Is that an option? Thank you, thank you, thank you for the wealth of information. Tuscany Road Trip: Scenic Drives Through Tuscany THE TOP 10 Private Drivers - Hire a driver in Tuscany - Viator Any suggestions to condensing to 2-3 days as a loop or feasibility of starting in Florence and ending in Venice? Thanks again for such a detailed post! I have another question for you. Driving in Tuscany: Getting Around Tuscany by Car - Discover Tuscany Dating back to the Etruscan period and nestled on a hill high above the sweeping Tuscan landscapes it overlooks, the walled city of Volterra is absolutely worth visiting as part of your Tuscan road trip itinerary. We need an automatic so it can get pricey. Bologna is the capital of Emilia-Romagna, the region that is home to so many of the things us foreigners tend to associate with Italian food: tagliatelle al ragu (aka spaghetti bolognese), mortadella (aka bologna), parmigiano-reggiano, traditional balsamic vinegar, and more. Down Under is a wonderful place and New Zealand has just about everything you could ever want to see in a really small country! Considering adding a Tuscany component but limited to time. In your case, Id contact the hotel and ask where they recommend you park, and then if you head to the garage inside the walls, look at the map to confirm the directions to access it. Chianti is located approximately mid-way between Florence and Siena and encompasses a number of small towns including Greve, Panzano, Castellina, Radda and Gaiole. I clinged to the one photo of a beach at Livorno. As you know I am Italian and live quite close to Florence. Some links throughout this site are affiliate links. Pienza also makes an excellent base and has some hotels whose views I think youll also love: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/pienza-italy/. Wed like to spend at least one night in the city, and at least one in the country. Toll tickets are issues at the entrance to the motorways, and paid upon exit. Thanks for your quick response! Hello again, We will only have about 4 (3 full) days and nights to explore Florence and Tuscany. Having a rental car while in the city is not only unnecessary, its an absolute burden. As countryside goes, it's probably the most idyllic scenery you can imagine, and one of the highlights of the region. Option C: Hope you get lucky with the weather (but fair warning, weve never been to Italy and avoided rain entirely!). 23548 shares Road trip to Tuscany has been uppermost in your mind lately? Novella taking a train that stops at Chiusi-Chianciano Terme. We have 7 days in Italy but we thought a circular road trip would be great made up of countryside, wine, food and wandering around towns and markets. If they dont have parking, youll likely need to park outside the walls and walk into the center to reach your hotel. The Grands' Adventure: Florence ( Re: Tickets) 8:15 am. Montalcino is tiny but beautiful. These signs are currently found at the entrance to the ZTLs on Piazza Tasso, Via dell'Agnolo, Via Romana and Borgo San Frediano. I actually have a question. Suffice it to say, we absolutely adore traveling in Tuscany, and this Tuscany itinerary is put together based on our detailed experiences traveling in the region as well as additional research. Your trip begins in Florence, Italy. Just do not drive back into Florence and be very careful in driving into any small towns or even villages. Thanks again! However, if your goal is to travel between Rome and Florence, you could also easily take the train. Driving in Florence: the ZTL The Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL) in Florence Florence's much-feared ZTL area demystified, useful if you're planning to drive (or thinking of driving) in the Renaissance city One reason why Florence is so pedestrian friendly is because the historic center is closed to traffic except for residents, taxis and buses. How We Structured This Tuscany Road Trip Itinerary. Siena is a decent-sized city rather than a hilltop town, so Id spend more time there than you canbut if a couple of hours is all you can spare, visiting the Piazza del Campo + the Duomo + visiting one of the viewpoints to see the city from above will make for a memorable stop. Tipping question 8:05 am. Thank you so much, Cheryl! Thank you very much for your article, it was very helpful to consider the cities/town to visit in La Toscana. I dont want to short change my experience in southern Tuscany. Marvel at the art in the Uffizi Gallery, soak in the views from Piazzale Michelangelo and more, (window)shop for gold jewelry on the Ponte Vecchio, eat your