A side note on driving in Italy

So I wanted to make this note because this sticks in my mind. Driving in Italy is a mess. If you think driving in NYC or Chicago is difficult, driving in Italy is far more difficult unless you know where you're going and how to get there. You can't even have a general idea and arrive.

Before arriving, I was debating whether to get a GPS. It's really a big investment and in the States, I never really need one since Google Maps directions are usually enough. I've never really had any problems and if I did, I usually figure it out fast enough and backtrack. Easy. I've heard driving in Italy is tough, but never though it'd be this tough. I'd liken driving in Italy to driving within a non-geometric maze. At least in the area I'm in, driving is crazy. Each small village has a Via Roma and a Via Milan. There's also a Corso Europa in basically every larger village. Directions are never 100% correct and there are roundabouts which dont' necessarily have clear markings as to which way is straight through them. Also, everything looks so similar and the buildings are faily tall so you'll never know if you went the wrong way or if you're lost in the first place. It's also tough to get a sense of direction because a grid-like city structure is just not the way Italians like to do it.

If anyone is coming to Italy, unless you have a lot of time on your hands, I strongly urge you to get a GPS with European maps. It will absolutely make life easier and is well worth the money you put in. Often, in the States, there's sales and you can get one for as little as $150, which is a wonderful deal for not being frustrated the roads and getting where you want to on time. If you do have a lot of time on your hands, though, not using a GPS is a fun way to explore the towns.

That is all....