technolyte

When the exhaust system is looped like that, it usually results in a nice low grunt when pootling around but on full throttle it turns into a loud roar.

I'm about to embark on a similar trip in Feb but to Barcelona instead. I've done this exact trip you're doing a few times in around 20 hours with a short stop in an MR2 roadster - you'll definitely want to be using the toll roads in Italy, anything else for longer distance is pretty much unbearable in terms of road surface quality and I am on pretty thick sidewalls. Do keep in mind that you might approach one of the paid tunnels in the Alps with everything being all green and lush upon entering and then end up on the other side having a thick layer of snow. You won't be able to prepare for how the other drivers act on the road either, Italians are pretty insufferable in that regard with no lane discipline and speeding/tailgating even on busy roads in the middle of day. If you have to drive into Rome, make sure it's way past rush hour in the dark hours. During daytime you're better off with the public transport or even better, walk if you can. You might get stopped and asked about winter tyres, the only way to get out of a fine then is to show the police a pair of snow chains.