The SS222 Run: Greve, Panzano and Back Before Dark
This is the loop we send most convertible clients on: pick the car up outside the ZTL, follow the SS222 south into Chianti, stop where the vineyards actually open their gates, and be back in Florence with enough daylight to return the car without rushing the paperwork.
Behind the wheel
- 01
Handover at Santa Maria Novella garage, 9:00
We meet clients at the underground garage near the station rather than the historic centre, since a ZTL fine on day one sours the whole trip. This is also where we walk through the deposit hold, the insurance excess and what a full-tank return actually means, so nobody is doing that math at 8pm with a flight to catch. A Bentayga or Audi RS6 works if you're carrying luggage from a hotel first; otherwise the convertibles are already fuelled and briefed.
- 02
SS222 to Greve in Chianti, 9:45
The road narrows past Strada in Chianti and the corners tighten, so we brief drivers on the blind bends before they leave rather than over the phone later. Greve's main piazza has open parking near the edges of town, not inside the arcades, which keeps the car close without blocking a delivery lane.
- 03
Panzano and a cantina stop, 11:30
Panzano sits a short climb above Greve, and this is usually where the wine tasting happens, so we recommend nominating one non-driver or arranging a chauffeur for the afternoon if the group plans to taste seriously. Vineyard gates along this stretch are gravel more often than asphalt, which is one reason we don't send low sport cars down here.
- 04
Return via Strada to Florence, 16:30
Traffic on the SS222 thickens by late afternoon as day-trippers head back, so we build in a buffer before sunset. Return is at the same garage, with a quick check against the handover photos and fuel level before the deposit is released — the same conversation we started that morning, just closing the loop.
About Florence
When you rent a luxury car in Florence, the choice of vehicle should follow the route you actually intend to drive rather than a general idea of comfort. A convertible or GT suits the winding stretches of the SS222 through Greve and Panzano, while a comfortable SUV carries better on the longer runs to Siena or San Gimignano, where road surfaces vary and journeys stretch past an hour each way. Business travellers moving between Florence Airport and a Lungarno hotel are usually better served by an executive sedan, which is built for short, direct transfers rather than hill roads.
Florence's historic centre operates a camera-enforced ZTL, and this affects where a rental car can realistically be collected or returned. Handover at the airport, at Santa Maria Novella station, or at a suburban hotel avoids the risk of entering the centro storico without a permit, and it is worth confirming your arrival and departure points before booking rather than assuming a car can simply be parked near the centre. Underground garages near Santa Maria Novella and Fortezza da Basso are the practical answer to parking once you are in the city, since street space in the centre is scarce.
Arrival logistics differ depending on which airport you use. Florence Peretola (FLR) is compact and sits close to the city, making it a straightforward point to collect a car before heading into Tuscany. Pisa's airport, used by a number of budget carriers, sits roughly 85 km away, so arrivals there should plan on a longer transfer before reaching a Florence hotel or setting off toward Chianti. Either way, matching the pickup point to your actual itinerary saves time on the first day.
Before any rental agreement is signed, it is worth understanding how the security deposit is structured, what the insurance covers, and how the car is expected to come back at the end of the rental — full tank, same condition, agreed return point. These details vary by agency and by vehicle, so ask directly rather than assuming standard terms apply. If your stay includes a full day in Chianti with tastings in Greve or Panzano, or an evening climb up to Fiesole, factor a chauffeur option into that planning, since driving after a tasting or on a narrow, unfamiliar road at dusk is not always the most relaxed choice.