Transportation
How do I get around Cortona?
See the Getting Around Cortona page for detailed info.
Taxis can't be used within Cortona's walls (with a few exceptions), but you can use a taxi or shuttle to visit the nearby town of Camucia where they have a weekly market on Thursday mornings and a wide range of stores and restaurants.
Is it easy for Americans to drive in Italy?
We *love* driving in Italy, but it's not for everyone. Italians are very assertive drivers, and are used to driving closer and faster than we are here. Similar to what you'll see in the most crowded urban areas here in the States. Some things you may want to consider when renting a car are:
Select a driver who is confident and assertive. If driving makes you nervous, we don't recommend driving in Italy.
Have a good navigator in the passenger seat. It's easy to miss turns in roundabouts, or not see signs (or understand what they mean). So, having a good navigator telling you when a turn is coming up, and when your blind spots are clear is very helpful.
Use GPS. We've found using Apple Map directions on our iPhones works best. Google Maps also works well.
Avoid driving in metropolitan city centers. The city centers of places like Rome and Florence are where the driving is the most..."interesting". We try to avoid these places if at all possible.
Be aware that there are tolls on the A1 autostrada (freeway) that leads to and from Cortona. You'll grab a ticket before the on-ramp to the autostrada, and will pay for the toll with credit card or cash when you exit the autostrada.
The road signs in Italy are also different than they are in other countries. Here's a guide we found helpful for deciphering the road signs in Italy: https://italyexplained.com/driving-road-signs-italy/
Do I need an International Driver's License?
Yes, if you plan to rent a car and drive it is required. Apply for one here.
If you'd like to know more here is an article from Rick Steves.
I'm driving to Florence instead of taking the coach. What should I know ahead of time?
For our excursions to Florence, the coaches have special permission to skip toll booths and enter restricted areas, you will not be able to follow the coach with your vehicle on the way to Florence.
If you intend to drive to Florence, please be aware of a few things:
It is prohibited for tourists to drive into the central part of the city. You can pay a hefty fine (or multiple fines) if you accidentally drive down the wrong street. Please look up the ZTL zones of Florence in advance if you plan on driving.
Public parking in Florence is a challenge. Most of these lots are located just outside the ZTL zone, perhaps 3/4 of a mile from most of the sights, and they tend to fill up quickly. That said, you can reserve a private parking space (typically in a garage) within the ZTL zone for approximately 50 Euros for the day.
The main freeway between Florence and Cortona (A1/Autostrada del Sole) is a toll road. If memory serves, it's about 12 Euros each way.
If you are planning to drive to Florence, I’d highly recommend reading the article below: https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-maps/parking-lots-in-florence.html
How do I get to Cortona from the airport?
We've arranged some coaches to transport members from the Rome FCO airport to Cortona. Check out the "Getting to Cortona" page of this website for details.
Do you know of any useful apps for travel?
Here are some apps you may find helpful for travelling:
TripIt - Itinerary management
Triposo - Travel content (can be downloaded for offline use)
Trenit! - Train schedule and ticket information
Google Translate - language translation (try conversation mode for real-time translation and can be downloaded for offline use)
MyTaxi - taxi app for when you are in larger cities
Parclick - find parking when in most cities
http://www.ulmon.com/#get-the-app- free offline street map app that we use regularly especially when I go to Florence or Rome
Can I drive to/from other counties before or after the Feast?
If you rent a car in one country and drop it off in another, you will have to pay a cross-border fee which ranges from 10€-1,000€. More often it is closer to the 1,000€ mark.
Another option is to rent the car in one country, drop it off in the same country at the train station, take the train to Italy, and pick up a second rental car there. A bit of a hassle yes, but this saves you the cross-border tolls you have to pay driving many of the freeways.
If you drive stick/manual, look at the prices for a manual car. They are commonly 30% less than an automatic.
How do we get our luggage to our accommodation?
Each hotel and rental property handles luggage a bit differently. Many of the vacation rental owners will meet you at one of the city gates to help you with your luggage. Some hotels have a shuttle service that can meet you at one of the parking lots and assist you with your luggage. Some even have special access granted through the police department that allows guests to drive to the hotel to drop off luggage. We recommend contacting your hotel or rental owner to see how they'd recommend handling it.