Florence Airport
Best for: A flight arrival followed by Florence, Chianti or eastern Tuscany
Allow the transfer to the off-terminal car rental area and return directly there.
Tuscany car hire
For a Tuscany driving holiday, choose the pickup that fits the first overnight rather than treating the region as one rental location. Florence Airport is useful for a Florence or Chianti start, but its SIXT car rental area is off the terminal at Via del Palagio degli Spini and reached by shuttle. Pisa Airport works for a western Tuscany or coastal start; SIXT's rental area is at Piazzale Mario Cobianchi, reached by airport shuttle or a signed walk, with return at P5. If the first days are in Florence's historic centre, delay the hire until the outward road day and check the ZTL before driving.
Editor: Ane
Tuscany at a glance
- Florence Airport option
- Off-terminal car rental area at Via del Palagio degli Spini
- Pisa Airport option
- Rental area at Piazzale Mario Cobianchi; SIXT return at P5
- Florence centre
- Historic centre is a camera-controlled ZTL
- Motorway payment
- Toll lanes are marked by payment method
Search Tuscany car hire
Search starts at Florence Airport, with the same return location and EUR as the requested currency. Check the exact branch, collection instructions and full conditions in the selected offer.
Preparing live car hire search
Choose your Tuscany starting point
Pisa Airport
Best for: A western Tuscany, Lucca or coast-led road trip
Use the rental area at Piazzale Mario Cobianchi and check the P5 return.
Choose the airport by the first road leg
Tuscany is a region, so search a real branch rather than a regional label.
Start near Florence when the east matters
Florence Airport is a practical start for a drive toward Chianti, the Val d'Orcia or eastern Tuscany if the flight lands there and you are leaving the city promptly. Its rental collection is not automatically in the terminal. SIXT directs customers from arrivals to a shuttle for its office in Via del Palagio degli Spini, and returns go to that same rental area before a shuttle back. Add that transfer and vehicle inspection to the first-day plan. If Florence itself is the first destination, a tram or other transfer and later rental may reduce parked car days.
Plan the Florence Airport pickupStart near Pisa for the west
Pisa Airport suits a road route beginning around Pisa, Lucca or the Tuscan coast. SIXT's branch is in the rental area at Piazzale Mario Cobianchi, accessible by the airport rental shuttle or a signed walk from the terminal; its return is at P5. That is a different layout and end-of-trip approach from Florence. Compare flight arrival, first night's address and the final airport before picking a quote. A Pisa start can be useful even when the journey later crosses inland, provided the actual first leg remains comfortable.
Plan the Pisa Airport pickupSet the rental start after city-only days
A car should begin on the day it solves the transport problem.
Florence's centre changes the calculation
The historic centre of Florence is a limited traffic zone monitored by camera gates. A rental car is often a burden during museum, walking and rail days, especially if the accommodation has no authorised access or suitable parking. Ask the property where guests may legally stop and park. Do not infer that a hotel booking grants ZTL access. If the itinerary first stays in Florence, compare airport transfer plus a later named branch with collecting at the airport and paying for all those parked days.
Compare Italy city-first startsLeave time for the handover
Airport pickup times should allow for baggage, shuttle or walk, counter document checks and loading. Florence's off-terminal location adds a separate shuttle leg, while Pisa's rental area can be reached by shuttle or signed walk. Do not put the first long rural drive immediately after a tight flight arrival. If an evening landing leaves little daylight, an airport or city first night may be more comfortable. For a later pickup, confirm that the named city branch and its opening hours actually suit the departure day.
Build one coherent Tuscany circuit
Region-wide driving time depends on where you sleep and stop.
Group nearby stays
A Florence-led route can take the first road day into Chianti and then continue toward Siena or a southern base. A Pisa-led route may put Lucca or the coast earlier. Choose accommodation with legal parking and make day trips from it instead of moving luggage every night. The question is not whether a car can cross Tuscany, but whether its rental days are spent on roads where it helps. Keep the first and last drives short enough to absorb collection or return tasks, and compare a loop with any one-way finish.
Check local access before each old centre
Florence is the clearest warning: its historic centre is a camera-controlled ZTL. Similar signs can appear in other historic towns, and a navigation app may prioritise the shortest street rather than the legal one. Set the accommodation's authorised car park as the destination and ask about the final approach, especially with luggage. Never use an SUV category as a reason to enter a signed restriction or an unpaved route; permission depends on local rules and the hire agreement. A smaller car can be easier in narrow bays, but must still fit everyone safely.
Prepare for signed local restrictionsChoose the return airport before the route
A different end point may save distance but can change the hire offer.