way through Mercato Centrale, stand in awe of the Duomo, and visit Michelangelos masterpiece David in the Galleria dellAccademia. We are renting a car and tried discover cars. We adore this beautiful hilltop town, and highly recommend spending at least one night either in town or nearby if you can, in order to enjoy the city without the crowds of day-trippers that tend to take over the streets during the day. Comments like this never fail to make my day, we are ALL about making sure your trip goes perfectly! Set on a hilltop overlooking sweeping views of the Umbrian countryside, Orvieto is as historical as it is picturesque: dating back to the Etruscans and once (briefly) the home of the pope, whether youre looking to dive deep into the history, enjoy the tasty Orvieto Classico wine, or simply admire the magnificent vistas, Orvieto has something to offer. Tuscany also hosts other famous and beautiful small towns within a short train ride from Florence, which you can easily visit in a day, as well as larger cities nearby such as Pisa, Bologna, and Siena. All rights reserved. We structured this Tuscany road trip itinerary as a loop beginning and ending in Florence. Other Destinations to Add to Your Tuscany Road Trip Itinerary, Useful Travel Tips for Driving in Tuscany. Such a great and helpful Itinerary, thank you! Check out our article Where is Tuscany for a geographical introduction to the region. Which village is best for spending the night in Cinque Terre is definitely a matter of preference, and Vernazza and Manarola happen to be two of my top 3 favorites (the other is Riomaggiore). If you do have a longer trip to Tuscany planned, we recommend taking a look at some of the additional Tuscany road trip destinations that weve outlined below the main itinerary and seeing what other spots catch your eye. time. While youre there, be sure to check out the beautiful Piazza dellAnfiteatro, which, like Sienas main piazza, is actually an oval rather than a traditional square, and to stroll along the tops of the citys 16th-century fortifying walls, which are completely accessible to the public. The reviews are mediocre and I was wondering if you had any experience with them. Medici the Magnificent. Appointment of Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka in Florence Suggested duration More than 3 hours Very helpful for our upcoming visit! DRIVING LICENCE European driving licences are valid. The blue bays are pay and display areas for visitors the white ones are for residents. You can definitely structure this trip as a road trip from Rome to Florence, touring Tuscany by road trip along the way instead if you prefer. In Florence, a new sign is also being introduced, which does not have the red circle on it, but has a traffic light system, showing red when access is limited and green when it is not. Should we consider spending our two nights there in Lucca? Thanks so much for responding and for the additional tips! Its not in the Val dOrcia, but nearby, well-connected, and beautiful. You cant go wrong using Hotel Lungarno as your base for one day in Florence! Besides that, are you looking for Tuscany road trip ideas? Unfortunately, some city driving is probably unavoidable if you want to make it all the way from Florence to Rome, but you can limit it based on your schedule. Where to spend the night really depends on your specific taste, but from this itinerary, weve stayed overnight in Florence, Siena, and Arezzo. Ideally, I would say that this Tuscany road trip would be spread across roughly 10 days to 2 weeks in Tuscany, but of course, that wont always be possibleespecially if you want to see more regions of Italy during your trip! If you have the time in your Tuscany itinerary, we recommend booking at least a couple of nights in a nearby country villa or agriturismo in order to slowly savor the beauty of the region, but if not, even an afternoon drive here is well worth the trip out. Weve spent at least part of the last few autumns in Tuscany, and we see no reason to stop that tradition anytime soon. This UNESCO-recognized valley is home to the Tuscan road trip views of your fantasies, and it truly has to be seen to be believed. Travel Insurance We dont ever suggest traveling without travel insuranceanything can happen, and this is definitely a case of better safe than sorry. Rome in August 8:09 am. Originally I was planning to head to Greve and stay at Borgo de Cabrea. Wed love to head down to Aus and New Zealand one day! What gets a bit confusing is that some lines, like between Rome and Florence, have both high-speed trains (essential if youre making a day trip, as it takes under 2 hours), and regional/slow trains, which depending on the exact timetable can take anywhere from 3-5 hours or so. This will be my first time in Italy, Im traveling solo, and Ive never driven outside of the U.S. before, so Im thinking Ill stick to trains to get around this time (which I know will limit how much flexibility I have). Not only is it cheaper, which is always excellent, but a smaller car in Tuscany is also much easier to drive. 