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Italy : Florence - March 2008

Country Code: Dial for Italy

Getting around

Florence Peretola

Bus: Vola In Bus departs from outside the airport to Stazione Santa Maria Novella every 30 minutes. Tickets cost €4,50.
Taxi: A taxi from the airport into the city centre takes 20 minutes and costs about €16.
Tourist information: The main tourist information point is at 29r Borgo Santa Croce. There is also one in the piazza outside Santa Maria Novella Stazione and at 1r Via Cavour (www.firenzeturismo.it).

OLTRARNO

Don’t miss a wander through this authentic area south of the river – it’s a treasure trove of artisan workshops and charming piazze (open squares).

Sleep soundly – Rates at the five-star Hotel Villa la Vedetta get cheaper the longer you stay.

Culture vultures – Make a reservation for Cappella Brancacci (Piazza del Carmine) and admire Masaccio’s moving fresco “Expulsion from the Garden of Eden”.

Must eat – Head to the bustling All’Antico Ristoro Di’ Cambi (1 Via Sant’Onofrio, tel. ) for exceptional bistecca alla fiorentina (Florentine-style steak). Try typical Tuscan dishes, such as tripe and wild boar, at Trattoria dei Quattro Leoni (1r Via dè Vellutini, tel. ) – you might even run into a celebrity or two.

Dance the night away – Early-evening aperitifs soon hot up at Cabiria (4 Piazza Santo Spirito).

PIAZZA DELLA SIGNORIA

People-watch to your heart’s content in this beautiful square, a short stroll from the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio and Uffizi art gallery.

Sleep soundly – The super-central Hotel Brunelleschi is built around a Byzantine tower. The roof terrace commands fantastic views of the Duomo.

Culture vultures – Take a guided tour through the elaborate rooms of the city’s town hall, Palazzo Vecchio (Piazza della Signoria), and discover more about Renaissance life.

Must eat – Treat your beloved to a bacio (kiss) ice cream at the Festival del Gelato (75r Via del Corso). Pop into the informal Yellow Bar (39r Via del Proconsolo, tel. ) for fresh pasta and pizza.

Must drink – Take an aperitif onto the outdoor terrace at Rivoire (5r Piazza della Signoria) – it’s like sitting in a sculpture park.

Dance the night away – Join the glamorous Florentine set at YAB (5r Via dei Sassetti).

Shop til you drop – Check out high-street fashions and homeware at Coin (56r Via dei Calzaioli).

SANTA CROCE

This lively neighbourhood of narrow streets dotted with leather workshops is dominated by the imposing Santa Croce church.

Sleep soundly – Situated on the banks of the Arno, Plaza Hotel Lucchesi is classy and elegant.

Culture vultures – Seek out Giotto’s frescoes in the huge Basilica di Santa Croce (Piazza di Santa Croce).

Must eat – Baldovino (22r Via San Giuseppe, tel. ) serves modern Italian dishes. Otherwise, tuck into proper Neapolitan pizza at Il Pizzaiuolo (113r Via de’ Macci, tel. ).

Must drink – Stop off at Wi-fihotspot Moyo (23r Via dei Benci).

Shop til you drop – Try Bottega Fiorentina (5r Borgo Dei Greci) for handbags, wallets and jackets.

FIESOLE

This pretty village of Etruscan origin sits in the hills north of Florence – it’s a short trip on the No.7 bus from Santa Maria Novella station.

Sleep soundly – Enjoy the spectacular views from the family-run Pensione Bencistà, a 14th-century villa and former convent just outside Fiesole.

Culture vultures – Catch a City Sightseeing open-top bus (Route B). from Santa Maria Novella station. The 24-hour ticket allows you to hop on and off at Florence’s main sights.

Must eat – Spice things up at India (43a Via Gramsci Antonio, tel. ), or grab a table at the quirky Vinandro (33 Piazza Mino, ), which serves great-value snacks including Tuscan cheese and salami, plus good wines.

Compiled by Kerry Fisher