Florence - Florence and Tuscany - page 221

PARKING IN FLORENCE
There is a strict Limited Traffic Zone in Florence's historic centre between 7.30am and 7.30pm
Monday to Friday and 7.30am to 6pm Saturday for all nonresidents, monitored by cyclopean cameras
positioned at all entry points. The exclusion also applies on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from
11pm to 4am mid-May to mid-September. Motorists staying in hotels within the zone are allowed to
drive to their hotel to drop off luggage, but must tell reception their car registration number and the
time they were in no-cars-land (there's a two-hour window) so that the hotel can inform the authority
and organise a permit. If you transgress, a fine of around €150 will be sent to you (or the car-hire com-
pany you used). For more information see www.comune.fi.it .
There is free street parking around Piazzale Michelangelo. Pricey (around €20 per day) under-
ground parking can be found around Fortezza da Basso and in the Oltrarno beneath Piazzale di Porta
Romana. Otherwise, search for a car park on www.firenzeparcheggi.it or ask if your hotel can arrange
parking.
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
Nonresident traffic is banned from the centre of Florence for most of the week and our ad-
vice, if you can, is to avoid the whole irksome bother of having a car in the city.
BICYCLE & SCOOTER
Milleunabici ( www.bicifirenze.it ; Piazza della Stazione; per hr/day €2/5; 10am-7pm Mar-Oct) Violet
coloured bikes to rent in front of Stazione di Santa Maria Novella; leave ID as a deposit.
Florence by Bike MAP GOOGLE MAP ( www.florencebybike.com ; Via San Zanobi 120r; 9am-1pm
& 3.30-7.30pm Mon-Sat) Top-notch bike shop, itinerary suggestions, bike tours and rental
outlet (city bike/scooter per day €14.50/68).
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Buses and electric minibuses run by public transport company ATAF ( 199 104245, 800
424500; www.ataf.net ) serve the city. Most buses - including bus 13 to Piazzale Michelangelo
- start/terminate at the ATAF bus stops opposite the southeastern exit of Stazione di Santa
Maria Novella. Tickets valid for 90 minutes (no return journeys) cost €1.20 (€2 on board
- drivers don't give change!) and are sold at kiosks, tobacconists and the ATAF ticket & in-
formation office (Piazza della Stazione; 7.30am-7.30pm) adjoining the train station. A travel
pass valid for 1/3/7 days is €5/12/18. Upon boarding, time-stamp your ticket (punch on
board) or risk a fine. The first tramline ( www.gestramvia.it ) is now up and running, and all
tramlines should be ready by 2016.
TAXI