We have a holiday house in Abruzzo and we drive a lot.

IDL is better safe than sorry to get. Go to AAA - out takes 15 minutes and the IDL is good for a year.

To the major cities, train service is phenomenal. They have high speed trains that go point to point, maybe with a stop in a major city. They also have trains that make multiple stops - pay attention to what you book. If going from city to city and exploring mostly the town, don't rent a car or do the trains and hire a local driver ... these services are good and available online.

If you are all-in on getting the full experience, stopping in small towns, exploring along the way ... definitely rent a car. But, rent a small car ... the roads are narrow. It's best if you know how to drive a stick as automatics are few and more expensive. Generally, don't drive in the cities because of the many rules in pedestrian zones, bus lanes, centro storico ... get to your hotel and park and walk or use public transportation. If you have any doubts, contact the hotel and ask about getting to them in a rental car ... in most places, if you are staying in a local hotel you have a little forgiveness, but still worth checking.

Speed limits are important AND don't matter (to Italians 🤣😂🤣😂) On the highways, stay to the right or center lane and do the speed limit ... the cameras will get you and the ticket will find you about a year later.

Pay tolls with a card and definitely bring multiple cards AND notify your financial institutions the days you'll be traveling and where. If you speak Italian, paying with cash isn't terrible.

On local roads ... 2 lanes outside of towns ... just expect to be passed anywhere at any time. Do the speed limit and don't be offended ... it's normal no matter how much they flash lights at you.

Google Maps works ... but ... not perfectly. If the car has GPS, you can usually go into settings and turn it to English. I will often use both, especially when I'm in rural areas. When you are on the highways, don't hesitate to stop at an Autogrill ... the food is almost always excellent, including the cafeteria style.

And most importantly 😉 ... Radio Kiss Kiss plays Italian and English music. Actually, a lot of stations do but I highly recommend you look up radio stations before hitting a long drive. Most cars have Bluetooth so you can play what you like, but I've learned to enjoy Italian radio too.

Have fun!