1. I love this website It has convinced my husband and me to go on a driving tour of italy! Florence Florentine Hills Ferrari Test Drive Tour 2023 Home Things to do in Italy Things to do in Tuscany Things to do in Florence Florence Tours Extreme Sports Ferrari Test Drive in Florence 373 Reviews Firenze, Italy 1 hour (approx.) We dontadvise driving around in Florence unless you have to. I really want my 5year old daughter to witness new cultures and enjoy some holidays with mum and dad! This was what I thought was my main stop in Tuscany but I am now rethinking everything! Planning Sept trip 4 days Rome, 2 days Florence, 3 days Venice (as of now). Wonderful, informative article! You can technically get to Montepulciano by train, but the station is outside of town and youll need to catch a bus or taxi to get all the way there. We hear that Florence is not terribly large and is very walkable? Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, Im working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA. Thank you so much, Joanne! Ilene. 3 Day Florence Itinerary: How to Visit Florence & Tuscany in 3 Days These rules also vary from city to city in Italy. Thanks! As an Amazon Associate, Our Escape Clause earns from qualifying purchases. Shop for your Tuscnay rental car with Discover Car Hire today! Hi! One question, I understand that leaving anything in the car in Italy is not a good idea as it can be stolen. It also happens to be a gorgeous, relaxing city that is a fantastic place to soak up the ambiance of Tuscany. Thanks for the advise on the cars. Where do you think is good place to stop on the way down vs. places that would be better as day trips? For high-speed trains across long distances, like from Florence to Venice, yes, absolutely book in advance. Italy's two main rail companies travel from Venice to Florence nonstop, clocking in at a little over two hours. Driving, parking, walking into historic centers, etc, all eat up quite a bit of time. This is so helpful Kate, THANK YOU!!!! Well cover some tips and tricks for renting a car here below the Tuscany itinerary (or you can use the table of contents section at the bottom of the introduction to this Tuscany travel blog post to navigate there! Driving in Tuscany - start by spending three days in Florence. If you can, try to avoid driving into or out of Florence around the start of the working day and end (this is usually around 7-9am and 5-7pm). In general if youre travelling in high season, parking can be a struggle even in smaller towns. I think you mean you plan to spend the night in Monticchiello? Yes, there have been many ups and downs over the last couple of years for sure, but luckily things are mostly up right now! Anywhere from June to August. https://www.ourescapeclause.com/best-day-trips-from-florence-italy/, https://www.ourescapeclause.com/2-days-in-florence-itinerary/, https://www.ourescapeclause.com/things-to-do-in-orvieto-italy/, https://www.ourescapeclause.com/best-things-to-do-in-parma-italy/, https://www.ourescapeclause.com/montefioralle-italy/, https://www.ourescapeclause.com/pienza-italy/, How to Eat Pizza in Italy: 13 Practical Tips (+ Toppings Guide! Main routes are: A1 (Bologna- Firenze-Arezzo-Roma) A11 (Firenze-Prato-Pistoia-Lucca) A12 (runs along the coast, Genova-Viareggio-Pisa-Livorno). This period drama mixes together history, fiction and passion in fifteenth century Florence. Ill be perfectly honest: of all the places we recommend or mention in this Tuscany itinerary, Pisa is the one Im least in a hurry to get back to. Day Seven - Pisa-Lucca. Thanks! Usually, theyre in parking garages built literally under the hilltop towns or on the outskirts of historical centers which means you often have to walk up steep hills in order to reach the center. Follow directions and pretty easy to get out of Florence. