I pulled off the SS1 just north of Tarquinia, killed the engine, and stood there for a solid minute listening to nothing but the wind. The Tyrrhenian Sea was a flat sheet of silver to my left, and the road behind me curved along the cliff exactly the way Roman engineers laid it out two thousand years ago. The Via Aurelia runs roughly 480 kilometres from Rome to Sestri Levante, and according to route data from Outdooractive, the drive takes about seven and a half hours without stops — but stopping is the whole point.
If you want the most scenic, least stressful way to get from Rome to the Ligurian coast without paying autostrada tolls, the Via Aurelia (SS1) is your road. It’s slower than the A12, but you’ll see medieval hill towns, Etruscan ruins, and the kind of coastal views that make you pull over every twenty minutes.
Road trip lovers
Slow travellers
Motorcyclists
Why the Via Aurelia beats the autostrada every time
The A12 autostrada gets you there fast, but the SS1 gives you the Italy you came for.
The modern SS1 follows the route of the ancient Via Aurelia, a Roman consular road built in 241 BC. It connects Rome to the coast at Ladispoli, then hugs the shoreline all the way up through Tuscany and into Liguria. The total ascent along the route is roughly 3,624 metres, with the highest point at Passo del Bracco at 612 metres, according to route data from Helmtube.
What that means in practice: you climb, you descend, you round corners that open onto coves you didn’t know existed. The road surface is asphalt and about 92 percent of it is two lanes, so you’re never fighting six lanes of traffic. Speed limits vary between 30 and 90 km/h depending on the section, which keeps you honest and gives you time to actually see things.
Fill up your tank in Civitavecchia, about 80 km north of Rome. Petrol stations get sparse once you hit the coastal stretches between Tarquinia and Venturina Terme, and you don’t want to be hunting for fuel while the sun is dropping.
Tarquinia: the Etruscan stop you shouldn’t skip
Most people blast past Tarquinia on the way to Tuscany. That’s a mistake.
About 90 km north of Rome, Tarquinia sits just inland from the coast. It’s home to the Necropoli Monterozzi, a UNESCO World Heritage site with thousands of Etruscan tombs, some of which date back to the 7th century BC. The painted tombs are the main draw — vivid frescoes of banquets, dancers, and hunting scenes that feel shockingly modern.
I spent about an hour wandering the necropolis and another hour in the small archaeological museum in the Palazzo Vitelleschi. The museum holds the famous Winged Horses terracotta relief, which alone is worth the detour. Parking is easy right outside the city walls, and the site is open year-round.
The necropolis is about a 15-minute walk from the town centre. Wear sturdy shoes — the paths are uneven and there’s no shade in summer. Bring water.
Livorno to Pisa: the industrial stretch with a payoff
This is the least scenic part of the drive, but it’s short and ends well.
After passing through Venturina Terme, the SS1 runs through the outskirts of Livorno, which is a working port city. The road here is functional — warehouses, roundabouts, the occasional truck. It lasts about 30 km before you hit Pisa.
Pisa is worth a stop even if you’ve seen the Leaning Tower a hundred times in photos. The Piazza dei Miracoli is genuinely impressive in person, and the crowds thin out noticeably after 5 pm. I parked in the lot near the train station and walked over — it’s about 15 minutes and saves you the €5-8 tourist lot fees closer to the tower.
Cinque Terre: the obvious detour that delivers
You can’t drive into the Cinque Terre villages, but the SS1 gives you the approach.
Just north of La Spezia, the SS1 becomes the SP1 provincial road, and this is where the driving gets genuinely dramatic. The road hugs the cliffs above the Ligurian Sea, with the five Cinque Terre villages — Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterosso al Mare — tucked into the coves below. You can’t see all of them from the road, but the views of the coastline are spectacular.
If you want to visit a village, park in La Spezia and take the train. The Cinque Terre Express runs roughly every 20 minutes and costs around €5 per ride. Driving into the villages themselves is restricted to residents only, and the parking that does exist is expensive and fills up by 9 am.
The SP1 between La Spezia and Sestri Levante is narrow, winding, and has blind corners. Motorcycles love it, but if you’re in a rental car you’re not used to, take it slow. Locals drive fast and know every curve.
