33902ITA
FLORENCE
Transport
Provided your hotel is reasonably central, you will not need to use the city buses. There are small electric buses that can be useful – one runs from San Marco to Santa Croce and another along the Lungarno. Buy tickets from kiosks and tobacco shops.
Also, there is a new tramway network that connects Florence to the airport and other areas in the metropolitan area. Most of these lines will stop at both Fortezza and Santa Maria Novella railway station.
Practical Information Publications: “Firenze Oggi”; “Firenze Spettacolo” (www.firenzespettacolo.it) – to be found in kiosks or hotels.
www.firenzetoday.it
Tourist Offices: Florence Welcome Center opposite the railway station, Florence Metropoliotan Tourist Information Center on Via Cavour
Major Sights
Churches
Apart from the Duomo and Santa Croce, which you visit on your city tour, you can suggest Santa Maria Novella, (Ghirlandaio and Masaccio frescoes and crucifixes by Brunelleschi and Giotto), Santa Maria del Carmine, (frescoes by Masaccio), San Lorenzo for the Medici chapels, (tombs by Michelangelo), SS. Annunziata, Santo Spirito (wooden crucifix by Michelangelo), San Miniato al Monte (combine with visit to Piazzale Michelangelo for best views of Florence).
Museums
Most museums are closed on Monday; check yellow pages for any exceptions.
Uffizi Gallery. This main attraction of Florence is always very crowded and difficult to get in without reservation. You can try to get day-of tickets from the ticket booth at Orsanmichele (on the via dei Calzaiuoli side) or at the Uffizi, but no guarantees.
Bargello. Sculptures by Michelangelo, Donatello, Verrocchio and many others. Great alternative if you can’t get Uffizi tickets. Much less crowded.
Palazzo Pitti. The Galleria Palatina contains paintings by Raphael, Titian etc. It is also possible to visit the State Apartments and the Boboli Gardens.
Museo del’Opera del Duomo. Original Gates of Paradise, wooden model of Brunelleschi’s dome plus Brunelleschi’s death mask, a Pietà by Michelangelo and Donatello’s wooden Mary Magdalene. Some fantastic hands on exhibitions, very modern set up, underrated museum and not so crowded!
The chapel of the Magi, frescoed by Benozzo Gozzoli, in the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi.
Palazzo Vecchio, for the splendid Renaissance interiors and collections. Be sure to walk through the ground level (free entry)
San Marco Frescoes by Fra Angelico and a Last Supper by Ghirlandaio. Savonarola’s cells.
Other sights
Ponte Vecchio, famous bridge with little jewelry shops.
House of Dante and district of Florence where he was born and lived.
Please note that climbing the cupola of the Duomo and Giotto’s Belltower is no longer possible unless a reservation has been made through the Opera del Duomo.
Piazzale Michelangelo. For a beautiful view over the city. N.B. no longer possible by coach as it requires an extra permit. Can walk up, appx 30’ from Ponte Vecchio area.
Curiosities
San Lorenzo market for leather goods, clothes, shoes and handicrafts. There is a covered food market as well (mornings only) and an upper level (Mercato Centrale) with a huge variety of street food stalls open until midnight. Great place for lunch if you want to keep the group together.
Two famous and unusual shops:
Enoteca Pinchiorri – very exclusive wine shop with vast collection of wines; also has a restaurant.
The Pharmacy of Santa Maria Novella in via della Scala – world’s oldest pharmacy, today an exclusive skincare and fragrance shop for those in the know, looks like a church. Famous for its homemade perfumes, soaps, lotions, etc.
Shopping
The major shopping areas are in the grid of streets between the Duomo and the river, and all the small roads leading to the Piazza San Lorenzo – leather goods, jewellery, straw and paper handicrafts.
On the other side of the Arno:
Borgo San Jacopo and area around Santo Spirito – antique shops, leather goods, wooden handicrafts and small boutiques.
Evening Activities
Ice cream at Vivoli’s, stroll to the Ponte Vecchio via the Straw Market (Porcellino statue). Evening concerts (there are often free classical concerts).
Disco evening at the Space. This club is popular with American and European student travel groups. Safe (until 1 am) and has a non-alcohol option. Minimum age 16. Students need to be chaperoned by at least one teacher.
Older students and adults: Explore area around S. Maria del Carmine and S.Spirito on the other side of the Arno (cafes, bars and jazz clubs).
MONTECATINI
A permit is required for buses entering the town, you will be stopped on entering the town by the station to see to this. Driver pays for permit.
Transportation
There is no public transport as such as the town is very small.
Transportation to Florence by bus:
Buses leave from the LAZZI bus station at 15 minutes past the hour. Trip time 45 mins.
Transportation to Florence by train
Trains leave from the railway station at 10 and 38 minutes past the hour. Trip time 55 mins.
Practical Information
Tourist Information (APT) Office Viale Verdi 66. Also try your hotel reception desk for local information.
HOSPITAL The closest hospital is at Pescia (8 km from Montecatini).
Things to do
Montecatini is one of the more elegant and better equipped Spa towns in Italy. Some of the establishments, situated in the Parco delle Terme, are built in splendid 19th C style and can be visited on payment of a small fee. The spas are famous for their different waters (Tamerici, Tettuccio, Torretta).
The Spa Grocco has a swimming pool.
In summer, it is pleasant to walk in the park or join in the passeggiata down the Viale Verdi. There are frequent open-air concerts on summer evenings, at the Tettuccio and other locations. These are generally free.
Shopping
The smart shops are around the Corso Roma and Corso Matteotti.
Souvenir stalls Viale Pietro Grocco
Excursion to Montecatini Alto
Montecatino Alto is a picturesque small village perched above the town. (Café, restaurants and souvenir shops). Great views. Accessible by funicular from Viale Diaz running from mid March to end of October. Trips every half hour until midnight.