For those who may be driving into/out of Florence, the link below will provide you with a map of the "Zona a Traffico Limitato," areas where you need a special permit to drive. My Italian is limited, but I believe the roads marked in yellow, "Itinerari Transito Consentito" are routes that can be used to transit across various areas without a permit...I hope someone will confirm that. As you can see, the tourist areas are generally covered by these restrictions. I have been told by a friend who's driven in Florence that you can ask your hotel to file your rental car's license with police and you will be able to travel in the one restricted zone where the hotel is located....but make sure they actually DO it....double and triple check, and if they say they don't know if they can, then stay somewhere else. The map also shows locations of some guarded parking facilities. http://www.comune.firenze.it/servizi_pubblici/trasporti/mappaztl.htm
Posted by
Delta, BC, Canada
18 posts
Thanks for the map Norm. My Italian is surely worse than yours, but when I plug the phrase "Itinerari Transito Consentito" into an on-line translator, I get "Routes Concurred Transit", which sounds like the meaning you infer.
Posted by
Whitby, Ontario, Canada
9 posts
Thanks for the info. We too are driving a rental in Florence for 2 days. I'm getting a (IDP) International Drivers Permit from here in Toronto at my local CAA. The cost is $15.00 and I need to provide a passport like picture and a valid drivers license. No test and I found out you get it on the spot, it's good for 1 year. At least they drive on the right side of the road in Italy.
Moe
Whitby, Ontario
Posted by
Hendersonvlle, NC
486 posts
Susan,
Hope you understand what an International Driving Permit is and is not. IT is not a license. Basically, it is a translation of yours so that the police in another country will understand what your license says.
Posted by
Myrtle Beach, USA
12313 posts
Your hotel can get you a permit to drive into the city center. We don't do reservations until the morning before we arrive so had to find parking and hoof it to the hotel (glad we pack light).
I enjoyed the "adventure" of driving in Italy. Don't rely on signs. Very few, if any, roads are marked. If driving, I strongly suggest getting or bringing a GPS to help get around, preferably one that can keep you from getting fined.
We knew there were driving restrictions for the city center but we were never sure if we were in it or not. I never got a fine in the mail, so I guess we were okay.
With my limited l'Italiano, I continually asked directions from locals (who usually didn't know) until we found where we were going.
Lodging in Florence is the worst and most expensive in Italy (opinion shared by every traveller we talked to). For that reason, and the fine for driving, I recommend people find a place outside the city with public transport in.
Posted by
Sheboygan, Wisc., USA
934 posts
For anyone who only needs one day in Florence I would suggest staying in Siena two nights and using the full day to bus to Florence.Easy bus trip and for me one full day in Florence is enough.