Sestri Levante: the quiet payoff at the end
Sestri Levante is the reward for not stopping earlier.
The town sits on a small peninsula with two beaches: the Baia del Silenzio (Bay of Silence) on one side and the wider Baia delle Favole (Bay of Fairy Tales) on the other. It’s less crowded than the Cinque Terre towns, more relaxed, and has a proper old town with good restaurants that don’t feel like tourist traps.
I stayed two nights at a small hotel near the Baia del Silenzio. The beach is pebbly, not sandy, so bring water shoes if you plan to swim. The town is walkable in about 20 minutes end to end, and the train station connects directly to Genoa and Milan if you want to continue north without the car.
Via Aurelia vs A12 autostrada: which should you take?
The choice comes down to time versus experience.
| Factor | Via Aurelia (SS1) | A12 Autostrada |
|---|---|---|
| Distance (Rome to Sestri Levante) | ~480 km | ~420 km |
| Driving time (no stops) | 7-8 hours | 4-5 hours |
| Tolls | None | ~€25-30 |
| Scenery | Coastal cliffs, hill towns, Etruscan sites | Highway barriers, tunnels, industrial zones |
| Best for | Slow travellers, photographers, motorcyclists | Anyone on a tight schedule |
- Take the Via Aurelia if you have a full day and want to see Tarquinia, Pisa, and the Ligurian coast without paying tolls.
- Take the A12 if you’re on a tight schedule or need to reach Sestri Levante by early afternoon.
- Split the difference: take the SS1 from Rome to Pisa, then hop on the A12 for the final stretch to Sestri Levante.
Before you drive the Via Aurelia
Is the Via Aurelia safe for a rental car?
Yes, but take it slow on the SP1 section near Cinque Terre. The road is narrow and locals drive fast. Stick to the speed limits and use pull-offs to let faster traffic pass.
Where should I stop for lunch?
Try the Osteria del Mare in Venturina Terme for fresh seafood, or grab a quick panino at the Antica Bottega di Pisa near the Piazza dei Miracoli. Both are reliable and reasonably priced.
Can I do this drive in winter?
Yes, the road is open year-round. Passo del Bracco can get icy in January and February, so check conditions before you go. The route is actually rated for all 12 months by Outdooractive.
Is the Via Aurelia overrated?
Parts of it are. The stretch through Livorno is industrial and boring, and the road between Tarquinia and Venturina Terme is mostly flat farmland. The magic is in the sections near the coast and the final approach to Sestri Levante.
Do I need a drone to capture the views?
Not at all, but if you want aerial shots of the coastline, a compact drone like the DJI Mini 4K is easy to pack and doesn’t require registration in Italy since it’s under 249g. Just remember that drone use is restricted in national parks like Cinque Terre.
Why I’d drive the Via Aurelia again tomorrow
I’ve driven the A12 twice, and both times I arrived in Sestri Levante feeling like I’d missed something. The Via Aurelia gave me the opposite feeling — I arrived tired, sure, but also full. I’d seen Etruscan tombs, eaten a mediocre panino in a parking lot overlooking the sea, watched Ethan try to skip stones on a beach that Romans probably used, and pulled over four times just to take photos of the same stretch of coast from different angles. That’s the whole point of a road trip, isn’t it? Not the destination, but the hundred small decisions you make along the way. For more ideas on how to slow down and see Italy properly, check out my guide to Italy adventures from a content creator’s perspective.
Sources and further reading
Outdooractive. “Via Aurelia: From Rome to Sestri Levante.” 🔗
Helmtube. “SS1 Via Aurelia.” 🔗
Related reading on Emily in Italy
Rome Hotel Guide: Finding Your Perfect Neighborhood — Helps you pick where to stay in Rome before you hit the road north.
Rome in February: Enjoying a Quiet, Cool Visit — Tips for visiting Rome in the off-season, which pairs well with a winter drive on the Via Aurelia.
Rome’s Christmas Markets & Shops — If you’re driving the Via Aurelia in December, this guide helps you plan a festive stop in Rome first.
Explore Rome’s Filming Locations from Conclave — A fun way to see Rome differently before you set out on the Aurelia.