In short: check out, drop your bags at Via Palazzuolo 170 (4 minutes from Santa Maria Novella) and use your last hours for things you missed: a market lunch, Oltrarno workshops, the view from Piazzale Michelangelo. Collect your luggage on the way to the train, no later than 23:00.
Hotel check-out in Florence is usually between 10:00 and 11:00. Trains to Rome, Venice and Milan, and many flights from Florence and Pisa, leave in the afternoon or evening. That leaves a gap of several hours that is too long to sit at the station, and too short to go back to your accommodation.
First: free your hands
- Register online before leaving the hotel. Your code appears immediately.
- Walk or take a taxi to Via Palazzuolo 170, 4 minutes from the station.
- Store everything in a medium or large locker and pay the first hour.
Because you’re right next to Santa Maria Novella, you won’t need to cross the city again with your bags at the end of the day.
If you have 2–3 hours
- Mercato Centrale: lunch upstairs in the food hall and a walk among the San Lorenzo market stalls (about 8 minutes from our lockers).
- Basilica of Santa Maria Novella: frescoes by Ghirlandaio and Masaccio’s Trinity, a few minutes from the station.
- Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella: one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe, in Via della Scala, very close to Via Palazzuolo.
If you have 4–6 hours
- Something you missed: the Bargello, the Medici Chapels or Palazzo Vecchio are often less crowded than the Uffizi.
- Oltrarno: cross Ponte Vecchio and wander through Santo Spirito’s artisan workshops and cafés.
- Sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo: a classic farewell view. Allow 35–40 minutes on foot to get back towards the station, or take a bus/taxi.
If you have a whole day
An evening train or flight makes a half-day trip possible: Fiesole by bus, or a quick visit to Pisa or Lucca by regional train. See day trips from Florence without luggage.
How much does it cost?
| Check-out → departure | Medium | Large |
|---|---|---|
| 11:00 → 14:00 (3 h) | €5.90 | €7.90 |
| 11:00 → 16:00 (5 h) | €9.90 | €13.90 |
| 11:00 → 18:00 (7 h) | €13.90 | €17.90 |
| 11:00 → 21:00 (10 h) | €15.90 | €18.90 |
Leaving from the airport?
Collect your bags and walk to the T2 tram stop Unità, next to the station: the tram reaches Florence airport in about 20–25 minutes. For Pisa airport, take a train from Santa Maria Novella. See our guide to the airport tram.
Frequently asked questions
What time do I need to collect my bags?
By 23:00. Leave a margin for your train or flight.
Can I store my bags for just the afternoon?
Yes, you pay by the hour, from €1.90.
Make your last day count: get your code before you check out.
Cover image: Jebulon / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (source)
