Cars in Florence

How to get around Florence, Italy, by automobile

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TOURS FROM OUR TRUSTED PARTNERS that include Florence

Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel 2011 Italy trips
• Best of ItalyPartner (15 days)
• Italy ExperiencePartner (15 days)
• Classic ItalyPartner (21 days)
• Italy Family AdventurePartner (14 days)
• Highlights of ItalyPartner (8 days)
• Tuscan ExpressPartner (7 days)

Gap Adventures
G Adventures 2011 Italy trips
• Ultimate ItalyPartner (13 days)
• Italy Culture and History Explored (9 days)
• The Taste of TuscanyPartner (8 days)
• Venice to Rome AdventurePartner (8 days)
• Italy Family AdventurePartner (10 days)

iExplore
iExplore Italy trips 2011
• Italy Experience (9 days)
• Italy in Style (9 days)
• Magical Tuscany & Portofino Peninsula (10 days)
• Tuscan Delights (8 days)
• Splendors of Italy & Southern France (16 days)

A map of the ZTL in Florence
You cannot drive anywhere in the historic center of Florence without permission. This map of the "Zona Traffico Limitato" shows where you will get a ticket if you drive without having your hotel provide the police with your license plate number. How do you get around Florence by car? The answer is: you park it, then you start walking. Seriously: cars are nothing more than a huge hassle in Florence's miniscule historic center—and streetside parking is illegal for non-residents at any rate, so you could never even stop and get out.

I will say this one more way. As someone who has driven into Florence at least 60 times in his life (and hence knows intimately the quirks and cruelties of this ancient city's street plan), I will tell you this: to get where you need to go, you are at some point going to have to break the law. I am not kidding.

Useful Italian
car rental - autonoleggio
one way - senso unico
parking - parcheggio
where can I pay the fine? - dove posso pagare la multa
Full story
The phrase "Y'all can't get there from here" must have been invented in Renaissance Florence, because there simply is no way to get anywhere in this town without, at some point, going the wrong way up a one-way street, ignoring a "Do not enter; pedestrian zone" sign, or (and, again, I kid you not) driving onto a sidewalk.

Driving in the historic center is now off-limits

A sign showing the Zona Traffico Limitato signs in Florence
A ZTL sign in Florence. Not that, technically, the ZTL is only in effect from 7:30am to 7:30pm Mondays to Fridays, but the city often imposes it on weekends as well, and the fine print on the signs is hard to figure out, so it's best to err on the side of prudence and assume the centro storico always off-limits.What's more, it is now pretty much illegal for anyone to drive within the historic center (called the "ZTL" on signs, which stands for Zona Traffico Limitato, or "Limited Traffic Zone"). Only residents or merchants with special permits are allowed in. Trust me: once you are parked and blessedly car-free, you will enjoy this fact immensely.

These signs used to be a bit of a joke. Not anymore. They are now serious about this. The city has recently installed traffic cams that will take a picture of your license plate when you enter and you will receive a €100 fine by mail. (They can track you down via your rental agency.)

Do yourself and your nerves a favor, ditch your car in one of the public parking garages and just walk or take the bus in. Seriously. Full story

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This material was last updated January 2011. All information was accurate at the time.

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