ARIES
These initiative-taking signs find their match in the METRO. Aries march to the beat of their own drum, just like the underground, which carves its own path–no need to vie with all the cars, bikes, people, and vespas competing on the main roads. The determination of these rams can easily be likened to the building of a metro line through cold, hard rock. (The construction of the Metro line C in Rome, for example, has gone through delays on delays as they keep stumbling upon archeological sites.) When they know what they want, Aries can focus on their goals like nobody’s business–they’ve got tunnel vision at its tunnelliest. Italy has but six metro networks–in Rome, Milan, Naples, Turin, Genova, and Catania–making them as rare and special as Aries’ courage. True, these systems may not have reached their peak potential–you could never compare them to the networks, say, in New York or London, and stops, especially in Rome, always seem to be shut down. But head to Naples and you’ll actually find some of the city’s coolest art underground, thanks to the Art Stations project. At their best, Aries are energetic, fun, and lively, and the metro a quick and easy way to get from point A to point B. At their worst, Aries are rebellious, wild, hot-tempered, and ready to fight to the death–all skills needed to navigate Rome’s famously chaotic metro at rush hour.
TAURUS
These earth signs appreciate the finer things in life, and what could be finer than a TAXI? If it’s hassle-free, it’s Taurus approved, and taxis may just be the only mode of transportation in Italy that doesn’t require copious amounts of planning, time, and, most importantly, energy. These bulls certainly know how to put in the work, but they won’t take one step further than they have to–both metaphorically and literally. Comfort and convenience are core Taurean values, ones easily matched by taxis, which in Italy sport the color white; coordinating public transportation schedules, searching for parking (of which there never seems to be any here), and being behind the wheel in traffic are Tauruses’ worst nightmares. You’ll never catch a Taurus rushing to get ready or sprinting for a train; the door-to-door service of a taxi is the only thing worthy of these luxury lovers (but don’t call them lazy!!). Taxis in Italy are particularly expensive, as there’s a very limited number of licenses and low competition (only a few cities here allow Uber and other similar car services); while countries like Spain boast stats like 0.97 taxis for every 1,000 inhabitants and France 0.87, Italy clocks in at a disappointing 0.51 taxis per thousand. No matter though, because Tauruses are also famous for their indulgences–which, cough cough, means they know their way around a bottle of Chianti or Pugnitello–and after a few too many on a Friday night, we all know that a taxi’s the way to go.
GEMINI
Curious cats these twins are, and the TRENO REGIONALE is the best way to explore the off-the-beaten-path corners of Italy. Connectivity is key for these air signs, who love to network, matchmake, and gossip. Italy’s regional trains, likewise, act as our country’s veins, connecting the smaller towns and villages like lifeblood thanks to 16,723 kilometers’ worth of tracks. These social signs just can’t stay put; you might run into them at five different parties in the span of a night–their schedule is about as packed as the stops on a regional line! You’ll find a whole social scene on the regional train too, with snogging teens during after-school hours and families sharing lunch leftovers. Quick-witted Geminis are known for their adaptability, and, in Italy, the regional train really is the people’s mode of transportation, reaching speeds of 150 km per hour on average. We find the duality of the Gemini here too: the worst ones are rusty, rickety, and feel like they’re just a centimeter away from falling off the rails, while the best ones are clean, sleek, multi-storied, and unshakeable.
CANCER
Comfort-loving Cancers are the TRAM, also known as the streetcar or the trolley. These homebodies value a slow-pace of life, a speed that’s matched by the tram, which rarely clocks in above a few kilometers per hour. With strong ties to family and community, these water signs are most often associated with tradition, and the tram really might be Italy’s most family-friendly form of transportation. We can’t think of anything more nostalgic than the historic, vintage tram systems of Italy; there are about 15 networks left in eight different regions, with the mustard-yellow trams of Brera and Trieste’s Tram de Opcina, which has been connecting the city center to the town of Villa Opicina on the hill since 1902, among the most famous. (It was Turin’s, however, that was Italy’s first in 1872.) These crabs shuffle towards safety and security–change scares them–and Italy’s trams certainly haven’t been refashioned. Many still boast the original timber interiors and all-around glazing from the early 1900s!
