In such areas, only residents and people with special permission may enter by car. The sign is a white square with a red circle and the words 'Zona Traffico Limitato - ZTL' . Signs for restricted zones usually start at the beginning of the city's main roads where the distance to the zone is indicated. It is usually timed and often between 08.00 - 18.00 but may vary from city to city. You should avoid driving into environmental zones as you may run the risk of being caught on camera and then you will unexpectedly receive a fine at your home address. If you have booked a hotel in a city, it is likely that it is located in an environmental zone. Your hotel may provide private parking but not always. If not, you can inform the hotel of your vehicle registration plate and in turn they can inform the municipality that you are guests there. This should however, be done in advance as it cannot be done after you have received a ticket. Some hotels offer parking nearby (usually for a fee) in a garage or parking lot, where you can drop the car off after you have unloaded your luggage.
