Getting Around Florence~ If you’re staying in Florence, we recommend not renting a car until you’re ready to leave the city. Florence is very walkable, parking can be difficult, and the historic center has restricted driving zones that are monitored by cameras. For getting around the city, we recommend using licensed taxis. Official Florence taxis are white and clearly marked. Uber is available, but we’ve found it is normally much more expensive than a traditional taxi. Never accept a ride from someone approaching you in an unmarked vehicle. Driving in Italy~ Once you leave Florence, a rental car is one of the easiest ways to explore Tuscany and get to the wedding villas. U.S. travelers planning to drive should obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP) before leaving the United States and carry it along with their regular U.S. driver’s license. Also, pay attention when booking your rental car. Manual transmissions are much more common in Italy, so if you need an automatic, make sure your reservation specifically says automatic. Tax-Free Shopping~ Visitors from outside the EU may be eligible for a VAT refund on qualifying purchases. When shopping, ask the store about Tax Free shopping and have your passport information available. Very important: Complete ALL Tax Free and customs procedures before checking your bags for your flight home. Customs may ask you to physically present the items you purchased, so keep your Tax Free purchases accessible until everything has been validated. We also recommend arriving at the airport with extra time if you have Tax Free paperwork to complete. Pickpockets & Personal Belongings~ Florence is an amazing city, but pickpocketing and petty theft can happen, especially around crowded tourist areas, train stations, public transportation, and busy plazas. Keep phones, wallets, passports, and bags secure and close to you. Seriously, keep your eyes peeled. We’ve even had shopping bags stolen while in the city. Be aware of the people around you, don’t leave bags unattended or hanging off the back of a chair, and if someone seems unusually interested in your belongings, move away. Packing for the Wedding~ We highly recommend putting an AirTag or similar tracker in every checked suitcase. Keep passports, medications, money, jewelry, electronics, and anything valuable in your carry-on. Most importantly, bring anything you absolutely need for the wedding in your carry-on whenever possible. That includes your wedding outfit or essential pieces of it, shoes, jewelry, medications, and anything else that would be difficult to replace if your checked luggage is delayed. Hopefully your luggage arrives right alongside you, but we’d rather everyone be prepared just in case!