THE SOCCER MUSEUM (AUGUST 26 - SEPTEMBER 12)



Soccer Museum - Florence

 

Soccer Museum - Florence

Italy National Soccer Team has been for 4 times World Champion - 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006.

In Florence at the Old Palace from August 26 to September 12 you can visit the Soccer Museum. I find it very intresting. There are all the shirts, shorts, shoes, balls and a lot of other things players and referees wears during the competitions. This tiny museum has a free entrance.



Shoes of Gilardino, Ball, World Cup - 2006



Soccer Museum - Florence



World Cup 2006























It's a very small museum, I think in 30 min you're done, but anyway I suggest you a stop here to get documentated about the "Azzurri" - the Italian National Team.

Don't miss the "Fiorentina" section. Fiorentina is the local soccer team of Florence. This modest team a lot of times has reached very very good results on italians and europeans championships and competitions.

Fiorentina - Soccer Museum - Florence

Fiorentina - Soccer Museum - Florence

THE PERFECT ESCAPE FROM THE FLORENTINE HEAT: FIESOLE

During your stay in Florence I will suggest you a breezy half day trip to Fiesole, which is perched on a hill overlooking the Arno valley.



Piazza Garibaldi - Fiesole


Fiesole is a small town with a main square, a few restaurants and shops, a few minor sights, and a great view. The ancient Etruscans knew a good spot when they saw one, and chose to settle here, estabilishing Fiesole about 400 years before the Romans founded Florence. Also healthy Renaissance families chose Fiesole as a prefered vacation spot, building villas in the surrounding hillsides. Later, in the 19-th century Romantics spent part of the Grand Tour admiring the vistas.

Fiesole

               GETTING TO FIESOLE

Bus #7 runs every 30 minutes from the train station or the San Marco square. Tickets costs €1.20 for 90 min or €3 for a daily ticket.
Sightseeing buses has a stop to Fiesole.
Taxis from Florence cost approx. €20 to Fiesole.

Sightseeing bus in Fiesole

SIGHTS IN FIESOLE

Fiesole's sight are either free or covered under one €10 combo ticket, avaible at the Roman Theater.

Via San Francesco - Fiesole

Terrace with a View - Catch the sunset (and your breath) from the view terrace just below San Francesco's Church. It's a 5/6 min hike from the main bus stop: Face the bell tower and take via San Francesco, on the left.


Church of San Francesco - For even more hill-climbing, continue up from the view terrace to this charming little church. The small scale and the colorful altar paintings make this church more enjoyable than Fiesole's Duomo. Free of charge from Mon-Sat 8-12 & 15-19, Sun 7-11 & 15-19.



Church of San Francesco - Fiesole





The Duomo of Fiesole



Duomo - While this church has a drab, 19th-century exterior, the interior is worth a look, if only for the blue-and-white glazed Giovanni della Robbia statue of St. Romulus over the entry door. Free entrance daily 8-12 & 15-18.



Museum of Fiesole



Roman Theater and Archaeological Park -

Occasionally used today for plays, this well preserved theater held up to 2000 people. The site's other ruins are, well, ruined, and lacking in explanation. But the valley view and peaceful setting are lovely. €10 combo-ticket also covers Civic and Bandini museums, Wed-Mon 10-18, closed Tue.

Civic Museum - Located with the Aercheological Park, the museum imparts insight into Fiesole's Etruscan and Roman roots with well-displayed artifacts and with a few English descriptions in the corners. Wed-Mon 10-18, closed Tue.

Bandini Mueseum - This small museum diplays the wooden panels of lesser know Gothic and Renaissance painters as well as the glazed terra-cotta figures of Andrea della Robbia. Wed-Mon 10-18, closed Tue.

Tourist Information

The TI is immediately to the right of the Roman Aercheological Park, at via Portigiani, 3 (open daily 9.30-18.30 - phone 055-598-720)

EATING IN FIESOLE

I will suggest to you an open air pic-nic in Fiesole. Bring some sandwiches and drinks with and just sit in one of the manys gardens of Fiesole. This will be a really lovely lunch for you.

