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The Scenic Driving Route

Viale dei Colli: the panoramic boulevard looping Florence's southern hills, made for a golden-hour drive.

Viale dei Colli • Fiesole • the SR222 into Chianti

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Viale dei Colli

The panoramic loop over the southern hills

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Mind the ZTL

The historic centre is camera-enforced. Do not enter

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Two Hours to a Day

The loop is short. Chianti is a full day

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Parking is the Problem

Piazzale spaces are limited and paid

🧭 Why This Experience

The Tuscan hills on your own schedule. Fiesole's Roman theater, Chianti's SR222 curves, hilltop lunches, and cypress-framed pullouts the tour buses can't fit into. Rent small, leave early, let the road argue for itself.

🏛️ The Backstory

The Via Chiantigiana (SR222) has linked Florence to Siena through the wine hills for centuries. It is a road that predates the idea of scenic driving and defines it anyway.

💡 Worth Knowing

Fiesole, twenty minutes up, is older than Florence. The Etruscan hill town looked down on the Roman camp that outgrew it. Its Roman theater still stages summer festivals, and the terrace by San Francesco offers the reverse of the piazzale's view. Florence, whole, in its bowl.

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  • The Viale dei Colli runs from Porta Romana round to San Niccolo. Drive it westbound in the evening for the light.
  • Fiesole is twenty minutes up the other side and older than Florence. The terrace by San Francesco is the view.
  • The SR222 to Siena is the classic Chianti road. Allow far longer than the map says.

  • Rent the smallest car you can live with. Tuscan lanes and Florentine garages were not built for an SUV.
  • ZTL cameras will find you months later. If your hotel is inside the zone, have them register your plate.
  • Many rural stations are unattended in the evening and want a chip-and-pin card that works abroad.

  • Late afternoon is the only time to do the Viale dei Colli. At midday it is just a road.
  • Sunday brings out every motorcyclist in Tuscany on the SR222.
  • Mid August empties the cities and fills the hill roads.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Viale dei Colli?
The panoramic boulevard Giuseppe Poggi laid out in the 1860s across the hills south of the Arno, running from Porta Romana to San Niccolo and passing Piazzale Michelangelo at its high point. It was designed as a drive and it still works as one.
Can I drive into the centre of Florence?
No, not without a permit. The historic centre is a camera-enforced restricted zone and the fines arrive by post months later. Park outside and walk or take a bus.
Is a car worth it for Florence?
Not for the city. It is worth it for Chianti, Fiesole and the hill towns, so the usual answer is to hire one for the days you leave and not before.
Where do I park for Piazzale Michelangelo?
There are paid spaces on the Piazzale itself and along the Viale, and they fill before sunset in summer. Coming up by bus and walking down the ramps avoids the problem entirely.

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