Hi, we'll be arriving in Florence by train and spending a few days in the city before renting a car to see some of the Tuscan towns nearby. We are staying on via Dante, San Giovanni area - right in the middle between Piazza della Signoria and the big Duomo. Do I have to head back to the train station to rent a car, or are there little garages through the city? As well, we will need it for two days.. any tips on parking overnight? Bring it back to the rental place or keep it nearby?
thanks...
The rental area is at Borgo Ognissanti and around it. There are supplementary rental garages, but out of the center area.
Basically you are in the very middle of a large pedestrian area, you are not even authorized to enter it unless you have a parking place ready. So you either find a private parking garage (be sure they register your accesses or you will be paying a ton of ZTL fines); or you park at a parking silo like Piazza Beccaria or Parterre just outside the ZTL area. You can technically access some center areas and park on the street - if you can find a spot - for the night put at 7.30am the ZTL kicks in again and parking is no more allowed.