Commuter parking lot in Florence

Rick suggests that "all of them" have bus and taxi service, see p. 471 in the Italy book or abbreviated version online. See also the map at http://www.firenzeparcheggi.it/index.php?id=99.

Thank you, will check out the book!

I don't understand. You say that you are not staying in the city center (or anywhere near), but you also say that your street is within the ZTL. That is not possible. If your street is in the ZTL then you are staying inside the historical center of Florence. Could you tell me where exactly you are staying (exact address) and whether you will have a car while you stay there? That way I can tell you how to go about parking your car.

map: https://www.google.com/maps/search/parking+in+florence/@43.7730834,11.2369217,13.5z

Roberto,
I am under the impression that ZTL are more of a revenue source, rather than an actual attempt to alleviate city centre congestion (as in London, for instance). I'm staying on Ventisette Aprile, so any suggestions of lots convenient to that location would be much appreciated. I know there's parking by the train station, but pretty sure I'll pass by ZTL-identified streets on the way there.

Ellen,

"and I know they're ruthless about issuing those tickets."

I wouldn't characterize the authorities as being "ruthless" in Florence, as the ZTL areas are enforced by automated cameras. That's a scenario that doesn't have any bias - if you pass through a camera, you get a ticket. It doesn't matter if the offender is a local resident, a tourist from somewhere else in Europe or a North American tourist, everyone is treated the same.

Ken,

Fair enough; I could have phrased better. Of course, the technology has no bias. What I meant was that in Italy, unlike other countries, ZTL is seemingly random and more of a "tourist tax" than an actual concern for historical centre preservation (as I said in an earlier comment). Even for someone fully aware and speaking Italian, they're awfully hard to avoid - tiny signs posted in a haphazard fashion, confusing maps, and the areas are often not in the city centres, but somewhere where a tourist will likely drive (e.g. the street where the car rental is located AND where the nearest - to the car rental place - gas station is located. Coincidence or "tourist tax"?). Plus, the appeal process from outside the country is nearly impossible.

Via 27 Aprile in Florence is right in the centre not very far from San Lorenzo and Piazza dell'indipedenza. So of course there will be ZTL.
Many streets in the areas are narrow so it would be difficult to accept everybody in these narrow streets. Should you agree to take a taxi, you would not have to bother about ZTL

Françoise,

That's exactly what I'm looking for - a parking lot (preferably one that won't break the bank), from which I could either walk or take public transportation/ taxi back to the apartment. Recommendations gratefully accepted.

Dear Ellen, I live in Florence, and I can tell you for sure that ZTL is a big inconvenience mainly to Florentines. We have to time our visits and transportation needs to ZTL times, or ask for temporary authorizations that are not so cheap and a nuisance to get. For you, it is a problem lasting four days - for us, it is a problem lasting a life. Unfortunately, the city center is already saturated with the few residents' cars already allowed and it would not be possible to give everybody free access.

The parking silo under the Parterre (access from via Madonna della Tosse) is twelve minutes walking from via 27 Aprile, it is very large and has long term tickets.

Thank you, lachera, for the recommendation! And, yes, I see how it affects the locals as well (although I personally would consider it a small price to pay for living in a gorgeous place like Florence). Somewhat hypocritically, I never grumble about fees like that locally - E.g. having to pay a small fortune each time I drive into NYC.

ZTL is seemingly random
No. It's not random at all. It's always in the city center of a city. Generally inside the historical core of ancient towns which are most likely to need relief from congestion due to the very narrow medieval streets.

and more of a "tourist tax"
Not really, since the victims of the fines are in most cases the Italians. Most foreigners actually don't bother to pay them. 60% of traffic fines in Florence (and the rest of Italy) go unpaid. Only 22% of those issued to foreigners are ever paid.

than an actual concern for historical centre preservation
Actually they were created not only for the purpose of preserving ancient monument from the fumes and the soot created by cars, but also to remove traffic congestion and enhance the "experience" of visitors who could so enjoy the medieval city centers free of cars and fumes. If you visited Florence before 1988, when the ZTL was introduced, you would have understood. To drive from my University Business School (at the time located on Via Curtatone) to the Ponte Vecchio along the river Arno (less then one mile), it was a 30 minutes affair on bumper to bumper traffic with plenty of fumes from car exhaustion pipes. It was not a pretty picture. Manhattan at rush hour was less congested and polluted. Now tourists can walk in the middle of the road and enjoy the views of Florence just like people did 500 years ago. So the ZTL was actually created for the benefit of visitors like you. Actually locals, except for restaurant and shop owners who benefit from increased tourist foot traffic, find it very inconvenient because they basically can't use their cars anymore and must organize their lives around the ZTL exactly like Iachera said. And it is not a 2 day inconvenience, it's a lifetime inconvenience to them.

