We find our car in the Sixt Rental parking lot, and I immediately indicate to my dad that the car might a little on the big side. I know that we will be going to small, old towns with narrow cobblestone streets and I fear that this car might want to make wider turns than the space provided. Once we arrive in Orvieto, some of these concerns become realized, and they continue to be reinforced as we drive around central Italy.
That said, it is this same small town, cobblestone feel of the old Italian cities that gives them their charm. Imagine an old hill-top Roman city with paved two-lane roads, stop lights and sidewalks, and part of the magic of stepping back in time is lost. In the end, we consider maneuvering the car on roads meant for people, horses, and maybe the occasional carriage as just part of our Italian adventure, and getting out of the car to minimize 10-point turns down to 5-point turns only adds extra excitement. Other than in a couple of the smaller, older towns, having a car (and a spacious car) is very convenient as almost all of central Italy becomes accessible to us.