I rented a car from Auto Europe and used their Avis affiliate on via Ponte Sospeso, because it is right around the corner from my sister's house. I realized that it may be a good option for people who've written they don't want to drive into the center of the city to the Borgo Ognisanti sites to pick up and/or drop off the car.

It is very easy to access coming from the south- from the Chianti region or the Firenze Certosa exit on the autostrada.

I'll have to check the directions how to leave the city. I think there is a way to avoid (most) of the rotary from hell at the end of via Ponte Sospeso. I'll post them after I check.

Maureen

Cool - although I must admit departing from Borgo Ognisanti towards the A11 (and the airport) wasn't bad but I wouldn't ever want to return to that location.

Kim
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Directions from the Firenze Certosa exit on the A1:

Head for Florence. Go through Porta Romana and straight until the road ends, and you must go right. (Here you basically want to go straight through Piazza Pier Vettori, but you can't. It's helpful to visualize this, though.) Go right, get to the left, and take a left at the next intersection. You will then have to go to the right. The driveway to Avis office is quickly on your right; there is a green Autopertutti sign up high. Pull into the courtyard. You are there.

Directions to the A1.

You have to go right leaving the office. Stay to the right, even if it means sitting behind a bus at the stop for a minute or 2. At the end of via Ponte Sospeso you will encounter a big rotary (roundabout). Stay to the right and you can skim it, taking the 2nd street on the right. (The 1st is a one way.). Follow this street to the end, where you will be able to go straight for a short distance. Take the right, then at the end of that street, go left. When you see Porta San Frediano, bear to the right before the porta. Follow this street to the end, take a left, and you are on the road that takes you through Scandicci and Galluzzo back to the A1.

Maureen