GEORGE MICHAEL IN FLORENCE (SEPTEMBER 10, 2011)



George Michael in Florence September 10, 2011

Italian Tour for the "Symphonica". George Michael will be in Florence at the Santa Croce Square on September 10, 2011 at 9pm. This is a new tour he announced: live performance of a careful selection of his best songs, choosen from a repertory of thirty years, but also covers of his most preferd songs of other artists. 
You can buy tickets on line here http://www.ticketone.it/EN/nc_id130613_pt529_George-Michael.html
Prices are from €57,50 to €138,00

HOW TO AVOID LONG LINES AT THE FLORENCE CATHEDRAL

long lines at the Florence Cathedral and dome

Yes I know long lines outside of the Florence Cathedral are frustrating. You loose your precious time waiting outside to climb the Florence dome, the Giotto's campanile, to visit the Duomo Museum and the baptistry...and espetially in the summer the sun makes you "mad".

Priority Pass Florence Cathedral

There is a new way to avoid long lines. It's called "Priority Pass". This pass costs € 7.00 and permits you to skip the long lines. But attention: if you want to climb the dome, the campanile, visit the museum or the  baptistry you have to pay also the entrance ticket price for this sights.
Ticket prices are: Duomo dome €8, campanile €6, baptistry €4, museum €11, dome and museum €15, or you can buy a unique ticket for just €23.
You can buy the Priority Pass just outside of the Cathedral, and save your time!

GRAND OPENING GIACOMO PUCCINI'S MUSEUM

Il maestro torna a casa

You're planning to visit Florence & Tuscany in September?? What I suggest to you is a half day trip to Lucca, the birth place of the "maestro" Giacomo Puccini.
His house-museum in Lucca after a long time of renovations, is re-opening its doors to visitors.

The Grand Opening is on 13th of September at noon.

Mueseo Giacomo Puccini - Corte San Lorenzo - Lucca, Italy
Opening hours: from November to March 11am - 5pm
                           from April to October 10am - 6pm
                           closed on Tuesdays (except for holidays)

This is a fully refurbished museum and through the documents, paintings, furnitures, his clothes, his letters, and his music... talks to you about the Maestro's life and musical education.

Statue of Giacomo Puccini instead of his birthplace in Lucca

The "maestro" was born in Lucca on 22 December 1858, and died on 29 November 1924. When he was 17, he saw a performance of Verdi's Aida and became inspired to be an opera composer. He and his brother, Michele, walked 18.5 mi (30 km) to see the performance in Pisa.
From 1891 onwards, Puccini spent most of his time at Torre del Lago, a small community about fifteen miles from Lucca situated between the Ligurian Sea and Lake Massaciuccoli, just south of Viareggio. While renting a house there, he spent time hunting, but regularly visited Lucca.

Tosca - Giacomo Puccini

Turandot - Giacomo Puccini

 His operas, including La Boheme, Tosca, Madame Butterfly, and Turandot, are among the most frequently performed in the standard repertoire.  Some of his arias, such as "O mio babbino caro" from Gianni Schicchi,  "Che gelida manina" from La bohème, and "Nessun Dorma" from Turandot, have become part of popular culture.

Madame Butterfly - Giacomo Puccini

La Bohème - Giacomo Puccini

TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICE

There are three TIs in Florence: across the train station, near the Duomo and on Via Cavour.

The Tourist Information office across the square from the train station is most crowded - expect long lines. It's very easy to reach this TI office, it's 100 yards away from the train station. It is in Piazza Stazione, 4. Mon - Sat 8.30 - 19.00, Sun 8.30 - 14.00, tel +39 055-212-245, turismo3@comune.fi.it,  http://www.firenzeturismo.it/

The TI near the Duomo is pleasant and helpful. Address: Loggia del Bigallo - Piazza San Giovanni. Mon - Sat 9.00 - 19.00, Sun 9.00 - 14.00, tel +39 055-288-496, bigallo@comune.fi.it

Another winner is the TI three blocks north of the Duomo, in Via Cavour, 1red, Mon - Sat 8.30 - 18.30, closed on Sundays and festivities,  tel +39 055-290-832 or +39 055-290-833, info1@firenzeturismo.it
There is an international bookstore across the street.

