Ha! This can prove to be more difficult than getting into the Uffizi on a Saturday. Most movies in Italy are shown almost exclusively in the Italian language, meaning they are dubbed and translated for foreign audiences— and sometimes not in the viable (read: easy to understand) way. Good thing the Odeon Theater is there when you need a film fix.

Popcorn anyone?

The Odeon theater, located in Piazza Strozzi (near Piazza Repubblica),  is practically the only place in town where you can see an American movie in its original language, and often it features Italian subtitles so you can practice your best Ciao! while enjoying a fun night on the town.

One of the biggest draws of the Odeon cinema is its beauty. The theater itself is housed in a 15th-century palazzo which maintains a uniquely original 1920s interior. This elegant 1920s style is characterized by ornate gold decorations, a ticket office done up in rich, dark wood and two stylish bars are featured prominently on opposite ends of the theater. Plush gold velvet seating makes for comfortable viewing (and spacious legroom!) and the enormous statues framing the screen add a touch of glamour.

By far, though, the Odeon’s best asset is the giant stained glass dome covering the main screening room. In the right light, the area becomes filled with colors and patterns. Simply stunning!

Other notable Odeon programs

The Odeon Original Sound Programme, hosted over the course of three to four nights each week, is a series of movies offered in their original language (again, typically English).  The selection is generally a mix of the big American theatrical releases and some smaller independent movies that have gained some critical recognition. Programming is not consistent week to week so make sure to check out the schedule beforehand. Note that Italian subtitles are almost always offered.

The other great initiative of the Odeon is that they host multiple film festivals. One that I love is the ’50 days of International Film’ hosted here every fall. Note that during festivals, the Original Sound programming moves to the Odeon’s sister cinema, the Astra 2 (in Piazza Beccaria).

Tickets cost only €7.50, with discounts available for students and for Wednesday night showings. Also, alcohol is permitted in this theater, so treat yourself to a pre-movie aperitif!

More film fun

Florence, with its multitude of diverse and international inhabitants has placed a particular emphasis on the arts, and as such they have hosted many annual film festivals concentrating on certain cultures or communities and their relevant films. The most famous events of the year are the Korea Film Fest, River to River (an festival focusing on Indian films), the Festival dei Popoli featuring documentary film, the Florence Queer Festival, France Odeon, the Women and Film Festival and others including children’s films and short films. The majority of these festivals are held between the months of October and December although spring does host a few as well.

You can check out this website for a list of Tuscan festivals or visit each festival’s site directly. Screenings during festivals are held at the Odeon and other central movie theaters, as well as specifically designated festival spaces.

Happy viewing!

The post Where to see English language movies in Florence appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here are my top picks for where to ‘go’ when the going gets tough.

Cafes and Restaurants

Italians are a little protective of their places of hygienic refuge. This is why they usually put up a sign saying that the toilets are for paying customers only. However, various Florentine restaurants, bars and cafés have recently been told to share their toilet love—even when no one’s buying anything. As you can imagine, proprietors are still a little “pissed” about this new rule so you have two choices: piddle and run or buy a drink to go with your visit. I recommend the latter.

Department Stores

Coin (Via Dei Calzaiuoli, 56/R) and Rinascente (Piazza della Repubblica) are two big department stores located near the Duomo. What else do they have in common? Free toilets!

Both stores are open daily too though hours vary.

Public Toilets

The city of Florence has graciously built a series of public toilets in and around the city center, and most tourism offices now offer a guide to said public potties (see image above).

Although I have never tried these out, word on the street is that they’re not too bad. However, they are not free. A sitting at a Florentine public outhouse will put you out €.60-1 depending on location. If you feel the need to shower too, this will cost you €3.60. To plan your toilet tour, here’s a helpful map.

Mercato Centrale

After filling your basket with fresh produce from the Mercato’s stalls and maybe wolfing down Florence’s fabled lempredotto sandwiches, take advantage of the free stalls in San Lorenzo market’s main building (see map here). Toilets here are frequented, but clean.

Finally, a word on “Turkish Toilets…”

I feel the obligation to forewarn you on something you might encounter whilst public bathrooming in Florence. There is this monstrosity, this relic of the past that was somehow overlooked by the Renaissance movement. If you do come across that legendary ceramic hole in the ground  (i.e. the Turkish Toilet), please keep these steps in mind. First, use the foot grips. Second, empty your pockets. Third, relax and stand back while you flush. Amen.

The post Where to find the best public toilets in Florence appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Check out these tips to save energy, time and money when arriving in Florence:

Lean toward Pisa (the airport, that is)

Florence has 1.5 airports. The official airport is Firenze Peretola, which is where most people arrive. However, there is also Pisa, Florence’s bratty little cousin. Pisa’s Galileo Galilei Airport has a longer runway and a higher volume of flights. (Pisa now sticks his tongue out.) Pisa also serves low-cost airlines such as Easyjet and Ryanair.

Getting into Florence from Pisa airport is easy. I recommend that you hop on the Terravision bus, which drops you right in downtown Florence at the Santa Maria Novella Train Station. The trip takes about an hour and a round-trip ticket will cost you €16. Be sure to book online, as the bus tends to fill up in the summer months.

A train also makes the journey, which takes about an hour and fifteen minutes. For more information see the “getting into Florence” article in our city guide.

Arriving at Florence’s airport

Florence’s airport is microscopic. And it’s old. But it doesn’t have to be unpleasant. I suggest going to the bathroom before you arrive (i.e., while you’re still on the plane) since there is only one stall per gender in the arrivals hall. Do take advantage of the free luggage carts and get ready to jockey for a position near the conveyor belt. Consider this a prelude to the challenges you’ll face lugging your heavy suitcase.

