See what the experts are saying about Livigno. Get expert advice on how to get there what to see and more.
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The best countryside retreats
Though there are plenty of regular hotels in the countryside, don't overlook agriturismo options, which offer travelers the opportunity to stay on a working farm. Besides the following best bets, a mix of both countryside hotels and agrituris... Continue reading »
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The best museums
Gallerie degli Uffizi (Florence): One of the world's top museums, the Uffizi houses some of the seminal works of the Renaissance, including Giotto's Maesta, Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Allegory of Spring, Leonardo da Vinci's Annunciation,... Continue reading »
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The greatest artistic masterpieces
Michelangelo's David (Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence): The Big Guy himself, the perfect Renaissance nude, masterpiece of sculpture, icon of homosexual camp, and symbol of Italy itself. Sandro Botticelli's Birth of Venus (Gallerie degli... Continue reading »
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Planning a trip
Tourist Offices -- The city's largest tourist office is at Via Cavour 1r (tel. 055-290-832; fax 055-276-0383; www.firenzeturismo.it), about 3 blocks north of the Duomo. Outrageously, they now charge for basic, useful info: .50€ (65¢) for a ci... Continue reading »
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Fast facts
American Express -- AmEx, Piazza Cimatori/Via Dante Alighieri 22r, 50122 Firenze (tel. 055-50-981), will act as a travel agent (for a commission), accept mail on your behalf, and cash traveler's checks at no commission. (They don't have to be... Continue reading »
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Getting there
By Plane Several European airlines are now servicing Florence's expanded Amerigo Vespucci Airport (tel. 055-30-615 for the switchboard, or 055-373-498 for flight updates; 055-306-1700 for national flight info, 055-306-1702 for international... Continue reading »
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Getting around
Florence is a walking city. You can leisurely stroll between the two top sights, the Duomo and the Uffizi, in less than 5 minutes. The hike from the most northerly sights, San Marco with its Fra' Angelico frescoes and the Accademia with Miche... Continue reading »
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City layout
Florence is a smallish city, sitting on the Arno River and petering out to olive-planted hills rather quickly to the north and south but extending farther west and, to a lesser extent, east along the Arno valley with suburbs and light industr... Continue reading »
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Neighborhoods in brief
I've used the designations below to group hotels, restaurants, and sights in Florence. Although the city does contain six "neighborhoods" centered around the major churches (Santa Maria Novella, Il Duomo, Santa Croce, San Lorenzo, and Santo S... Continue reading »
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Introduction
The wide Valdichiana (Chiana Valley) has been an agricultural area since at least the 3rd century B.C., when Hannibal fed and provisioned his entire army here, elephants and all, before marching off to defeat the Roman legions at Lake Trasime... Continue reading »
