Landing at Florence Peretola Airport

What FLR is like

Florence has its own airport, and it is small for a city with this reputation: a short runway and a limited set of direct routes, which is why many people fly into Pisa or Bologna and take a train instead. What it offers is genuine closeness. A tram line runs from the airport to within easy reach of the centre, so the last leg is simpler than at plenty of larger airports. The trade is fewer flights to choose from.

On arrival

The building is small, so you go from aircraft to arrivals hall in very little time, which is another argument for switching the line on in your seat. European arrivals usually skip passport control. There are only a few baggage belts and they crowd quickly when two flights land together. The tram stop is close to the terminal and signposted; follow the signs on the day, as the walkways and ticket points get adjusted from time to time. If you are staying in the old centre, save the address and street name first, because the tram does not put you at the door.

How far the airport Wi-Fi gets you

The Wi-Fi performs reasonably here because passenger numbers are modest, though the registration page is still there. The limit is that everything you do next happens outdoors, from buying a tram ticket to finding a lane in the old centre. In Florence itself, guesthouse Wi-Fi inside thick stone buildings is often weak in some rooms, and not every cafe offers it. In a city you cross mainly on foot, your own line helps more than people expect.

Getting into town

The tram from the airport reaches the edge of the centre in about twenty minutes and is what most people take, because it is predictable and traffic cannot lengthen it. A taxi is quick too, given the short distance, but the old centre has traffic restrictions that may leave you walking the last part regardless. Save your stop and the final walking route in advance, since the stone lanes are narrow and less signed than you would guess. The trip itself is light, perhaps 50 to 100MB, though across a day in this city the map stays open almost continuously.

What people ask about this airport

• Note the address before you alight — The tram does not stop at your door and the old lanes look alike. Having the address and street name to hand saves a loop of walking.
• Few direct routes — If nothing lands here at a sensible time, look at Pisa or Bologna and ride the train in, which is what locals do as a matter of course.
• You walk more than you plan to — Distances in the old centre are short but tangled, so the map stays open all day and daily use runs higher than the city's size suggests.