My wife and I will be in an Airbnb just outside Volterra for five nights. We will be in Italy mid April 2019. We want to utilize our rental car to do day trips to some surrounding towns. I have read on this forum how difficult driving into Florence is. I am wondering if anyone has a suggestion for an easy place to park and then take a taxi, bus or some type of shuttle into the tourist area of Florence?
Other day trips we are contemplating Pisa/ Lucca, San Gimignano/ Sienna. Are there any other recommendations for must see areas with a two hour drive of Volterra?
Also, after our 5 nights in Volterra we are planning to return the rental car to the train station in Florence prior to taking the train to our next destination, Rome. Is getting to the car rental lots near the train station going to be difficult?
I am a first time poster on this forum. Thanks for any advice.
Posted by
Portland, Oregon, United States
907 posts
San Gimignano is easily reached by car from Volterra and makes a good trip. There is parking but it is congested, but you are there in April so it shouldn't be a problem. There is a train station, with parking, at Poggibonsi and you can get to Florence easily from there.
The car returns in Florence are close to the train station and require driving in town, which, to me is stressful but doable. You could return it to the airport and catch a ride back to the train station, less hassle.
I have driven the San Gimignano - Pisa/Lucca route, it is hilly and windy and takes time. Take a look at Monteriggioni. I think you could do Siena in your time frame, and there is Certaldo as well. Or, Chianti, also hilly and takes time so I don't know if it is something you want to consider (Greve, Panzano, etc).
Have a great trip. Drop a message if you have specifics that I might address.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
You could make a southwest driving loop that takes in the hill town of Massa Maritima, the nearby geothermal activity at http://www.turismomonterotondomarittimo.it/biancane.php, maybe a bit of an Etruscan find at http://www.parchivaldicornia.it/it/ and a beach stop before circling back home.
Posted by
11656 posts
The train station has parking. Or there are parking lots outside of the city center with bus service to downtown.
Posted by
lexington, il
4105 posts
If you're planning on visiting Florence,this is the easiest parking lot in Florence.
https://www.parcheggiovillacostanza.it/en/
There are plenty of spaces, no worries about ZTLS and a tram into town.
If this is your first time driving in Italy, please read this and download their PDF for rules of the road and signage.
https://www.italybeyondtheobvious.com/dont-mess-with-ztl-zones
Posted by
OP
West Virginia
4 posts
Thanks for all your responses and great ideas. We are now only three weeks from the beginning of our trip. Very excited!
We did decide to return the car in Orvieto instead of Florence. I am hoping we can work in a trip to Civita Di Bagnoregio on the day of drop off.