LEO
A bit showy, a bit impractical, but impossible not to love. Leos and VESPAS are pretty iconic, aren’t they? In ruby red, seafoam green, and sunflower yellow, Vespas are unabashedly stylish, making bold and confident statements worthy of a Leo. Confidence and charisma are the two Cs that define these lions, who are naturally drawn to the spotlight. There’s a reason these little scooters have graced the silver screen, from Nanni Moretti’s summer-loving Caro Diario to Roman Holiday, in which Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck caper around the capital aboard one. Vespas clearly can be a bit attention seeking–in an elegant, understated way that fits the Leo aesthetic and taste for the finer things in life. Leos are one of the most playful zodiac signs, and it’s easy as pie to imagine them zipping between cars and fuori città, fuori città, fuori città, fuori città on a 50 Special as singing sensation Lunapop would say.
VIRGO
Virgos, known for their analytical and methodical thinking, are representative of the CAR. They pay attention to details and have a keen eye for precision–two characteristics that cars made in Italy are known for too. Whether behind the wheel of Fiat’s compact 500s and 600s or that of the head-turning Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Mazeratis, driving in Italy takes a certain amount of gumption and scrupulousness. With their perfectionist tendencies, Virgos would be pros at navigating the tight (tight!) streets and sticky situations common when driving in Naples or Rome; being able to have situations like these under control is one of Virgo’s greatest prides. Virgos are independent, but not in the lone way that Sagittarians are, nor in the mysterious methods of the Scorpio. These earth signs, rather, are the mothers of every friend group; they bear the burdens of their friends and families single-handedly on their shoulders. (We’d take a bet that these virtuous maidens make up the majority of designated drivers.) It’s a role that they’re usually happy to take on–Virgos have a natural inclination to help others and contribute to the well-being of those around them–but it’s easy for them to feel underappreciated. So, next time your favorite Virgo is getting you home safely after a few too many ombre or maneuvering the hairpin turns of the Liguria Ponente, make sure to send a little love their way.
LIBRA
Libras are all about balance, and so is the ALTA VELOCITÀ (AV)–balancing the country, that is. Thanks to this train network, you can have a babà in Naples for breakfast, amatriciana for lunch in Rome, and costoletta for dinner in Milan. You better believe these trains–which connect Turin, Milan, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples, Salerno, and Reggio Calabria–are as sleek as a Libra. The horoscope’s natural flirts, Libras are sure to get anyone’s blood pumping, just like the speeds of the AV (it’s in the name after all!). With three categories of trains–Frecciarossa (“Red Arrow”), Frecciargento (“Silver Arrow”), and Frecciabianca (“White Arrow”)–the AV network is the aorta of Italy, just like fun-loving Libras are for their friend groups. These balancers love to be around people all the time, and they’re more or less up for everything, which means they’re pros at appeasing differing desires and keeping the vibe positive. They’ll both get the job done, but don’t expect either the AV or a Libra to be on time, however, as these air signs are notorious for being (fashionably) late. While the train may be an hour behind for “imprevisti sulla carreggiata” (“unexpected delays”), a Libra is most likely still in bed. But how can you blame them? Doing everything everywhere all at once isn’t that easy, you know!
SCORPIO
These daredevils are the ALISCAFO, or hydrofoil, the high-speed boats that you can take to the likes of the Aeolian Islands or Capri, Ischia, or Procida. Hydrofoils are as direct as a Scorpio; these sharp-tongued signs may hold their cards close, but when they want to sting, they certainly don’t hold back. Because of this, Scorpios are often mistaken for fire signs, though they’re in fact water signs, like an aliscafo, deriving their strength from the spiritual element. Scorpios indeed have an ability to navigate deep emotional waters with a certain grace. Rather than take Italy’s slow-going ferries, thrill seekers will find more of an adventure in the hydrofoil, whose two skis make it seem like it’s almost floating atop the water. Come bad weather, however, the ride will be capital R rocky; rolling with a Scorpio may also be a bit nauseating, but it’s guaranteed to be completely exhilarating. Scorpios are marked by passion, intensity, and control, and a hydrofoil might just be the best way to feel the sea’s penchant for all three.
