all the best sights Italy has to offer in one trip!

Each one has its unique stops and sights that you won’t want to miss, so pick one or two and start your Italian road trip today!

Just keep in mind, the pandemic is still with us... so it is important to take this under consideration as well - here are 6 Travel Useful Tips While Travelling During COVID-19, and of course do not forget to check the travel restrictions in general and in Italy.

Let's GO!

Road Trip #1 - Venice to Florence (hours)

Start in Venice and head toward Florence, ending at your hotel. Start with a nice walk through the historic Old Town in Venice; continue to modern, glassy Mestre. Take two ferry rides: one from Mestre to Malamocco on Lake Malpensa, then another ferry from Malamocco to Cadenabbia on Lake Como.

From there it’s less than a two-hour drive (or quick train ride) over Monte Tezio Pass into Lombardy.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Florence to Rome (hours): 1, 2. The Panoramic Paths of Tuscany: 1, 2. North From Rome to Amalfi Coast: 1. Day trip from Rome to Tuscan villas: 1.

Road Trip #2 - Naples, Pompeii, Mount Vesuvius (7 hours)

Neapolitans are a friendly bunch, so get ready to wave Ciao! A lot.

Start your day in ancient Pompeii. Afterward, head to Naples where you can explore a castle, taste some of Italy’s best pizza, or hit up an art museum.

To end your trip at Mount Vesuvius, make sure you have time for a hike around Europe’s most active volcano before you take off.

Road Trip #3 - Venice to the Amalfi Coast (12 hours)

The World’s Best Drives, Day 2: Leaving Milan and heading east on A1, you’ll reach Turin after a mere two hours. Turin is an elegant city worth exploring for its Piedmont region cuisine (think truffles) and lovely boulevards. After lunch or dinner—or both!—continue your journey south on A7 to Varazze.

Road Trip #4 - Rome to Cinque Terre (10 hours)

Begin your trip by heading south, following The Amalfi Coast all along. One of my favorite road trips in Italy is driving from Rome to Cinque Terre. This will be a long drive that should take you about 10 hours.

Road Trip #5 - Rome to Pisa, Lucca, Pistoia (9 hours)

Start your drive with a stop at Casal Palocco, a twelfth-century abbey that houses more than 40 paintings from various Renaissance artists. Next, follow directions to Pisa for a quick stop at Leonardo da Vinci’s last home. Once you’ve snapped some photos, continue your journey to Lucca to visit some of Michelangelo’s lesser-known sculptures. Finally, end your road trip in Pistoia, where you can have an authentic meal before returning to Rome.

Road Trip #6 - Florence to Bologna, Modena, Ferrara (10 hours)

Head south from Florence, admiring Tuscany’s rolling hills, stopping at picturesque Pisa on your way to Bologna. This trip showcases Italy’s foodie cities. From Bologna, travel west to Modena, home of parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar (in fact, Modena is known as the City of Quality). Stop in Ferrara for a quick lunch.

You will pass beautiful cities like Florence, Pisa, Siena, Bologna, and Modena. The destination is Ferrara where you can visit Castello Estense.

Safe driving!