Part V: Mediterranean Europe in VS .NET

Encoder Code 128 Code Set C in VS .NET Part V: Mediterranean Europe

Emergency Dial % 113 in any emergency, % 112 for the carabinieri (the military-trained and more useful of the two police forces); % 118 or 06-5100 to summon an ambulance, or % 115 for the fire department Pronto Soccorso is Italian for first aid, but you can also use the phrase to get to an emergency room Call % 116 for roadside assistance (not free) Hospitals First aid is available 24 hours a day in the emergency room (pronto soccorso) of major hospitals There s a special Tourist Medical Service, Via Lorenzo il Magnifico 59, north of the city center between the Fortezza del Basso and Piazza della Libert (% 055-475-411), open 24 hours; take bus 8 or 80 to Viale Lavagnini or buses 4, 12, or 20 to Via Poliziano The most central hospitals are the Arcispedale di Santa Maria Nuova, a block northeast of the Duomo on Piazza Santa Maria Nuova (% 055-27-581), and the Misericordia Ambulance Service, on Piazza del Duomo across from Giotto s bell tower (% 055-212-222 for ambulance) Information The city s largest tourist office is at Via Cavour 1r (% 055-290-832; Fax: 055-2760383; wwwfirenzeturismoit), about 3 blocks north of the Duomo For specifics on it, and on other offices, see Finding information after you arrive, near the beginning of this chapter For transit Information, call % 055-5650222 Internet Access and Cybercafes To check or send e-mail, head to the Internet Train (wwwinternettrain it), with 15 locations including Via dell Oriuolo 25r, 3 blocks from the Duomo (% 055-263-8968); Via Guelfa 24a, near the train station (% 055-214-794); and Borgo San Jacopo 30r in the Oltrarno (% 055265-7935) Open hours vary but run at least daily from 9:00 am to 8:30 pm, often later Maps The tourist office hands out a free map You can buy more-detailed ones at any newsstand or bookstore Newspapers/Magazines The monthly Informacitt pamphlet on events, exhibits, and concerts is free; pick it up at any tourist office Pharmacies For pharmacy information, dial % 110 Three places offering English-speaking service and 24-hour schedules are the Farmacia Communale, at the head of track 16 in the train station (% 055-216-761); Molteni, Via dei Calzaiuoli 7r, just north of Piazza della Signoria (% 055-289-490); and All Insegno del Moro, at the Duomo square, Piazza di San Giovanni 20r (% 055-211-343) Police Dial % 113 in any emergency or % 112 for the carabinieri, a division of the Italian army Post Office Florence s main post office is at Via Pellicceria 3, off the southwest corner of Piazza della Repubblica You can buy stamps (francobolli) and pick up letters sent General Delivery (Fermo Posta) after

showing some ID The post office is open Monday through Friday from 8:15 am to 7:00 pm, and Saturday from 8:15 am to 12:30 pm Safety You can feel very safe in all of central Italy, which has practically no random violent crime Florence, like any city, has plenty of petty thieves looking to pick your pocket, plus a few light-fingered children (especially near the train station) Use common sense, try to avoid them, and yell Polizia! if they come too close Otherwise, there aren t any dangers that are hard to avoid You should stay out of the Cascine park at night, when you may risk getting mugged, and you probably won t want to hang out with the heroin addicts shooting up on the Arno mudflats below the Lungarno embankments on the edges of town

Taxes The value-added tax in Italy (called IVA) varies with the item or service, up to 19 percent, and is already included in the sticker price of any item (except, oddly, in the most expensive luxury hotels) Non-EU citizens who spend more than 15494 ($178) in a single store are entitled to a refund See 4 for details on receiving one Taxis See Getting Around Florence, earlier in this chapter Telephone See Fast Facts: Rome, in 19 for information on making calls and callingcard access codes Transit Info See Getting Around Florence, earlier in this chapter