Spiff4499

Hello, we are visiting Florence in June we will be there for 5 nights and plan to rent a car. I am looking for a family friendly hotel, that has parking, and possibly walkable to restaurants. Our plans are to head to Piza one day by car, then by car again on the Via Chiantigiana for winery tours and the third day to the coast around Livorno. Has anyone done any biking in Tuscany with kids and can recommend a good trail? Thanks in advance.

Jean

If you haven't driven in Italy in recent years, you need to learn all about ZTLs... zona traffico limitato. These are areas of city centers into which you can't drive during most hours of the day, most days of the week. If you violate the zone, even by mistake, you will very likely receive a citation in the mail after you get home. If you cross into the zone multiple times, there could be multiple tickets. The Florence ZTL covers most of the city. Pisa, Livorno and every town you'd likely hope to visit in Chianti all have a ZTL.

https://mominitaly.com/ztl-in-italy/

It's very easy to reach Pisa from Florence by train. Some trains take only one hour. When you go by train, there are no ZTLs to worry about (at both ends), no parking to figure out, no can-I-have-wine-with-lunch/dinner question.

The Chiantigiana road is a classic drive, but if the plan was to do some wine tasting, the driver will have to abstain. Italian drink-and-drive laws are very strict. A car with a driver for the day or an organized tour might be more enjoyable for everyone.

Considering you're spending only one of your four days actually IN Florence (why is that?), you might consider staying in a smaller town that offers easier ingress/egress with a car but also has train service to Florence. Lucca, Montecatini Terme, Certaldo or possibly Prato...

If you stick to your original plan, you can search hotels on booking.com that offer parking, family rooms, etc. Look at Riva Lofts in Florence. Check locations of other options on a ZTL map. There will be properties with parking inside the ZTL, but driving out and back will require sticking to a definite route and will likely be slowed by traffic. All in all, we've found the ZTL issue can start and/or end the day on a stressful note.

Marysmith0901

For family-friendly hotels, I can vouch for Hotel Villa Gabrisa or Residenza D'Epoca Palazzo Galletti. Both got free parking and some good food places nearby. Although I haven't done any biking in Tuscany myself, I've heard good stuff about the trail around Lago di Fiastra.

dreamon

If happy with very easy cycling, you can cycle around the walls of Lucca and out along the river. Lucca also has some towers that you can climb (for fun and for views). Agree that you don't have to actually stay in Florence to visit it, especially if your intention is to explore other places. Lots of places can be reached by train and/or bus if preferred. trenitalia is your best bet in this case for trains.

Traveler_Nick

Any place with parking is going to be further outside the centre. You're better off following the information above and taking the train to Pisa. If you want to do a single day trip by car rent a car that day and return it that day. You won't be forced to settle on a hotel just because it has parking . You'll also only pay for the single day rental.

bilboburgler

Florence, Pisa and Lucca are all joined the railway system. The only logic you might want to have a car is if you decide to drive into Tuscany countryside and then you say you might want to cycle.

Tuscan countryside has very few "cycle paths" but has lots of "white roads" (basically gravel paths) and quiet country roads. One of the most beautiful cycle path in Tuscany is here https://italy-cycling-guide.info/tos...ella-bonifica/ which is a bit further south and offers you 60km of riding. I've done bits of it (well I've cycled most of Tuscany) and it would be a good visit.

Simple google search offers cycle rental shops in Arezzo. There is a train from Florence to Arezzo

marystream8960

Pisa is a great option for a day trip from Florence. It's about an hour's drive away, and there's plenty to see and do

Spiff4499

Thank you, I had no idea. I haven't been to Europe in years, sounds like it's changed. I'm looking to stay in Florence because my kids like to have an extended stay at some point and it seems as though there are many things to do in nearby cities, and we can still be back to explore Florence in the afternoons. Quick question, can I by train tickets that day for trips like Piza or should I take care of those day trips via train now? Thanks for your expertise.

Traveler_Nick

You can walk up and buy regional tickets . No advantage to buying them in advance. If you download the TrenItalia app you can even buy them while standing track side.

One thing to watch is they've introduced a checkin system for electronic tickets. Don't know if it's being enforced yet.

mjs

Florence is not a good base to have a car to explore Tuscany. A pain to drive in and out of and parking is expensive. Use the train or even a bus. Rent a car for one day if you want but do not drive after drinking. Siena or one of the smaller towns are better bases if you really want to drive around Tuscany

Jean

If climbing the Leaning Tower is the main reason for going to Pisa (note spelling when searching train timetables), you need to buy timed entry tickets in advance. There is a minimum age... 7, I think, but check.

to avoid standing in long lines everywhere in Florence, you'll need also to buy entry tickets for sights that offer them. (Not everything is open every Sunday and/or Monday.) The timing of those entries will determine when you must be back in Florence, car parked, group assembled at the sight. So, the idea of doing/seeing things outside of Florence in the mornings and exploring Florence in the afternoons will set you up for constantly watching the clock and sprinting through your days.

Re Livorno, if you have to slog through heavy traffic, the drive could easily take 90 minutes each way, as long as 2 hours if summer traffic is nuts. I don't think the sights of Livorno compare on any level with those of Florence and other towns less far away. And, if you're hurrying back to Florence for the afternoon, you won't have time to see much of anything in Livorno.

