Florence Baptistery
Opening Hours:
- Monday - Saturday 12:15 - 19:00
- Sunday & 1st Saturday of the Month 08:30 - 14:00
- Last entry is 30 minutes before closing time.
Dates of Closure:
- 1st January, Easter, 8 September, 24th & 25thDecember http://www.visitflorence.com/florence-churches/baptistery.html
Entry Fee:
- €3 http://www.florenceguides.com/museuminfo.htm
- Free for children under 6 http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/florence-baptistery
Getting to Florence you can take the Eurail into the city station or fly in to Aeroporto di Firenze. Eurail is more direct to the city itself and a more scenic option if you have the time.
To get to the baptistery there are many bus routes you can take once you are in the city. It is located right across from the Il Duomo.
- Bus routes 1, 6, 17, 14, 22, 23, 36, 37, or 71 http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/florence-baptistery
Take the time to see all the mosaics inside. There are seats available to sit and admire the artwork. The scenes, colours and style are very reflective of the contextual history. The original doors of the 'Gates of Paradise' are being restored in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo currently.
updated 2010-07-17 05:25:35
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Tuscany
Visitors to Tuscany rave about The Best of Tuscany Tour. It consists of good food and wine and site visits to Siena, a local farm, San Gimignano and Pisa. [1]
updated 2010-07-18 01:12:30
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Florence Amerigo Vespucci International Airport
Barely 4kms northwest of the centre of Florence, the Florence International Airport caters to both domestic and international flights, both arrival and departures. It is also known as the 'Amerigo Vespucci Airport', named after a famous explorer of the 15th Century, or the 'Peretola Airport' (it's original name). http://www.florence.world-guides.com/airports.html
During the 1930's, this airport was first open and catered to many flights because of its ideal location. It has a single runway that measures 1000 metres in length, completed during the 1940's and enabled it to host commercial airlines as well as private. There were some major renovations that occurred during the 1980's to expand and accommodate the growing population of travellers. http://www.florence-flr.airports-guides.com/
The early 1990's saw the construction of new departure and arrivals buildings. There was also the addition of a car park, lengthening the runway by 250 metres, and further expansion of the general airport that began in 1999. http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/europe/european-union/italy/florence/airport.htm
The airport services 35 destinations, 15 countries and 1 continent. http://www.theairdb.com/airport/FLR.html It cost over €11 million to build and has increased its capacity over the years to accommodate approximately 2.2 million travellers each year. http://www.articlesbase.com/flights-articles/the-definitive-guide-to-florence-firenze-airport-733515.html
updated 2010-07-17 05:25:34
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Basilica of Santa Croce
Opening Hours:
- Summer Mon - Sat 09:30 - 17:30; Sun 15:00 - 17:30
- Winter Mon -Sat 08:00 - 12:30 and 15:00 - 17:30; Sun 15:00 - 17:30
The adjoining Pazzi Chapel is open:
- Mar - Oct Thurs-Tues 10:00 - 19:00
- Nov - Feb Thurs-Tues 10:00 - 18:00 http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Florence-151105/Things_To_Do-Florence-Santa_Croce-BR-1.html
General Entrance Fee: €4.00
Directions: The basilica is situated only about 800m southeast from the Duomo. From the Duomo, take the Via Calzaiuoli down to the Piazza della Signoria; walk along the northern side of the Palazzo Vecchio (after the Neptune fountain) and continue into the Via dei Greci; continue until the Piazza di Santa Croce.http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Florence-151105/Things_To_Do-Florence-Santa_Croce-BR-1.html
The basilica is a beautiful building that manages to capture within its walls nearly 1000 years of history in artwork. There are also marks of Florence's history that can be seen on the walls. During the Counter-Reformation renovation, damage was received by the wall artworks and original altar. Also, in 1966 the Arno river flooded bringing water, mud and pollution into the church. Much of the artifacts received severe damage and it has taken decades to restore.
updated 2010-07-16 22:41:11
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Ponte Vecchio
Designed by Neri di Fioravante, the Ponte Vecchio offers a great view of Florence from the river. In the centre of the bridge there is a break. This opens up to two panaromic views of the riverbanks and the buildings that line the. The bust of the famous sculptor Benuvenuto Cellini was placed in this break in the mid 15th Century.http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Florence-151105/Things_To_Do-Florence-Ponte_Vecchio_Arno_River-BR-1.html
One side of the river is lined by old style houses, almost picturesque. The other bank has a line of palaces. Beneath the bridge, note that there were 5 arches originally. However the central arch was widened to make the now 3 arches and add to the stability.http://numberonestars.com/travel/ponte_vecchio_florence.htm
The bridge leads right up to the Pitti Palace which backs onto the Palazzo Vecchio which is the political centre of Florence. Here is the original site for the Statue of David.
