And from there by train - to the Florence station Firenze S. M. Novella, although there are direct trains from Pentatemelye in this direction. Therefore, we strongly recommend going to the city of Florence - the sights of these regions are fabulously beautiful and majestic; it will take 2-3 days to see all the city’s “charms”.
Sights of Florence
Open this page from your mobile phone and launch the navigator to each of the described attractions or to any place.
Uffizi Gallery
The most famous Italian art gallery, the Uffizi is a treasure trove for art lovers. The Uffizi contains outstanding works by Titian, Botticelli, Michelangelo and others, all of which can be explored in half a day. Also, the “decoration” of the gallery itself amazes with its architecture and decor. It’s better to buy a ticket online; at the Uffizi ticket office you can get into a huge queue.
Ponte Vecchio
Symbolic bridge for Florence Ponte Vecchio - the most picturesque crossing of the Arno River. The appearance of this arched stone masterpiece was designed in 1345 by Neri di Fioravanti, a local architect. Since its construction, meat has been traded here, and now there are expensive jewelry shops on the Ponte Vecchio bridge.
Duomo complex: Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Brunelleschi's Dome, Giotto's Tower
Explore the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, be sure to climb the huge dome, designed by Brunelleschi without any frames, and explore the bell tower of the temple by the architect Giotto. In addition, visit the cathedral museum and baptistery. Ticket for 18 euros, which can be purchased opposite the baptistery (or at the entrance to the tower), will allow you to visit all the listed places on the current day. You need to walk to the tower (420 steps) and to the dome (463 steps)., so wear comfortable shoes.
Florence Center
This is the historical “cradle” of the city of Florence, and tourists will always find something to see here. In addition to the Duomo Square and its complex, in the center of Florence there are such architectural delights as the Medici Riccardi Palace (Michelangelo himself took part in its construction) and the Basilica of San Lorenzo (the work of Brunelleschi). Also see Piazza Santa Croce and the beautiful Florentine Cathedral on it. There are plenty of architectural works of art in Piazza della Signoria: this is the Fountain of Neptune, and the statue of David, and the Palazzo Vecchio (from the tower of which you can take very beautiful photos against the backdrop of Brunelleschi's Dome, entrance to the tower: 10 euros, about 300 steps, no elevator), and many other outstanding objects. Despite this “accumulation” of attractions, the center of Florence amazes with its beauty and harmony.
Piazzale Michelangelo
From here you can see the whole of Florence - the photo will be excellent! In addition to the fact that Piazzale Michelangelo, designed by the architect Giuseppe Poggi, takes your breath away from all the delights of the Tuscan capital, you can also have a hearty snack in the bar. What you should not do is pass by Piazzale Michelangelo.
Boboli Gardens
A unique decorative complex demonstrating a harmonious combination of architecture and nature. Niccolo Tribolo, Giorgio Vasari and others worked on the masterpiece Boboli Gardens near the residence of the Medici family, creating sculptural compositions in winding alleys and groves of ancient trees. The Boboli Gardens are the most elegant gardens in Florence.
Florence sightseeing map
Click to view map
The most popular hotels in the city of Florence are located in the green zone (marked on the map). Since it is better to stay overnight in the city, we recommend the following accommodation options.
Top 5
Romantic
Top 5
Romantic
You can read and compare customer reviews of all hotels on this page. In addition, pay attention to.
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Finding parking in the narrow streets of Florence is not easy, and often impossible. You cannot move around the historical center in a rented car, since entry into the restricted traffic zone () is prohibited and is punishable by a fine of 70 euros. Entry is only possible on weekdays from 20:00 to 07:30 am, on Saturday from 16:00 to 07:30 and on Sunday all day.
It makes sense to come to Florence by car for a few hours, walk around the city, and then go on a journey through Tuscany. To travel around the big cities of Italy, it is rational to use high-speed trains.
What is the price
Parking costs in municipal parking lots start from 1 euro per hour. Tariffs differ slightly. Private parking lots are much smaller and more expensive.
How to pay
Payment for parking in Florence occurs upon delivery, depending on the time. The sequence is as follows:
- When entering the parking lot, take a ticket
- Park in a free space
- Before leaving, go to the machine, insert a ticket and pay with coins, banknotes or credit card.
- Pick up your coupon receipt
- When leaving the parking lot, insert the ticket into a special machine and the barrier opens
Everything is intuitively simple, but just in case, watch the detailed video below:
Addresses in the center
The parking lots closest to the center of Florence are:
At the central railway station
- Price: 3 euro/hour
- Address: Piazza della Stazione, 13, 50123 Firenze
- Number of places: 901
The most convenient parking in our experience (Parking Underground Station SMN) is located at the central railway station of Santa Maria Novella. Its only downside is the price. The undoubted advantages are the location and almost always the availability of free places.