Even for someone fully aware and speaking Italian, they're awfully hard to avoid - tiny signs posted in a haphazard fashion
This is not true. All ZTL entrances have clearly marked "Do Not Enter" signs and in Florence even a street light which turns red when the ZTL is in effect. Actually in Florence the signs are posted in both Italian and English, therefore one cannot say they are there to confuse foreigners. To this day I have yet to see road signs in America that are in Italian for the benefit of Italian tourists (not even in NYC).

and the areas are often not in the city centres, but somewhere where a tourist will likely drive (e.g. the street where the car rental is located AND where the nearest - to the car rental place - gas station is located. Coincidence or "tourist tax"?).
This is totally FALSE. The entire ZTL in Florence (and in all other cities) is inside the historical city center. Actually the area where the rental cars are located (Borgo Ognissanti) is the only area of the city center which can be entered without necessarily pass under a ZTL camera. People who get a fine is because they get lost and take the wrong turn. If I take the wrong turn and enter a one way street against the flow of traffic in San Francisco, I can assure you I will be fined.

Plus, the appeal process from outside the country is nearly impossible.
I can guarantee you that they are less cumbersome than for visitors in the US who wish to contest a traffic fine in America. To do so in any US jurisdiction you must appear in court in person. In Italy they let you do so over the mail by writing to the Prefect or the Judge of Peace. Yes the letter must be in the local language (Italian), and if one does not speak it, will need to ask for the assistant of a translator, but the same is true in America, where court proceedings are also in English only.

The closest public parking lots are at the Parterre and at the Fortezza da basso. Both cost 2 euro/hour (up to 20 euro a day).
Closer to Via XXVII Aprile there is also a private Garage (on via Poggi), called Garage Indipendenza. I think they charge substantially more. You can drive to the corner of via Santa Caterina d'Alessandria and via XXVII Aprile. You need to enter via Santa Caterina D'Alessandria from the north end and drive south toward the Piazza Indipendenza. You cannot turn on Via XXVII aprile from there, because that street from that corner to Piazza San Marco is a bus lane only and there is a camera that will take a picture of your car if you try.
The best thing would be to return the car to the car rental office as soon as you arrive in Florence and proceed by taxi to your accommodations. If you need the car after your Florence visit, and prefer to park it for your entire stay, then the afore mentioned parking locations are your best options.

Why would it be a "tourist tax"? It mainly affects people who live in the city and has to avoid the areas every day. It is enforced by cameras that don't know if you are a tourist, a resident etc. And to say it is conveniently located around places for tourists, like gas stations and rental cars... For sure those are not the only places around there... Maybe offices, shops and homes of residents are around there as well, don't you think? I agree with everything Roberto said.

Ellen, what I wanted to say is why are you coming to Florence by car if you do not want or need to use it? Where are you coming from? Also there is some parking Area around the Santa Maria Novella. There are also private garages where you can park your car and which costs between 20-30 euros.

Also where ver you park, you can walkable it to your apartment which is in the centre ( San Lorenzo, Piazza Dell' indipedenza), from the station it is a maximum of 10 minutes' walk, from oltrarno 20 min.
From 8.30 p.m to 7 a.m there are streets where you can park but before or after these times, no way!

Many thanks, everyone (especially Roberto), for recommendations; added them all to my file.
Francoise, good question. The short answer is - Florence is where my family is, so I'm using it as my home base, while I spend my days driving around the countryside. (Most of my parking, thus, will be nights and evenings.) Not the cheapest or most efficient way of going about things, but I have limited vacation time, so it's the only way I get to see both (Tuscany AND family, that is).

I understand better not, Ellen.
Maybe this could be helpful:
https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-maps/parking-lots-in-florence.html