2012 opened with an increase in gas prices in Italy and throughout Europe. Italy's average gas prices in January were 1.735 euro per liter for gasoline and 1.684 euro per liter for diesel, according to information from Renault Eurodrive, a company who arranges buy-back vacation car leases for travel of three weeks or longer. One US gallon is equal to 3.8 liters so Italy's gasoline price is about 6.59 euro per gallon ($8.67 at the current exchange rate of 1.315).
Additional taxes added to fuel prices made Italy's prices some of the highest in Europe. The highest average price for a liter of gasoline in January was 1.904 euro in Norway while the price in Italy's neighboring country of France was 1.609 euro. In Italy, some regions have also added an additional tax, such as the .01 added in Tuscany to assist towns damaged by last year's heavy flooding.
The cold weather has not been helping the gas prices in Italy, as the snow has made transportation a mess, along with strikes waged by the gasoline workers.
Mama Mia! Molto caro.