On track 16 of the station
- Price: 1.6 euro/hour
- Address: Piazzale Montelungo, 2
- Number of places: 165
Also at the station, about 700 meters from the first option, there is the Parcheggio Stazione Binario 16 parking lot.
Near the fortress
- Price: 1.6 euro/hour
- Address: Fortezza da Basso, Piazzale Caduti nei Lager, 50129 Firenze
- Number of places: 521
If there are no spaces in the first two parking lots, then go to Parcheggio Stazione Fortezza Fiera - it is located next to the fortress, a little further from the station. It's a 20 minute walk to the center.
Porta al Prato
- Price: 1 euro for the first hour, then 1 euro for every 30 minutes.
- Address: Via Gabbuggiani, 2/4, 50126 Firenze
- Number of places: 300
Also not far from the historical center is the Porta al Prato parking lot, from which it takes 21 minutes to walk to the Cathedral of Santa Maria dei Fiori.
The map shows our recommended parking lots for the main attractions:
You can see all parking addresses in Florence on the official website www.firenzeparcheggi.it, where you can also check availability online.
Hotel parking
Many hotels offer private parking, the cost is 20-30 euros per day. I recommend the following options:
Villa La Vedetta
Free
Free parking lots with a white line are located on the outskirts of the city and finding a free space there is not easy even for local residents. This option is worth considering if your goal is not to visit the sights of Florence, but only to stay overnight.
Ideal plan for the day
An ideal one-day plan for a road traveler looks like this:
We arrive in Florence by car, preferably before 09:30 am.
- At 10:00 we go on a private walking tour lasting 2.5 hours.
- Let's go have the most delicious steaks in the world for lunch or go to the Uffizi Gallery
- We walk around the city on our own, shopping, souvenirs
- We leave around 17:00.
We were traveling to Florence with friends from Rome, having rented a car from sicilybycar.al/rent/index.aspx. We had pre-booked a Fiat, which we picked up from Termini station. They have an office at the station itself, and their cars are parked in a multi-story parking lot next to the station. A different rental car company parks on each floor.
Either by looking at the four of us, or by estimating the long journey to Florence (about 230 km), we were offered a crossover, supposedly at no additional cost. We agreed. We received an invoice for the additional payment upon arrival in Moscow. But that's not what the story is about.
We made our way there along the highway, spending about 4 hours with pit stops.
Parking in Florence.
This is a very complex and controversial issue. Not only is there no space there to park a car (and such a big one at that), but there are also several types of parking. Yellow markings are for those who work in this place. The blue one is paid, where to pay is not always clear. White is free, but only for residents of this city. We learned about this from the girl at the hotel, after driving 1.5 hours around the city trying to find a parking spot. In the end they gave up. and we went to park the iron horse in a paid multi-story underground parking lot. A day of parking cost us 15 euros.
Hotels in the center sometimes have their own parking, but it can be a) more expensive, b) busy
Hotel.
Hotel Soggiorno Venere
Via Guelfa 59, 50129, Florence, Italy.
Very convenient location - 5 minutes to the Duomo on foot.
The price per room is about 6,000 rubles.
As a result, due to the loss of time on the road and parking, there was not much time left to explore the city itself. There was no question of any Uffizi, which is a pity, just like the Boboli Gardens.
But overall I liked the town; the Duomo, also known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, impresses with its grandeur and scope. It can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. If you want to climb the dome, you need to arrive very early and stand in a long line
There is no cash register at the entrance! Tickets can be purchased at the Museum or in advance on the website. Ascent to the dome is by appointment only.
An excellent view of the city opens from Piazzale Michelangelo. Below the square is the Rose Garden, which is also definitely worth seeing. There are also several souvenir stalls on the square with very reasonable prices.
The Ponte Vecchio bridge is beautiful both at sunset and at dawn. In the morning we got up at 6 am to take photos without crowds of tourists.
What can I say - when you have less than two days, Florence will not seem magical to you and will not open its treasure chests. You definitely need to set aside time for a visit to the Uffiza, set aside time for a trip to the Boboli Gardens and Palazzo Pitti, and just wander around the city without running, as we did.
👁 Do we book the hotel through Booking as always? Booking is not the only thing in the world that exists (🙈 for a huge percentage from hotels - we pay!) I have been practicing for a long time
Most tourist-oriented cities and towns have large paid parking lots in close proximity to the historical centers.
