Can't believe I'm looking to the end of the trip in the planning process!
We rent a car in Florence the Friday afternoon of arrival. Our departure flight leaves at 7:00am. What's the best way to return the car ... if we return it the afternoon before, our hotel is about 25 km from the Florence airport.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kim,
Posts: 247 | Location: Youngsville, NC USA | Registered: 24 July 2003
If you can return your car at the Florence airport, that would be your best solution. Its easy to get into and out of and it is so much preferred to driving into Firenze itself to drop off. Add a half hour to return your car if its AutoEurope.
I think you are going to find the airport office closed since you have such an early flight out. Your only choices may be returning the car the day before or finding an office with a drop box. The latter might be a bit hectic for the morning of your early departure - I know it would be for me.
Posts: 1468 | Location: on the Alabama River | Registered: 22 July 2002
Auto Eorope's drop off system is very easy. I ahve used it several times. COmpared with the hassle of trying to return in Firenze or returning a day early and then cabbing to and from the hotel, I'd do the drop off method. Take the keys to the office and put them through the slot with a copy of the contract.
Although the car rental desks at the airport in Florence won't be open before your 7am flight, every one that I've noticed there has a drop box for keys or some other way to leave your rental car. In my experience, it's often actually easier to drop off the rental car before the desks open.
Let the company you are renting from know that you'll be leaving the car at the airport in the early morning. I'm sure that won't be a problem.
The airport in Florence is tiny; the departure and arrival terminals are less than a minute walk away from each other. (The rental car desks, and key drop-offs, are in the arrival terminal.)
Maureen
Posts: 4724 | Location: Boston or Florence | Registered: 07 July 2001
Absolutely agree with Maureen, drop it at the airport. The traffic to the airport will be minimal at that hour & the drop off only takes 5 seconds when their closed. We dropped our car in the old Palermo airport about 10 years ago. There was no slot for the keys, so we just balled them up in the rental agreement, and threw them over the 8 foot plexiglass wall of the rental office. Never heard back that there was a problem.
Posts: 495 | Location: San Diego, Ca. | Registered: 27 November 2002
We too have returned a rental to Florence before hours...it is very easy. And as everyone has stated it is a small airport so there is not much confusion.
Stephanie dogma to Rosco and Sedona
Posts: 373 | Location: Southern California | Registered: 29 January 2002
We too, returned a car to the Florence airport but we sure had one heck of a time finding the airport itself. We went round and round, back and forth and still never figured out how we finally found it, so if you are as lame as we are, allow plenty of time!
Posts: 97 | Location: dallas | Registered: 14 August 2001
Our flight leaves at 7:00 AM to London ... we should be at the airport at 5:00 am? Two hours for international flight? So we would be returning car around that time.
We've never been through the Florence Airport. Is it pretty straight-forward when renting the car? We haven't yet made a decision as to which car rental to use. It may seem funny, but is there always the upgrade question?
The problem returning the car when no one is there is there could be damage done to the car after we've left it parked and .....
Posts: 247 | Location: Youngsville, NC USA | Registered: 24 July 2003
The airline staff at the check-in counters at the airport in Florence does not begin work until 6am, so getting there at 5 means hanging around for an hour. (The bar for coffee in the departure terminal doesn't open until after 6).
Maureen
Posts: 4724 | Location: Boston or Florence | Registered: 07 July 2001
I have been through the Florence airport many times and have never encountered a crowd, but that is my experience. While waiting for my bags to arrive last October, a large group walked up to me and asked where they could find the airport. Needless to say, they were shocked when I told them they were in the airport. As others have reassured you, it is very small and easy to maneuver.
And terir, I have had the same problems driving to the airport - lots of circling and not the intentional, Slow Travel recommended,concentric circle. Rather the panicked, how can something so simple be so hard circle.
Posts: 1468 | Location: on the Alabama River | Registered: 22 July 2002
Are most major car rentals represented at the airport? I wouldn't think it made sense to have to get into the city to rent a car ....
And when we finish with the paperwork, is it easy to find the A11 motorway "towards the sea" From this we flow onto the A1 and go from there. I would think "towards the sea" means West but from videos we've been watching, they say directions are in terms of landmarks ... so will signnage say "towards the sea" or West?
Posts: 247 | Location: Youngsville, NC USA | Registered: 24 July 2003
Have you thought about using the Auto Europe click-thru at the top of this page to look into car rentals? You can choose your pick-up and drop-off destinations.
I almost always head into Florence from the airport, rather than to the A1, so someone else who's done that might be of more help.
But things tend to be clearly marked- look for signs that direct you to the A11; the signs for the A1 will be posted too. Directions tend not be given as "North-South-East-West" but in the direction of a city along the route. For example, entering the A1 from an exit near Florence you are given the choice of heading towards Roma/Napoli or Bologna/Milano. South would be taking Roma/Napoli, north would require getting on the highway in the direction of Bologna/Milano. A map comes in handy.
