Recommendations for driving Ferrari from Venice to Florence

OK so its 160 miles which even on rubbish roads should not take too long - why not google or look here for the roads used for testing near the factory (up in the hills near Maranello)

 

Get from Venice to Maranello on the A13. Enjoy your time at the Musuem. Get down to Bologna. As you leave Bologna to the south, pick up SP65 in the direction of Firenzuola, follow it to Scarperia and stop at the Circuit Mugello if you have time. Follow on to Fiesole and on into Firenze. This route will take you over both the Futa and Raticosa passes in the Appennines and is the route of the Miglia Mille. It will be a long hard day going this route, but is well worth seeing, especially in a great car. Just don't overcook it anywhere. Google shows this Route taking 6 hours of driving.

This might also help.

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/ferrari-discussion-not-model-specific/289740-driving-roads-around-maranello-modena.html

#2 will give you an idea why it is a fairly slow route...
http://www.coolcarsandgirls.com/2014/03/5-cool-driving-breaks-in-europe-this.html

 

mugello is a great circuit if you have a chance to try it.

avoid the highway - they have the tudor system of tracking your time over distance and are merciless about handing out tickets.

stop in parma to eat !!

 

Caution when you get to the city of Florence. Very crowded and I was told you need a permit to drive into the city if you don't live there. I arrived in Florence at night and lost. People on bicycles and scooters passing on both sides. I was afraid I was going to hit a pedestrian. Anyway received two tickets 6 months later for 100 euros each, for driving on a lane reserved for public transit only. Never got tagged for driving in the city without permit. But driving in Italy was really fun, especially if you are a spirited driver.



Ago

 

Last month I drove the SS63 La Spezia towards Reggio Emilia. It's a mountain road with very little traffic. It would be a long way round to get to Florence but a lovely drive.

 

Be sure to arrange for a GPS if the car doesn't come with one. You may be able to buy a cheap one with Italian maps for less than it costs to rent one. Any Bennett (or other large) grocery store can sell you a GPS. Maps, on the other hand, are much harder to come by in Italy than you might think. Order one on the Internet before you leave.

Most any secondary highway will be fun. Generally speaking, before Modena/Bologna it will be flat and after that it will be hilly, so you might want to do some Autostrada driving to begin with, get to the Museum quickly, have lunch, and then enjoy the hills in the afternoon. By the way, I've driven my share of the "best" recommended roads and high mountain passes but to tell the truth, they're not remarkably different from some country road picked by random. In other words, most of our roads, especially those in hilly areas are fantastic and no matter where you go you will enjoy the drive. In general, road surfaces are pretty good, usually clean, and well marked. But even in the flat areas, if you pick a secondary road near a river, for example, it will have nice curves plus the added bonus of being to see ahead better than in the hills. It's hard to go wrong when you pick a road. Even most of our Autostrada routes provide beautiful scenery. Be very careful paying your toll. You will have to get very close to a high curb in order to reach the ticket/money machine from a low car like your Ferrari. Don't scrape your fenders or wheels, but if you're too far away, you'll ding the door if you open it.

Google Map and Google Earth are your friends. Use street view to sample any proposed roads. Anything with a painted center-line and white side-lines will be OK. Side-lines without a center-line might be OK for short distances, but reject anything without any painted lines at all because you might wind up on a goat path.

Speed cameras are marked, but you have to keep an eye out for them. I prefer to just go 130 (or as posted) on the Autostrada and not worry. Expect speed cameras in some small rural towns and occasionally out in the countryside, but usually you can zip right along on most secondary roads. There will be plenty of opportunity to have some fun. Don't get stupid though. It's not unusual to come around a blind curve and encounter a bike racing club. Usually they stay to the right, but sometimes they take the whole lane. I see injured bike riders fairly frequently. Hitting one will almost surely ruin your vacation. You may also encounter a hay wagon going 3kph, so be careful.