Return Florence at its rental area
For a SIXT Florence Airport return, navigate directly to the Via del Palagio degli Spini rental area rather than the passenger terminal. The branch directs cars to its containers there and provides a shuttle to the terminal. Leave enough time for fuel, car inspection, key handover and that final transfer. Other brands may use different spaces, so retain the exact operator's instructions. A Pisa pickup with a Florence finish is a one-way booking, not a flexible drop-off at whichever desk is convenient.
Return Pisa at P5
For SIXT at Pisa Airport, follow signs to P5 at Piazzale Mario Cobianchi and use the operator's ground-floor spaces. Allow the walk or shuttle back to the terminal and time to unload bags. A return to Florence or another Italian city must be entered as its exact final branch when comparing prices. Check that the offer accepts the route and whether it adds a one-way charge. A loop back to the pickup airport may have a lower quoted charge but cost more driving time, fuel or an extra night's parking.
Compare the one-way totalCalculate the costs that sit outside the rate
Parking and branch logistics can outweigh a small daily-rate difference.
Read the agreement's money terms
Compare the same car class, passenger capacity, dates and end branch. Check the accepted lead-driver card, deposit hold, damage and theft excess, optional protections, mileage, fuel or charging rule and charges for an extra driver or child seat. If a route reaches an island by ferry or crosses a national border, ask whether the selected supplier permits the vehicle and cover on that exact trip. A larger class does not itself authorise unsealed roads. Keep these conditions in the same comparison as the headline price.
Add tolls, ZTL and accommodation parking
Italian motorway toll plazas have marked payment lanes. Choose a cash or card lane that matches your payment method, keep an entry ticket where issued and avoid a Telepass-only lane without a valid device. Ask how any electronic toll service is billed by the rental firm. Florence centre access is a separate legal question, and parking at country villas or town garages may have its own cost and limits. Use the real overnight locations and return route when estimating total trip cost.
Estimate toll and parking costsSelect a vehicle for lanes and luggage
A compact car is helpful only if it safely carries the group.
Test the real boot
Tuscany itineraries often move between flights, rural stays and historic towns. Count all suitcases, people and child seats before choosing a category. A small vehicle can be easier to park, but if bags fill the cabin or obscure the rear view, choose more boot space. An automatic may require a different class. At handover, check the actual vehicle, tyre condition, existing damage and fuel or charge level. The displayed class is a category rather than a promise of a specific model, and an SUV badge does not imply permission for farm tracks.
Choose the right size for luggageKeep the first road day light
After a flight, the airport shuttle or rental-area walk, paperwork and a new car take time. A first night close to the chosen airport or on a direct regional route is easier than racing into a hill town at night. For longer rural legs, save the accommodation's parking address and arrival instructions offline. Check weather and road conditions if travelling outside summer, and allow time for fuel before a return flight. The right vehicle is the one that fits the route and makes the final airport return straightforward.
Search Florence or Pisa, not just Tuscany
The booking must resolve to a real pickup and return branch.
Use the exact airport and hours
Pick Florence Airport or Pisa Airport as the collection point that fits the flight and first overnight, then enter a handover hour that includes the terminal transfer. Add the final branch rather than assuming it equals the pickup. Read the operator's parking and return directions before committing; Florence's SIXT office is off-terminal, while Pisa's SIXT area is at Piazzale Mario Cobianchi. A generic Tuscany search cannot tell you where to present documents or how to return before a flight.
Compare the full trip shape
If the first days are in Florence's historic centre, try a later collection as a separate search and include the airport transfer. For a regional circuit, compare a same-airport loop with a Florence-to-Pisa or Pisa-to-Florence one-way booking, only if the chosen supplier offers the exact pair. Add tolls, parking, fuel and the final shuttle or walk. This decision connects the itinerary to a real car and a return you can execute, rather than promising a regional rate with no known desk.
Tuscany pickup guides
Choose the airport, city or port that suits your arrival. Confirm the selected branch and availability in the search offer.
Tuscany rental questions
Is Florence Airport car hire inside the terminal?
SIXT uses an off-terminal rental area at Via del Palagio degli Spini, reached by airport shuttle. Check the selected operator's exact arrangement.
Where do I return a Pisa Airport SIXT car?
Follow the rental-car signs to P5 at Piazzale Mario Cobianchi and the named SIXT spaces.
Should I hire a car for central Florence days?
Compare a later pickup with airport hire days and parking. The historic centre has a camera-controlled ZTL, so confirm any legal access before driving.
Compare Tuscany car hire
Choose your dates and compare the total price, pickup arrangements and rental conditions. Check the branch and return plan before confirming an offer.
Search Tuscany car hire