Maureen
Posts: 4724 | Location: Boston or Florence | Registered: 07 July 2001
Maureen is absolutely correct. Click thru to Auto Europe, study your options and definitely invest in a map. There are also websites for mapping your journeys (mappy, via michelin, etc.) I'm not sure we know enough about your location in Florence to give accurate advice though. I thought you meant you would be going to a hotel in the city, but it seems you are referring to a hotel stay in the countryside.
But, as Maureen said, the roads are well marked and you will find your way. Words of advice based upon personal experience - never pass up an exit for your destination thinking there will be another and allow plenty of drive time for being lost - it is inevitable, but the scenery can be a bonus.
A search on Auto Europe will also reveal there is a surcharge for picking up a car at an airport, but sometimes that is unavoidable. My October 2003 trip is driving me nuts because of auto rental logistics too. Trip planning can be stressful, but thank goodness Italy is so rewarding.
Posts: 1468 | Location: on the Alabama River | Registered: 22 July 2002
quote:Originally posted by Janice in AL: Maureen is absolutely correct.
But, as Maureen said...
Janice, if you're not doing anything tonight, I'm making a family dinner, with some ex-in-laws included. You are VERY welcome to join in as long as you'll be willing to quote the above statements at least once!
Maureen
Posts: 4724 | Location: Boston or Florence | Registered: 07 July 2001
Maureen - would love to hop a jet to Boston. Dinner might be out of the question at this late time, but could vouch for your excellent travel advice over dessert and coffee. I have a good friend in Boston (met her in Umbria) and will see her again in Rome in November.
Posts: 1468 | Location: on the Alabama River | Registered: 22 July 2002
Thanks to comment we are planning not to rent the car at the airport, but to arrange with the hotel for a driver to meet us and take us to the hotel only 12 miles away. (By the way, what is an acceptable tip for drivers and/or taxi drivers?) We'll be arriving Friday afternoon. Our stay in Florence countryside is 3 nights and then we train into Venice for 3 nights. It's on our return from Venice that we'll now pick up the car ... in town ... and go from there.
I spoke yesterday to Laura of Hotel Villa Lecchi near Siena and she said the heat was 40 C and the only place to be is in the pool or in the house
Posts: 247 | Location: Youngsville, NC USA | Registered: 24 July 2003
quote:Originally posted by joywriter: And when we finish with the paperwork, is it easy to find the A11 motorway "towards the sea"
When you leave the Florence airport, you have to turn right. Go straight and you get on the A11 (it starts there at the airport) From there you travel to the A1 and then must choose either direction Roma (going south) or Bologna (going north)
I just read in another message that you are going from in town not from the airport. Where are you going to from Florence?
If the Villa Il Poggiale is where I think it is (outside San Casciano towards Cerbaia) we stopped by and got a tour. It is lovely, and I hope you will write a review (even if it's not the same place.)
Posts: 2054 | Location: Suburban Philadelphia | Registered: 08 July 2002
quote:Originally posted by joywriter:From the airport we'll be going to Villa Il Poggiale (Dimora Storica) about 12 miles from the airport.
I'm confused which is not surprising these days (heat and toddlers). Earlier you asked
quote:And when we finish with the paperwork, is it easy to find the A11 motorway "towards the sea" From this we flow onto the A1 and go from there. I would think "towards the sea" means West but from videos we've been watching, they say directions are in terms of landmarks ... so will signnage say "towards the sea" or West?
but then later on you wrote
quote: It's on our return from Venice that we'll now pick up the car ... in town ... and go from there.
so my question was about where you were going from the car rental place so that I could get you on the right part of the highway. I know that I am not makng any sense now so am saying nighty night, until tomorrow all .
you'll be in a villa in San Casciano with no car? it is walking distance to town or are you just going to relax? San Casciano is nice small village. with several nice trattoria's.
Our first plan was to rent car at airport and drive to Villa Il Poggiale in San Casciano Val di Pesa. (Has anyone stayed here?)
Judy, can you tell me more about the little village? And any special trattorias? I hadn't realized there was a village there.
But....... we've changed-up and will arrange for a driver from the villa to pick us up. We'll be here 3 nights and then go on to Venice for 3 nights by train ... from Florence.
When we return from Venice, we'll pick up the car (in Florence) and drive to Siena. I know this may seem "how do you say it" circuitous but our scheduled days in Florence include the weekend and by going in and out we can catch life there as it happens and some of the venues closed on Sunday. We really are slow travellers.
Posts: 247 | Location: Youngsville, NC USA | Registered: 24 July 2003
Topic Closed
We dropped our car in the old Palermo airport about 10 years ago. There was no slot for the keys, so we just balled them up in the rental agreement, and threw them over the 8 foot plexiglass wall of the rental office. Never heard back that there was a problem. 
so am saying nighty night, until tomorrow all .
