BEWARE Driving in FLORENCE!!!

[radler]

Overall driving from Verona, South was wonderful. The road signs are in English as well as Italian so it made traveling quite easy. I used Montecatini Terme as a central bases then took day trips from there.
I must say it was a very wise decision and the Hotel Da Vinci was fine.
I rented a car in Verona but had to switch it because on of the headlights was out. No problem! Then I decided to go to Florence and stop at Hertz at the airport to pick up a GPS...good move!
From there I traveled down into Florence but little did I know and no one told me at the rental company to SAY OUT OF THE CENTER OF TOWN!!! There are camera's that take a picture of the car (not the driver) and you will receive a ticket in the mail 6-12 months later. This is what happened to me. So I am warning you....BEWARE!!! Park outside the city in Piazza de Michelangelo and take the bus into the city. Parking is free up there.
Happy Travels!

[Lourdes]

Ciao Radler and thank you for sharing your experience with driving in Italy, I know it isn't easy to arrive into a foreign country and take off on unknown roads. It took me a long while (years in fact!) to get the courage to drive here in Florence!

I think it is really weird that the car rental place didn't warn you in any way! But it very useful for me to know that they don't, that way I'll make sure to continue posting warnings about the ZTL in the historical center and to try to stay out of it. That is what we already do in general on this forum and all over the main website but it can definitely bare repetition for people to know about it ahead of time. Sorry you had to learn about it only after through the arrival of the fines though! :/ Do you mind sharing how much the fine was?

[hhuang]

Ciao Radler and thank you for sharing your experience with driving in Italy, I know it isn't easy to arrive into a foreign country and take off on unknown roads. It took me a long while (years in fact!) to get the courage to drive here in Florence!

I think it is really weird that the car rental place didn't warn you in any way! But it very useful for me to know that they don't, that way I'll make sure to continue posting warnings about the ZTL in the historical center and to try to stay out of it. That is what we already do in general on this forum and all over the main website but it can definitely bare repetition for people to know about it ahead of time. Sorry you had to learn about it only after through the arrival of the fines though! :/ Do you mind sharing how much the fine was?

Hi Lourdes!
Im just wondering what part of Florence is considered part of the historic center. Is there a website that outlines the perimeter?
Thanks!!!!

[Lourdes]

Yes there is! Read our article on driving in Florence here:
http://www.visitflorence.com/moving-...ce/by-car.html
and then follow the link to the Servizi della Strada website which has a map of the center of the ZTL: both A and B are part of the ZTL, access to the A is even more restricted!