Parking in Florence

Long-term parking in Florence

If you are staying in Florence for several weeks, you may prefer to find a long-term car park, commonly known as a low-cost car park or park and ride. It is advisable to use this option if you decide not to use your car so often, as you will spend the difference on public transport if it is not a nearby car park.

Public parking in Florence

If you choose a parking space near your residence, Florence has an excellent distribution of public car parks. However, it is not the same to find parking near the Ponte Vecchio, in the historic centre, near the Basilica of Santa Croce or Santa Maria Novella, which are very popular tourist sites where you may find a "Parking full" sign if you arrive without a reservation, as it is to find parking near Rifredi, for example, where it is usually easier. It is therefore advisable to book in advance at Parkimeter, especially if you want to park in the centre of Florence or near Florence Santa Maria Novella station. However, you have several possibilities in the city to park in a public car park, obviously not in the historic centre, but as you know Florence is not made for travelling by car, but on foot. In this case, pay attention to the characteristics of the so-called PCZ (parking control zone), or more simply to the colours of the stripes on the ground, which indicate the following:

• White stripes: parking spaces reserved for residents.
• Orange stripes: parking spaces reserved for the disabled.
• Blue stripes: Residents can park for free, while everyone else can park for an hourly fee.

Free parking in Florence?

If you are lucky enough to find an area without stripes on the ground, you can park there for free. The only drawback is that your vehicle will be left unattended, and if you don't want to rely on luck in this case too, choose one of the many secure car parks available on the parkimeter app at advantageous prices.

The neighbourhoods of Florence

Florence is officially divided into five administrative districts: Centro Storico, Campo di Marte, Gavinana-Galluzzo, Isolotto-Legnaia and Rifredi. Given the division of the city, finding parking in the historic centre, being home to important museums and a popular tourist destination, is difficult. This district does not have many car parks or they are very expensive.

RIFREDI PARKING FLORENCE

Located on the outskirts of the historic centre, District 5 of the city, commonly called Rifredi, is the largest neighbourhood in Florence. It is a very lively neighbourhood, often the scene of popular festivals that have as their protagonist the "stretto", the last stretch of Via Reginaldo Giuliani that ends at the Ponte di Rifredi, where the history of this neighbourhood was born. The main axis of this district is Piazza Dalmazia, defined as a "natural shopping centre" because of the large number of shops that line it. Here you will also find two cinemas and the historic "Teatro Rifredi". Parking in Rifredi is not as difficult as in the historic centre. However, there is a wide range of prices, so you have to be proactive and spend some time at Parkimeter to get the best parking space: the closest one to your destination, which fulfils the required services and with the most advantageous price. If you want to walk around Rifredi, we recommend that you look for parking in the surrounding area. Also, located a few kilometres from the historic centre, Firenze Rifredi is the second most important railway station, after Firenze Santa Maria Novella. If you decide to park outside the centre and then reach Santa Maria Novella by public transport, the train from Rifredi to Santa Maria Novella, for example, takes less than 5 minutes.

Florence's markets

Like its monuments, historic buildings and places of worship, markets are places that characterise a city. Florence's two historic markets, the central market of San Lorenzo and Sant'Ambrogio, are among the liveliest places in the centre, where the typical atmosphere of the markets is combined with the historic value of the premises that house them. The former, with its monumental appearance, is entirely dedicated to food, while the latter, located in the popular Santa Croce district, is dedicated to clothing, groceries and restaurants. A few steps away from the Sant'Ambrogio market, in Piazza Annigoni, the flea market has found a temporary home. Finally, one of the most popular markets, also because of its central location, is the Mercato Nuovo.

FLORENCE SANTA MARIA NOVELLA (TRENITALIA, NEW PASSENGER TRANSPORT) AND FLORENCE RIFREDI

If you are a frequent passenger of the local or high speed train, Parkimeter offers car parks within walking distance of Firenze Santa Maria Novella, such as the parcheggio excelsior santa maria novella or the parcheggio Sant'Orsola, near the Mercato di San Lorenzo. In the Rifredi district, in the north-west of the city, you will find Firenze Rifredi station, the only railway station in Florence where InterCity trains to Roma Termini, Trieste Centrale, Milano Centrale and Napoli Centrale stop.

How to get around Florence

Florence is not a very big city and in fact has no metro line, but don't worry even if we suggest it, you won't be forced to walk, in fact you can find two tram lines T1 and T2, more than 60 city bus lines and finally 4 lines of small and electric buses that run through the historic centre.

Travelling from Florence?

Florence is also a point of departure and not only of arrival, so if you want to reach the station comfortably by car, thanks to parkimeter you can choose one of the various car parks in the vicinity of the Campo di Marte station at Santa Maria Novella station and choose the one that best suits your needs, and then leave without having to worry about the safety of the car that you would otherwise have left in an unguarded car park.