And there is also a TI at the Florence airport "Amerigo Vespucci", at the arrival terminal open every day 8.30 - 20.30, tel +39 055315-874, infoaeroporto@firenzeturismo.it

At any TI, pick up thiese resourses:

• a free map ( ask for the "APT" map, wich has the bus routes)
• a current museums-hours listing (extremely important, since no guidebook has ever been able to accurately predict the hours of Florence's sights for the coming year)
• the free Florence Concierge Information magazine wich lists museums, concerts, markets, sporting events, church services, shopping ideas, some bus and train connections, and an entire similar section on Siena
• The Florentine newspaper published in english for expats and tourists, with great articles giving cultural insights.

Tourist Information office
Loggia del Bigallo, Piazza San Giovanni - Florence - Italy

FIRENZE CARD

You're planning to visit Florence and stay here three or more days?? Do you like the artistic and cultural heritage of Florence?? Do you want to visit as much museums as you can in three days but you think this will be expensive for you?? Do you want to travel for free in the public buses??

ALL YOU NEED IS A CARD

50€ / 72H / 33 MUSEUMS / FREE BUS&TRAM

The "Firenze Card" is promoted by the Municipality of Florence, the Ministry of Arts and Cultural Activities, the Regional Direction of Cultural Heritage, the Special Superintendece for Historical Artistic and Ethnic-anthropological Heritage and the Museum Circuit of Florece, the Chamber of Commerce of Florence and ATAF (Florentine public buses company).
The Firenze Card has a validy of 72 hours/€ 50.00 and gives you free admission to 33 museums in Florence. You will have a total access in the museums, including permanent collections, exhibitions and other activities without further costs. EU citizens under 18 years old accompaying the holder of the Card can enter for free.

Where to buy the Card:
You can buy the Firenze Card on line here - http://www.firenzecard.it/index.php?option=com_cardfi&view=cardfi&task=dutente&tipoc=1&lang=en  and then with the voucher you can go to take your Card in one of the stores below, or you can buy the Card direcktly in one of this stores:

Museo di Santa Maria Novella - Biglietteria - Piazza Santa Maria Novella
Palazzo Pitti - Biglietteria centrale - Piazza Pitti, 1
Ufficio Informazioni Turistiche - Piazza Stazione, 4
Ufficio Informazioni Turistiche - Via Cavour, 1
Museo di Palazzo Vecchio - Biglietteria - Piazza della Signoria
Museo Bardini - Via dei Renai, 37
Cappella Brancacci - Piazza del Carmine, 14
Museo Nazionale del Bargello - Via del Proconsolo, 4
Galleria degli Uffizi - Gate 2 biglietteria - Piazzale degli Uffizi

How to use
The card can be used only one time in each museum during the 72 hours validity. Access to museums such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia Gallery can recive delays depending on the number of visitors.
The Card si striktly personal and non transferable: the museum clerks and public transport employees may ask for your ID card. Firenze Card is not refundable, even if some museums are closed for exeptional reasons. Check the web site of the museums before you buy the card. Take care of your card, lost card cannot be reissued. If your card is damaged or does not work properly, the sale office can replace it only if it is not already expired.
To use the card on the buses you just have to swiped it against the validation machine.

