However, in tourist congested cities, cars can be more of a headache than a luxury. Plus, you are sharing the road with drivers that don t have the same sense of self preservation that you do. During the summer it is a necessity to make hotel reservations at least two days in advance. This insures you have a place to stay in a city and you are not wasting valuable time going from hotel to hotel. If you are not going to stay at a place you have made a reservation at, it is consider good etiquette to call and let them know you are canceling.
Hotels vary from the four star verity to little holes in the wall.
I suggest you pick up a guide book, listed in my guide book section, and check their recommendations. A good one is Rick Steves Italy. Hostels have gotten a bad rap in both the US and Italy. However, I found that though they were not the Hilton, they all provided a safe, quiet, cheap place to say. Most provided lockers for you to use or had lockdowns during the day when you are away.