FAQs
This depends entirely on what type of stay it is (elective immigration, joining family, a new job, the new tax deal) but as a rough guide you will need a valid passport, a work visa, a work permit, residence permit and of course a codice fiscale. Some you need before you get here, others once you arrive.
The best way is to use a good agent, explain what you’re after and visit as many properties as possible. I work with an excellent, trustworthy, English speaking agent, if you can’t be there I will do virtual visits and advise on the area and rental costs.
Yes, you are. However, if you come from a non-EU country, you need to change your license to an Italian one within one year.
You can hire a car long or short term, you need your driving license and a good credit card. There are offices at the airport to hire cars from.
Again you need a number of documents to be able to buy a car in Italy, these are: a valid Italian ID, a permesso di soggiorno, a codice fiscale and a certificate of residence.
The short answer is yes, however depending on where you’re bringing it from, you’ll need a different set of documents. It is compulsory to change the number plates to Italian ones within 60 days of your arrival, no matter where you came from.
You can get a ticket from the machines on the side of the road using a credit card or coins, you can also download the app suggested on the machine itself.
The best way to pay for a fine is as soon as you receive it, because you can do it online. If you wait more than 14 days, you will need to wait for a second more expensive fine to arrive in the post, you can usually pay for this at the post office or the Commune offices.
The best way to get a Telepass is to either get it at your own bank or go to a Punto Blu, near the highways.
Yes and no. In Florence there is ZTL (Zona Traffico Limitato) this means you cannot drive in the Historical centre of Florence, unless it’s after 8pm, before 7am or during national holidays and Sundays. All these rules vary without notice and the best thing to do is to look at the ZTL traffic lights to see if they’re green or red. Watch out, because there are also no-go areas at anytime of day or night, including the Duomo, Piazza Pitti and Ponte Vecchio.
There are many car parks in and around the city of Florence.
YES! Take a deep breath, stay as far to your right as possible and drive safely! Sometimes a bus will be coming the other way, just reverse, they’ve seen it all before.
This is a difficult question and is relative to the country you were living before. If when you move to Florence, you decide to live in or around the city centre, access to public transport will be pretty good, as you can get around on buses and trams quite easily. Keep in mind however that if you live up in the hills, you will need your own transport for sure.
As a tourist you have the same rights as locals in the event of an emergency, this means your treatment is free, or very low cost. Moreover, when you become a permanent resident, you will have a right to the Servicio Sanitario Nazionale (SSI), this is free or very cheap at the point of service.
Usually all you need is a valid passport and a codice fiscale, some banks have other requirements. In the beginning you can always just get a N26 account online until you’ve settled in.
There are a number of ways to do this. The simplest is by taxi, a ride to or from the airport to the city centre should cost you no more than 25€ including all the extras for bags, however if you’re going outside the centre it will cost you more, sometimes a lot more. There is a great tram service that takes you from the centre to the airport, and vice-versa, which is quick and efficient.
Florence has excellent choices of good schools and each family should consider what is best in their own context. If you’re here for life you might want to send your little ones to the local school, it is free and of high standard. Know that there are also a number of Italian speaking private schools, that you might choose those for religious reasons. Florence also has a French school and a fantastic International school.
This depends on the size of your family, your priorities, where you’ll work, etc. If you choose to live in the centre, keep in mind that parking is difficult to find, but you may not even need a car as everything is nearby. If you want to live in the Tuscan hills, you’ll have hardly any public transport available, but your home is likely to be truly amazing. There are little towns and wonderful areas around Florence to explore. So, the short answer is everywhere is good, but we can choose together where it’s good for you.
As soon as you arrive at the airport, there will be places selling SIMs, these may not be the best deals at that moment, so if you’re here long-term it’s best to have a look in the city.
iPhones in Italy come unlocked, and if you buy one here, you can use it all over the world. A good alternative to the Apple store is Juice, where you can buy new and used Apple products (and park nearby!).
Yes! There are many offers available and your Netflix should work here with some local restrictions.
The most fun way is by hiring a guide, the best one and most popular with people coming from abroad is Elaine.
Good question, but one way to try and make sure they do is to hire a guide who specialises in children, VikAdventures is the best.
Yes, there is Recrea, a state of the art dental studio near Porta Romana, you can park just outside the clinic. Ask for Dr Laura, she speaks English.
Yes! The one with the best approach and excellent contacts for referrals is Dr Kerr.
There are many gyms in Florence, some right in the centre, some a bit outside. Here’s a couple of links to help you decide:
https://www.virginactive.it/club/firenze/firenze-rovezzano
https://www.klab.it/en