Getting there in Visual Studio .NET

Making Code 128C in Visual Studio .NET Getting there

The only way to get to San Gimignano is by bus, and you must almost always transfer in the village of Poggibonsi From Florence, SITA (Via Santa Caterina 17, just west of the train station) sends 26 buses daily on the 50- to 90-minute trip to Poggibonsi, 13 of which meet the connection to San Gimignano with no time to spare From Siena, TRAIN (Piazza San Domenico) runs about 33 daily buses to Poggibonsi in 35 to 45 minutes From Poggibonsi, 19 buses make the 20-minute trek to San Gimignano Monday through Saturday, but only two buses run on Sunday (at 7:20 am and 12:55 pm) The tourism office (% 0577-940-008; wwwsangimignanocom) is at Piazza del Duomo 1

The small town center consists of two interlocked, irregularly shaped squares, with a 13th-century well in the center of one and the Collegiata (main church) taking up one end of the other If you can t resist climbing up one of the looming towers, go to the Museo Civico/Torre Grossa (% 0577-940-340) After you admire paintings in the gallery by artists such as Pinturicchio, Gozzoli, and Lippo Memmi (and secular 14thcentury frescoes in an anteroom that show the racier side of medieval courtship), you can climb the tallest remaining tower in town (178 feet), which provides a 360-degree view of the town and the rolling green countryside just outside its walls The Museo Civico/Torre Grossa is open March through October daily from 9:30 am to 7:20 pm, and November through February daily from 10:00 am to 5:50 pm The Collegiata (% 0577-940-316) has no bishop s seat and therefore technically is no longer a duomo (cathedral), but it sure is decorated to look like one The interior walls are completely covered with a colorful collage of 14th- and 15th-century frescoes The ones down the left wall

tell Old Testament stories; the right wall features the New Testament A St Sebastian thick with arrows is against the entrance wall, and near the entrance high on the interior nave wall spreads a gruesomely colorful Last Judgment scene Off the right aisle is the tiny Chapel of St Fina, which Ghirlandaio frescoed with two scenes from the young saint s brief life From April through October, the church is open Sunday through Friday from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm and Saturday from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm; November through January 26, hours are Monday through Saturday from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday from 1 to 5 pm Closed January 27 to February 28 Admission is 350 ($405) or on Siena s cumulative ticket

La Mangiatoia, Via Mainardi 5 (% 0577-941-528), has an intimate atmosphere and a hearty Tuscan menu, and its more imaginative dishes are the best La Cisterna, Piazza della Cisterna 23 24 (% 0577-940-328; Fax: 0577-942-080; wwwhotelcisternait), is located in the remains of two centrally located towers and has one of the best restaurants in town Doubles cost 82 to 120 ($94 $138); rates include breakfast

Area Code The country code for Italy is 39 Florence along with the rest of Italy no longer has a separate city code, though you ll notice almost all numbers in town still start with 055 (the old city code) As they run out of new numbers, that will change And, unlike in the past, you must dial that initial zero American Express The Florence American Express office, Via Dante Alighieri 22r (% 055-50-981), is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, and Saturday from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm The office cashes all traveler s checks (not just American Express checks) without a fee Currency In 2002, the euro became the legal tender in Italy, replacing the lira The exchange rate used to calculate the dollar value given in this chapter is 1 equals $115 Amounts over $10 are rounded to the nearest dollar Doctors and Dentists For a list of English-speaking dentists and doctors, contact the US Consolate, Lungarno Amerigo Vespucci 38 (% 055239-8276) Visitors who need emergency care can call Volunteer Hospital Interpreters at % 055-234-4567; the interpreters are always on call and offer their services free Embassies and Consulates The consulate of the United States is at Lungarno Amerigo Vespucci 38 (% 055266-951), near its intersection with Via Palestro Drop-ins are welcome Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm Appointments are taken Monday through Friday from and 2:00 to 4:30 pm