Tom

The hotel we will be staying at does not <BR>have a parking. We will be driving a rental <BR>car, and have been told to park it at the <BR>airport and taxi in. Is this good advice? <BR>We are staying close to Florence center, <BR>Lungarno Vespucci.

Chuck

Good Luck.

Tom

I hope we can get a little more practical advice from others.

Alec

You don't need a car in Florence itself, but will be useful for trips out. If you're staying several days in Florence, I'd be inclined to return the car and rent another when you leave. Failing that, ask your hotel about near-by garages (they may have a reduced rate there). Don't leave it in the street. I did it some years ago and was badly scratched (deliberately) one night. Following website lists parking lots in and around central Florence, it's in Italian, but gives details of charges (on the outskirts around 18000L/US$8 a day): <BR>http://www.firenzeparcheggi.it/centro_new.htm

Tom

Thanks, Alec. Will check out that <BR>website. No word on airport parking, <BR>though, huh?

Fanny

Hi, we just were at the <BR>airport in Florence and I <BR>saw no long term parking areas. <BR>We had a rental car and parked <BR>under the train station right <BR>in Florence. But try the <BR>web sites mentioned above.

Paulo

When I'm driving a rental car, I really don't care if thieves carry it away (as long as I don't have things stuffed in the trunk). As a consequence, wherever I can, I park it along street curbsides. Have done this very often, including in cities like Rome. <BR> <BR>Now, the problem in Florence is that very hardly one'll find an empty curbside in the old center. As a result, I've used one of three "strategies" (from most to least expensive): <BR> <BR>1- All hotels (at least the ones I used) have a scheme to call a nearby garage. Two guys come over on a scooter, one of them fills the paperwork and drives your car away ... and you're done. When you're set to take off the garage will send the car (one has to ask it one hour in advance if one doesn't want to wait). <BR> <BR>2- You drive to your hotel to dump your luggage and to go through check in, then park the car in the underground garage at the train station (Sta. Maria Novella) <BR> <BR>3- Same as above, but you cross the Arno and as soon as you've covered about 1km you'll start seeing many free curbside A taxi or bus back will settle the issue. <BR> <BR>Paulo

Tom

Paulo, this sounds good if it works out. <BR>Many thanks for the advice!

Tina

Tom, Paulo's advice couldn't be better. <BR>I just returned from Italy a couple of hours ago.We rented a car and attempted <BR>to drive into Florence.By luck,we found <BR>a parking space about 1/4 mile from S.M. <BR>Novella train station.We opted to take a taxi for the rest of our trip in Florence. Good luck and be careful! <BR>

Deborah

Tom, <BR> <BR>Last summer I drove a rental car into Florence and found a garage to park it. The garage employees couldn't have been nicer or more helpful. They called a taxi for me and gave me a clear map of the area, with the garage starred, so I could get back two days later when I was ready to leave. I took a taxi back to the garage, and they helped me with the route out of the city. This seems simpler than going to the airport. <BR> <BR>Good luck. <BR>Deborah

Louise

Hi Tom, not about parking but about driving. With all the one way streets that change suddenly, I suggest you get a really good street map of Florence. I found one at a kiosk that sold postcards in one of the piazze. Hopefully you have a good navigator who will keep the map open at all times. Otherwise, buon viaggio!

Carin

Ha! Do yourself a favor and dump the car into the Arno and leave it there. Driving around the block is a nightmare - how will you ever find a garage? Maps don't help. Most of the streets are one-ways which isn't noticeable on a map and then the streets change names every three or four blocks. Drive to Siena and train to Florence or pray to St. Jude!