Driving in Italy -- The EuroTraveler goes for a ride under the Tuscan sun

To live "under the Tuscan Sun" is a life-long dream and on this journey from Florence to Montepulciano, we got a real taste of the Tuscan countryside and experienced life as France Mayes describes in her memoirs that collectively form the basis for her world renowned book and movie, one of my personal favorites! To tell the truth, the very thought of driving on foreign roads scared me to death because of how fast the cars travel the narrow roads that wind their way through the Tuscan hills. However, I am happy to report that my fears did not get the best of me and we were off!

In preparation of the road-trip, we actually booked our little Opal, standard shift, months before we left home to ensure we would have a car available for our journey south. We would have preferred an automatic, but they didn't have one available so although I've driven a standard shift for years, the thought of driving on the steep hills made me a little nervous not to mention how inconvenient it was going to be as well.

In the morning, we called to confirm and were delighted when we found that an automatic Mercedes had just been returned, a hard commodity to come by in Italy, so we told them to hold it for us. After a very short taxi ride from our villa to the Avis car rental on the edge of the Arno River, we checked in, got our keys, a few maps and some great advice from the representative about what else to see while traveling to Montepulciano. We were on our way!

With a still slightly nervous hand, I turned on the ignition, heart still pounding, and drove out of the garage. This is it, we're driving in Italy. I couldn't believe it. We found our way out of Florence and crossed over the A-1 highway, and arrived on SR2, our country roadway that would take us through the winding hills and landscapes of Tuscany. Montepulciano is about 1 ¼ hour to 1 ½ hours south if you take the super highway, A-1, however, I couldn't see justification for renting a car and driving down a highway to miss all the scenery which was the very reason why we wanted to drive in the first place. So needless to say, we took the back roads all the way and what a journey it turned out to be!

Driving south, we followed the two-lane roadway through the Tuscan countryside. With so many wonderful and ancient cities to explore, we wanted to stop and visit each one but we knew one day was never going to be enough to see it all properly so we chalked it up to our next visit to Italy when we would rent a villa in southern Tuscany and drive around for a week. There we were and I still couldn't believe we were really driving around Italy. The last time we were here, we would have never dreamed of driving our way but this was truly an adventure, the freedom to explore what we wanted and for as long as we wanted without the time constraints of a tour guide or a jam-packed bus. The countryside was ours for the taking and we were going to savor every moment!

Stopping along the way every now and then, I grabbed my camera to capture the scenery I couldn't let escape. Neatly plowed fields where the sunflowers were just harvested, rows upon rows of olive groves and vineyards offering their bountiful harvests, and hillsides with winding roads bordered with Cyprus trees that lead to hilltop farmhouses warmly lit by the golden Tuscan sunlight. Up ahead in the distance, Siena, perched high atop a hill with its Duomo and campanile stretching to the clouds. That's another trip another day. Of course I had to stop and take a picture or two of the city. This was all so incredible. Oh Tuscany, how I long to become part of this world!

After being on the road for nearly two hours, and having to stop for directions because there were no signs, no roadway markers, nothing to indicate what road we were driving on, we could finally see the city of Montepulciano rising above the hilltops. We made it.

You'll have to read my next posting for our adventure in Montepulciano. For now, I need to impart some advice. The roads in Italy, at least the ones we drove on, were not marked very clearly. You must keep your eyes open at all times and pay attention to the posts with all of the blue-arrow signs labeled and pointing in the direction of your destination. As long as you continue to see these signs, you know you're heading in the right direction. Don't bother looking for road signs, there aren't any. There may come a time when you fail to see your destination, however, don't panic. Stop by a local store, get out your translation guide and ask for help. The Italians are extremely friendly and willing to offer their help despite the fact that many of them living out in the country do not speak English. Thankfully, we had to do this only once but thank God we were only about a kilometer or two away. Oh, that reminds me, speed limits and speedometers are metric which is cool because the speed limit is 90, kph that is.

Happy motoring.

Next stop: Montepulciano!