We will have a rental car to return in Florence (coming up from Val d Orcia area) and will be staying in Florence for 3 nights after we turn in the car. The company - Europe car - has us in a Hertz car with a return to the Florence Airport. Is this the right place to return?? We are not flying out from there as we are staying in town. The other two choices to return are Via Borgo Ognissant and Via Del Sansovino which are listed as "downtown". We don't want to drive through any of those dreaded ZTL's. Any input on the best place to return the car would be appreciated.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16240 posts
I'll give you the directions to get safely (no ZTL photos) to both places. Then you decide.
BORGOGNISSANTI - This is the location that is actually in the city center. From here you can probably walk to your hotel (if you don't have tons of luggage).
Coming from the Val d'Orcia, you will be on the RACCORDO FIRENZE-SIENA, a divided motorway. The motorway ends with a huge roundabout. To get to Florence city center you will be following the blue directions to Florence. From the same roundabout you can also end up on the A1 freeway (green signs). Don't go there if you choose the Borgognissanti return.
Follow the exact blue path in the link below. Study the path carefully. You will not be hitting any ZTL cameras if you follow my itinerary. The cameras are at the corner of via Borgo San Frediano and Piazza dei Neri (but you turn left toward the river just before it. There is another camera on Lungarno Vespucci right (East) of the bridge. As you cross the bridge go straight on via di Melegnano (DO NOT TURN RIGHT on Lungarno Vespucci after the bridge).
This itinerary is from the Raccordo exit (at the roundabout) to the Hertz Borgognissanti location.
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Via+Cassia,+Impruneta,+Florence,+Italy&daddr=Borgo+Ognissanti,+137,+Florence,+Italy&hl=en&ll=43.770691,11.243842&spn=0.009126,0.014677&sll=43.719243,11.223284&sspn=0.018269,0.029354&geocode=FUsamwId9ECrACkZpJDFo1EqEzG_WRGvXzUnKg%3BFYjvmwIdFpCrACnVBNV9rlYqEzFmgt1dxzjcPA&t=h&mra=ls&z=16
SANSOVINO. If you want to return to via del Sansovino, at the roundabout you need to get on the A1 freeway (get the toll ticket) and follow the directions to Bologna. You will be exiting at the next exit called FIRENZE SCANDICCI (pay toll at the booth). Then follow the directions to the city center (Centro). Hertz will be on your right along the itinerary. You are nowhere close to the ZTL here, but you will need a taxi to get to your hotel from here.
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10745 posts
If you do want to return the car at the airport there is an inexpensive express bus that can take you from there into town. It drops you off at the train station.
Posted by
OP
84 posts
Roberto you are too much!! Why can't the car rental agency give us such good directions!! The Borgo Ognissanti location is a straight shot via cab down to our hotel which is on the river. Thank you, thank you.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
154 posts
Those are some impressive instructions shared earlier. They look worth trying but for most cities we recommend using the airport so that you can avoid any stressful city driving and they are usually well connected with the city center. If you don't mind driving with in Florence though then trying the earlier mentioned directions could work for you.