Road clue guides · Europe
How to recognise Italy from the road
Drives on the right
Umbrella pines, terracotta and hill towns. Italy has one road sign habit that catches people out, because it is the reverse of many of its neighbours.
What to look for
1
Blue bands on both ends
Italian plates are white with a blue band on each side, similar to France.
2
Green motorways, blue roads
Motorway signs are green and ordinary road signs are blue, the opposite of several nearby countries.
3
Italian on everything
Signs are in Italian: via (street), uscita (exit), centro.
4
Pines and cypresses
Flat-topped umbrella pines and tall, narrow cypress trees are common, especially in the centre and south.
Try it for real
Placivago can drop you in Italy, or anywhere else across its 195 countries. Three real street-level places a day, no landmarks, no names. Free, and about six minutes.
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