Epic sites....

Epic meals....

Epic friends...

***more to come***

July 4th

Today we had class in the morning and then had a guided tour of the Coloseum and The Roman Forum. We were able able to see where Julius Caesar was assisinated! It was truly amazing!

**pictures of the Colosseum and walking tour to come**

Today we saw the Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona.

Or should I say tree … the Tuscan Cypress can survive for up to 2,000 years or more. It’s longevity has granted it the aura of the supernatural such that the Etruscans chose to plant the tree around their sacred Necropolis (burial grounds). They believed that the supernatural powers and strong, fragrant essential oils could ward off demons and even the smell of death itself, thus ensuring a safe passage into the afterlife.

The fragrant wood of the cypress tree, being rich in resinous essential oils takes many years to decompose, rendering it ideal for coffins and sarcophagi. In fact, the wood is so strongly scented that the tree was planted around the houses, churches and cemeteries in Tuscany as people believed that the air was "freshened" by the tree, giving rise to the quintessential "Tuscan landscape" that we hold as being typical of the area.

http://www.lifeinitaly.com/garden/cypress.asp

Main tourist office at Via Cavour 1r; open 8.30-6.30 Mon-Sat, and 8.30-1.30 Sun, tel 055.290.832.

Health
Pharmacists (farmacia) are qualified to give advice on minor ailments and to dispense prescriptions. There will always be a 24-hour one 'on turn', and the one at the railway station is usually open 24 hours. Dial 112 anywhere in the EU to reach the emergency services. Additional local numbers: Police 112, Ambulance113, Fire 115.
Hospital: Ospedale S. Maria Nuova, Piazza S. Maria Nuova, 1 Tel: 055 27581

Must See’s
The Duomo, San Marco, San Lorenzo, the Bargello, Capella Brancacci, Palazzo Pitti, Santa Croce, Ponte Vecchio and Palazzo Vecchio, San Miniato al Monte, Piazza Santissima Annunziata, Piazza della Signoria, Piazza della Repubblica, Orsanmichele, Dante’s District, Neptune Fountain, Palazzo Davanzati, Palazzo Strozzi, Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, Piazza Santa Croce, Forte di Belvedere, Cascine (public park).

Museums
Galleria degli Uffizi, the Accademia, Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Museo del Bigallo, Museo dei Ragazzi, Museo di Storia della Scienza, Museo di Firenze com’era, Museo Marino Marini, Museo di Santa Maria Novella, Museo di San Marco, Museo Archeologico, Museo Horne, Museo Bardine.

Food
Florentine cuisine is of a very high level, majoring on the simple preparation of good, fresh and basic ingredients. Expect to see steak, white beans, spinach, tripe and liver featuring large. Grilling (alla Fiorentina) is a favoured mode of preparation. Eating out isn’t cheap, but look around the station and San Lorenzo for good food, reasonably priced. Prepare your own picnic by shopping at the brilliant Mercato Centrale. Hundreds of cafes, bars, wine bars and pubs, and a few of the traditional vinaii stand-up wine bars. Good ‘local’ wines of course include Chianti.

Money
Banking hours are usually 0830-1330 and 1530-1930 Mon. to Fri. MasterCard; Visa and Diners Club are all widely accepted. ATM availability is very good.

Mail
When sending mail underline the destined country and write the person's surname in capitals.
General Post Office, Piazza della Repubblica, 6, Tel: 055 212877

Along with a reputation for art and culture fashion designers have continue to define world fashion.

• Ferragamo – Maps and Museum
• Gucci – Italian Website
• Versace - http://www.versace.it/flash.html
• Bvlgari - http://www.bulgari.com/splash.php
  

Versace’s home in Florence

Florence is a capital of the world’s luxury brands. Long a centre of global trade, it remains one of the best places there is to gawk and spend. Shopping districts abound, the following six are the most famous.

• Via de’Tornabuoni (Gucci, Armani, Prada, Versace etc, leather goods, and hub of Florence’s shopping streets);
• San Lorenzo street market for clothes;
• Mercato Centrale (Europe’s largest indoor food market);
• Mercato delle Pulci (flea market);
• Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio (food market);
• Ponte Vecchio (jewellers).