Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
nave). The highlight for me is the brilliantly preserved art in the sacristy (upstairs to right
of altar, in the room on right) showing scenes from the life of St. Benedict (circa 1350, by a
follower of Giotto). Drop €2 into the electronic panel in the corner to light the room for five
minutes. The evening Mass with the monks chanting in Latin offers a meditative worship
experience—a peaceful way to end your visit.
Cost and Hours: Free, daily Easter-mid-Oct 8:00-20:00 or possibly later, in winter
8:30-13:00 & 15:30-19:00, tel. 055-234-2731, www.sanminiatoalmonte.it .
Getting There: It's about 200 yards above Piazzale Michelangelo. From the station, bus
#12 takes you right to the San Miniato al Monte stop (hop off and hike up the grand stair-
case); bus #13 from the station takes you to Piazzale Michelangelo, from which you'll hike
up the rest of the way up.
GregorianChants: Toexperience thismystical medieval spaceatitsfullpotential, time
your visit to coincide with a Mass of Gregorian chants. In general, these are held each even-
ing in summer (Easter-mid-Oct) at 18:30, and in winter at 17:00 or 17:30—but as the sched-
uleissubjecttochange,double-checkwithanyTI,checkthechurch'swebsite,orcallahead.
Sleeping in Florence
Competition among hotels is stiff. When things slow down, fancy hotels drop their prices
and become a much better value for travelers than the cheap, low-end places.
Nearly all of my recommended accommodations are located in the center of Florence,
withinminutesofthegreatsights.Ifarrivingbytrain,youcaneitherwalk(usuallyaround10
minutes) ortakeataxi(roughly€8-10)toreachmostofmyrecommended accommodations,
as buses don't cover the center very well. For additional listings of B&Bs and apartments,
try Cross-Pollinate, a trustworthy online booking agency ( www.cross-pollinate.com ) .
Florence is notorious for its mosquitoes. If your hotel lacks air-conditioning, request a
fan and don't open your windows, especially at night. Many hotels furnish a small plug-in
bulb (zanzariere) —usually set in the ashtray—that helps keep the blood-suckers at bay. If
not, you can purchase one cheaply at any pharmacy (farmacia) .
Museumgoers take note: If you don't plan to get a Firenze Card (see here ) , ask if your
hotelier will reserve entry times for you to visit the popular Uffizi Gallery and the Accade-
mia (Michelangelo's David ). Request this service when you book your room; it's fast, easy,
and offered free or for a small fee by most hotels—the only requirement is advance notice.
Ask them to reserve your visits for any time the day after your arrival. If you'd rather make
the reservations yourself, see here for details.
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