Being a bridge, the Ponte Vecchio is open all day, every day to the public. No entrance fee is required, although the shops that line the bridge may take your fancy.
updated 2010-07-17 19:06:52
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Florence Tourist Attractions
- Brunelleschi's Il Duomo, also known as the 'Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore' is the star attraction located in the centre of the city of Florence. Begun in 1296, the dome is an engineering masterpiece way ahead of it's time. There are 463 steps to the top where you can get a birds eye view of the city.http://goitaly.about.com/od/florenceitaly/tp/florence.htm
- Florence Baptistery: The Baptistery of John the Baptist is located just across from the Piazza del Duomo and is most famous for its 3 sets of bronze doors that depict in detail famous stories from the Bible. It is an unusual octagonal shape and is decorated with many symbols that carried incredible significance to the culture of Florence during the 14th and 15th Centuries.http://www.italyguides.it/us/florence/baptistery.htm
- Galleria dell' Academia hosts a large collection of important sculptures and paintings that date from the Byzantine, Renaissance and Humanism periods. The original Statue of David by Michelangelo is housed here.http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Florence-151105/Things_To_Do-Florence-Galleria_dellAccademia-BR-1.html
- Basilica of Santa Croce, Basilica of the Holy Cross, is the largest Franciscan church in Italy. It is a sacred destination that has 16 chapels and notable artworks by the famous painter Giotto. There are tombs, monuments and a museum that houses artifacts that date back to its construction in 1294.http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/florence-santa-croce
- The Ponte Vecchio is the last surviving bridge of Florence ...
updated 2010-07-17 05:25:40
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Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
Cathedral Opening Hours:
- Mon - Wed 10:00 - 17:00
- Fri 10:00 - 17:00
- Thurs 10:00 - 15:30
- Sat 10:00 - 16:45 (first Sat each month 10:00 - 15:30)
- Sun 13:30 - 16:45
- Closed January 6th (Epiphany Sunday).
Entrance to the cathedral itself is free of charge. However please note that here, as in all religious places of Italy, you are required to dress appropriately. This means no shorts or sleeveless shirts.
Cupola (Dome) Opening Hours:
- Mon - Fri 08:30 - 19:00
- Sat 08:30 - 17:40
- Sundays CLOSED http://www.iexplore.com/cityguides/Italy/Florence/Where+to+Go
Entrance Fee: 8 Euros
There are 453 steps to the top of the cupola (dome) in the cathedral. Only attempt this if you are fit and healthy as this is a distance and elevation. There are also narrow passageways and low ceilings to beware of. But the view from the top is stunning. A 360 degree view of the city well worth the climb, especially on a clear day.
Part of the way up there is the opportunity to get a closer look at the frescoes painted on the dome's interior. The vibrancy and detail of the colours and artwork can be much better appreciated from here.
There is an audio guide available for a fee of about 4 Euros. Or take the full guided tour for 11 Euros including entrance to the cupola. Tours are 45 - 60mins in duration.
Getting There: You can take any ...
updated 2010-07-17 00:51:57
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How To Become a Travel Agent Florence
TRAVEL AGENT SCAMS: Regardless of where in the word you plan on working, scam companies operate everywhere. They mostly advertise on the Internet and often focus on all the fun benefits of being a travel agent. Their advertisements usually say you can be your own boss and work from home, travel the world for pennies, work either full or part time and still make lots of money. To start, all you will have to do is pay a few hundred dollars which will give you your own website to start selling travel. There are legitimate agencies that recruit people to independently sell travel for them; however, some of these advertisements are scams. They only want to take your money for something that sounds too good to be true. Make sure you are dealing with a reputable agency before getting involved. http://www.homebasedtravelagent.com/scams.htm
FLORENCE TRAVEL AGENCIES: There are many different kinds of travel agencies. Some focus on certain kinds of travel such as cruise travel or travel to certain destinations. Following you will find some of the travel agencies in Florence so you get an idea of what you can expect find when looking for a job in Florence:
- ■ Primavera Viaggi, Via Ricasoli, 29r, Florence, Italy, Phone: +39 055 282042, Fax: +39 055 217643. This travel agency handles mostly educational holidays. They also have various summer camp programs available. http://www.primaveraviaggi.it/
- ■ Custom Travel Service Srl, Via il prato 86r, 50123 Florence, Italy, Phone: +39 055 ...
