Book a rental car in Florence for an unforgettable vacation
Call it Florence, Fiorentia, or Firenze, no matter what the title this city is one of the culturally most important on the entire European continent. A comprehensive lecture on art history could be cut in half, were it not for this proud Italian center of sophistication; Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Donatello, Botticelli, Brunelleschi, Masaccio, Giotto and more lived and worked in Florence, inspired by its liberal spirit and beauty. Their works can be seen on the walls of countless churches and museums around town like the famous
Uffizi Gallery,
Bargello,
Palazzo Pitti, and various
Medici chapels. The entire city is a sort of open-air art gallery, surrounded by cypress groves, monasteries, country houses and the charming Chianti region. To ensure a fulfilling trip in Florence, book your rental car in advanced!
Florence was founded in 59 B.C., though settlements can be traced back to Etruscan times; their relics like the ancient amphitheater can be found in Fiesole.
Park your rental car and take a walking tour of Florence's many sites
Florence’s Old Town is not very large and all the main sights are in within walking distance. A mere five minute stroll will take you from the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore with Brunelleschi’s famous dome to the Palazzo Vecchio, once the government seat of the powerful Medici family. Just a stone’s throw from here you can longingly stare through the shop windows of Ponte Vecchio’s jewelers and enjoy the view over the Arno River. Even the Uffizi with Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Leonardo’s Annunciation are just around the corner.
Whether you are a huge art fan or not, the
Museo Nazionale di Bargello will leave you deeply impressed. A former prison it now guards Italy’s most important collection of 14th to 16th century sculptures including works of Cellini, Giambologna, Donatello, and Michelangelo. The latter is also honored in the Casa Buonarotti, his birth house. Michelangelo’s famous David is displayed in the
Galleria dell’Accademia.
The back streets of Florence offer a lively and authentic peek into Italian culture
To watch art being created take a stroll through the Santo Spirito district on the left banks of the Arno River, called Oltrarno. Craftsmen, restorators, smiths, and antiques traders often leave their doors open for people to have a peek at their work.
After so much art take a break in the shade of a cypress tree in the Giardino di Boboli gardens behind Palazzo Pitti. Here you can rest between fountains, grottos, sculptures and even an amphitheater, and before you know it it is time to hunt down some dinner in the traditional Trattorias. With a car rental in Florence, you will be able to see everything on your list!
Take your rental car through the outskirts of Florence
Florence’s surrounding countryside is best explored by rental car, as many small villages, remote monasteries, and picturesque vineyards in the rolling hills of the Chianti area are not served by public transportation.
The Medici family has left the world a great number of villas and country houses, one of the best being Villa Poggio a Caiano, built for Lorenzo il Magnifico. The heavily decorated house was home to the Italian royal family during the 19th century. A fabulous example for Italian landscape design can be seen at the Villa Medicea di Castello with its vast mazes, overflowing flower beds, and fountains. Cosimo I. enjoyed his youth as well as his old age in these beautiful gardens. By booking your rental car in Florence you will be able to discover this beautiful region.
An absolute must for any Tuscany visitor is San Gimignano, which has a perfectly preserved medieval center, encircled by an old defensive wall from which you get the best view over the countryside.
To sample the Chianti area’s most famous export visit a vineyard around Montepulciano, Montalcino, and Pienza, charming medieval villages where life and wine are celebrated on the town squares. So book your rental car in Florence today and enjoy a great Italian vacation!
