Regarding roads.

Get a copies of The Touring Club of Italy maps. Black roads are autostrada and you are not permitted on those roads. You are permitted on all other roads. Red roads are usually very busy, followed by yellow then white. White roads are more of a local road and are usually very short and pretty difficult to go any real distance using white roads.

The rule is red roads are busier than yellow. But there are exceptions to the rule as they go both ways.