The secret to navigating the rural areas of Italy? ... throw away the map! OK, not literally. Nevertheless, maps serve a different purpose in Italy than they do in the U.S. Unlike U.S. maps where every road corresponds with a name or number, Italy maps only indicate the names of its major roads, leaving the smaller country roads unidentified. To confuse the driver even more, most country roads have no signage or markings to tell you which road you are on or which road to take. The trick to navigating rural roads is to follow town signs.
Before you hit the road, use a map to study the names of towns between your two destination points. If the road ultimately leads to a larger city, it is important to know that too. For example, let's say you are traveling from Radda in Chianti and looking for a sign to Greve, yet you only see a sign to "Firenze." This is because the road you are on passes through Greve and ultimately takes you to Firenze. It is also necessary to know the Italian name for cities: Roma (Rome), Firenze (Florence), Venezia (Venice), etc.
Navigating becomes a even easier once you know the color code: town signs are blue; brown signs are points of interest such as an abbey, monument, or historical site; white signs are public services (police station, pharmacy, theatre, hotel etc.); yellow and black signs are specific businesses.
Town signs often abbreviate names. For example, San Gimignano may be S. Gimignano; or Castelnuovo Berardenga may be seen as Castelnuovo B. Other helpful signs are the public parking sign (the universal blue "P") and the city center sign (a white sign with a symbol resembling a bulleye).
Rural roads are narrow two-lane roads; most are well maintained. Because most of these roads pass through small towns, it is important to follow speed limits. Speed limit signs are red-ringed white disks with black numerals. Also, be prepared for many roundabouts (traffic circles with several roads shooting off in different directions). When entering, yield to cars in the circle. And, by all means, don't be embarrassed to circle three or four times while looking for your sign--I certainly have!!