How to activate
The Firenze Card is activated on your first visit to a museum or on your first use in a public bus. So then you have 72h to visit the museums in the list below:

Museo di Palazzo Vecchio - Piazza della Signoria
Museo Stefano Bardini - Via dei Renai, 37
Palazzo Medici Riccardi - Via Cavour, 3
Museo di Santa Maria Novella - Piazza Santa MAria Novella
Cappella Brancacci - Piazza del Carmine, 14
Fondazione Salvatore Romano - Piazza Santo Spirito, 29
Cappelle Medicee - Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini, 6
Galleria degli Uffizi - Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6
Galleria dell'Accademia - Via Ricasoli, 58/60
Galleria Palatina e Appartamenti Reali - Piazza Pitti, 1
Galleria d'Arte Moderna - Piazza Pitti, 1
Museo Giardino di Boboli - Piazza Pitti, 1
Museo degli Argenti - Piazza Pitti, 1
Museo delle Porcellane - Piazza Pitti, 1
Galleria del Costume - Piazza Pitti, 1
Museo Archeologico - Piazza Santissima Annunziata 9b
Museo dell'Opificio delle Pietra Dure - Via degli Alfani, 78
Palazzo Davanzati - Via Porta Rossa, 13
Museo di San Marco - Piazza San Marco, 3
Museo del Bargello - Via del Proconsolo, 4
Cenacolo Andrea del Sarto - Via di San Salvi, 16
Cenacolo del Ghirlandaio - Borgo Ognissanti 42
Cenacolo del Fuligno - Via Faenza 42
Cenacolo di Sant'Apollonia - Via XXVII Aprile, 1
Orsanmichele - Via Arte della Lana, 1
Villa Medicea della Petraia - Via della Petraia, 40
Villa Medicea di Castello - Via di Castello, 47
Museo di Casa Martelli - Via Zannetti, 8
Collezione Contini Bonacossi - Via Lambertesca, 6
Villa Corsini a Castello - Via della Petraia, 38
Villa Medicea e Museo Storico della caccia e del territorio - Via dei Ponti Medicei, 7 Cerreto Guidi
Villa Medicea - Piazza dei Medici, 14 Poggio a Caiano



15 AUGUST AT THE "EASY LIVING" BEACH

Tomorrow is the 15th of August and in Italy is a festivity. Everyboby goes to the beach and plays with the water. Yeah it is amaizing.
But there is no beach in Florence.... damn you're right.
Well, actually, there is one in Florence. It is called "Easy living beach" and it is located in the south bank of the Arno River in Lungarno Serristori in front of Piazza Giuseppe Poggi.
I find this place very very nice, you can go there take sunbaths, take a drink, have lunch, take an aperitivo in the evening and play beach volley with your friends.

Tomorrow (15 August) from 3.30pm to 9pm there will be a competition, a sandcastles competition. You can partecipate as a team (min 3 - max 10 partecipants) and the best castle will win a price.
1° classified will win € 100,00 to spend at the Fertrinelli library, 2° classified € 60,00 and the 3° will win € 40,00.

Useful information: the beach has no entry charge and is open till late. You can rent for free beach umbrellas, chaise longue and play beach volley for free. You can as well use the showers.

CHEAP TRICKS IN FLORENCE





Want to travel low-cost in Florence and save money???

Here are some ideas to help your wallet...



SIGHTSEEIN

Many of Florence's sights and activities are free. There is no entry charge for the Duomo, Palazzo Davanzati, Orsanmichele Church, Santo Spirito Church, and San Miniato Church. It is free to visit the leather school at Santa Croce Church and the perfumery near the Church of Santa Maria Novella. The three markets (Mercato Centrale, Mercato Nuovo and San Lorenze) are for free and for sure you will have a lot of fun browsing them.

Free public spaces include the Uffizi and Palazzo Vecchio courtyards; the statue-filled loggia on Piazza della Signoria; and the Piazzale Michelangelo, with glorious view over Florence. A walk across the picturesque Ponte Vecchio costs nothing at all.

If you have an ipod, iphone or other device you can download free audiogudes tours. Audioguides at the museums costs € 5,50.

HOTELS

1-3 stars hotels and B&B generally have good rates and are located in the center of teh city, so you save public transport money, as you have just to walk in the old town centre. (bus tickets costs € 1,20/90 min)

Choose to pay in cash at the arrival to get lowest rate.

