Cruise Ratings - Driving Holiday In Italy

Take a driving holiday around Italy, so with this in mind I decided to do something that I'd always wanted to do. Italy isn't perfect but where is? The people and the passion with which they approach life, the art, the culture, the food, the language, i love all things Italian.

I soon realised that I'd need a book or two to help me with my learning. Although I knew the very basics of the Italian language I didn't want to find myself high and dry in Italy if a disaster befell me. Car and accommodation on the internet and bought myself a learn Italian CD for me to listen too in my car at home for the four weeks before I went, i booked my flights.

Trying to find the car hire depot was interesting. A lovely airport if not a little large and confusing, i landed in Milan Malpensa.

Which was no better or worse than the traffic in any major European city the driving was fine, other than the traffic, as it turned out there was nothing at all to worry about. The horror stories of Italian driving had been ringing in my ears for the past few weeks so I sent off not knowing to expect. With all the paperwork for the car completed it was time to confront the Milanese traffic systems which is basically nose to bumper traffic.

Well maintained and well sign-posted, it is mostly made up of toll motorways which are very reasonably priced. The motorway system in Italy is very simple to navigate. I'd been in my own little world of motorway Grand Prix for five hours and was shattered; i was exhausted by the time I reached the hotel. Turning dual carriage way that was a joy to drive on, a twisting, the road down to La Spezia was amazing. I headed out of Milan towards Genoa and down to a little town just outside La Spezia which was going to be my base for the next two nights.

It really was a picture postcard Tuscan farmhouse, complete with driveway lined with Cypress trees; the accommodation was wonderful. Arriving at the farmhouse just before 4.30pm, after an hour's break for lunch I headed onwards to my destination. Back onto the motorways for the day but this time they were a little less like race tracks hence I travelled at a more sedentary pace. After two nights exploring the local area on foot and relaxing it was time to move on to a rented farmhouse just outside Sienna.

The accommodation was well maintained and in a beautifully tranquil area approximately 12km from Sienna and about 4km from the nearest village.

A medieval horse race held each July, the annual venue for the Palio, and then there is the famous Campo in the centre of Sienna. With its outer walls keeping the world at bay its beautiful old building seemingly untouched by the modern world, sienna is beautiful. A couple of beers and an ice cream or two, after relaxing by the pool during the day I'd venture into Sienna at night for a stroll.

In reflection I was more than impressed with its beauty and friendly atmosphere, i really didn't know what to expect from Sienna.

Generally all the foods are made from locally grown produce. These give you a really good feeling for the local cuisine. Maybe as many as twelve - thirteen courses served in smaller portions, generally for a set price a number of local dishes, an Agri-turismo is a place where you can eat and drink. Searching out local vine yards to buy up some wine and try out as many of the local Agri-turismo's that I could find, i spent the rest of the week driving around Tuscany.

Florence is a beautiful city but I think it is best appreciated when the temperature isn't in the upper 30 degrees centigrade and you can't move for snap happy tourists. All part of the fun in Italy. Taken on a day when the Italian railway union decided to go on strike in the afternoon, i also managed to take in a day trip to Florence by train to visit an old friend.

Hour drive North passing Bologna and Modena; this entailed a 3 ½. The week over it was time to move onto Lake Garda for the remainder of the holiday.

Even without the improvements it was fantastic, they are currently developing the shore line to make the evening walk more pleasant, i returned to Bardolino last November. The days were spent relaxing by the pool and the evenings were spent strolling along the banks of the Lake. Was wonderful, bardolino, but the town that we stayed in, also spectacularly busy, lake Garda was spectacular.

Some fantastic shops and some beautiful architecture, juliet's balcony (Romeo and Juliet), which was just getting ready to stage an open air opera, the home of the Roman arena, the only other place I visited on the trip was a day trip to Verona.

You could easily get by with a lot less knowledge of the language, the Italian language I'd learn't had come in handy occasionally but it was more for my satisfaction of having had a go at the language. Before I knew it it was time to head back to Malpensa with the car to catch a plane home.

You really get some much more out of your holiday when you control each day and how that day is spent. I'd recommend it wholeheartedly, the driving was wonderful.

Italy, and finally.

All of the memories will stay with me for many a long year, as well as all the Tuscan scenery and the views whilst travelling around, bardolino and Verona, lake Garda, sienna, florence, la Spezia, milan. I've never been disappointed where ever I've been in Italy and this trip was no exception.