Parking spaces on the streets are indicated by appropriate signs and color markings on the road.
Paid parking - marked with blue lines
In most regions, blue lines indicate paid on-street parking. Next to this parking lot there is a machine or kiosk selling parking tickets.
This parking ticket will print how long you can stay in the parking lot. You need to place this ticket on the dashboard under the windshield.
This photo shows paid parking marked with blue lines in Pisa. Payment must be made at the parking machine.
Parking machine
One of the ways to pay for parking is to pay at a parking machine. If the parking lot is large enough, the machine will most likely be located in the middle of the parking lot.
The sign on the right states that parking is payable from 8:00 to 14:00 (except Sundays and public holidays). The rate for 1 hour is € 0.60. Payment is made at the parking machine.
This is what a parking meter might look like in Italy. Instructions for use are provided in 4 languages: Italian, French, German and English. Payment is made using coins.
The machine itself shows the hours during which parking is paid, the tariff and coins that are accepted for payment.
In order to pay for parking, you need to put in the required number of coins and press the green button. The machine will issue a ticket indicating the time until which parking has been paid for. Place this ticket on the dashboard under the windshield of your vehicle where it can be seen from the outside.
The minimum amount that can be paid is 1 hour.
Underground Parking
Large cities have underground parking lots or large open parking lots. When entering in front of the barrier, take a ticket from the machine or from the attendants, on which the time of entry is marked.
Before leaving, you must pay for parking at the appropriate machine or ticket office. In this case, the coupon will be returned to you.
When leaving, in front of the barrier, insert the ticket into another machine, and if the payment is made correctly, the barrier rises and you leave.
Free parking - marked with white lines
In large cities, white line markings indicate free on-street parking, but this may be limited in time. The parking sign will tell you how long you can stay in that parking lot and whether you need to install a parking disc.
Set the parking disc to the parking start time and place it on the dashboard under the windshield. You must return within the time limit indicated on the sign. Additional information in the section
Be careful when parking in large cities, such as Florence. White lines may indicate free parking for local residents only.
Free parking - no markings
Some car parks outside cities are simply designated parking spaces. They don't have any markup and can be free.
Parking disc
If the parking sign indicates that parking is time-limited, then you will need to use a parking disc to indicate the parking start time. A parking disc can be purchased at a tobacco kiosk ( Tobacco) or at a gas station. You need to ask disco orario.
In order to use the parking disc, you need to set the parking start time on it and place it under the windshield so that the parking police can see it.
The photo shows a typical parking disc that you can buy in Italy. It is made of cardboard measuring 10x15 cm. By rotating the wheel, set the arrow so that it shows the start time of parking. In the photo, the parking disc is set to 17:00.
This parking disc is called disco orario. The time you should set on it is the arrival time.
Parking signs
Please note that the crossed hammers on the sign indicate that these restrictions apply on weekdays only and do not apply on Sundays or public holidays.
This parking sign indicates that you can park your vehicle for free for 90 minutes from Monday to Saturday, but you must have a parking disc.
He also says that parking is prohibited on Saturdays from 7:00 to 15:00 (market day), otherwise the car will be towed to a parking lot.
This parking sign indicates that it applies to the entire area and you can park your car free of charge for 1 hour from Monday to Saturday from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 15:00 to 19:00. A parking disc is required.
On Fridays from 6:00 to 14:00 (market day) parking is prohibited. In case of violation, the car will be towed to a parking lot.
Parking lots in different cities of Italy
Verona
There are limited parking spaces in the center of Verona. The cost of parking there ranges from €1 to €2 per hour. You can see the location of these parking lots on a map of the city center.
There are also free parking lots, but they are somewhat far from the center. The nearest one is next to the square Porta Palio.
Two more are located at the following addresses:
- on the street Sergio Ramelli(Google Maps)
- near the stadium Arena di Verona(Google Maps)
Lucca
Immediately after entering the old town through the gate Porta Vittorio Emanuele There will be a parking lot on the right side (Google Maps).
The cost of parking in autumn 2011 was € 1.20 per hour.
Florence
Parking in Florence is very expensive - from € 20 to 30 per day. Free parking is available in Piazzale Michelangelo (Google Maps).
In Florence, parking locations can be found on the website www.firenzeparcheggi.it in Italian.
Pisa
The cheapest parking was on the street Via Atleti Azzurri Pisani next to the railway (Google Maps). The walk from there to the Leaning Tower of Pisa takes about 10-15 minutes.