SAGITTARIUS
Adventure-loving Sagittarians’ need for freedom is satisfied by the BICYCLE. These fire signs value independence above all else, and there’s nothing like a bike for taking you wherever you want whenever you want. Le biciclette is personal freedom at its finest (think Call Me By Your Name vibes). A zest for life follows Sagittarians on all their travels, whether they’re zipping down the mountain sides of the Dolomites on a mountain bike, cruising through the cobbled city streets of Florence, or loading up a wicker basket in the markets of Palermo. These swashbucklers would certainly be game for the Giro d’Italia, Italy’s famed three-week bike race, typically held in May. The Grand Tour competition was first organized in 1909 by the newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport to promote the publication, but, over the century, has become one of the oldest and most beloved cycling races globally, with a new route every year traversing various terrains and regions. This year’s loops around a good three quarters of the country for a total of 3,386.7 kilometers. Here in Italy, the bike is a veritable companion for all sorts of adventures, big or small–in the spirit of Sagittarius, the bike emphasizes the joy of the journey. Also, most Italians don’t wear helmets, a habit we can’t condone but that’s very Sag. These archers aren’t shy to take up space, which anyone who’s ever had to share the road with an Italian lycra-clad bike enthusiast will surely know.
CAPRICORN
In line with their tendency to stand on their own two feet, these independent individuals like to go A PIEDI (by foot). These earth signs deeply value self-reliance, which means that they solve their own problems, take responsibility for their own actions, and pave their own paths. Here in Italy, there are many such paths that have been historically tread, like the Cammino dei Borghi Silenti, Via degli Dei, and the Via Francigena. The latter, now a hiking trail, was originally a pilgrimage route from Canterbury, England, to Rome before taking on another purpose of trade–practical like a Capricorn. Though the Via Francigena fell into disuse, centuries’ worth of feet wearing away at the cobblestoned Roman track, the route was able to be recreated through Archbishop Sigeric the Serious’s travel diary from the year 990. The Archbishop must have been a Capricorn, for that forward-thinking meticulousness is a hallmark of these goats. It’s no coincidence that these hiking trails span multiple countries: there’s no sign with more endurance than a Capricorn, and they’re not afraid to play the long game to achieve success.
AQUARIUS
What could be better for these air signs than a mode of transportation that quite literally gets you airborne? The CABLE CAR, also known as an aerial tramway or gondola. Just like an Aquarius, cable cars urge you to see the bigger picture. These water bearers are veritable conversation mates, especially when it comes to philosophical topics and the greater good. A cable car, too, doesn’t get bogged down in the details, by the rocks, snow, and rough terrain; they’re above all that. Aquarians love to climb the proverbial mountain when it comes to being unique. Non-traditional is the name of their game, and the same could be said of Italy’s gondolas. Each new one that opens seems to be upping the stakes when it comes to innovation. There’s the pine-green Laveno Mombello Cable railway in Lake Maggiore that takes you up 1,100 meters in 16 minutes in an egg-cup-like shape that fits two people standing. Then there’s the Skyway Mont Blanc in Valle d’Aosta, which broke the “Europe’s Highest Cable Car” record and whose cabins spin around for the 360° views of the Alps, including peaks like the Matterhorn and Monte Rosa. Aquarians loveee to break a record too; they’re all about progress! and ascending slopes that have never been ascended before! For this challenge-loving constellation, it’s more about the journey–but sometimes it’s also about the destination.
PISCES
With a natural (read: cosmological) affinity for water, Pisces are in harmony with the TRAGHETTO, or ferry. These little fishes are imaginative, and poetic, and if you’ve ever taken a ferry to the mountainous island of Giglio or the black-soiled Stromboli, you’ll know just how romantic these watercrafts can be–their gentle, rhythmic movements certainly rock us into a dreamy state. Good thing Pisces are pros at going with the flow: like a ferry, these adaptable water signs are able to move with the tides and take waves in stride. Pisces are also known for seeking moments of escape and tranquility, and what could be more of a peaceful escape than one of Italy’s islands? Serene, peaceful, and off-the-beaten path, our country’s 450 islands are serviced by 350 ferry routes and 63 ports. Moments away from the hustle and bustle are like balm to Pisces, and there’s nothing that soothes them more than the sea breeze blowing through their hair on the upper deck of a ferry, misty islands in the distance.
