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Driving Tuscany/Umbria April 2025 incl Holy Week

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My partner and I will be flying to Rome in early April. The plan is to immediately take the train from FCO ti Florence, visit Florence 3 days and then pick up a car.
Questions:

1) We will use a major car rental agency. Should we pick up the car at the airport in Florence (p/u is on a Saturday most likely) drive throughout Tuscany and Umbria and return to Florence, then take train back to Rome airport OR should we returm the car to a)Rome airport b)another location between. Orvieto and Rome? Our main concerns are a)traffic and those LTZ zones b)we will be returning the car on Easter Monday which apparently is a big holiday in Italy - how do we confirm the car rental office will be open?

2) Based upon what I have read, it will be busy/crowded in Assisi where we will spend the Easter Holy Days. I have made dinner reservations for 4/17, 4/18. Should I go ahead and make reservations for 4/19 and Easter Sunday as well? Any recommendations?
3)Has anyone used a private guide (I believe Rick has recommendations in his travel book I gave my partner) in Florence and if so, for what tours?

3) Rick recommends going "off the path" in Florence to Oltrano. Thoughts?

Any additional thoughts, suggestions would be very much appreciated!

Posted by
155 posts

Leaving Florence from the train station car park where most of the rental cars are isn't too bad. You can avoid the ZTL. Roberto in this forum has several posts and maps you can find if you search. But availability might depend on what time on Saturday you want to pick up, the places in the city are all independent and typically have more limited hours. The websites when you book typically have the hours, though I do not know about holiday hours. I wouldn't expect the smaller places to be open on Easter Monday, but I don't have specific info on that. Might have to call/email to verify before booking. I suspect returning to an airport probably more of a safe bet on a day like that.

Where are you staying in Tuscany/Umbria before heading to Rome? Returning the car in Rome will incur a one-way fee, but may be less out of the way that going all the way back to Florence and then having a 2 hr train ride in addition.

We did a guided tour of the Uffizi that started just at/before opening, that we found on Viator or Get Your Guide. She was super knowledgeable, if a bit too detailed for our group. But I think I enjoyed the museum a little more with a guide since Renaissance Art sin't really my thing. We also did a food walking tour which was a lot of fun, there are several companies that do it.

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