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Practical Information

Travelling By Foot & Bus

Motoring In Florence

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Florence Survival Guide

Motoring In Florence

A motoring tour through Tuscany makes a memorable holiday, if you are prepared for high fuel costs and erratic Italian driving. But if you are stating in Siena or Florence, with no plans to travel around, there is little point in having a car: both cities are small enough to walk around and parking can be difficult and expensive. If you are staying in the countryside and visiting towns by car, it is best to park on the outskirts and walk or take a bus into the centre.

Arriving By Car

Drivers from Britain need a Green Card for insurance purposes and the vehicle's registration document. EU nationals who intend to stay for more than six months and do not have the standard pink licence will need an Italian translation of their licence, available from most motoring organisations and Italian tourist offices.
The ACI (Automobile Club d'Italia) provides excellent maps and invaluable help. It will tow anyone free, and offers free repairs to members of affiliated associations, such as the AA or RAC in Britain, the ADAC in Germany, the AIT in France, the RACE in Spain and ANWB in Holland. SOS columns on motorways allow instant, round-the-clock access to the emergency services.

Car Rental

Car rental in Italy is expensive and, ideally, should be organised before leaving for your trip. Book in advance, especially for weekend outings.
To rent a car you must be over 21, and have held a licence for at least a year.
Visitors from outside the EU need an international licence. Make sure the rental package includes collision damage waiver, breakdown service and insurance against theft.

Bike And Moped Rental

A day spent cycling in the countryside can be a healthy and relaxing pastime, and a moped or scooter helps make swifter work of the Tuscan hills.
Bicycles can be rented for around €3 per hour; moped prices start at about €25 per day. Helmets are mandatory on mopeds.

Automotocicli Perozzi Via dei Gazzani 16, Siena Tel. 0577 28 83 87	DF Bike Via Massetana Romana 54, Siena Tel. 0577 27 19 05	Due Ruote Rent Borgo Ognissanti 153r. Tel. 055 239 96 96
Florence By Bike Via San Zanobi 91r. Tel. 055 48 89 92

Driving In Town

City centres are usually fraught with one-way systems, limited traffic zones and erratic drivers, and are only recommended to the confident driver. In Lucca, Siena and San Gimignano, only residents and taxis may drive inside the city walls. Visitors may go in to unload at their hotel but must then park outside the walls.
Pisa has limited traffic zones around the Arno, and the rule for tourists unloading also applies in Florence, with its zona traffico limitato or zona blu, which covers most of the centre. There is a pedestrian zone around the Duomo, although pedestrians here should be prepared, nevertheless, to step aside for taxis, mopeds and bicycles. The latter two often do not comply with traffic light instructions.

Parking

Street parking in the centre of Florence is closed to non-residents, and visitors must park in designated areas. These are marked by blue lines, usually with a meter or an attendant nearby. For metered parking, insert the amount of money necessary for the time you need, and leave the receipt visible on your dashboard. Many metered parking areas have two hour limits. There are three large underground car parks in Florence at Santa Maria Novella station; at the Parterre, northeast of Pizza della Libertà; and the Central Market. These car parks are open 24hours a day, but rates can be exorbitant.
The car park in Piazza della Calza offers good rates for long-term parking. Some hotels offer their own parking or have agreements for reduced rates with private garages.In Tuscany, one day a week is set aside for street cleaning, when parking is forbidden. This is indicated by signs saying zona rinozione with the day and time. Beware of residents-only parking areas, marked riservato ai residenti. If you park illegally, your car could be towed away. If this happens, phone the Vigili, the municipal police, to find out where it has been taken.

Driving In The Countryside

Driving on the quiet Tuscan country roads can be a pleasure. However, distances can be deceptive. What may look like a short trip on the map, could take much longer because of winding roads. Some back roads may not be surfaced, so beware of punctures. You may also find driving at night disorientating as roads and signs are generally poorly lit.

Breakdown	Towing Away
Automobile Club d'Italia Viale G. Amendola 36, Florence Tel. 055 248 61	Vigili (Municipal Police) Florence Tel. 055 78 38 82 Pisa Tel. 050 91 03 78 Siena Tel. 0577 29 25 54

Tolls And Fuel

Tolls operate on all motorways, although there are some free dual carriageways. Tollbooths take cash or prepaid magnetic "swipe" cards called Viacards, available from tobacconists and ACI.
Motorway service stations occur at irregular intervals, and there are fewer fuel stations in the countryside than in the cities. Hardly any outside the cities take credit cards. Many close at noon and reopen about 3:30pm until about 7:30pm; few open on Sundays. Many in the countryside close in August.
At fuel stations with self-service pumps, put notes or credit cards in the machine. Lead-free fuel is senza piombo.

24-Hour Fuel Stations, Florence
AGIP
Viale dei Mille
Tel. 055 58 70 91
Via Senese
Tel. 055 204 97 85

St. Regis

Westin

Hotel Kraft

Hotel Adler

Mediterraneo