I’m driving to Florence, can I enter city centre and park ?
In short
Short version: no — you can't drive into the historic centre and park on the street. It's a ZTL (limited-traffic zone) watched by cameras at every gate, and our apartments don't have private parking.
The easiest move is to book a guarded garage in advance on Parclick — they put your plate on the authorised list, so you drive in without a fine. To spend less, leave the car at Villa Costanza and take the tram into town.
Want to know more? Let's go!
First, the catch: the ZTL
The centre of Florence is a limited-traffic zone (ZTL). Cameras at the gates read your plate, and crossing one without authorisation means a fine in the post, usually weeks later. In the main sector it runs Monday–Friday 7:30–20:00 and Saturday 7:30–16:00, all year. From early April to early October there's also a summer night ZTL, Thursday to Saturday, 23:00–03:00.
The easy way: a guarded garage
A covered, guarded garage inside the centre is the least stressful option, because the staff register your plate on the authorised list — so driving in to drop off the car is fine. Near Santa Croce you have the Garage dei Tintori, Garage Verdi and Garage del Bargello, central and walkable to almost everything. Reckon on around €42 for 24 hours in this area. Book ahead on Parclick: it's cheaper than turning up at the barrier and your spot is guaranteed.
The budget way: park and ride at Villa Costanza
If you don't need the car in town, the smart trick is Villa Costanza, the park-and-ride right off the A1 (Firenze–Scandicci exit). You leave the motorway, park, and step onto the tram. It's €7 a day (the first 30 minutes are free), and tram T1 reaches Santa Maria Novella in about 22 minutes. The tram ticket is €1.70 and isn't included — buy it from the machines at the car park or the stop.
Public car parks near the centre
If you'd rather stay closer, two reliable options run by Firenze Parcheggi:
Parterre (near Piazza della Libertà): about €15 a day.
Porta al Prato – Leopolda: about €20 a day.
On the street (blue lines)
Paid street parking (the blue lines) works for a quick stop, not for days. You pay Monday–Saturday, 8:00–20:00, roughly €1.50–3 per hour depending on how central you are.
What about free parking?
Honestly, near the centre it's all but gone — not something to plan a trip around.
Not set on driving? See our guide to getting to Florence by air and train.
A note from us: if your apartment is inside the ZTL, message us before you drive in and we'll tell you exactly how to handle the gate and where to leave the car. That's the kind of thing we're here for.