# Florence: the questions with a date on the answer

> The tourist tax runs €3.50 to €8.00 a night, the whole center is a limited traffic zone in five sectors, and a Cupola slot cannot be changed once booked.

URL: https://myitalia.it/faq/firenze
Last updated: 2026-09-03

Three rules decide a trip to Florence: the whole historic center is a limited traffic zone, the tourist tax runs €3.50 to €8.00 a person a night for a maximum of seven nights, and a Cupola slot cannot be changed once you have booked it.

## The center is a ZTL, in five sectors

Five sectors make up the limited traffic zone, A, B, O, F and G, and together they cover the whole historic center. In A, B and O the restriction runs all year, 7:30 am to 8:00 pm Monday to Friday and 7:30 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday (07:30 to 20:00 and 07:30 to 16:00 on Italian signs).

A summer night ZTL is added on top, from the first Thursday in April to the first Sunday in October, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, indicatively 11:00 pm to 3:00 am (2026). The dates are reset by ordinance every year.

Cameras read the plate at every gate, and some gates are reserved around the clock for public transport and emergency vehicles. A hotel inside the zone can register your plate, but that has to happen before you drive in, not after. There's no way to fix it later. The sector map is at [ZTL in Florence](/ztl/in-florence).

## The tax: €3.50 to €8.00, seven nights maximum

Rates run from €3.50 a person a night in a 1 star hotel to €8.00 in a 5 star, with €4.50 for 2 star, €6.00 for 3 star and €7.00 for 4 star. Guest rooms, holiday apartments, B&Bs and short-term rentals are €6.00, campsites €3.50, youth hostels and holiday homes €4.00, historic residences €7.00.

The charge stops after 7 consecutive nights. Those figures come from council resolution 535 of December 10, 2024 and took effect on February 1, 2025; the 2025 change was a €0.50 rise limited to non-hotel accommodation in ordinary dwellings and to tourist lets.

Exemptions cover under 12s, University of Florence students, day hospital patients, up to two companions per inpatient, on-duty police and civil protection staff, and hotel employees staying for work.

## The Cupola booking that cannot move

One reservation in Florence has no flexibility at all: the Brunelleschi dome. Booking is compulsory and the slot can be neither modified nor cancelled.

Last entry is 6:45 pm Monday to Friday and 4:30 pm on Saturday, and on Sundays and public holidays the climb is open only from 12:45 pm to 4:30 pm. The dome closes for maintenance from November 16 to 20, 2026.

Book the dome as soon as the Florence day is fixed, and build the rest of the day around it rather than the other way round.

## Three passes at the Duomo, one of them climbs

There are no single tickets for the Duomo complex, only three cumulative passes (2026): the Brunelleschi Pass at €30, the Giotto Pass at €20 and the Ghiberti Pass at €15, with youth prices of €12, €7 and €5 for ages 7 to 14 and free entry under 6.

Only the Brunelleschi Pass includes the dome. The Giotto covers Giotto's bell tower, the museum, the Baptistery and Santa Reparata; the Ghiberti drops the bell tower as well. Buying the wrong one is the most common ticketing mistake in the city.

Elsewhere, Palazzo Vecchio is €12 and the Arnolfo Tower €13, and the 72 hour Firenze Card is €85 with one entry per museum. Prices on this page are in euros. Details on the tower rules are at [Palazzo Vecchio](/attractions/palazzo-vecchio-firenze).

## Where you can sleep is changing

New short-term tourist lets have been barred in the UNESCO area, zone A1, since May 31, 2025. On June 4, 2026 the council extended the limits to zones A3 and A4, which include Campo di Marte, San Jacopino, Gavinana and Rifredi, and set a minimum floor area of 28 square meters, with fines from €1,000 to €10,000.

The practical effect is on supply rather than on legality for a guest: existing licensed properties keep operating, and the stock of new ones inside the center stops growing. Owners who keep their residence in the property are exempt.

