free parking just outside Florence

Lee11

New member
This is a great site and I see you have mentioned four free parking sites just outside Florence:
PIAZZALE MICHELANGELO
PONTE A GREVE
FIRENZE CERTOSA
GALLUZZO
I would appreciate it if anybody who lives in Florence or has been there recently can update me as to:
1.whether these are all functional (and whether there are others aswell or instead)
2. are they open late? (ie we plan to arrive in Florence on a Monday evening around 6-8pm)
3. can we leave the car for over 24 hours until Wednesday afternoon?
4. do the buses into Florence run in the evenings?
Thanks so much in advance,
Lee
 
Ciao Lee11,

The free parking areas you mention do not have closing hours so you won't have problems with heading there late. I think the one you'll find most convenient is the one in Piazzale Michelangelo although I wouldn't leave the car there for over 24 hours. To leave overnight, I'd go for the one in Ponte a Greve lot since it is well connected with the tram into downtown Florence. Buses and the tram do run in the evenings. Check buses that take you downtown on the page with the info on the parking lots (Where to Park in Florence, Italy? Map & List of Parking in Florence, Free and Paid Parking Lots) and then go to ATAF net to check the schedules for each line. The tram operates from 5am to midnight with trains every 9-10 minutes in August (every 5-11 min in September, depending on time of day).

Hope this info is useful!!
 
Hi Lourdes,

AWESOME SITE. NEVER MET ANYONE WHO KNOWS SO MUCH ABOUT PARKING! QUESTION: IS galluzzo a safe place to leave a car for two nites? We won't have anything in the car at all. Thx!
 
Ciao Poddiohead!

Well, we try to be informed so that we can answer all of the questions posed on here, they are pretty varied! :)

Yes, I'd definitely consider the parking lot at Galluzzo safe enough to leave the car for two nights - just make sure to check signs around that say if there are days when the adjoining streets get cleaned because generally on those nights, the area has to be empty to allow for street cleaning. You don't want to leave the car on one of those nights! :)
 
Ciao Poddiohead!

Well, we try to be informed so that we can answer all of the questions posed on here, they are pretty varied! :)

Yes, I'd definitely consider the parking lot at Galluzzo safe enough to leave the car for two nights - just make sure to check signs around that say if there are days when the adjoining streets get cleaned because generally on those nights, the area has to be empty to allow for street cleaning. You don't want to leave the car on one of those nights! :)

You really do know everything. I will check for that too, but if I do leave it there, maybe I get a free car wash as well?
 
Thanks you very much for your help. It's the second time i am visiting Florence and I'm sure I'll have a wonderful time in this wonderful city!! thank you very much!!!
 
Parking In Florence

I know this is last minute question but due to the rain in Italy right now our plans have been changed. We are driving to a place near Arezzo from Venice on Saturday March 30 (today) and instead of detouring to San Marino we would like to stop in Florence. However, we will have all of our luggage in the car and was wondering what our best, easiest and safest parking options are. I don't mind paying a little more since we will likely only be there about 4 hours. When we return another day we will take the train in from Arezzo since that seems easier although there are 5 of us so if you suggest driving from near Arezzo instead we would consider that if it is more cost effective and not too much trouble. I obviously don't want to make the mistake of driving into the restricted areas. Thanks so much.
 
Stay away from center....

.... but with luggage in the car stay where there's lots of people: piazzale Michelangelo and park closest to the center of the piazza where there are people and booths, that way your car isn't hidden or in a far corner. Lay luggage down in back seat foot area just so it isn't super visible and I think you'll do fine!

Enjoy Florence today, weather isn't great at all but it's normal for the season unfortunately!
 
Hello!
I'm also here to thank this site for all the great tips!
I'm planning to reach Florence by car from Panicale (Umbria) and visit the city during the 1st of May. Now, I would normally avoid driving on a national holiday, but my schedule is tight and I'd like to try... Question: would all the free parkings outside the city be full because of all the local tourists?
I really like the idea of PONTE A GREVE parking, since it's near a tram station, but do you think I'd have any chance to park there on May 1?
Any other advice is also welcome!
 
driving and parking on May1st should be alright

Ciao Teap and welcome to the forum!

May 1st is a holiday and, if the weather is nice, many people will spend their day off outdoors... but since it is a Wednesday, it is unlikely they will go very far. Many will work on Thursday and Friday.
All shops will be closed (not restaurants, people do need to eat ;-) ) so you will have no problems at all in getting parking at Ponte a Greve parking lot (since it belongs to a shopping center and it will be closed).
If you feel like it, you could drive closer to Florence - if you're here just for the day, you could attempt to park in Piazzale Michelangelo or on the streets below the piazzale. Turnover is pretty fast, so you'll find something even if it is full, just wait a little and you'll see someone leaving.
I also don't think driving on that day should be particularly bad, as long as you set out early enough you'll just encounter those others who are also driving out for the day..... now if May 1st landed on a Thursday, it would be a different matter as lot of people would just take a 4 day long weekend holiday ;).
 
Re: driving and parking on May1st should be alright

Hi Lourdes, thank you so much for the reply!
Piazzale Michelangelo is very tempting because of the view we can get of the city, I guess I just felt safer relying on trams than buses. Do you think we'll have a chance there on that day? We're probably not going to arrive in Florence very early, but definitely before 11am. I was looking at bus timetables on the ataf site and it looks like they call it Piazzale Michelangiolo? Since I'll be using a gps, what's the correct address I should input on the device? Same question if I decide to go for Ponte a Greve: what address should I use to get there?
 
either works well!