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, this doesnt always workoccasionally the parking lot you have picked out will be full, or youll luck out and find street parking along the waybut in general, it will definitely make your life easier during your Tuscany road trip. You can definitely rent a car in Rome and drop it off in Florence, however, youll likely incur a one-way rental fee. Driving in Florence,Getting Around Florence with Car,Moving Around Florence At least once during your trip, climb to the top of one of Sienas monuments for an epic viewthe Torre del Mangia in Piazza del Campo is a popular choice, but personally, we love that the view from the top of the Opera della Metropolitana includes stunning views of the Piazza del Campo from a bit of a distance. Driving in Tuscany. Is this possible? Obviously, theres always a small risk with that, but its a fairly common practice. The ZTL in Florence: Restricted Traffic Zone in Florence Of all destinations outside of Tuscany that people tend to be eager to add onto their Tuscany trip, Cinque Terre almost always falls near the top. Train from Taormina to mainland Italy 7:59 am. What about these small towns in Tuscany? Lucca is not too big, not too small, and parking is fairly easy to find right outside the city walls. Siena is another fantastic option, but its definitely a small city, not a tiny town. While today Florence is significantly better-known than Siena, that was not always the case: beautiful Siena was once the military rival of Florence, and the history of the Middle Ages in the region is dotted with stories of their back-and-forth battles. Check rates & book your stay at Hotel Lungarno! I am not surprised. I looked up your destinations and would really encourage you to look into coming to Australia and New Zealand some time if you can. Driving Time from Florence, Italy to Tuscany - Travelmath A common theme is that if you spend the night in any of these places, they will get much more peaceful and quiet if you spend the night, as the day-trippers will head home. Thank you for such a insightful article, it has definitely helped to make a road trip through Tuscany feel less daunting! The first large city we will enter is Turin before moving towards Tuscany. Youre right that it has a lovely coastline, though! I liked your insights very much, I hope to go visit Tuscany soon with my family. The Medici dynasty. We recommend searching for your car via Discover Car Hire, which will allow you to check out the rates of several different rental car agencies in Tuscany at once and compare prices and inclusions side-by-side. My husband and I previously visited Florence and did a day trip to Pisa, Siena, and San Gimignano. I dont want to disappoint myself by making poor choices in destinations so any help would be much appreciated. You cannot drive in the center of Florence without notifying the police Almost all cars are now banned from the historic center. Is it worth the risk of being refused a rental car or getting a ticket over $25 USD and a bit of hassle? Thanks, Lori and Steve, USA, coming in October for our 60th birthdays!!!! During the summer, the center is ALSO closed from 11pm to 3am on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturday nights. If the hotel offers private parking on-site, you can give them your license plate number and theyll be able to make arrangements for you. Hi Gira! Youll then be able to find it under the Maps tab of your Google Maps account! If on the other hand youre based in Florence and you only want to have a couple of excursions in the nearby area, you can easilyuse public transport to get toSiena, Pisa, Lucca or Arezzo for the day. If you wanted to take a couple of days between the two cities, a loop through Parma, Modena, Reggio-Emilio and Bologna would put you in the heart of Emilia-Romagna, which is the origin of some of the most beloved Italian foods (traditional balsamic, parmigiano-reggiano, etc). If your trip is shortsay 5 days in Tuscany or lessyoull be able to shorten your stays in some towns (in a pinch, for example, Pisa and Lucca can be combined into one day), and with a longer trip to Tuscany, youll have a chance to adopt a leisurely pace and add in more excursions like wine tasting or days spent at one of Tuscanys saunas. . I just came upon your site when doing a search for info on an upcoming trip. . It ends in Italy. Looking for ideas for more destinations within driving distance of Florence? My thought is to arrive in Florence from the states and stay for 3 nights. MOTORWAYS Motorways are indicated with green signs, and are all toll roads. I was nervous about driving but you laid it all out perfectly, thank you. Livorno is a popular cruise ship stop, and has a historic fort right on the water. If youre staying in a hotel in the centre, make sure you organise permission to drive aroundin the ZTL area (Limited