Trip planning continues:
My friend and I are renting a car (Autoeurope) at the Chiusi train station for the Tuscan portion of our weeklong trip to Italy. After those 3 days, we will be in Florence. I'll be the driver, Diane will be the navigator. She has told me repeatedly that she has a poor sense of direction and can't be depended upon for navigating help. Based on the one prior experience of having her navigate me from Siena to Pienza, where we ended up in someone's driveway midway between the 2, I can concur.

So...here's the decision. When we checkout of our b&b on Thursday, do we drive the (30 to 45 minutes) rental car back from Montepulciano/Pienza to the Chiusi train station , wait for the next train from Chiusi to Florence for the 1 & 1/2 hour ride, taxi to our hotel? or drive from Montepulciano/Pienza to Florence, returning the rental car somewhere in this busy city? (Neither of us speaks Italian.)

Sidenote/funny story: In Provence this past April, we were driving around Avignon on our way to Pont du Gard. I was navigating, my husband driving. We were stuck in a huge traffic jam. As far as the eye could see, trucks & cars were completely stopped. The rub - I wasn't sure we were on the right road for our destination. I grew more and more antsy that we were sitting in a traffic mess unnecessarily. Diane's first language is French. I asked if she would get out of the car and confirm with anyone (another driver whose windows were down, perhaps?) our location. She was extremely uncomfortable asking. After much hounding on my part, she relented. She is a lady with impeccable manners whom I have considered a friend for 35 years. Confirming with the gentleman (in French) parked next to us that, yes, indeed, we were headed the right direction, she got back in the car, threw the map at me, and asked "Are you f****** happy now?

My answer, "Yes, thank you."


Anyway, for those of you who have driven or picked up/returned rental cars in Florence, I would appreciate your input.

Under the circumstances you describe, I'd not drive INTO Florence...

If you have any way to avoid drivign in Florence, I would take it. We drove in - at rush hour - two years ago, and it was pretty harrowing. Admittedly we live in a French village, but have driven in other large European cities. We had a reasonable map, and didn't get too lost, but it wasn't easy for me, the navigator, for my husband, the driver, or for the relationship.

There were LOTS of cars, all driving in a rather free fashion, back and forth across lanes, which is disconcerting when you are trying to find where to go.

So I'd gladly arrive by train the next time.

Hi mom,

If you can drop the car in Montepulciano, you could take the train to Florence.

Can you drop the car in Poggibonsi and take the bus to Florence? See http://www.sangimignano.net/bus

I'd avpid driving into Florence as well. It's very easy to stray into a ZTL - traffic-restricted zone - and end up with a fine charged to your credit card a year later.

Isn't there someplace just outside or near Florence where you can drop the car and take a bus or train?

What about dropping the car at Florence airport?

I would do whatever you could to avoid driving in Florence. My husband is a great navigator and yet it took us 2-3 hours (my mind has blocked the painful details of that afternoon) to return a rental car to Hertz in Florence. We had no problems driving all over Tuscany, but the crazy one-way traffic and maps showing roads which were actually pedestrian walkways were enough to make me consider crashing the car so Hertz would have to come and pick it up. Dropping the car off at the airport and finding any other transport into town would probably take less time and be more pleasant!

Driving in Italy - Fear it!

If you are coming from Pienza area (??), I'd drive north to Siena and drop the car there at the train station, hop on next train. Would not make sense to drive out of your way. My 2nd choice would be drive to the Florence airport and cab it from there.

Given the choice, I would not drive into Florence.

My co-worker just returned from a family vacation in Lucca and described the situation Carlux mentioned, with commuter traffic snaring the main thoroughfares. He said that even tho' the weekend drive into Firenze was easier, it had its own pitfalls, not the least of which was were to park the car once they'd managed to get there safely. I think he said that a day's parking could run upwards of 50E at one lot near the Accademia. I guess I should stop complaining my local parking rates!

We drove into Florence last year to return a Hertz car and if we hadn't had the map they'd given us when we picked up the car with the route marked in red felt pen, I think we might still be driving around trying to find the Hertz garage.

You could try and drive into Florence early in the morning when there might be less traffic. We took the taxi through downtown Florence to the train station in the early morning (6am) and the place was deserted. This would mean you'd have to wait 2-3 hours tho' until the Hertz office opens - unless you can drop off keys, although I don't know if that's an option in Italy.

If we were doing it again, we'd drop the car off at a train station and train in.

Let us know what you do and how it works out.

Do not drive into Florence---the one way streets will confuse you. Drop the car at the aiport---easy and no more $$$---except the 15E taxi ride.

You gotta love this forum! My decision is made - I will not drive into Florence!

see, dfmom, your fear was a healthy instinct.