'town tax' to enter Florene

I took a cab from the airport and it was like 25 EURO...yeah sounds like a scam.

The 550 definitely sounds like a scam. And, I'd look for another villa since this is the owner!

Yes, there is really a town tax in Florence. First, it is applied only to guests within the borders of the municipality of Florence, that includes some country area but not too much; similar taxes may apply in other municipalities. Second, the fees are as posted at
http://www.cross-pollinate.com/blog/2415/florences-tourist-tax-will-rise-on-april-1-2015/
so if you are, for example, a party of 5 staying 10 days in a 5-star hotel you could be charged about the figure quoted to you.

And, if this "town tax" is the city lodging tax just described, hotels generally ask for that to be paid in cash, separate from the regular hotel bill, as it must be paid separately to the government. Certainly the owner should be able to explain what that "tax" is. How many people in your "friends and I" group?

The "imposta di soggiorno" (stay tax) introduced in 2011 is calculated as follows within the municipality of Florence:
The tax varies depending on the type of facility.
For a hostel or one star hotel it's €1.50 per person per night up to a ceiling of 7 consecutive nights.
For a 5 star luxury hotel, it is €5 per person per night up to a max ceiling of 7 consecutive nights.
So, for example 4 people staying in a 5 star hotel for 10 nights would be paying €140 in tax (€5x4peoplex7nights max=€140)
Since 2014 vacation rental apartments are subject to the same tax as hotels.
http://www.firenzeturismo.it/it/informazioni-utili/conoscere-firenze/1638-imposta-di-soggiorno.html

I think we need a bit more information about this before we can really comment upon it.

She writes "the villa in the countryside". How far is this from the city center? how far from the airport?

Does the "Town tax" apply that far out?

If it is different rates per accommodation type, what should it be for "a villa in the countryside"?

I believe I've read that the tourist tax (tassa di soggiorno) had been introduced across much of Tuscany. We paid it in Rome, and believe the same applied in Bergamo, Milan and some other locations as well.

so is all this money for the transportation to the villa, or for the stay at the villa itself?

Let us know where the villa is located. We may be able to give you a recommendation for a less expensive private transfer service. 280 euros sounds like a lot of money to me. I would certainly be asking a lot of questions regarding this and the "town tax". As Roberto pointed out, it seems like he is overcharging you, unless you are a really large group.

Donna

The tax was introduced by national law, however the law delegates to municipalities the faculty to determine the exact details of how it is applied, within the national guidelines. So for example some municipalities, like Rome, have opted for a ceiling of 10 days max, others only five days. The national law however has specified that it must not exceed €5 per person per night and that the minimum must be €1. Municipalities then decide the exact amounts in between those parameters and to which facilities. I think municipalities in Tuscany charge generally €1 pp/night for an Agriturismo.
Note that not all municipalities can apply this tax. Only municipalities with high tourist concentration (not sure how that is determined). It is also not mandatory. Some municipalities that could apply may opt not to. The law was intended to finance tourism infrastructure (including restoration of art work, tourism facilities, like public restrooms, etc.)

Thanks to all for your responses. Most of them, however, really don't address my question. Probably I wasn't clear in my description of the circumstances. The transportation we are arranging is to a villa near Arezzo, which is quite a distance from Florence. The fee of 280 euros for the service doesn't feel overly exorbitant as gas costs are pretty high and there are probably several tolls, not to mention that this will take the better part of a day for the driver. It is the added 270 euros described as a 'town tax to enter Florence' that I am questioning.

I'm thinking this is not a tax that is levied on everyone who enters Florence, but that there are some circumstances surrounding transportation service that may apply. Other pertinent information is that we are arranging for this service through the booking agent where we rented the villa, not through the villa owner directly. It is a large, well established booking agency which has served me well in the past. So, the whole thing is just leaving me very confused.

I think you are talking about the Florence Bus Environmental Fee charged by the city to tourist buses entering the city. It must be a bus or minibus that you are chartering then, not a car or minivan, which pay just a small fee to enter the ZTL temporarily (like to pick up or drop off passengers).

The bus fee varies depending on the environmental impact of the bus engine. Engines' environmental impact in the EU are classified from Euro 0 (very polluting) to Euro 6 (latest technology, least polluting). Those bus access fees range from almost €200 to €500 per day, depending on the engine classification and bus dimensions (longer than 8mt or shorter than 8mt). Buses powered by CNG (compressed natural gas) or electric buses pay less. This environmental fee applies to all buses entering the city limits, not just the ZTL.

Hoping you get some clarity on the situation Jeanne but it's worth asking: why not just take the train to Arezzo and have the villa arrange transport from there? I just checked ticket prices from Firenze Santa Maria Novella and they're SO cheap: starting at 8.40 euro.

(Yes, it would be an additional cost from airport to train station)

Do you have a VERY large group - thus the bus fee Roberto is talking about?

Thank you to Roberto with the information about the Environmental Bus Tax. It sounds like that must be what this charge is all about. I'll inquire further about the type of vehicle being used. I should think a minivan would be enough, thus avoiding the extra tax.

And if you take the Regionale Veloce that goes at 13 past every hour, you can get 1st class for 12.60 euro.
Train takes 1 hour.

If you are arriving by plane at Florence airport there is a bus which takes you to Florence train station where you can catch a train to Arezzo.
I also think that if you do not consider renting a car and driving it, going to the countryside will cost you much more than renting an apartment in Florence or in a city ( Siena, Pisa, even Arezzo city center) and take a train, bus or organized tour in the countryside from a city. I let an apartment now and then but what you are being charged just for a transfer seem to me incredible!