Navigating When Driving in Italy

This is a simple road sign at a T-intersection showing that Pianella is to the right and  Vagliagli is to the left.

This road sign with Steve beside it is telling you that you are leaving the town of Pievasciata and the other towns listed are ahead. Notice that they use abbreviations on these signs. "Castelnuovo B." is Castelnuovo Berardenga.

You are driving at 100 kph along a narrow street, cars coming at you, cars on your bumper. You come to an intersection. You have to quickly look at a road sign like this to decide which way to turn.

With this example, if you are just heading to Siena, you are in luck. They have color coded the signs (but it isn't always consistent).

• Blue is for town directions.

• Yellow signs point to hotels.

Then they throw in lots of other signs to make it confusing. There are way better examples of confusing road signs, but we are always going too fast for a picture.

Another good example of road signs. This sign is just outside San Casciano dei Bagni. See the small road sign for "Via Roma"? You don't see that too often. Also, just below that road sign is a hiking sign. These are now posted on long distance hiking trails all over Tuscany.

This sign is telling you that the town of Treviano, the spa, a restaurant, a pharmacy, and a post office are all to the left. This points to the modern outskirts of the town. The tourist office (i) is to the right, in the historic center of the town.

Here is another example common in Chianti. This sign points to a farm where you can buy olive oil and wine, to a restaurant (but not with the usual yellow sign this time), to a hotel, and to a Chianti farm.

This sign is on the main road to Gaiole in Chianti. If you go straight, it is 27 km to Siena. Turn left to go to Barbischio. Also to the left are the police, the stadium and whatever the municipio is.

The local bus stop is behind this sign.