Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
131
To see Florentines at their most passionate, beyond even the most heartfelt
bridge embrace, attend a local soccer match. The ACF Fiorentina team has arisen
from both a spectacular 2002 bankruptcy and burial in the lowest division,
returning to fight for the championship of the prestigious Italian Serie A league.
The renovated Artemio Franchi stadium, southeast of the city center, is packed
with up to 47,000 fans for weekend matches from September to May. And these
aren't like, say, baseball fans in the U.S.--expect singing, chanting, screaming
masses of locals who live and die with each shot on goal. Tickets begin at 20,
and you need to select a “home” or “away” team section. Choose your outfit care-
fully. ( Hint: The home team color is violet.) You can order online at www.acf
fiorentina.it, at the stadium box office, or from a variety of bars in town a few days
before the match. Resellers also have tickets and can be reached at % 055-503261
or 055-583300. The stadium is about 400m ( 1 4 mile) from the Firenze Campo di
Marte train station on Via Largo Gennarelli. Or take bus no. 17 or 20 from Santa
Maria Novella station.
Nothing is more valued by Fiorentinos (or Tuscans, or Umbrians, or . . .) than
the art and passion that goes into the preparation of their regional cuisine. And
what better way to become part of this local culture than to get into the kitchen
and learn how to make a meal? Florence offers a variety of options for taking a
cooking class, ranging from formal courses at the Cordon Bleu Academy (Via di
Mezzo, 55r; % 055-2345468; www.cordonbleu-it.com) to exchange-school type
instruction at the Apicius Institute (Via Guelfa, 85; % 055-2658135; www.
apicius.it) to lunchtime seminars at local restaurants. But probably the best
option for a short-term tourist is to take a daylong class from The Accidental
Tourist ( % 055-699376; www.accidentaltourist.com). For 80, guests participate
in an all-day trip to the Tuscan countryside that includes sightseeing, wine-tasting,
and cooking lessons. In a home kitchen, instructors teach the making of a well-
rounded Tuscan meal, from appetizer to dessert, using local ingredients. Then
they turn theory into practice by walking the group through a hands-on creation
of their own dinner. It's a great activity for families--members compete to roll the
tightest pasta or present the prettiest pizza. And when the creations are finally
ready to eat, everyone's a winner.
If you want to interact with the locals, a good first step would be to learn how
to speak with them. When a simple “Como estai?” is enough to open doors of
friendship, imagine what an Italian language class could do for you! In Florence,
dozens of programs offer Italian instruction ranging from 1-week intros to multi-
year degree courses. A highly recommended option for those interested in a mini
study-abroad program is to take a part-time class at the well-respected Centro
Linguistico Italiano Dante Alighieri (Piazza della Repubblica, 5; % 055-210808;
www.clida.it), whose 2-week Italian course combines 4-hour morning lessons with
afternoon cultural seminars and field trips, all for
540. The Centro Lorenzo
de'Medici (Via Faenza, 43; % 055-287360; www.lorenzodemedici.it) is another
good source for short- and long-term courses in language and culture. And the
Florence tourist offices have additional listings of local learning centers for people
looking for a refresher class.
Next, have your kids mix with the locals at the Museo dei Ragazzi (Museum
of Children)
5 9
(Palazzo Vecchio; % 055-2768224; 6.90; daily 9am-1pm
and 3-7pm). The museum's courses are mainly in the Italian language, but highly
entertaining and interactive classes on such subjects as architecture for kids
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