Part V: Mediterranean Europe in .NET framework

Encoding Code 128B in .NET framework Part V: Mediterranean Europe

square lined with cafes, the medieval Palazzo Vecchio, and the art-packed Uffizi Galleries Via dei Calzaiuoli, a wide, pedestrian-choked promenade, links the two piazze (squares), and the center of medieval Florence takes shape in the maze of cobblestone streets between them

West of central Florence and in the middle of Via Roma is Florence s primary shopping district, the 19th-century Piazza della Repubblica Nearby is the main artery of Florence s high-fashion industry, Via de Tornabuoni As it heads south, Via Roma changes names first becoming Via Calimata, and then Via Por Santa Maria Farther south along this road you come to Ponte Vecchio, a famous bridge over the Arno River, lined with jewelry shops In the middle of the bridge, some extra space between buildings creates a small piazza with wonderful river views Northwest of Piazza del Duomo is Piazza Santa Maria Novella, on which sits a church by the same name The piazza marks the western edge of the historic city Just north of the church is the train station, which is surrounded by streets full of cheap hotels Between the station and the Duomo are Piazza San Lorenzo and Piazza del Mercato Centrale (indoor Central Market) Stalls of leather merchants fill the streets around them Three main streets head north from Piazza del Duomo: Via de Martelli/ Via Cavour leads straight up to Piazza San Marco, site of the San Marco monastery; Via Ricasoli heads to the Accademia, home of Michelangelo s David; and Via dei Servi runs into the gorgeous Piazza SS Annunziata, bordered on three sides by porticoes designed by Brunelleschi Borgo de Greci wanders east from Piazza della Signoria to Piazza Santa Croce, home to a major church, the center of a neighborhood that has many of Florence s best restaurants, and the eastern edge of the visitor s city The Arno River flows through the southern end of the city; most of Florence is north of the Arno South of the river is an old artisan s quarter called the Oltrarno, which features the famed Pitti Palace and excellent restaurants and shopping In the middle of the Oltrarno is Piazza Santo Spirito, which contains a fine early Renaissance church interior courtesy of Brunelleschi Florence uses two different systems for numbering addresses Shops, businesses, and restaurants have plaques with red numbers, but homes, offices, and hotels have plaques numbered independently in black (and sometimes blue) Red addresses show an r after the number; black ones may have a b, but more often have nothing after the number The two systems overlap but don t affect each other So this means that a street with a row of buildings designated shop, restaurant, hotel, shop, and home could have address plaques that read, in order, 1r, 3r, 1, 5r, 3 So if nothing appears to be at the address you wrote down, try looking for a plaque with the same number but in a different color

The city s largest tourist office is at Via Cavour 1r (% 055-290-832; Fax: 055-276-0383;wwwfirenzeturismoit), about 3 blocks north of the Duomo Outrageously, they now charge for basic, useful info: 050 (60 ) for a city map (although there s still a free one that differs only in that it lacks relatively inane brief descriptions of the museums and sights), 2 ($230) for a little guide to museums, and 1 ($115) each for pamphlets on the bridges and the piazza of Florence The monthly Informacitt pamphlet on events, exhibits, and concerts is still free Hours are Monday through Saturday from 8:30 am to 6:30 pm and Sunday from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm The tourist office at Stazione Santa Maria Novella (% 055-212-245) is outside at Piazza della Stazione 4 This office is usually open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm (often until 1:30 pm in winter) and Sunday from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm