Driving from Florence to Chianti
 

Am renting a car from Hertz in downtown Florence and driving to Chianti. How much of a nightmare is it to drive in Florence? How long does it take to actually get out of the city? We just want to be prepared as I have heard all negative stories about driving in Florence. Luckily, we are just driving out of the city. Any comments and tips appreciated.

I have researhed what you are inquiring about, as my wife and I will be staying in Castellina , Chainti and arriving in Florence. The trip to my house,I am told is 45 minutes using the autostrada (thir super highway). Their is a another way going through Greve,whick I am told is beautiful. You will have to look at a map for the road to grieve. Stay in the right lane,and you wont have any problems......Good luck and have fun

Just got back from a great trip from Italy. We picked up a car and drove from Venice to Florence, and Florence to Siena down to Rome. Spent 5 days in wine country (Tuscany). You really don't need a car once you are in Florence. It is tough to drive, and its better to leave the car with the hotel. About $17/day to park car, unless you can find somewhere on street. Half the people I talked to before I left said "take a train", and the other half said "drive". I am so glad I drove, especially in the Tuscany Region such as Chianti, etc. If you can try to see the following places: Monteriggione, Montalcino, Montepulciano, and Siena. All are magnificent. Chianti region is great. Strada in Chianti, Greva, etc. Many small towns. Get out and walk around a few.

I have researhed what you are inquiring about, as my wife and I will be staying in Castellina , Chainti and arriving in Florence. The trip to my house,I am told is 45 minutes using the autostrada (thir super highway). Their is a another way going through Greve,whick I am told is beautiful. You will have to look at a map for the road to grieve. Stay in the right lane,and you wont have any problems......Good luck and have fun

Would definitely try to rent car on the outskirts of Florence--at the airport??? Driving out of Florence can be time consuming and very frustrating--done it several times and even with directions and a little Italian I still get lost.The little Vespa motorcycles(the translation is "wasps" and you will come to agree) are a particular headache--worse than the big guys here in California on the freeways. Once you are out of Florence it's a beautiful drive--take the Autostrada if you want or get off on the Chiantigiana Route (wine route) through Greve, Castellina, Gaole, Radda etc. Follow the sign of the Gallo Nero (the Black Rooster which is the DOC for Chianti wines) Try to visit the Verrazzano Winery as well as lunch at the deMedici's Badia al Coltibouno. You don't have to stay in the slow lane---understand that if a fast car comes up behind you, just put on your right turn indicator to show respect for his engine and get into the right lane as soon as it is safe. If you are only intending to pass a car and then pull over into a slower lane, leave your left turn signal on to show that you will get over asap.Otherwise, they will drive up into your trunk and flash the lights at you. The Italians are fast drivers but not suicidal! I'm a woman, borrow a fast Alfa 4WD from relatives when I'm there and I am shown the same respect because of the horsepower under the hood--they will come up quickly behind me and then notice what the car is and back off! (they really hate the fact that I'm a woman, however--ha!) It's one of the most wondeful places in Italy--slow down and sip the wines! If all else fails in driving in or out of an Italian city (Rome, Florence, Naples), hire a taxi and follow him to your destination. It's better than wasting hours going in circles. Also, be prepared that street signs are on the second floors of the walls of buildings and that street names change with the whims of the Italian people--it's what makes them so loveable!! Enjoy and ciao!

I see my answer was accidentally posted twice. I see from my notes that I have directions on how to get out of Florence from the train station in downtown Florence.
From the train station,go north until you come to the viale fratelli roselli. This is a major street,you can tell by the traffic, Take a left on this street and cross the Arno. After crossing the Arno,follow the road,and follow the signs for Siena.Their will be blue signs with route#S2-Siena. After a few kms.This will turn into the Autostrada

Other possibility to avoid traffic in Firenze, if you might come in from the airport :Take an autobus
to the centre of town (central autobus station) and take another to Greve or Panzano in the Chianti region.
In Panzano there's a car rental office.
We stayed 3 days in Greve and the car was handed to us from Panzano (only 6 km
further on the road). You can visit Firenze from
Greve/Panzano (frequent buses).
Visit of Siena : I might suggest to visit Siena
on a sunday. You have to leave your car outside
town (walls) and you can easily walk to the centre from there.
Contact me at [email protected] for exact
references of car rental office in Panzano.

Jef.

Time your departure from Florence to coincide with lunch and your trip will be much easier. The drive will be just under one hour, regardless of choice of roadway. I HATE the Autostrada. It is several notches below the New Jersey Turnpike in terms of aesthetics and the driving is at twice the speed...the lesser roads are quieter, go through small towns, and will not jangle your nerves.
The rental car offices are close to the central train station. We go out with Via Senese through Galluzo, first stopping at a rosticerria named Due Strade (two roads) for takeout supper. Carol L

Oops! I meant to also suggest not eating at Badia al Coltibuono, as was recommended by a previous message. The restaurant lost its main chef a few years back, and hasn't been the same since. And, I misspelled rosticierria. Tsk. CL

I think I would take Kam's advicem above, print it out, and have it bronzed to carry with me to Italy. She knows of what she speaks. The three principal downtown car rental agencies (Hertz, Avis, Europecar) are all together about a half mile west of the straw market. The trick, after renting the car, is to get across the Arno as quickly as possible, which I recall took two left turns. Once on the south side of Florence, traffic thins out quite nicely. Don't even think about taking the Autostrada -- the Chianti Route is one of the prettiest in Italy and Greve-in-Chianti is a picture-postcard kind of village. Also, there are several signs along the way that say, "tomba etrusca" and point to a side road. Plan to stop at least once at these Etruscan tombs. They're a very nice counterpoint to the big complex up at Fiesole; just simple mounds with chambers inside. Enjoy the trip.