A Day North and South of the Centro: Fiesole, Chianti, and an Evening Arrival
Start where the ZTL cameras don't reach — a Lungarno hotel forecourt or Peretola arrivals — and let the day open outward from there: hill panorama first, vineyard roads at midday, a private estate by evening.
Behind the wheel
- 01
Fiesole terrace, before the heat
Handover happens at the hotel kerb or the airport, never inside the historic centre, so the car is already pointed the right way when you set off. The climb to Fiesole is eight kilometres of narrow bends — a 430i Cabrio or similar convertible reads the road better than anything larger, and the terrace above the Duomo is worth reaching before the tour buses arrive. Fifteen minutes there, then back down before the centre fills in.
- 02
SS222 to Greve and Panzano
From Florence the SS222 runs southeast through Chianti Classico country — Greve first, Panzano further on, forty to sixty kilometres of loops depending on how many vineyard gates you stop at. A GT or convertible suits this stretch; the road rewards a car that can be driven rather than merely steered. Lunch in Panzano, then decide whether the afternoon continues toward Siena or turns back.
- 03
Evening arrival at a private estate
Many Chianti and Siena-area villas host weddings and private events through the season, and a handover timed for late afternoon means the car arrives clean and the driving day ends on a photogenic exit rather than a scramble. For a wedding party or a small corporate gathering, we brief on which vehicle photographs and drives best for that specific approach road — a detail worth settling before the morning of, not during it. Return the car at the hotel or airport the next day; nothing needs to touch the centro storico at all.
About Florence
Florence rewards a car the moment you leave the centro storico. The city itself is compact and camera-monitored, but the province opens into Chianti's SS222 through Greve and Panzano, the hill towns of San Gimignano and Siena, and coastal runs toward Versilia — each suited to a different kind of car. A convertible such as the BMW 430i Cabrio or Ferrari Roma Spider handles the Fiesole climb and vineyard lanes with ease, while a seven-seat X7 or SQ7 carries a family comfortably to a villa outside the ZTL. Weddings, corporate arrivals for Pitti Uomo, and Grand Prix weekends bring their own timing, and our fleet — from Maybach saloons to a Lamborghini Urus SE — is chosen to fit the occasion, not just the spec sheet.
We arrange handover at Florence Peretola, Pisa arrivals, or a Lungarno-area hotel — never in the historic centre, where ZTL cameras and the lack of street parking make delivery impractical. Each booking sets out the security deposit, insurance terms and mileage allowance in writing before the keys change hands, so a Chianti day out or a week based near Siena carries no surprises on return. Self-drive is the default; a chauffeur can be arranged on request for wine-tour days or evening transfers when driving after a tasting isn't the plan. Reserve directly with our team and expect a route-led recommendation rather than a generic list of cars.