Once on the road in Ancona, the optimum route to Empoli would be as follows:
1: Start out going SOUTHWEST on VIA VENTINOVE SETTEMBRE toward LARGO CADUTI SUL MARE. 0.3 miles Map
2: VIA VENTINOVE SETTEMBRE becomes VIA GUGLIELMO MARCONI. <0.1 miles Map
3: Turn RIGHT onto BANCHINA GIOVANNI DA CHIO. <0.1 miles Map
4: Turn LEFT onto MOLO SUD. 0.3 miles Map
5: Turn LEFT onto VIA LUIGI EINAUDI. 0.2 miles Map
6: Take the E55 ramp toward A14 / SS76 / ROMA / PESARO. 1.2 miles Map
7: Stay STRAIGHT to go onto VIA FLAMINIA. 1.1 miles Map
8: Turn LEFT to take the E55 ramp toward A14 / SS76 / ROMA. <0.1 miles Map
9: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto VIA CONCA / SP4 / STRADA PROVINCIALE DEL VALLONE. Continue to follow SP4 / STRADA PROVINCIALE DEL VALLONE. 0.8 miles Map
10: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto ramp. 0.1 miles Map
11: Merge onto SS16 / STRADA STATALE ADRIATICA. 3.3 miles Map
12: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto ramp. 0.3 miles Map
13: Merge onto SS76 / STRADA STATALE DELLA VAL D'ESINO. 1.6 miles Map
14: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto ramp. 0.4 miles Map
15: Merge onto A14 toward BOLOGNA (Portions toll). 127.1 miles Map
16: Keep RIGHT to take A14 toward BOLOGNA CASALECCHIO / A1 / FIRENZE / E35 (Portions toll). 3.5 miles Map
17: Keep LEFT to take A1 toward FIRENZE (Portions toll). 56.6 miles Map
18: Take the S.G.C. FIRENZE-PISA-LIVORNO exit toward FIRENZE SCANDICCI. 0.7 miles Map
19: Take the ramp toward PISA / LIVORNO / SCANDICCI. 0.1 miles Map
20: Merge onto STRADA DI GRANDE COMUNICAZIONE FI-PI-LI. 11.9 miles Map
21: Take the ramp toward EMPOLI EST. 0.1 miles Map
22: Turn LEFT. 0.1 miles Map
23: Turn LEFT onto SS67 / VIA TOSCO-ROMAGNOLA / STRADA STATALE TOSCO-ROMAGNOLA. Continue to follow VIA TOSCO-ROMAGNOLA. 1.0 miles Map
24: VIA TOSCO-ROMAGNOLA becomes VIA JACOPO CARRUCCI. <0.1 miles Map
25: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto VIALE FRANCESCO PETRARCA. 0.1 miles Map
26: Turn LEFT onto VIA GIULIO MASINI. 0.4 miles Map
27: Turn LEFT onto VIA TINTO DA BATTIFOLLE. <0.1 miles Map
28: Turn RIGHT onto PIAZZA DELLA VITTORIA. <0.1 miles Map
29: Stay STRAIGHT to go onto VIA DEL GIGLIO. <0.1 miles Map
30: Turn LEFT onto VIA COSIMO RIDOLFI. <0.1 miles Map
31: VIA COSIMO RIDOLFI becomes PIAZZA DEL POPOLO. <0.1 miles Map
32: End at Empoli, Toscana IT Map
Total Est. Time: 3 hours, 18 minutes Total Est. Distance: 212.66 miles
Advanced OptionsShortest TimeShortest Distance
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If you want to see it mapped, use
http://www.mapquest.com/directions/europe.adp?go=1&do=nw&rmm=1&un=m&cl=EN&qq=hltF3hzNT9vgCYgFpG%252fDI6Zd139xgLqWl5mHnyn%252b%252b8o%253d&ct=EU&rsres=1&1y=IT&1a=&1c=Ancona&1z=&2y=IT&2a=&2c=Empoli&2z=&r=f The biggest portion is the Austostrada 14 toward Bologna and then the Austostrada 1 toward Florence. A team that could figure out this route and do it according to the estimated time would have arrived by about 2am, which Nathan and Jennifer may have done. Everyone else was 3 or more hours behind that.