Florence is a city of cobblestone streets, razor-thin sidewalks and never-ending stairs. Elevators are as rare as unicorns and can be extremely small. So why not pack super light? A small suitcase will be easy on your watch and your sweat glands—remember that Florence is as hot as an oven during the summer months.

For your return flight, be sure to check the airport website to avoid commuting there for nothing: Because of the airport’s short runway and quick-changing weather, flights out of Florence are often delayed or diverted to Pisa.

Renting a car in Florence

So you’ve delightfully retrieved your lightweight suitcase, passed through customs and are possibly now ready to tackle another task: claiming your rental car. Turn left once liberated from the arrival hall and head out of the airport while staying to your left.

Here’s a tip: Have a hat and a (full) water bottle ready. The car rental desks are outdoors and you will be waiting under a scorching, merciless Tuscan sun. Plus, you could be in that waiting line for quite some time during peak summer months.

Bonus tip (because I’m such a nice guy): Keep your speed under 50 km/h when fleeing the airport. There are speed cameras set up all along the road to the city center. A speeding ticket makes a lousy souvenir.

For more information, also see our article on renting a car in Florence.

The ATAF Volainbus from the Florence airport

If you arrive at Florence’s airport, take a right from the arrival hall and exit the airport through the main entrance. Wiggle your way through the snake of idling taxis to get to the ATAF Volainbus. It is by no means a rocket, but it will get you downtown to the Santa Maria Novella train station in about 20 minutes. The bus departs every half hour. Tickets cost €4.50 can be purchased from the driver. Buy a round-trip ticket to save money.

Taxiing into town from the Florence airport

If you want to play big shot and take a taxi into downtown Florence, then expect to spend between €15-25, depending on traffic and extra charges. Know that there are extra charges for everything in an Italian taxi cab (luggage, pickup location, rotation of the moon, etc.). Should anyone successfully decode the logic of these charges, please alert the author.

Did you know?

Did you know that Florence’s airport has two official names? It also goes by Aeroporto Amerigo Vespucci, named after the famed Florentine explorer. Two names for an airport, only in Italy!

The post Florence Transportation: Tips on getting in from the airport appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Enter Fiesole, a charming village on Florence’s doorstep.

How Fiesole Came to Be

A former walled city founded by the Etruscan civilization in the 7th century BC, the city of Fiesole is best known as a Roman colony and military nemesis of its neighbor Florence.

Its altitude above the hills and strategic location for surveying the region’s rivers made it a prized jewel for conquerors, namely the Romans who eventually made Fiesole a colony in 90 BC. In the early Middle Ages, Fiesole was more powerful that Florence, and the two cities fought several wars. Over time, Florence won the city over, which led the rich residents of Renaissance Florence to build their villas in Fiesole.

How to Get There

Take public transit bus no. 7 from Florence for a short 20 minute ride up through twisting Tuscan roads. You can check bus schedules at ATAF.net.

For the brave wishing to save, there are trails leading downhill back to Florence. The tourist office just off Fiesole’s main square (Piazza Mino) where the bus drops you off will be able to give you more information about walking trails and things going on.

What To Do in Fiesole

One good reason for visiting Fiesole is to take in its awesome view of Florence. Its altitude of almost 1,000 feet will allow you to peer over Florence from either of Fiesole’s two peaks: the S. Francesco or the S. Apollinare. I recommend enjoying a picnic just below the San Francesco Monastery to take in Florence’s panorama. Pass by the Coop supermarket just off Piazza Mino for picnic supplies instead of sipping an overpriced soda at one of the cafés lining the piazza.

Be sure check out Fiesole’s Roman theatre, which hosts outdoor plays, films and concerts in the summer evenings. Access to the Roman theatre and adjoining archeological site will cost you around €6, which isn’t too expensive for the city’s main attractions.

Other attractions include the Cattedrale di San Romolo (the town’s Duomo), the Museo Bandini (whose collection includes pieces by Michelangelo) and the Museo Missionario Francescano Fiesole (below the San Francesco Monestary), where you’ll find more Etruscan and Roman archeological treasures.

Did you Know?

Herman Hesse, the Nobel Prize winning author of “Siddhartha” and “Steppenwolf” often spent time in Fiesole, as he felt inspired by both the Fiesolan countryside and its residents.

Useful Links

Fiesole Tourism Site
City of Fiesole Main Site
Fiesole Cultural Program

The post Fiesole: A Peek into Florence appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Duomo do!

But, get this. Did you know that every 40 minutes Florence’s Center for Art and Culture also offers FREE guided tours of the church? Highlights of the jaunt include a look into the care and craft of that gorgeous facade, why the church was originally built, and more.  Tours are available in English and Italian.

Before you go…

If you plan to take a tour, enter the sanctuary via the left-side doors. The church is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and on Fridays from 10 AM to 5 PM; Thursday it’s open from 10 AM to 3:30 PM; Saturday it opens at 10 AM and closes at 4:45 PM. On Sunday, the sanctuary is only open from 1:30 PM to 4:45 PM.  And, the first Saturday of each month the church is only open from 10 AM to 3:30 PM. For information on special holiday hours and more, visit the Duomo’s official tourism site.

Note: If you want to see more of the basilica and travel up the stairs to the top of the dome, you’ll need to shell out €8. (Hint: We think it’s worth it.)

For more information and lots of budget tips for Florence, go here.

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