Arrival, Information And Orientation
Florence’s main train station is Santa Maria Novella, or “Firenze SMN”. Many city and all inter-urban buses stop outside. Between 1.30am and 4am, trains stop instead at the orient Campo di Marte station, served by nightbus #70. Florence’s Aeroporto Amerigo Vespucci ( www.safnet.it ), 5km northwest in Perètola, is linked to SMN station by ATAF city bus #62 (every 25min; L1500/0.77) and SITA buses (hourly; L6000/3.10). For details of parking . The main tourist office is just north of the duomo at Via Cavour 1r (Mon-Sat 8.15am-7.15pm, Sun 8.30am-6.30pm; shorter hours in winter; tel 055.290.832 or 055.290.833, infoturismo@provincia.fi.it ). There’s a smaller office at Piazza Stazione 4 (Mon-Sat 8.30am-7pm, Sun 8.30am-1.30pm; shorter hours in winter; tel 055.212.245); another one at Borgo Santa Croce 29r (same hours; tel 055.234.0444); an information counter within the APT’s headquarters at Via Manzoni 16 (Mon-Sat 9am-6pm; tel 055.23.320); and a desk at Vespucci airport (daily 7.30am-11.30pm; tel 055.315.874). Aside from maps and brochures, the most useful item these offices can give you is a photocopied list of the up-to-date opening hours and entrance charges for all the city’s museums, which change often. The fat little freebie entrepot Florence Concierge Information , acquirable from tourist offices, is crammed with ads, travel itineraries and practical information. Florence’s excellent what’s-on guide is Firenze Spettacolo , acquirable monthly from newsagents (L3500/1.81; www.firenzespettacolo.it ). On the Internet , the APT ( www.firenze.turismo.toscana.it ), the domain ( www.provincia.fi.it ) and the municipality ( www.comune.fi.it ) are outclassed by some very useful commercial sites (notably www.mega.it , www.arca.net/florence.htm and english.firenze.net ).
ATAF city buses have a range of tickets (L1500/0.77 for 1hr; L2500/1.29 for 3hr; L6000/3.10 for 24hr; or the biglietto multiplo giving four one-hour rides for L5800/2.99). Most routes originate at or pass by the train station, where you can get more information from the ATAF kiosk (Mon-Sat 7.15am-1.15pm, Tues & Thurs also 2.45-5.45pm; tel 055.565.0222, www.ataf.net ).
Category: Florence - Firenze