Driving in Italy is not as daunting as it might seem. Highways are very easy to navigate and well maintained. The cardinal rule when driving on the highway is to keep to the right unless you are passing. Be vigilant of the speed traps called Tutor. It is a system that tracks your average speed over a particular tract of highway and then sends you a ticket through the mail. Police in Italy will not pull you over for speeding, although they do set up road blocks and stop cars for random checks. When on high-speed county roads beware of poorly delineated lane dividers, particularly when on exit ramps which are two way - as a general rule when exiting or entering, stay on the right. As far as city driving is concerned, be aggressive and do what you need to do - other drivers are used to that type of driving and will adjust to you.
Renting a car in Italy is just as easy as it is in the States with comparable prices, as most of the rental companies are American. Bigger airports like Rome Fiumicino or Bari International Airport will have well over a dozen options to choose from. If you are using a credit card for the rental that covers insurance, you do not need to get additional coverage through the car rental company. In fact, should you get additional coverage, it might invalidate the coverage offered by your credit card company. The rental employees will push for you to get additional coverage, politely inform them you already have coverage and decline their offer.
Should you choose to rent a car, you will need an International Driving Permit. You can obtain one through AAA (https://www.aaa.com/vacation/idp.html) in-person or through the mail. To obtain an IDP for a $20 fee, you will need to complete an application, submit two passport photos, and provide your driver's license information. AAA offers to take your passport photos on site for an additional $12. The whole process takes about 10 minutes in person.
There are a number of companies that offer coach or van connections between sites within Puglia in addition to transfers from locations in Puglia to major cities (like Rome and Naples). If you're interested in being shuttled from place to place on a day trip or would like to coordinate a private ride to or from an airport or to your next destination, take a look at the options provided via these links: - Apulia Shuttle: Transfer & Personal Tour - www.apuliashuttle.it - Puglia Transfers and Private Driver - www.puglialy.com - Viator: Top Puglia Transfers - www.viator.com/Puglia-tours - NCC Puglia VIP - www.ncc.puglia.it
In order to make connecting easier, we have created a chatroom (via the website Discord) in which we can ask questions, share our plans, and coordinate with fellow wedding attendees. Ask us for the link to get chatting!