Parking in Florence

Florence offers great Renaissance palaces, important museums and quiet squares. However, those arriving by car quickly face a challenge: there is a Zona a Traffico Limitato (ZTL) around the city center of Florence. On our trip from Lake Garda to Florence, we had the advantage that our hotel provided us with a parking space.

Parking within the ZTL zone without a permit can result in severe fines. We show you how to park in Florence in a relaxed manner, which parking options are available and when a Park & Ride is worthwhile. In our guide to parking in Italy, you will find a detailed explanation of ZTL zones.

The most important contents of this article

• Observe the ZTL zone: Florence’s historic city center is a “Zona a Traffico Limitato” (ZTL); entry without a permit is punishable by a fine of around €100 – even for minor violations.

• Safe parking options: Municipal parking garages outside the ZTL are open around the clock, cheaper than private garages and well located – but reservations are not possible there.

• Private garages with ZTL service: If you would like to park within the ZTL, you should book a parking space in a private garage online in advance – they will take care of the ZTL registration for a fee (approx. 1-2 €).

• Park & Ride as an alternative: We particularly recommend the Villa Costanza Park & Ride lot with a direct streetcar connection to the city center – inexpensive, convenient and without the risk of ZTL.

Parking in Florence with ZTL? Don’t worry, we’ll help you through!

The ZTL restricts traffic in the historic center of Florence. Only residents, suppliers and vehicles with a special permit are allowed to drive in this zone. Parking within this zone is only possible with prior notification, otherwise a fine may be imposed.

Parking lots run by the municipal company Firenze Parcheggi are mostly located outside the ZTL, are open around the clock and are significantly cheaper than private garages in the city center. It is not possible to make a reservation there, but you can usually find a space without any problems.

How does the ZTL registration in Florence work via the parking garage?

1. • Book a garage in advance
     Choose a garage within the ZTL (e.g. Garage Giglio, Garage Michelangelo, Garage Bargello etc.) and book your parking space online in advance – e.g. via Parclick

1. • Provide your license plate number
     When booking, you will usually be asked to provide your license plate number. If not, you can provide it on arrival at the latest.

1. • The garage reports you to
     The garage transmits your license plate number to the municipal traffic authority (Comune di Firenze). This neutralizes the automatic license plate recognition on special cameras – you will not be fined even though you have entered the ZTL.

1. • Fee for ZTL registration
     Most garages charge a small fee for this service – typically €1 to €2 on top of the parking price. This fee is worth it, as it protects you from fines of around €100 or more.

• Note validity
  The registration is only valid for the day of entry – if you return to the ZTL by car later, you will need a new registration. If you stay in a hotel with a garage, this will often cover the entire duration of your stay.

How high is the fine for driving in the ZTL zone without authorization?

Unauthorized driving in a ZTL zone in Florence is punishable by a fine of around €100 per violation (approx. €87 fine + procedural costs).

This amount is due as soon as you enter the ZTL without a permit – even if you have only been in the zone for a few seconds.
If you also park illegally, you could face a further fine. An additional fine of at least 42 euros plus procedural costs may be imposed for parking in the ZTL.

⚠️ Important: In cities like Florence, multiple entries per day can lead to multiple fines – for entering, exiting or re-entering a ZTL zone. Even if sometimes only one fine is imposed per day, you should not underestimate the risk.

Overview of fines in Florence:

What to do? Make sure you clarify in advance whether your hotel or garage will take care of your license plate registration – anything else is risky.

City parking garages – good and cheap outside the ZTL zone

• • Stazione Santa Maria Novella (Florence’s main train station): Here you can park under the station. An hour costs around 4 euros. Perfect if you want to be right in the center.

• • Fortezza Fiera and Binario 16: Both parking garages are located next to the “Fortezza da Basso” congress hall and are only a few minutes’ walk from the train station. They charge around 2 euros per hour or 20 euros for 24 hours.

• • San Lorenzo – Mercato Centrale: The parking lot is located directly under the Mercato Centrale. The first hour costs around 2.80 euros, the second 4 euros and from the third hour the price rises to 8 euros per hour. It is central, but expensive.

• • Porta al Prato – Leopolda: This parking garage near the former Stazione Leopolda charges around 2 euros per hour, the maximum daily rate is 20 euros.

• • Sant’Ambrogio, Parterre and Piazza Beccaria: These larger parking garages outside the ZTL are significantly cheaper (approx. 2-3 euros per hour). The Parterre even offers a daily flat rate of around 15 euros.

All municipal parking garages are open 24 hours a day and are ideal if you want to stay flexible. Unfortunately, reservations are not possible here, but you save the ZTL surcharge.

