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The cultural and historical impact of Florence is overwhelming. Close up, however, the city is one of Italy's most atmospheric and pleasant, retaining a strong resemblance to the small late-medieval centre that contributed so much to the cultural and political development of Europe. Unfortunately, it can be one of Italy's most clogged tourist traps, with up to 2000 tourist buses arriving daily in the peak season.
Historical Places
Where Rome is a historical hot-pot, Florence is like stepping back into a Fiat and Vespa-filled Renaissance: the shop-lined Ponte Vecchio, the trademark Duomo, the gem-filled Uffizi Gallery, the turreted Piazza della Signoria and the Medici Chapels. Thankfully, these unforgettables are all within walking distance of each other.
Any list of 'must sees' in Florence is going to incite cries of protest. How can you recommend that a tour cover the Uffizi, the Duomo and the Baptistry, without including the Museo del Bargello, the Convento di San Marco and the churches of Santa Maria Novella, Santa Croce and SS Annunziata? And what about Masaccio's fresco cycle in Basilica di Santa Maria del Carmine? Or Michelangelo's David in the Galleria dell'Accademia and his Medici tombs in the family chapel attached to the Basilica di San Lorenzo?
Getting Around
A city bus runs every 20 minutes from the main train station to Amerigo Vespucci airport. There's a train service between the main station and Galileo Galilei airport.
Buses service the city centre and Fiesole, in the hills north-east of town. Bus tickets can be bought at tobacconists or vending machines, and must be validated as you get on the bus. Tickets are sold on a time basis - you can get one-hour, two-hour and 24-hour tickets. Traffic is restricted in the city centre.
Taxis wait outside Stazione di Santa Maria Novella, or you can phone one.
Pubs & Bars
Overall, Florence's nightlife is limited. This should perhaps not be all that surprising since, at the end of the day, we are talking about a provincial town. Long-termers find themselves hanging out in the same places, but there is enough variety to hold visitors' interest for a while. Many bars and pubs tend to shut by 1am or 2am, but there are enough exceptions (especially on Fridays and Saturdays) to this rule to keep you going to 3am and sometimes later still. It is difficult to classify all places strictly as either bars, live-music venues, discos or clubs, so the following subdivision is a little arbitrary. The enoteca, where you can sample wines, is a very Italian institution along the lines of a wine bar. Since people generally accompany a few glasses of various wines with snacks and even full meals. Drink prices don't vary as much as you might expect. A good rule of thumb is around 4.15 for a pint-sized glass of beer on tap, while mixed drinks and cocktails typically cost 5.20 to 6.20. In some clubs and discos you may pay more. You won't often pay much less.
Our Piazza SS Annunziata 
Fontana del Tacca
Events: [http://firenze.net] ========= An artistic View of Piazza SS Annunziata Spaces: [http://www.gis.net/~zarzycki] (see photo above)
Un piu italiano? Read this:
FIRENZE: CATTURATO SERPENTE IN PIAZZA SS. ANNUNZIATA
FIRENZE, 16 OTTOBRE - Un biacco, serpente innocuo ma mordace, è stato catturato ieri notte in piazza Santissima Annunziata dove sembra fosse stato abbandonato da alcune persone che solitamente stazionano sotto il loggiato. L' allarme sulla presenza del rettile era stato dato alla polizia dalla dipendente di un hotel che si trova nella piazza. La stessa donna avrebbe anche spiegato che il serpente era stato abbandonato da alcune persone. In attesa dell' arrivo del direttore del Centro di scienze naturali di Prato, Gilberto Tozzi, che ha catturato il rettile, il serpente, piuttosto aggressivo e che alla fine si era attorcigliato a una colonna del loggiato, è stato tenuto a bada con una scopa.