## Getting here: 1 hour 35 from Rome

The fastest direct high-speed train from Roma Termini to Firenze Santa Maria Novella takes 1 hour 35 minutes, with a median of 1 hour 41 across direct Frecciarossa services and 48 of them on a weekday, on the September 2026 timetable.

That number is the argument against the car before the ZTL is. Santa Maria Novella is a walk from the Duomo, and nothing you want is on the other side of a road you would need to drive. The city page is at [Firenze](/towns/firenze), and general ticket rules are at [tickets and museums](/faq/tickets-and-museums).

## FAQ

### How much is the tourist tax in Florence per night?

From €3.50 a person a night in a 1 star hotel to €8.00 in a 5 star, with €6.00 for B&Bs, guest rooms, holiday apartments and short-term rentals. It is charged for a maximum of 7 consecutive nights, on rates in force since February 1, 2025.

### Who does not pay the tourist tax in Florence?

Under 12s, students of the University of Florence, day hospital patients, up to two companions per hospital inpatient, police and civil protection staff on duty, and employees of the property staying there for work.

### Can I drive into the center of Florence?

No. The whole historic center is a limited traffic zone in five sectors, A, B, O, F and G, with cameras reading plates at every gate. In A, B and O it runs 7:30 am to 8 pm Monday to Friday and 7:30 am to 4 pm on Saturday, all year.

### Is there a night-time ZTL in Florence in summer?

Yes, from the first Thursday in April to the first Sunday in October, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, indicatively 11 pm to 3 am (2026). Exact dates are set each year by ordinance, and some gates are closed to traffic 24 hours a day.

### Can I change or cancel a Cupola booking in Florence?

No. The time slot for the Brunelleschi dome can be neither modified nor cancelled once booked, and booking is compulsory. Miss the slot and the ticket is gone, which makes it the least forgiving reservation in the city.

### What time is the last climb up the Cupola?

6:45 pm Monday to Friday and 4:30 pm on Saturday. On Sundays and public holidays climbs run only between 12:45 pm and 4:30 pm. The dome is also closed for maintenance from November 16 to 20, 2026.

### Which Duomo pass includes the dome in Florence?

Only the Brunelleschi Pass, at €30 (€12 for ages 7 to 14). The Giotto Pass is €20 and the Ghiberti Pass €15, and neither includes the climb. Under 6s go free. No single tickets are sold for the Duomo complex (2026).

### How much is Palazzo Vecchio in Florence?

€12 for the museum and €13 for the Arnolfo Tower (2026), sold separately, so the climb costs more than the collection. The Firenze Card is €85 and runs 72 hours with one entry to each participating museum.

### How long does the train from Rome to Florence take?

1 hour 35 minutes on the fastest direct high-speed service, with a median of 1 hour 41 minutes across direct Frecciarossa trains and 48 of them on a weekday, on the timetable in force in September 2026.

### Can I still rent a short-term apartment in central Florence?

Not a new one inside the UNESCO area, zone A1, where new short-term lets have been barred since May 31, 2025. On June 4, 2026 the council extended limits to zones A3 and A4 and set a 28 square meter minimum, with fines of €1,000 to €10,000.

