Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Bus
#C2
twists through the congested old center from the train station to Piazza Bec-
caria.
Bus
#C3
goes up and down the Arno River, with stops near Ponte Vecchio, the Carraia
bridge to Oltrarno, and beyond.
Bus
#D
goes from the train station to Ponte Vecchio, cruises through Oltrarno, and fin-
ishes at Ponte San Niccolò.
Theminibusesconnectmanymajorparkinglotswiththehistorical center(ticketssoldat
machines at lots).
Buybusticketsattobaccoshops
(tabacchi),
newsstands,ortheATAFbusofficejusteast
ofthe train station, onPiazza della Stazione (€1.20/90minutes, €4.70/4tickets, €5/24hours,
€12/3days,1-dayand3-daypassesaren'talwaysavailable intobaccoshops,validate inma-
chine on the bus, tel. 800-424-500,
www.ataf.net
)
. You can buy tickets on board, but you'll
pay more (€2) and you'll need exact change. City buses are free with the Firenze Card (see
here
). Follow general bus etiquette: Board at front or rear doors, exit out the center.
Taxi:
The minimum cost for a taxi ride is €5, or €6 after 22:00 and on Sundays (rides in
the center of town should be charged as tariff #1). A taxi ride from the train station to the
Duomocostsabout€8.Taxifaresandsupplements(e.g.,€2extraifyoucallacabratherthan
hailone)areclearlyexplainedonsignsineachtaxi.Itcanbehardtofindacabonthestreet;
to call one, dial 055-4390 or 055-4242.
To sightsee on your own, download my series of free audio tours that illuminate some of
Florence'stopsightsandneighborhoods:myRenaissanceWalk,theAccademia,andtheUf-
fizi Gallery (see
here
for details).
Tour companies big and small offer plenty of tours that go out to smaller towns in the
Tuscan countryside (the most popular day trips: Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa, and into Chi-
anti country for wine-tasting). They also do Florence city tours, but for most people, the city
is really best on foot.
For insight with a personal touch, consider the tour companies and individual Florentine
guides listed here. Hardworking and creative, they offer a worthwhile array of organized
sightseeing activities. Study their websites for details. If you're taking a city tour, remember
that individuals save money with a scheduled public tour (such as those offered daily by
Florencetown or ArtViva). If you're traveling as a family or small group, however, you're
likely to save money by booking a private guide (since rates are based on roughly €55/hour
for any size of group).
