Parking for Florence

We parked at a lot we saw outside of downtown and took a bus in and back.

There is a bus that takes about 20 minutes, which would be much faster than trying to drive/park. Runs every 1/2 hour. Check with your Villa host.

Bagno a Ripoli is a large municipality to the southeast of Florence (incidentally next to where I grew up) which includes several villages/districts (“frazioni” in Italian) as well large swaths of countryside where your villa is probably located. Knowing the exact location of the villa would help me determine which bus you could take and if your villa is even walking distance from a bus stop.

The most convenient parking lot closest to the city center For where you are is the one on Piazza Beccaria or even better, the S.Ambrogio Carpark on Largo Annigoni (near Piazza Beccaria). Both are underground lots. That is where I usually park (when in Florence I come from near where you are staying). You can walk to the center from both (S. Ambrogio is closer, but more likely to be full).
I’m posting the locations below. Save it in your Google Maps navigator in your phone.

Parking Beccaria
Piazza Cesare Beccaria, 50121 Firenze FI
055 5030 2209
https://goo.gl/maps/nELtCBXR5dfLa2Lm8

Parcheggio Sant’Ambrogio Firenze
Largo Pietro Annigoni, 9, 50122 Firenze FI
055 5030 2209
https://goo.gl/maps/caSmiMko9SQszi3p8

If you prefer to park farther from the center, coming from the general area of Bagno A Ripoli you have two choices. From both you would need a bus or taxi.

Parking exchanger Europe
50126 Florence, Metropolitan City of Florence
055 5030 2209
https://goo.gl/maps/zLm9SGvnYGrNRweA9

Or just park on Piazza Francia behind the Italiana Hotel (on the side of the hotel pool). There is a bus stop nearby (no. 23. A very frequent bus, every 5 min. There is also a Taxi stand there where there are usually taxis waiting for customers staying at the Italiana Hotel (a modern looking hotel).
Be aware that in Italy Blue stripes on the ground don’t mean Handicapped Parking (which are yellow in Italy) but rather Pay Parking. Find the ticket machine nearby, pay for the time you need and place the ticket on the dashboard). Unlike other Italian localities, white stripes do not necessarily mean free parking. Many are reserved to residents only (signs would indicate it if that is the case), therefore blue stripes are safer. I think large portion of Piazza Francia have blue stripes.

Piazza Francia
50126 Florence, Metropolitan City of Florence
https://goo.gl/maps/a8DL72TNZLTFaYJy6

One more thing. The area near Piazza Beccaria will be a royal mess on the night of June 24, when fireworks are on display and thousands of people are nearby to watch them. Road closures also apply on that night. If you go to the city center on that evening, unless you go long before dinner time (fireworks start after 9pm) I would park on Piazza Francia and take a taxi from there. Since the taxis will be also entangled in the same royal mess if you go near the the time of the fireworks, ask them to drop you off on Piazza Ferrucci, then walk from there. If you go long before dinner time then I shouldn’t be a problem to go anywhere except for Piazza Santa Croce.

If you park on Piazza Beccaria early in the day of June 24, parking may still be hard to find, since the historical football final takes place on nearby Piazza Santa Croce in the afternoon. If you find parking, you will have to get out very late after the fireworks are over and the traffic decreases. Once again I would park on Piazza Francia and take the bus to the city center on that day. Then late in the evening, when buses are infrequent, after the fireworks, I would go back to Piazza Francia by taxi (it’s about 12€ with no traffic).