And, as others have warned, be sure to know exactly where you're going ahead of time when you get to Florence. You definitely don't want to be wandering around collecting tickets for violating the impossible to understand restrictions on when, where, who, and what you can drive at different times.

Give yourself plenty of time. For example, if your car pick up is at 9:00, don't be surprised if you don't get going until 10:00. Italy is not compatible with being in a rush. And, you might run across an enchanting little town with a cafe and a fantastic view which might entice you to slow down even more, so don't plan a schedule which is too tight. If you find yourself getting to Florence too soon, just make up a loop out into the surrounding countryside to kill some more time and enjoy your Ferrari. Since the car is the unique feature of that particular day, make the most of it.

 

Mozella's recommendations are very good. I also liked the back roads, the pavement and signs are very good. I believe better than my state in the US. (Speed camera's) Italian told me they that is illegal in Italy to photo trap you without warning. Maybe true.


Ago

 

Just north of Florence: Restaurant La Cavallina – Barberino del Mugello right off the A-1.
It's a truck stop - the food is to die for, especially the steaks.

Restaurant La Cavallina ? Barberino del Mugello | Agriturismoipitti Blog in English

 

the food is to die for, especially the steaks.

I don't believe there is any bad Food, Wine, or Cheese anywhere in Italy!! And the Italians are much thinner then the overweight people in the US.

 

be very careful with speed cameras, they take your average speed between two points, its a pisser. perhaps take back roads.

 

The speed averaging system is known as Tutor and as far as I know, these cameras are only installed on selected stretches of the Autostrada network. The huge warning signs are impossible to miss. This system is not the same as the regular speed cameras. Normal speed cameras don't average your speed.

As someone said, it is indeed against the law to use an unmarked speed camera in Italy. The problem is that these marker signs are everywhere and the cameras are not always active. And they're not always used for "speed". A tiny town near where I live has a standard speed camera warning sign (required by law) but the two cameras are installed only at the two intersections controlled by traffic lights. They take your picture if you run the red light, but they're not based on speed. And, they're turned off most of the time. The traffic lights are only operative about half the time too, so it's a bit confusing. Best advice is to not run a red light.

Many speed cameras are marked, but they aren't always active. Again, the best advice is to drive not more than 5km over the posted limit in the marked areas. I forget what the maximum distance between the sign and the camera, but it's measured in hundreds of meters, not kilometers.

If you see something that looks like a temporary speed camera sign, be SURE to slow down immediately. It invariably marks a police car of some kind up ahead with a radar gun. They aren't common, but they do exist.

 

sounds like a great adventure. We spent a week in/around Florence last year - we had a rented Fiat...if WE were going to do this, things I'd consider

1) spend the day driving the great backroads - if you can only have the car for one day, spend it driving the backroads, get lost and have fun with what you find. The areas around Florence and Mugello were wonderful, even better when we were actually lost

2) avoid the autostrada. if you need to drive from Point A to Point B, rent a Fiat. Or take the train. traffic, tickets, chaos best avoided if you're in a 458

3) do the tourist things a different day. if you're about driving the exotic, don't waste time with it parked.

4) when we were driving from Mugello (track) to Florence (hotel) every day, we took the backroads....and wished for a Ferrari. The minute we crossed into Florence proper, somehow the 500 was a huge car and we were amazed we could turn it in with all the parts attached and no dents. Avoid. Driving. In. Florence. Ultimately we got away with it as we left early and returned very late....

 

Same goes for Milan! For me, it is a heck of a scary place to drive (as an American).

 

GPS is mandatory ! - my unit informed me of up coming camera's when I was not paying attention to the signs.

Auto pay unit (EZ Pass), I forgot what it was called - another very important extra, if on autostrada makes getting on & off very easy especially if you get lost (i did a few times)

Do not leave either unit or anything for that matter in the car unattended.

Have fun!

 

park car in suburbs of Florence and arrange Police escort from there. No offense, but it is absolutely insane to try to drive ANYTHING in Firenze.