Opt out of optional, overpriced hotel breakfasts, and grab a brioche and cappuccino with the locals at the corner bar instead (brioche + cappuccino costs approx. € 2,20)

EATING

Don't order too much at restaurants. Servings are often big enough. You and your travel partner order a few small dishes and enjoy them family-style. Opt for pizzeria and trattoria, for lowest price. Usually restaurants have higher prices, but better service.

Splitting a € 7,00 pizza makes makes for a very cheap meal.

Order take-away dishes. Many shops have ready-to-eat entrèes and side dishes, and will heat them up and send you on your way with plastics cutlery and napkins. Find a scenic pincnic spot and enjoy your feast, having paid just a fraction of what you'd pay to eat in a restaurant.

Opt for an alimentari shop, a delicious ham and cheese sandwich will cost to you approx. € 3,00

GETTING AROUND FLORENCE BY BUS

I organize my sightseeing geographically and do it all on foot. So this is what I suggest you: walk a lot. Florence buses dont cover the old centre very well.

Of the many bus lines, I think that the most value for sightseeing are: lines # 7, 10, 12, 13, 31 and 32 which connect the train station with the Piazza San Marco through Piazza Indipendenza. Bus #7 continuoes on to the Piazza della Libertà and then on to Fiesole.
Lines #12 and #13 go from the train station to Porta Romana, up to San Miniato Church and Piazzale Michelangelo, and on to Santa Croce Church.

Here you have a map will all the bus lines. I find it very useful.

Fun little elettrico minubuses wind through the old centre of the town and up and down the river. Line A gets around the centre from the train station to Piazza Beccaria, Line B goes up and down the Arno river from Borgo Ognissanti to Santa Croce Church while Line D goes from the train station to Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), cruising through the Oltrarno neighborhood and finishing at Ponte San Niccolò. You'll be sitting with local seniors in this buses.

I suggest to buy ticets at the bars, the tabacchi shops, newsstands or at the train station bus stop, €1,20 for 90 minutes, €4,50/4 tickets, €5,00/daily, €10,00/12 tickets, €20,00/25 tickets, €12,00/ 3 days ticket. As you get on the bus you have to validate your ticket in the machine onboard. Tickets bought on board costs €2,oo for 90minutes. Usually you board at front or rear doors and exit from the central doors.

Hop-on, hop-off bus tours generally stops at major sights. Around town you will see this big double-decker sightseeing buses near major sights. Tourists on the top deck can listen to brief recorded descriptions of the attractions, snap photos, and enjoy the drive-by-look.

Tickets costs €20,00 for 24h, firs bus at 9.30 am and last bus at 6.00pm . Pay as you're on board, tickets include two bus lines - Blue is one hour with a trip up to the Piazzale Michelangelo, Green is 2 hours with a side trip to Fiesole. For more informations visit http://www.firenze.city-sightseeing.it/ 

As the name says, you can hop off when you want and get on the nex bus (every 30 minutes). Hop-on stops include the train station, the Duomo, Pitti Palace, Santa Croce, Piazzale Michelangelo, Fiesole and many other sights.

As more sights are situated in the old city center this big buses can't go, so before look at the route map.

You may find this a funny thing but I find this very useful: In Florence You can buy tickets with an simple SMS from your mobile phone send a text message with writen "Ataf" at this number +39 339 9941264 and you will recieve an electronic ticket to show to the ticket inspector. The cost of the ticket is €1,20 for 90 minutes + the cost of the text message depending on your mobile phone operator. To do this you have to ger registerd to http://www.bemoov.it/ and give a credit card number from where the Florentine buses company will charge the cost of your ticket. For more informations check the buses company website http://www.ataf.net/ or call the toll free number 800-424500 (from fixed lines) or the payment number
199-104245 (from mobile phones).

Also I find it very useful to know the exact time the bus will come at the bus stup. You just have to send an SMS to +39 3424112512 with the number of the bus and the bus stop code (you will find it at the bus stop sign). For more information visit www.temporealeataf.it .