The cost of parking in the fall of 2011 was € 0.60 per hour, and even then only from 8:00 to 14:00. And after 14:00 it became free. Photo of the parking lot itself.
Sienna
The average cost of parking in Siena is € 2.00 per hour in specialized parking lots. Leaving the car for a day will cost € 35.
It’s only cheaper in the parking lot next to the station - Parcheggio Stazione (Piazzale Rosselli 1). The first hour will cost € 0.50, and the whole day will cost € 2.00. The only negative is that it is quite a long walk to the old town (about 20-25 minutes, about 2 km and uphill).
The cost of parking on the city streets is € 1.50 per hour. And only the period from 8 am to 8 pm is subject to payment. Parking is free at night.
There are also several free parking lots, but they are all quite far away - (map of paid and free parking lots).
In the fall of 2015, free parking was discovered next to the Medici fortress. Just keep in mind that during the day it is usually completely busy, and free places appear in the late afternoon, when most tourists have already left Siena.
Orvieto
In Orvieto itself, the streets are very narrow and you shouldn’t drive there unless absolutely necessary. In addition, the number of places on them is very limited. The location of parking lots can be found on the city map.
In the evening, after 20:00, all free space in squares and streets is filled with cars of local residents. He had to be released no later than 8:00.
Bagnoregio
Parking is located under the bridge leading to Bagnoregio. It is paid from 8:00 to 20:00. The cost is €2 for the first hour and €1 for each subsequent hour.
There is also free parking in Bagnoregio. It is located in the square next to the street Via Don S. Nello Ponziani. Its coordinates - Google Maps
Montefiascone
Free parking in Montefiascone is on the street Via del Castagno.
Lido de Jesolo
Lido de Jesolo will be of interest primarily to those who want to visit Venice, but do not want to stay in Venice itself.
Unlike Venice, where you have to leave your car in the city parking lot and get to the hotel on your own, in Lido de Jesolo it is much easier to find a hotel (like this one) with free parking.
From Lido de Jesolo you can get to Venice by water bus (30-40 minutes). Near the pier on the street Via Fausta There is a parking lot where you can leave your car for the whole day. The cost of parking in autumn 2013 was € 7 for the whole day.
Montalcino
Paid parking is located on the outskirts of the city on the opposite side from the entrance on the street Via Roma near the Church of Madonna del Soccorso. The cost of parking in autumn 2016 was € 1.50 per hour.
Considering that the town is very small and it won’t take much time to explore it, as well as to buy the famous Brunello di Montalcino wines (if desired), the cost of parking looks quite reasonable.
There is another paid parking lot in Montalcino with the same tariff. It is located next to the city fortress. But it is much smaller in area and it is more difficult to find free space.
Free parking can be found opposite the fortress at the bottom of the ravine (map). It's not that far to walk to the center from there, but you need to climb a small hill.
Another free parking area near the walls of the old city on Via di Gozzano was discovered when we made a wrong turn and drove through the center (ZTL zone), which is highly not recommended to do in a rented car. You can't drive onto it from the road, because... the traffic there is one-way.
Paid parking is located near the squares Piazza Grande on the south side of town and Piazza Minzoni G. on the north. The tariff is € 1.50 per hour.
Amalfi
Amalfi is located on the very shore of the coast of the same name. Until recently, he had great difficulty parking. But a few years ago, a 4-story parking lot was dug inside the hill Luna Rossa with a capacity of more than 200 cars.
Parking is located at the entrance to the city. Parking cost in Luna Rossa is € 3.00 per hour or € 13.00 per day. You can also try to find a place at the port, but almost always all the places are occupied.
In addition to parking, a pedestrian tunnel was built inside this hill, connecting the road to Piazza Municipio in the city itself.
The Amalfi Coast is very picturesque and well worth a visit. And the road that runs along it is known as Nastro Azzurro and is considered one of the most beautiful in the world.
Fine for illegal parking
The fine for illegal parking in Italy starts from € 40. If, in order to remove your car, you had to call a tow truck, the amount of the fine will increase several times.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the restricted traffic zones ( zona traffic limitato). Behind every Entering such a zone can result in a fine of up to €100.
Conclusion
It is not possible to cover all the cities of Italy, but a little advice from personal experience of traveling in Italy:
- You should not look for parking as close to the city center as possible - driving through narrow streets may end up taking longer than walking this distance.
- The parking lot may be busy - everyone wants to drive closer to the historical center, and during peak season it may turn out that you have to circle around the parking lot waiting for a free space.
- The closer to the center, the more expensive - by staying a little further you can save a little.
Thus, stopping a little earlier can save nerves, money, and sometimes even time.