Park & Ride – stress-free at the gates of the city

Want to avoid the traffic completely? Then use the Park & Ride lots:

• Villa Costanza (A1 highway, exit Villa Costanza): Here you can park your car for just 7 euros per day, the first 15 minutes are even free. From 15 minutes to 1 hour, parking costs 0.50 euros, from 1 to 4 hours 2 euros, from 4 to 10 hours 5 euros and from 10 to 24 hours 7 euros. The T1 streetcar will then take you into the city center to Santa Maria Novella station in around 20 minutes.

• Gelsomino: This parking lot to the west of Piazzale Michelangelo costs 1 euro for the first hour and 0.50 euro for every additional half hour, up to a maximum of 15 euros per day. It is ideal if you want to visit the viewpoint at the Piazzale and then walk to the city center or take the bus.

Private garages in the city center – it couldn’t be more convenient

There are numerous private garages within the ZTL zone. They are more expensive than municipal parking garages, but you park right in the historic center and ZTL registration is usually included in the price. An online reservation is highly recommended, as spaces are limited.

• Garage Palazzo Vecchio (Via Vinegia 13R): Daily rate from 35 euros (depending on vehicle size). The location between Piazza della Signoria and the Uffizi Gallery is unbeatable.

• Parking Duomo – Garage Oriuolo: Just a few steps away from the cathedral. For small cars you pay around 35 euros per day, for larger cars 40-50 euros.

• Garage Michelangelo (Via Ricasoli 28/A): Not far from the Accademia. Prices are around 35-50 euros per day.

• Garage Bargello, Garage Verdi and Garage dei Tintori: These garages are located around Piazza Santa Croce. The daily prices vary between 30 and 50 euros.

• Central Parking Firenze (Via degli Alfani 97): The hourly rate is around 10 euros, the daily rate around 35 – 40 euros. Ideal for a visit to the Galleria dell’Accademia.

• Park2Go Duomo (Via Ricasoli 18): The first two hours cost around 12 euros, three hours cost 18 euros and a whole day costs around 35 euros. Minimum parking time two hours.

With many garages, you can book conveniently via portals such as Parclick. We recommend booking early, especially in the high season.

Our tips for parking in Florence

1. Plan in advance: check whether your accommodation offers a parking space before you arrive or book a garage in the ZTL online in good time.
2. Pay attention to the ZTL rules: Entry is prohibited without registration! Private garages will take care of the registration for you.
3. Compare prices: Fares are cheaper outside the ZTL; consider whether you’d rather walk 10-20 minutes or take the streetcar.
4. Use Park & Ride: Villa Costanza in particular offers an inexpensive and stress-free alternative if you want to get rid of your car for a whole day.
5. Avoid spontaneous searches: There are hardly any public parking spaces around the cathedral and in the city center. Spontaneous parking can be expensive or even result in a fine.

Advance reservation of parking spaces

It is possible to reserve a parking space online in advance via Parclick. This may be useful during the high season or at events. This way you can secure a parking space and get into the city stress-free.

The following parking spaces in Florence can be booked in advance via Parclick:

• Parking garage Park Santa Croce
• Parking garage Park Ammirato VIP
• Parking garage Quick Novoli San Donato Firenze

You can find more parking options on the Parclick website.

Parking facilities for campers and motorhomes in Florence

If you are traveling by camper or motorhome, you have the following options for parking your vehicle in Florence:

• Parcheggio Gelsomino SCAF (Via del Gelsomino 7)
  40-50 pitches, approx. 20 € per night. Included: Electricity, water, gray water disposal, chemical WC, WLAN. Center within walking distance, close to public transport connections.

• Florence Scandicci Park (Via di Scandicci 241)
  Up to 80 pitches for mobile homes up to over 8 m. Approx. 20 € per night. Electricity, water, gray water service, showers, WLAN, guarded. Local public transport within walking distance.

If you want to spend a longer period of time in the region, a pitch at a campsite in Florence is the perfect choice:

• Firenze Camping in Town (Viale Generale Dalla Chiesa 1-3)
  Just outside the south-east of the city. Several hundred pitches for motorhomes. All with electricity, water and good service. Connection to the city center: foot/cycle path along the Arno or bus line AT-14. Camping facilities with pool, restaurant, Wi-Fi, etc.

• Other campsites in the area around Florenzz.B. Camping Village Panoramico Fiesole, Camping Village Il Poggetto or Agricampeggio L’Apicorno. Approx. 35 – 40 € per night, with pitches for motorhomes, electricity and water connection, some in picturesque surroundings with public transport connections to Florence.

Conclusion – how to make your visit to Florence relaxed

With a little planning, parking in Florence is not that difficult. We advise you to decide in advance whether you prefer to park in the city center or outside the ZTL. If you want it to be convenient and close, reserve a space in a private garage well in advance. If you want to save money and avoid the traffic, the municipal parking garages or Park & Ride are the best places for you. This way you can concentrate fully on the beauty of this unique city – we wish you lots of fun in Florence!

Parking in Florence – FAQ

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