Local Information

Emergencies

Students will receive a card with numeri utili during the on-site orientation, which they should carry on their person at all times. 

In Florence, 112 is a central emergency number (similar to 911 in North America) that will connect you with police, fire fighters and also emergency medical services.

You can use the app 112 Where ARE U to call the 112 emergency number in Italian, English, Chinese, Arabic, Russian and Spanish. In case of emergency, just press the icon to be located in real time by AREU.

U.S. Consulate in Florence

Lungarno Vespucci, 38

50123 Firenze

Tel. 055 266 951

https://it.usembassy.gov

Temporary Accommodations

If you have not pre-arranged housing, you should make hotel/hostel reservations for the first week. Because August and September are still peak tourist periods in Italy, it is VERY DIFFICULT to find rooms in reasonably-priced pensioni and hotels upon arrival. Therefore, please reserve a room in advance before you leave for Italy.  To find a hostel or hotel in Florence, visit: https://it.hostelbookers.com/ostelli/italia/firenze/ or https://www.trivago.it/

Hostels/Hotel used by students in the past:

Hospitals and Medical Services

Medical Service Firenze (24H Medical Service in English) [On-call doctors]
Via Roma, 4
Tel. 055 475 411

http://www.medicalservice.firenze.it/

Ospedale Santa Maria Nuova
Pronto soccorso
(Emergency service in the center of Florence)
Piazza Santa Maria Nuova
Tel. 055 27581

Ospedale Generale di Careggi
Pronto soccorso
Viale Pieraccini
Tel. 055 794 111
https://www.aou-careggi.toscana.it


English speaking medical professionals

Here you can find a list of English speaking medical professionals in Florence: https://it.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/doctors/

Buses

The public transport system in Florence is called Autolinee toscane; it is convenient and efficient. You may find it crowded at rush hour. Service begins at 5:30am and continues uninterrupted until midnight. Tram service ends at 2:00 a.m. during the weekend. The main ticket office, , is located inside the Santa Maria Novella train station at the station’s ticket office. You can visit the website: www.at-bus.it to purchase tickets and for information.

Many people use the Moovit or Tabnet App or find information  to travel to any destination around Florence on the website https://www.at-bus.it/it/strumenti/trip-planner.html. Moovit app will let you know exactly where and how far to walk, wait times, how many stops are left until your final destination, and they will alert you when it’s time to get off. While you could buy and validate tickets with Tabnet app.

Ticket prices:

Ticket valid for 90 minutes € 1,50
90 minutes onboard ticket € 2,50
Carnet 10 tickets € 14
Tickets via SMS € 1,80
Monthly ticket € 35
Three-month ticket € 94,50

The above rates are subject to change.

Tickets can be purchased at most bar-tabacchi, at some newsstands, and automatic ticket machines, through Tabnet app and on the website www.at-bus.it .  You can also purchase tickets via SMS by dialing 4880105 and texting Firenze (this service is available with the telephone companies TIM, VODAFONE, WIND3. The cost of the SMS is added to the cost of the ticket). You must wait for the confirmation message before boarding. Bus drivers sell tickets for a fee of €1 (pay in exact change), but sometimes do not have any available.  Be sure to carry extra tickets with you. Tickets must be validated upon boarding at one of the two validator machines located in the front and back of the bus. Bus passengers en route are periodically checked by Autolinee Toscane controllori, and if you are traveling without a ticket, or without having punched your ticket or validated the electronic one, you will be subject to a fine of up to €240 + €2.50 (cost of a ticket bought on board).

 

Tourist Information Offices

Azienda Promozione Turistica (A.P.T.)- Informazioni Turistiche

http://www.firenzeturismo.it/

Informagiovani – Punto Giovani
Piazza delle Murate
http://portalegiovani.comune.fi.it/

Università Degli Studi di Firenze

General Website
www.unifi.it

Scuola di Studi Umanistici e della Formazione
http://www.st-umaform.unifi.it/

Via Laura, 48 (classrooms, library)
Via Gino Capponi, 9 (classrooms)
Piazza Brunelleschi, 4 (classrooms, main library)
Via San Gallo, 10 (classrooms, library)
Via della Pergola, 60 (classrooms)
Via della Pergola, 56 (Art History library)
Via Santa Reparata, 93 (classrooms)
Via degli Alfani, 39 (classrooms)

Scuola di Scienze Politiche “Cesare Alfieri”
Via Delle Pandette, 21
http://www.sc-politiche.unifi.it

Social Sciences Library (Biblioteca delle Scienze Sociali)
 http://www.sba.unifi.it/CMpro-l-s-11.html

Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze

Via Ricasoli, 66
http://www.accademia.firenze.it/it/

Mensa Universitaria (Open Sept – July)

DSU Toscana – Ristorazione

Santa Apollonia
Via Santa Reparata, 12

Caponnetto (Polo Scienze Sociali)
Via Miele, 2
Ask the School in Italy staff for further information and hours.

Libraries

The small library at the Sede is open during regular hours. When checking out books (2500 volumes plus videos/DVDs) it is necessary to register the book into the computerized catalogue system, which will be done by the administrative assistant.  You can take out a maximum of five books for two weeks. You will also want to take advantage of Florence’s many public libraries as well as the outstanding libraries at the University of Florence.

Biblioteca Università degli Studi di Firenze
https://www.sba.unifi.it/

Biblioteca delle Oblate
http://www.biblioteche.comune.fi.it/biblioteca_delle_oblate/

Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale
(only for books that cannot be found elsewhere—requires introduction letter )
http://www.bncf.firenze.sbn.it/

Biblioteca Marucelliana
http://www.maru.firenze.sbn.it/

There are many specialized and smaller libraries in the center of the city. Information on libraries in general is available at the Sede. A letter of introduction from the Sede is usually requested.