general information
HOW TO REACH FLORENCE
Airport Information
Florence is served by two Airports:
Amerigo Vespucci Airport
a few kilometers north-west of the city centre. The Volainbus line connects Amerigo Vespucci Airport to the city centre with buses every 30 minutes.
Galileo Galilei Airport
near Pisa, is about an hour by train or car from Florence. Direct trains to Florence run every 60 minutes
There is also a bus service - "Terravision" - which takes approximately one hour to reach Florence, arriving at the railway station.
By Train
Florence is on the Rome-Milan line, with Eurostar trains (intercity trains) running every 60 minutes. Please remember that on these trains a supplement is required and tickets must be bought in advance.
By Car
Florence is connected by the A1 Motorway to Bologna and Milan (northbound) and Rome and Naples (southbound). The Autostrada del Mare (A11 Motorway) connects Florence with Prato, Lucca, Pisa and the coast and a smaller trunk road links Florence to Siena. Exits for Florence from the motorway are well signposted and there are Tourist Information offices on the A1 motorway exits both north and south of the city.
From the north on the A1, exit at Firenze Nord and then simply follow the signs for Centro. If arriving from Rome, exit Firenze Sud.
Traffic is restricted in the city centre.
Passports and Visas
Visitors from EU countries must have a valid national ID card to enter Italy. Visitors from other countries must have a valid passport. For some countries a visa is required. Italy is a signatory to the 1995 Schengen Agreement. For more information, please contact the nearest Italian Embassy, Consulate or Travel agent in advance. Information about visas is available on the website: www.esteri.it/visti/index_eng.asp
Getting around Florence
In the historic centre of Florence traffic is limited to taxis, buses and residents, which makes walking quite easy and pleasant. Taxis in Florence are white with a "Taxi" sign on the roof. There are several taxi ranks in the city, including at the back of the Duomo of Florence, in Piazza della Repubblica and at the Santa Maria Novella train station. You can ask your hotel concierge to call a taxi for you or use the following phone number: +39 055 4390. Florence also has several bus lines - buses are bright orange. Bus stops are marked with orange signs displaying the route of the bus line. You can get around the historic center of Florence on bus lines A and B. These are small orange electric buses which can go through the narrow streets of Florence. Bus tickets have to be bought before you get on the bus and stamped with the stamping machine on the bus. Tickets can be bought from newstands and bars displaying the ATAF sign (the sign of the bus company in Florence). After the bus ticket is stamped on the bus, it is usually valid for one hour, depending on the type of the bus ticket.
Currency / Banks / Exchange
Italy’s national monetary unit is the Euro (€). Currency exchange is provided by banks and exchange agencies. Banks are open Monday to Friday from 08.00 / 08.30 am to 01.00 / 01.30 pm. They are also open in the afternoon, usually from 02.30 / 3.00 pm to 04.00 / 04.30 pm.
ATM
ATMs are located all around the city. They can also be used for cash advances on major credit cards such as MasterCard or VISA.
Credit Cards
Major credit cards are accepted in most hotels, stores and restaurants.
Electrical Current
The electrical current in Italy is 220 volts 50 Hz.
Climate
In summer, the average temperature ranges between 28 – 32 °C (82-90 °F).
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