Traffic Zone) to avoid any problems. Theyre a great way to see harder-to-access spots while letting someone else deal with the driving and parking! Our arrival in Tuscany at the end of July was a particularly frightful time for us as many . Here are a few tips we recommend keeping in mind as you plan your Tuscany road trip itinerary. Known for its stunning towers (14 of an original 72 remain), long history of wealth due to its prime location along a Roman trading route, gorgeous city center, beautiful views, and convenient location that is roughly equidistant from Siena and Florence, its safe to say that San Gimignano is both incredibly popular and well worth visiting. Driving in Tuscany and itinerary help - Rick Steves Travel Forum Please note that the ZTL restricted areas exist in all main cities where the centre is usually reserved for residents. And the real beauty is being able to explore all this at your leisureand go where your instincts lead you. Instead, your license plate will be captured, the ticket will be sent to the owner of the car (ie, your rental company), and then your rental company will forward it onto you. You are at the right place. How do you know or find out where is the ZTL zones so you can avoid them? We tend to go with whoever is most affordable, as the prices can vary so much. Thanks. The total driving time is 1 hour, 9 minutes. If youre just there for aday and youre driving, you can also park at the outdoor parking areas, though youll need to seek them out. Since you guys have already done quite a bit in the northern part of Tuscany, I recommend heading to the southern part! Be sure not to miss a chance to climb the clock tower at Palazzo della Fraternita dei Laici right off the main square (Piazza Grande)the views from the top are absolutely sublime, and it is our personal favorite spot in Arezzo. . For the train ticketsit depends. This is absolutely imperative, in our opinion, and can make the difference between an insanely stressful Tuscany road trip and a fairly laid-back one: whether you purchase an international cell phone plan through your carrier before leaving for Tuscany or you purchase an Italian SIM card on the ground, youll 100% want to make sure you have cell phone dataand therefore GPSwith you as you drive. Unless you go exceptionally off the beaten path, you wont have any problem using English (plus body language/hand signs/etc) in Tuscany, so dont worry! Try searching for places within 1 hour of Florence. Where would you rent the car? Or, searching for driving in Tuscany tips? You might also look at taking a day trip to Civita di Bagnoregio, Orvieto, Perugia, or Assisi. As a general rule, historic centers of cities are ZTL zones, so its safest to avoid those entirely and park outside the center before walking into the town! If you have more time in the region, follow this 5 to 6 day Tuscany road trip itinerary. The Langhe region of Piedmont, located close-ish to Turin, is fantastic: think small towns, gorgeous views, delicious wine, and fewer crowds than Tuscany. The southern A brief introduction to the main cities in Tuscany and their attractions. Remember to choose a smaller car, itll save you parking hassles. No, cops do not prey on tourists, or at least I do not think so, but there are laws we are not familiar with and need to brush up on. Hi Kate, Do you have any recommendations for accommodations on the Tuscan itinerary? How to plan a road trip to Tuscany | Top Tips for Driving in Tuscany So glad it was helpful, Olivia! Definitely check out the tiny town of Montefioralle when youre in the Greve area, too: https://www.ourescapeclause.com/montefioralle-italy/. Though you didnt really mention seaside areas I guess its because people dont tend to visit Tuscany region because of beaches, but still, there IS some seaside (judging from map sorry), and I would like to know more, either if you had any experience, or from locals or friends. As your Tuscany road trip winds to a close, head back to Florence to drop off your car, say goodbye, anddepending on timeperhaps visit one or two more sights in the Cradle of the Renaissance as well. If youre planning to stay in and around Florence, youre unlikely to need a car. Dressing like a local - Florence Forum - Tripadvisor Play it safe and if you plan to drive during your trip, add getting an International Driving Permit to your pre-Tuscany planning! Combine the above description of Tuscany that we all know and love with the very concept of a Tuscany road trip, and an obvious question emerges: where are the cars?
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