Viterbo, precruise day

[Azulann]

We have one and half days before our cruise, staying in Civitavecchia. Can you get to Viterbo by train or bus from port town? Know you can take bus to Tarquania.

Any other suggestions for exploring the "neighborhood" ? We have been to Rome and want to concentrate on nearby towns from port. Also open to hiring a car/driver for the day if we need to.

thanks in advance .

[Hlitner]

Why not just rent a car for one or two days. Driving in that part of Italy is really not very difficult and its a great way to get around quickly and see many of the smaller towns. Renting (or owning) a GPS makes getting around quite easy.

 

Hank

[euro cruiser]

We have one and half days before our cruise, staying in Civitavecchia. Can you get to Viterbo by train or bus from port town?

While it is possible to get to Viterbo by train from Civitavecchia, it's not practical because you have to go south to Rome and change trains, then go north again to Viterbo. The whole process takes about three hours one way.

 

There is a Cotral bus (line D1006) between Civitavecchia and Viterbo but, again, it's not terribly convenient. The bus ride takes nearly two hours each way. (Schedules here: http://www.cotralspa.it/PDF_Orari_Comune/Civitavecchia.pdf). Map of route here: http://efa.cotralspa.it:8888/rlz/FILELOAD?Filename=rlz_4D09492D1.pdf

 

Realistically, I think your best bet is either renting a car, as Hank suggests, or using a car and driver.

[Azulann]

Thanks so much for your information. Renting a car makes sense. I just need to persuade one of my three travel companions to be the driver. I am an excellent navigator. In 2008, I was the navigator of our car from THE train station in Rome to a villa outside of Siena, throughout Tuscany, and back again to Rome. The secret is to know the names of the towns on your route and beyond your destination. Signage for towns are great, signage for Route # like in the US are few and far between. After navigating the streets of Rome, the countyside of Lazio will be a piece of cake.

[Hlitner]

I should add one caution about driving in Italy. Many of the larger cities have certain districts called ZTL which when translated means a limited driving zone. These zones are protected by cameras and if you enter those areas you will have a fine added to your credit card (the fines are around $100) months after your return home. There are no ZTLs in the small places you mentioned in your post, but they do exist in places like Rome, Florence, Pisa, etc. One other suggestion is that you get familiar with the parking rules. You might want to read the info at:

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/driving/parking.htm

Parking tickets in Italy can also carry pretty large fines ( about $100) although we know somebody (he looks just like me) who has never paid a parking ticket (they generally do not charge parking tickets to your credit card).

 

Hank

[Azulann]

Hank, we got one of those tickets months later after we parked in the wrong place in Pisa!!:(For Florence and Siena we used Rick Steeves book with great directions and locations of public parking. Had no problem then.

[jmb4534]

We have one and half days before our cruise, staying in Civitavecchia. Can you get to Viterbo by train or bus from port town? Know you can take bus to Tarquania.

Any other suggestions for exploring the "neighborhood" ? We have been to Rome and want to concentrate on nearby towns from port. Also open to hiring a car/driver for the day if we need to.

thanks in advance .

 

There are so many beautiful small towns within driving distance from the port. We rented a car in 2008 and drove to Tarquinia, Viterbo, Cita de Bagnoregio (a MUST see) and Orvieto in one day. It was great. Now you can get a GPS for about $10 when you rent from Hertz which is walking distance to the port shuttle drop off point. As has been said in previous posts..driving is easy, but be careful of parking issues! As I type this I am waiting for a charge for a parking fine in Lucca to show up!

 

We will be in Italy in May and will be driving this area again after our transatlantic cruise. Italy seems to "call you back".

[Hlitner]

Hank, we got one of those tickets months later after we parked in the wrong place in Pisa!!:(For Florence and Siena we used Rick Steeves book with great directions and locations of public parking. Had no problem then.

 

ARGH! That is a bummer and an expensive lesson. We like the Rick Steves books but since it can take a few years from writing until they are published one needs to always check on a current source (i.e. internet) for the latest ZTL info. They do mark the areas with some signs, but they are small signs and easy to miss. We understand the ZTLs have caused some controversy in Italy since some accuse the government of creating these zones to "trap" tourists. Another device now being used in Italy are the speed cameras common in France and England but generally not known in Italy. They seem to put these cameras on the major Autostrade that are very popular with tourists such as the main road between Rome and Florence. The folks that routinely drive these routes no the location of the cameras, but tourists might be unaware.

 

Hank

[euro cruiser]

Another device now being used in Italy are the speed cameras common in France and England but generally not known in Italy. They seem to put these cameras on the major Autostrade that are very popular with tourists such as the main road between Rome and Florence. The folks that routinely drive these routes no the location of the cameras, but tourists might be unaware.

They actually publish the locations of the speed cameras on the autostada web site here: http://www.autostrade.it/assistenza-al-traffico/tutor.html?initPosAra=3_4

 

If you click on the highway, the mile markers where the cameras are pop up.

[Azulann]

There are so many beautiful small towns within driving distance from the port. We rented a car in 2008 and drove to Tarquinia, Viterbo, Cita de Bagnoregio (a MUST see) and Orvieto in one day. It was great. Now you can get a GPS for about $10 when you rent from Hertz which is walking distance to the port shuttle drop off point. As has been said in previous posts..driving is easy, but be careful of parking issues! As I type this I am waiting for a charge for a parking fine in Lucca to show up!

 

We will be in Italy in May and will be driving this area again after our transatlantic cruise. Italy seems to "call you back".

 

i agree with you about "Italy calling you back". I have fond memories of Lucca. Loved the duomo there. But again I can't resist visisting churches in Italy!!:) We have decided to do a private day tour with a driver. No one in my group feels up to driving...:eek:... we will go to Orvieto in the morning,have lunch,visit a winery between Orvieto and Tuscania by late afternoon. Yes, I know we are trying to follow the qoute from D.H. Lawrence about Tuscania in the late afternoon sun...

Thanks for sharing all your expertise and happy travels!!