Anyone familiar driving in Florence? Opinion Needed

My thoughts. I have rented a car at Via Borgognissanti and driven out of Florence to Lucca. I have no idea to this day how I managed to drive out of Florence! I vowed that I would never do that again, and I haven't. Now I find the best place to rent a car is at an airport or train station, airport in your case.

So, I would either take a taxi early and get the car and come back. OR, pack up everyone and get the car. This avoids the ZTL completely and gives you easy access to the autostrada.

You don't mention how you arrive in Florence but if flying rent the car then you get there. You don't mention where you are going after but I am sure you are gong to be on the A1 at some point so the airport is your best bet.

Thanks Gordon,

I so wanted to avoid the airport, added time/cost to get there and the typical longer waits that would entail.
Plus it costs more to rent from this airport location.
Is it really that difficult just to drive out of town from the rental place itself in Florence? Was this due to crazy traffic, one way streets, bad signage, crazy drivers, all of the above?

if I were returning the car to Florence I would likely opt for an airport return since I imagine that would be even more difficult.

We are arriving after dark and from Pisa airport so decided a driver/taxi would be best for us to arrive and rent the car after Florence.

Next destination is Pienza ; though had planned a few hour stop in Siena along the way. if we skipped Siena it looks like the fastest route to Pienza is via SP1
But if driving to Siena first would take
Raccordo Autostradale Firenze - Siena
Either way on a map the airport does not look closer/easier (on a map being the key words)

4 tickets, in 10minutes. Tried to block this part, I think it was 400 euros, exchange rate at the time $1.50. Never again

Ouch Mary, That will leave a mark!
Was this leaving Florence, entering Florence or too painful to recall?

What about Sunday morning vs. the Airport.
ZTL would not be a factor and maybe traffic at 9 AM on Sunday is light?
This was my option 2.

Were I in your shoes, my main concern would be how to move around during your stay. While Piazzale Michelangelo and San Miniato are served by buses, the residential area on the back is not much served. Apart from this problem, I do not see many problems on plan #1. You go to the rental place. As you get the car, you drive straight all the length of Borgo Ognissanti, still straight on Il Prato. At the end there is an ancient city door, there you are forced to turn right into the "viali", the circle around the center where once the city walls were. You follow the viali circuit till you cross the river at Ponte S. Niccolò and up to viale Michelangelo back to your accommodation. It will be a twenty minutes drive, more at peak times as the city is congested by extensive works.

About the ZTL: first, there are no checks when you are exiting, the trouble is when you are entering. The itinerary above gets you out of ZTL in two minutes. As all the ZTL is internal to the walls circuit, as long as you follow the circuit there is no risk.
About bus lanes: all forbidden bus lanes but one are internal to the walls circuit, so again no risk. - The only exception to this rule is a section of via Senese; cars coming from the highway to the city center should turn into via del Gelsomino. You should not be concerned about this - when leaving your accommodation you may be later driving via del Gelsomino, that is free in both direction.

Plan #2 is also possible, but choose it only if more convenient for you.

As I often see queues picking up cars in Borgo Ognissanti, if you have a three years old I would prefer options #1 and #2 to option #3.

Lachera,

Thank you so much your reply from a local was exactly what I was hoping could be done as option 1 is more convenient I believe but had concerns.

As to your concern, the B&B has a gate opening onto Erta Canina which is an old Roman pathway leading down to the city gates. I did read plenty of reviews of people who have stayed there and they all describe a very enjoyable and simple 10 wallk down the hill / car free pathway to reach the city gates.
if you google Erta Canina you will see the path in question, I looked at the area closely with google maps and the like to make sure it made sense.
The downside of course is the walk back up, since the path is not flat.
if we want to work off the Gelato after a day of site seeing we walk up, if not we take a taxi back and consider that added cost the cost of our view.
There is a bus service, line #12 or #13 that also do stop very close to the B&B but sounds like you have to request a stop from the driver when boarding.

If needing mid day to go back and take a nap or something along those lines, I agree this location is definitely not as convenient as staying more centrally located within the city gates.
At the time of booking I valued the parking spot highly, which now I don't really need but the view from the room does make up for any inconveniences so quite content with that.

Well, it looks like you have done your homework - you understand exactly that there is some walking to be done, and uphill when going home. Bus lines #12 and #13 are perfectly fine, you do not have to talk the driver but just request your stop by ringing a bell. I was mainly concerned about the Arcetri area that is more distant and not well connected, but your choice of via dell'Erta Canina looks perfectly fine.

Good to hear, thanks again. Your reply with the driving instructions was so very helpful to me.

Go with no. 1. To go to Your hotel, you might also go via Borgo Ognissanti, Via Curtatone, Lungarno Vespucci, Ponte Vespucci, viale Ariosto, viale Petrarca, Piazzale di Porta Romana, viale Galileo. It's probably shorter than the route around the viali. Just enter from Borgo Ognissanti to Piazzale di Porta Romana on google Maps and it will send you through the route described above.
Bus lanes are generally forbidden 24/7, unlike the ZTL.
If you return the car to Borgo Ognissanti, the Europcar return is actually at a different location. It's located at the Garage Excelsior on via Palazzuolo. You can reach it without incurring into the ZTL gate through via Maso da Finiguerra or from Via Dell'Albero. Google map can send you there. Go to Piazzale di Porta Romana and enter from there to the Garage Excelsior on via Palazzuolo. Google maps sends you thru the right path.