You should be fine getting into town by 11am - you're closer at the Piazzale, that is why I was suggesting it but either is good.
The Ponte a Greve shopping center (Coop, Media World are just some the shops) is on Viuzzo delle Case Nuove, Ponte a Greve, Florence.
For the Piazzale, just "Piazzale Michelangelo" should take you to the right spot. It is right above the city, you don't actually need to take a bus to get down.... just follow the path that takes you the river below the piazzale, it takes you less than 15 minutes to then be in the center. It is all downhill. Maybe on the way back you want to catch a bus, follow the map on here
http://www.visitflorence.com/florence-monuments/piazzale-michelangelo.html
that shows where the bus stops are along the river to go back up.
 
I just figured I'd have to chance to find parking on that day, haha.
Thank you so much for your replies, you're a life saver!
 
Hello,

I just found this great forum and thread. I also have a few questions about parking in Florence.

We'll be staying a few weeks in Montepulciano (by car) during August (hot and busy period, I know) and plan to do a day trip to Florence. We have two small kids (6 and 3 years old) but do not want to miss the opportunity to see at least the highlights of Florence. Because of the kids, we are of course somewhat limited in both time and in the distance we can cover by foot. Due to travel time from Montepulciano I already ruled out going by train as it seems to take too much time to get there from Montepulciano and back in the afternoon.

So my first impression is to make an early start, go by car and try to park at Piazzale Michelangelo.
1. Till what time (approximately) would it be possible to find a parking spot during August?
2. Are there any closeby alternatives, such as side streets, if we simply cannot find a parking space here?
3. Is it doable to walk to and fro the city center with our kids (we will probably bring a buggy for the youngest, unless it is all stairs and steps)?
4. Would taking a taxi back from the Duomo to Piazzale M. be an option. We are not really the taxi-type of people, but in this case I considered it a nice back-up plan...

Thanks in advance for your help/feedback.

Jan Peter
 
parking below Piazzale Michelangelo

You're very welcome teap, glad to help!

Ciao JanPeter74 - the parking at the Piazzale is free and will most certainly be full... but as most people stop to look out, take pictures and then leave, there is high turnaround. You can park a little bit outside of the Piazzale along the boulevard, you'll see there are cars along the street between the spaces between the trees that line the street... so you can wait around near the Piazzale for a space or park in these spots close to the piazzale.

Also if you head below the piazzale, there are parking spaces along via dei Bastioni, try there as well since that gets you closer to the center (also further from the panoramic view but you are halfway either way).

It is doable to do it with the kids and with a buggy - from the piazzale there is a ramp along the side that faces the river (as well as stairs to one side, skip those).... and then as you head down, there are both paths with stairs and others with plain ramps... you can also follow the street, as it is less steep to use witha buggy. If you park below the piazzale along via dei Bastioni, even easier as there is just one ramp to reach the tower and Arno river.

And definitely keep the taxi option if at the end of your day you are tired and don't want to head back up the hill. There is a taxi stand behind the Duomo on the corner with via proconsolo as well as the left side of Palazzo Vecchio as you face the palace (down that side street).

A day trip is definitely doable - let's hope for warm but not too much days in August ;-). This past year was particularly warm, so I'm hoping it alternates this summer LOL!
 
Thank you Lourdes, for your extensive reply.

Great to have such expert knowledge available. Really useful info. Thanks a million!

However, I do have more question. Since my previous post, another bold plan came to mind which is to spend some extra money and make it a two day trip by booking a cheap hotel room in the center for 1 night. This would make our visit much more relaxed. If we do so, would you suggest driving into the city with our own car. I understood that when you book a hotel room, the hotel can pass on your licence plate number so that you can enter the ZTL, or would it be better to take the train instead. (I am not so keen on leaving my (foreign) car unattended overnight at a trainstation)

Cheers,
Jan Peter
 
in Florence with car: stay outside of the ZTL!

You're very welcome Jan!

I think the idea to stay in Florence for the night is actually a great one, that way you can spend the day a bit more relaxed knowing you have time to see what you want and not have to hurry back to meet a specific timetable.

As for the car: I think I'd still suggest leaving it at the train station in Poggibonsi (a very quiet town overall, the outskirts have a lot of factories and warehouses but it is small) and taking the bus in rather than having to deal on where to park (and pay just to park) your car in Florence. Because, despite being allowed to arrive all the way into the ZTL if your hotel is in the center, the permit is only for limited time and dropping off baggage. You then have to exit the center and go park your car, then return back to your hotel. There are car lots around the ZTL area precisely for this matter, cost is around 20 euros per night. To just have it parked? You won't use it while in Florence so I'd avoid it..... UNLESS you stay right around the center's perimeter and stay at a place with parking! :) Center is within walking distance (if you walked from one end to the other across, it literally takes 30-45 minutes to cross the center, depending on how fast you walk).

Here are some suggestions for that:
Hotel Principe
Villa Antea
Palagetto B&B

Hope these suggestions are useful!
 
parking in August

Hi Lourdes & everyone else!

I'm new to the forum but have been reading with interest about parking options & particularly piazzale Michelangelo.

We will be visiting Florence for a day trip sometime between Thurs 15th & Monday 19th August, coming from San gigimano area, and will have a young child with us.

Toying between the idea of driving & parking at p.Michelangelo (for the view in particular) or getting the train in.

I'm wondering what time would I need to get to p.Michelangelo to ensure getting a parking space on these dates & whether any of the days mentioned would be better/quieter than others?

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give!

Cheers
 
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