Parking

Italy is a country of narrow roads and streets and very limited parking, in the hill top villages especially. In the days of the FIAT 500 - the Cinquecento, parking wasn't quite as difficult as it has become these days. Many Italians now own bigger cars or visitors drive from other EU countries in their big cars, thus adding to the parking problems.

There are many ways to solve this problem.... legitimately or otherwise.

YES

If you ride a motor bike you can have priority parking right at the front door of our favourite big supermarket.

If you own an electric car you can park right by the gate in Castiglione, and you can plug your car into the power whilst you shop.

You can drive a Smart car ...

... or an Ape ( pronounced Are-pay), ...

... or even ride a Vespa.

NO

On the other hand you can park wherever you like, on the footpath, half up the gutter and dangerously positioned on a corner.

This was not a parking spot but the foot of the steps leading to the upper level of the car park. There was another car parked in a similar way at the top of the steps too.

Not quite right either!

No wonder this one has a ding in its side! It was not the only one parked like this in the street.

Ummm, I don't think so!

On this occasion a woman had parked her car in the bus zone then couldn't get it started. Kel and a couple of other tourists had to help the bus driver to move the car out of the bus zone.

This one might look wrong but it is acceptable and common, that's why you should drive a Smart car.