AUGUST AT ODEON CINEMA (AGOSTO ALL'ODEON)

The Odeon Cinema is built in 1462, and is situated in Palazzo Strozzino considered one of the most interesing example of Renaissance architechture. Palazzo Strozzino was renovated at the begining of the 20th century by the architect Piacentini who transformed the back and the courtyard into an elegant art nouveau cinema-theatre which was opened in 1922. To this day the Odeon retains the original sculptures, tapestries and the wonderful period stained glass cupola. Over the years some of the most glamorous names in show business have appeared in this jewel in the heart of Florence, musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Anjelica Huston, and directors such as Isabelle Bertolucci, Branagh, Salvatores, Benigni, Verdone and many others.

This august Odeon Cinema is open all days and hosted the event August at the Odeon with a lot of europeans and italians films.

Odeon Firenze Cinema

Via de' Sassetti, 1

50123 Florence Italy

0039 055 214068

Ticket price for this special event is € 6,00, and reduced price is € 5,00.

Here is the program:

Sunday 07/08

Le donne del sesto piano di P. Le Guay (France 2011)

Monday 08/08 - Free entrance

Ballkan Bazar di E. Budina (Albania 2010)

Roma città aperta di R. Rossellini (Italy 1945)

Tuesday 09/08 - Free entrance

Roma città aperta di R. Rossellini (Italy 1945)

Thursday 10/08

Ballkan Bazar di E. Budina (Albania 2010)

When you're strange di T. DiCillo (USA 2009)

Wednesday 11/08

When you're strange di T. DiCillo (USA 2009)

Summer Wars (Giappone 2009)

Friday 12/08

Ballkan Bazar di E. Budina (Albania 2010)

Nuovo cinema paradiso di G. Tornatore (Italy 1988)

Tuesday 16/08

Waste Land di L. Walker (UK Brazil 2010)

Wednesday 17/08

Kung Fu Panda 2 di J. Yuh (USA 2011)

Wednesday 18/08

Waste Land di L. Walker (UK Brazil 2010)

Stella di S. Verheyde (France 2008)

Friday 19/08 - Free entrance

Cirkus Columbia di D. Tanovic (BiH 2010)

Mediterraneo di Salvatores (Italy 1991)

Saturday 20/08

Cirkus Columbia di D. Tanovic (BiH 2010)

Monday 22/08 - Free entrance

Cirkus Columbia di D. Tanovic (BiH 2010)

Per un pugno di dollari di S. Leone (Italy Spain Germany 1964)

Tuesday 23/08

Per un pugno di dollari di S. Leone (Italy Spain Germany 1964

Beyound di P. August (Sweeden Finland 2011)

Wednesday 24/08

Dancing dreams di A. Linsel, R. Hoffmann (Germany 2010)

Thursday 25/08

Dancing dreams di A. Linsel, R. Hoffmann (Germany 2010)

Vital-Autopsia di un amore di S. Tsukamoto

From 26 august

This is England di S. Meadows (UK 2006)

TOURIST TAX

I think you will find it useful to know that the city of Florence has started to apply a tax on your stay within the city. Started July 1, 2011, visitors sleeping in Florence will pay a tourist tax per person per night. The cost will vary, from 1 to 5 euros in hotels based upon the hotel's stars rating ( 1 € for each star of the hotel, ex if you stay in a three stars hotel you have to pay € 3,00 per person per night). The tax is applied to non residents overnight staying, for a maximum of 10 consecutives nights. The tax is not applied to: childeren under 10 years old, people who provide assistance to patient in hospital, max two each patient, and people who provide assistance to underage patients in hospital, max two each patient
The money collected from the tourism tax will be used to improve a number of tourist services incluiding maintenace works, support to properties, public services and so on.
The first service that the city has started to offer thanks to the new tax is the free water in some squares (there is one in the Signoria Square), still or sparkling fresh water. This is a good news....hoping to hear more good news in the future.

Water distributor - Florence, Italy