Re Chiantigiana, the drive is so lovely that I can't imagine heading out for just a few hours and then rushing back to Florence. You could very easily spend a long day just exploring different towns, enjoying the scenery, having lunch on some charming piazza.

Maybe you could give more info on your interests and what you want to see and do in Florence. Also, where will you be before and after Florence? There may be other suggestions of how you could organize your sightseeing.

bilboburgler

just a thought. June with kids might be pretty warm, who knows Climate Change does weird things, so you may want access to a pool.

The centre of Florence (apart from hi-grade hotels) is not planned for swimming pools, but you might look out for somewhere.

I like staying in these sorts of places https://www.agriturismo.it/en/ not in towns by sometimes next to towns.

Sassafrass

So much good advice already, especially about using trains and perhaps staying outside of Florence. The last times we were in Florence (before Covid), it was super crowded in the center, but still a beautiful city with lots to see. Would your family enjoy hiking up by Fiesole? Views are lovely. There are shuttles and, of course, taxis, but many people hike and bike there. The two times we went to Pisa by highway were horrible, took twice as long as the train and not nearly as comfortable. Both Siena and Lucca can be awfully crowded right in the center, but just a couple of streets away are calmer and both are great for walking.

coral22

It sounds like a great trip!
A few questions:
How old are your children?
How much museum time do you anticipate?
What are the main activities you are looking forward to?
Where are you coming from/heading to?

We were just in Florence in October and it was painfully crowded. Unless your children are older and culturally oriented, I don't see basing there and not with a car. The recommendation of a place with a pool is a good one, Italy was incredibly hot last summer.

I could see basing somewhere like Lucca and using the train for some day trips, and maybe renting a car for a day. I know one place would be ideal but sometimes all of the backtracking gets to be tiresome and kills your day. Maybe 2 locations would work and make the choices work out well with where you need to be when leaving Tuscany. Enjoy!

coral22

Sorry, I didn't catch the first time through that you also wanted to visit some wineries near Sienna(?)
I think something has to give, you are too stretched, probably Livorno or the wineries.

My guess would be the wineries, unless you are hiring a driver, to prevent drinking and driving. Also, are your children are old enough to be patient or even be welcome at the wineries? Many of the towns have tasting rooms, so if you stayed in one of those, you could sample some local offerings and walk back to your accommodations.

bvlenci

It would really help to know the ages of your kids. When traveling with children, it might be more convenient to get an apartment rather than stay in a hotel. There are advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages: you can have breakfast in the apartment, and you can buy things to eat there for your evening meal: bread, salami, cheese, wine, and fruit make a very nice evening meal. Eating in a restaurant two or three times a day is usually not fun with children; they don't enjoy waiting to be served. Another advantage is th, if there's a bedroom, you don't need to go to bed when they do.

Disadvantages: you often have to make an appointment to take possession of the key. (Some apartments have a receptionist or an office where you can do this, and also drop off your bags before check-in.) Also a concierge or hotel receptionist is usually a valuable source of advice and information. Finally, many apartments require advance payment, which can be tricky internationally.

Www.booking.com is a good source for hotels and apartments.

bvlenci

My daughter took a small group tour of wineries when she was in Florence. She enjoyed it very much even though she drinks very little. The tour stopped at several pretty villages and included lunch at a winery. It might be an awful bore for very young kids, though.

That and a trip to Lucca and to Pisa should fill your time. As someone mentioned, you can rent bikes to ride around a park on top of the massive defensive walls of Lucca. The minimum age for climbing the Leaning Tower is 8 years.
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Here is an article with suggestions about beaches reachable by train from Florence.
https://www.italymagazine.com/7-beaches-reachable-train-florence

I agree that Fiesole is a nice outing, but I would take a bus.

You will have 4 full days in Florence. I would choose one or two excursions and spend the rest of your time in Florence. If you plan to use the train for some of the excursions, I would choose a hotel (or apartment) near the station. Santa Maria Novella station is right in the thick of things. The last time I was there, there was a lot of construction going on, because they're building a new station. This made for some confusion, as bus stops were in new places. But still, there were great advantages to being near the station.

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cafegoddess

Check out Firenze Suite, I think this will work for your family. We have stayed in one of their suite with a large loft that has 2 queen size beds in addition to the king size bed downstairs. The only down size, it only has one bathroom. It has a tiny kitchenette. They don’t encourage a lot of cooking. I usually just make oatmeal or eggs for my husband. No big meals.

The pluses, free parking, you just have to reserve ahead of time. You don’t have to worry about about the ZTLs. They will register your car for you. It is close to the Duomo and mercato central but it is in residential area. Lots of great restaurants within walking distance as well as grocery stores.

A trick that my Italian chef taught me. If you accidentally enter a ZTL zone, go into a parking garage, park your car, ask them to register your car. Please, I am not recommending anyone to break the law.

I hope you have time to visit Siena, one of my favorite town.

bvlenci

I don't think that would work. Cars are supposed to be registered by a hotel in advance to allow a guest to unload luggage. You're supposed to contact the hotel as soon as you know the plate number. Even then, the exemption is only valid on a direct route to the hotel. I don't think a parking garage would fit the bill, unless it's the hotel's own garage.

​​​​​​​The rules vary from city to city, so maybe it would work somewhere. However, most parking garages these days have automatic ticket machines, and you never see an attendant.