Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Visitors have been coming
Try to have a relaxed attitude to
your sightseeing - opening
hours can be erratic and may
vary depending on the sea-
son. Most Italians take their
holiday in August, so some
places may be shut. If your stay
in Florence is limited, you could take a
city tour. For a longer stay, consider a
study course, offered throughout the
year by colleges and language schools.
to Tuscany for centuries,
drawn by its slendid art
and architecture, landscape
and cuisine. These may all
seem overwhelming at first, so
plan carefully to make the
most of this beautiful region. Start your
day early and take time over lunch:
most sights and shops close for several
hours and reopen in the late afternoon.
Tourist board logo
WHEN TO GO
250 grams of tobacco; 1 litre
of alcohol above 22% vol;
4 litres of wine; 50 grams of
perfume. Allowances for EU
residents are almost unlimit-
ed, providing that the goods
are for personal use only.
Beware that random checks
are often made to guard
against drugs traffickers.
Non-EU residents who
spend €160 in a single
establishment that displays a
tax-free sign are entitled to a
partial refund for Valued
Added Tax, known as IVA
(see p284)
. Ask the cashier to
fill out the form for you, and
when departing the country
take the goods and receipts
in your carry-on luggage for
approval at the airport office.
Ask for credit to be added
to your credit card for faster
processing.
specifically for making
serious, written complaints
against service providers.
Tourist offices in small towns
tend to give details only on
their particular town. Travel
agents, such as
CTS Viaggi
,
can provide information on
tours and rail and coach
travel in Italy, as well as
tickets
(see pp308-11).
Tuscany is great to visit year-
round and has four distinct
seasons. There is a pleasant
long spring, making April
and May the best months to
visit. September and October
are generally warm. July and
August tend to be very hot
and crowded, especially in
Florence. It rains a lot in win-
ter, with cooler temperatures,
but the region is much less
crowded. Coastal areas are
best visited from May to Sep-
tember; the mountains are
good for snow sports in
December through to March.
In winter, many towns at high
altitudes may be hard to
reach without snow tyres.
ENTERTAINMENT
INFORMATION
The best guide for entertain-
ment is the monthly magazine
Firenze Spettacolo
, which has
restaurant and café guides, as
well as comprehensive details
of concerts, exhibitions,
museums and sporting events.
For select event and exhib-
ition listings, pick up a free
copy of
The Florentine
English-
language newspaper. Tourist
offices have leaflets on local
entertainment and events.
During summer evenings,
fêtes with local bands are
held throughout Tuscany, all
listed at www.saimicadove.it.
VISAS AND PASSPORTS
All visitors need a valid
passport. European Union
(EU) residents and visitors
from the US, Canada,
Australia and New Zealand do
not need visas for stays of up
to three months. A visa is
required for longer stays;
apply at your local embassy
or consulate. All visitors to
Italy must by law register with
police within three days of
arrival. Most hotels will
register visitors when they
check in. For a longer stay
you are responsible for
registering yourself in person
at the
Questura
. If in doubt,
contact the local police
department or the Questura.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Florence, Pisa and Siena have
several
Uffici Informazioni
Turistiche
(tourist offices)
offering information about
tourist sights and authorized
guides throughout the
region. The “Tourist Rights
Protection” desk in the main
tourist office in Florence is
ETIQUETTE AND
SMOKING
Italians act conservatively
in public: they do not sit on
the ground or eat while
walking, and they tend to
drink in moderation with
meals. Smoking, though
banned in indoor public
spaces, is still common and
you will see many people
smoking on the streets.
It is traditional to greet and
thank shop staff when
entering and exiting stores; if
you enter a small store say
buon giorno
(good morning),
then
grazie
when you leave.
CUSTOMS INFORMATION
Duty-free allowances are as
follows: non-EU residents can
bring in either 200 cigarettes,
50 cigars, 100 cigarillos or
Tourist information office on a
Florence street