## Sources

| Fact | Source | Confidence | Valid until |
|---|---|---|---|
| L'intero centro storico di Firenze e' Zona a Traffico Limitato, divisa in cinque settori (A, B, O, F, G); nei settori A, B e O la ZTL e' attiva tutto l'anno nei giorni feriali dalle 7:30 alle 20:00 da lunedi' a venerdi' e dalle 7:30 alle 16:00 il sabato, con una ZTL notturna estiva aggiuntiva dal primo giovedi' di aprile alla prima domenica di ottobre (2026). | [Comune di Firenze](https://mobilita.comune.fi.it/muoversi/muoversi/ztl.html) | medium | 2027-04-30 |
| A Firenze l'imposta di soggiorno, rideterminata con deliberazione di Giunta n. 535 del 10 dicembre 2024 ed efficace dal 1 febbraio 2025, va da 3,50 euro a persona per notte negli alberghi a 1 stella a 8,00 euro negli alberghi a 5 stelle, con 6,00 euro per B&B, affittacamere, case vacanze e locazioni turistiche, per un massimo di 7 pernottamenti consecutivi (2026). | [Comune di Firenze](https://servizi.comune.fi.it/sites/www.comune.fi.it/files/deliberazione_di_giunta_completa-dg_2024_00599_00535-1.pdf); [doc 2](https://servizi.comune.fi.it/servizi/imposta-di-soggiorno-informati) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| A Firenze sono esenti dall'imposta di soggiorno i minori di 12 anni, gli studenti dell'Universita' di Firenze, i pazienti in day hospital, fino a due accompagnatori per paziente ricoverato, il personale delle forze dell'ordine e di protezione civile in servizio e i dipendenti della struttura ricettiva che vi pernottano per lavoro. | [Comune di Firenze](https://servizi.comune.fi.it/servizi/imposta-di-soggiorno-informati) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| Per salire sulla Cupola del Brunelleschi a Firenze e' obbligatorio prenotare uno slot orario che non e' ne' modificabile ne' cancellabile (2026); gli ultimi ingressi sono alle 18:45 nei feriali, alle 16:30 il sabato, e la domenica e i festivi si sale solo dalle 12:45 alle 16:30. La Cupola resta chiusa per manutenzione dal 16 al 20 novembre 2026. | [Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore](https://tickets.duomo.firenze.it/it/support/faq) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| Il complesso monumentale del Duomo di Firenze non vende biglietti singoli ma tre pass cumulativi (2026): Brunelleschi Pass 30 euro (Cupola, Campanile, Museo, Battistero, Santa Reparata), Giotto Pass 20 euro (senza Cupola), Ghiberti Pass 15 euro (Museo, Battistero, Santa Reparata). Per i ragazzi da 7 a 14 anni costano rispettivamente 12, 7 e 5 euro; sotto i 6 anni l'ingresso e' gratuito. La salita alla Cupola e' compresa solo nel Brunelleschi Pass. | [Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore](https://tickets.duomo.firenze.it/it/support/prices) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| A Firenze il Museo di Palazzo Vecchio costa 12 euro e la Torre di Arnolfo 13 euro (2026); la Firenze Card costa 85 euro e vale 72 ore con un solo ingresso per ciascun museo aderente. Gli altri Musei Civici Fiorentini vanno da 5 euro (Santa Maria Novella, Fondazione Salvatore Romano, Forte di Belvedere) a 10 euro (Cappella Brancacci). | [Comune di Firenze - Musei Civici Fiorentini](https://bigliettimusei.comune.fi.it/) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| Firenze vieta nuove locazioni turistiche brevi nell'area UNESCO (zona A1) dal 31 maggio 2025; il 4 giugno 2026 il Consiglio comunale ha esteso i limiti alle zone A3-A4 (Campo di Marte, San Jacopino, Gavinana, Rifredi e altri) e fissato una superficie minima di 28 mq, con sanzioni da 1.000 a 10.000 euro. | [Comune di Firenze](https://www.comune.firenze.it/novita/area-stampa/comunicati-stampa/modifica-al-regolamento-affitti-turistici-brevi-il-consiglio) | medium | 2027-06-30 |
| In treno ad alta velocita' Roma Termini-Firenze Santa Maria Novella il collegamento diretto piu' veloce impiega 1 ora e 35 minuti; la mediana dei Frecciarossa diretti e' di circa 1 ora e 41 minuti (orario in vigore a settembre 2026). | [Trenitalia (sistema di vendita Le Frecce)](https://www.lefrecce.it/Channels.Website.BFF.WEB/website/ticket/solutions) | medium | 2026-12-13 |

## Image

https://media.myitalia.it/media/city.firenze.v2.1600.jpg
Author: PROPOLI87. License: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Firenze_Panorama_del_Centro_con_il_Duomo_e_Palazzo_Vecchio.jpg

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