After visiting Florence, we are going to stay in the Chianti region for a few days to explore there and Siena. Then we are headed east to Umbria and eventually, the adriatic coast. I had palnned to rent the car in Florence to drive through Chianti and to Siena, but I read in RS that Florence connects by bus to the Chianti region as well as Siena to the Chianti region. I understand that parking is a problem around Siena.
My question is, is the driving/parking at Siena a total headache? Would I be better off delaying the car rental until we leave Siena for Umbria? Or does the convenience of a car versus a bus during our stay in Chianti outweigh the negatives (negatives include having to rent the car in Florence.) Thank you for any advice.
Posted by
Roswell, Georgia, USA
4 posts
I was just in Siena with a rental car. There was plenty of parking available that required a short walk to the city center. I am not sure of the bus connections, but I found a car in the area a real time saver. I picked up my car in Rome and drove to the area, dropping my car in downtown Florence near the train station. I drove to Florence twice and got around fine. I did have a GPS navigation device however, and that really saved time and my patience. Driving in Tuscany and the cities can be confusing...consider the extra cost or bring a pre-loaded GPS with you from the states if you can.
Posted by
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
241 posts
I waited until a first reply. Robert's experience was much better than mine, but I did not have a GPS. I agree, a car in rural Tuscany is nigh unto essential. But pickup or drop off in downtown Florence is problematic, to say the least. Lot of one way, dead end little streets. AND, the area is restriced electronically. If your car is not registered, expect a ticket some months later. Get the car and get out of the downtown pronto.
Posted by
Reseda, CA, USA
196 posts
I took a train from Florence to Siena and rented a car to go wine tasting in Chianti. I only had the car for one day so parking was no issue. I rented and returned the same day. If you take the train to Siena just catch the bus at the station to the top of the hill and you are in old Siena. Make sure to book the car before you leave. I paid for not planning ahead... Happy Traveling!
Posted by
gaston, oregon, usa
842 posts
The bus between Florence and Sienna is fantastic, clean, modern, convient, and takes you into the heart of both cities. We used it for day trips into Florence when we styed in Sienna.
Take the previous writers advice, and buy a GPS in the states (the TOM TOM's come preloaded with maps of Europe) for navigating. We did not have a GPS on our trip a couple of weeks ago, and sure wish that we had! Our rental car agency (Auto Europe) had the option of a GPS for $80E week, but I heard that they were in Italian, and that would be a problem for me. You definately want a car for exploring the small towns, bu the bus between Flo and Sienna is great.
PS. follow Rick Steves advice........stay in Sienna rather than Florence. Sienna is magical at night!
Posted by
Mebane, NC, USA
1 posts
Absolutely rent a car...but make sure you get the GPS & ask when it was last updated. There is quite a bit of road construction going on (I just got back from a trip in which I drove from Milan to Siena & many places in between). Sometimes the GPS got confused due to the new roads being built.
Anyway...parking is not a problem in Sienna...it was very easy...just follow Rick's advice (I parked at the Stadium & it was simple). I also parked in Florence (not so easy, but I was successful).
Make sure you visit Greve in Chianti...you can park in the main plaza! Fantastico!!!
BTW-I rented my car from Hertz & was most pleased.
Posted by
Springfield
101 posts
We rented a GPS from autoeurope and it worked out fine. All voice commands were in English. They mail it to you right before you leave and you just mail it back (promptly) upon your return. We loved driving around, but if you have a queasy stomach (like me) be prepared, as the winding roads up to the hill towns can be like a ride at the amusement park.
Posted by
SULPHUR SPRINGS, TX, USA
251 posts
The bus we took from Rome to Siena and Siena to Florence was much nicer than any regional train we took in Italy.
In Siena, make sure you get off at the Gramsci station. There are two bus stations and Gramsci is much closer to the center of town. Two people asked the bus driver if we were at the Gramsci bus station and he said yes both times. We all got off but guess what, we were not at the Gramsci station. We ended up having to pay 8 Euros to get us to our hotel, which was a very short walk from the actual Gramsci station. If the station does not look like it is in a neighborhood, you are not at Gramsci.
Posted by
boulder, colorado
192 posts
Rent a car for your travels in Tuscany, but try to rent one outside of Florence. Take a train to a nearby town and rent it there. We rented one in Arezzo - right across the street from the train station and close to the autostata (the toll road) and the main highway. GPS is not necessary. If you have one you may not get lost, which is half the fun of driving the back roads. We visited many hilltowns I had never heard of which were as nice as the famous ones (actually better because we were the only tourists in town). We ran into a festival in Monte San Savano which was a great time. Lucignano was a nice hilltown as was San Quirico d'Orcia.
Posted by
Bel Air, MD, USA
261 posts
We rented a car with Autoeurope in Florence. It was easy to get out of town. Most of the town of Siena has traffico limitato signs, so you can't drive into town. There is plenty of free parking places near the fortress. We parked overnight there. Just watch out for which days the steet cleaners come or your car will get towed. There were 4 of us, so having a car was cheaper, and easier than taking buses or trains.