We’re spending four nights in Florence then would like to rent a car as we’re headed to Siena for four nights. Our accommodations in Florence are close to the Ponte Amerigo Vespucci. It looks like there’s a car available at Europcar which is in the same vicinity but I’m wondering how difficult leaving Florence from there might be, as well as returning the car to the same location. We’re taking a train to Venice from Florence after Siena. We’d take public transportation to Siena but we want to be able to explore. Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Posted by
6449 posts
There are some posts here that detail how to drive out of Florence with ease. Honestly if you can follow directions it is no big deal.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
17294 posts
I would rent in Florence. Getting out of Florence is not hard and I’ve given instructions on how to do so in past posts (use the search function).
One thing to be aware is that most of the city center of Siena is forbidden to cars (exception for residents with permit), therefore if you intend to have a car while within the city of Siena to take day trips you need to choose your accommodations judiciously, outside the forbidden zone (ZTL or Zona Traffico Limitato) and with some sort of parking on the premises or at least parking arrangements at a nearby garage or lot. Parking in the ZTL requires a permit as well (and parking availability is very scarse inside the ZTL).
ZTL access is enforced by hidden cameras and entering a ZTL without residents’ permit will result in a fine for each entry, each exceeding $100 per instance.
Posted by
Prior Lake, MN, USA
437 posts
Two years ago, we rented in Florence and immediately drove to the Siena area. We stayed in the countryside and did day-trips into any site we chose. We used Google Maps on our phones and did well - for all trips.
Sicily by Car was the company we rented from. We've used them several times and they've been good.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
8598 posts
Month of year? Total # of guests? Any mobility problems?
I agree that Siena is an appropriate place from which to make automobile daytrips. It has enough to do THERE is you are tired, or a day has bad weather, or whatever. (Advance booking of cathedral and similar necessary ALL SUMMER.
However, like another poster just above, we chose to stay in a rural luxury hotel, for ease of in/out each day. Siena has plenty of parking lots, but they may be far from your lodging. We also did not need "restaurants", because we went to large lunches affiliated with the wineries we visited, and settled for bar snacks back at the hotel in the evening. I'd also comment that we are NOT "pool people", but in Tuscany, the July days were so hot that we used the small hotel pool every night before dinner. We also liked the savage, even, ... American .... air conditioning.