My first Trip to Italy

Since this is a first trip to Italy, it may be helpful for you to know that most travelers find that having a rental car in Florence and Rome [edited] is not necessary and more trouble than it's worth, due to difficulties with parking and something called ZTL's (zones of limited traffic). If you decide to have the rental car while in Florence, the advice being given on this and other travel forums is to not book accommodations in the Florence historic center.

If you want more info about the above, let us know and details can be provided.

Hi Kent,

Thanks for the reply. I have no intention of having my car in Rome. My plan was to return it to the airport and take a train into the city. My plan was to spend 3 nights in the Florence/Tuscany area. would you recommend staying outside Florence and take transport into the city? Thanks for the insight.

Eric

"Would you recommend staying outside Florence and take transport into the city?"

The thing that has caused a number of travelers grief is trying to sleep in the Florence historic center (which is included in the ZTL) AND park a rental car overnight. The advice usually given is to do one or the other, but not try to do both of those, not in Florence.

Technically, it's possible to park overnight and still sleep in the Florence historic center, but it seems that about 90% of travelers on this forum don't try it.

If you decide to have a car in Florence, it's best to book accommodations that are not located in the Florence historic center, and instead get accommodations that are near highway routes and specifically say on their website or in an e-mail that they will provide overnight parking and what the price of that is.

This is a link to a discussion thread that will give you some background information on what the problem is, in Florence, with trying to drive a rental car into the historic center

http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm?fuseaction=readtopic&topicID=28422&page=2

See Anne's post from yesterday, reporting that she received multiple fines for $1,000 for driving a rental car into the Florence historic center ZTL's:

http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm/rurl/topic/8252/questionable-trafffic-ticket-from-arezzo.html

Here's a suggestion...Don't rent a car! Trains & buses are alot less of a hassle in the towns you mentioned. Read Rick's guidebook.

My understanding...having researched, but not yet been...is if you want to see the beautiful tuscan countryside outside Florence is to rent a car. Having said that I agree...do not stay in Florence historic center! We have a B&B booked in a small town (Calenzano) outside Florence. We plan to do day trips to Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Siena and a wine tour with the car and leave it in the parking lots outside the historic centers of the towns. I am hoping this is right as I also am afraid of the dreaded ZTLs and the fines they bring.

Hi Sheree,

Thanks for the reply. I plan on staying at a agritourism type place in Greve in Chianti and do just as you suggested....day trips around the area. The wine tour by car sounds great and if you have suggestions...I would love to hear them.