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Location
Tuscany, northwest Italy.

Dialling code
39.

Population
493,000 (city); 750,000 (metropolitan area).

Time zone
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs or three-pin plugs are in use.

Average January temperatures
5°C (41°F).

Average July temperatures
35°C (95°F).

Annual rainfall
640mm (25 inches).

Language
Introduction
Phrases

Yes - Si
No - No
Hello - Buon giorno / Buona sera (after 1500)
Goodbye - Arrivederla (formal) / Arrivederci (informal)
Please - Per favore
Thank you - Grazie
My name is … - Mi chiamo …
How are you? - Come sta?
I’m very well - Sto molto bene
I feel ill - Non mi sento bene
How much does it cost - Quanto costa?
Do you speak english? - Parla inglese?
I don’t understand - Non capisco
Where is …? - Dov’è …?
Entrance - Entrata
Exit - Uscita
Danger - Pericolo
Open - Aperto
Closed - Chiuso
Toilets - Bagno / Servizio
Doctor - Medico
Hotel - Albergo
Restaurant - Ristorante
Beer - Birra
Wine - Vino
Menu - Menù
Today - Oggi
Tomorrow - Domanì
Monday - Lunedì
Tuesday - Martedì
Wednesday - Mercoledì
Thursday - Giovedì
Friday - Venerdì
Saturday - Sabato
Sunday - Domenica
One - Uno
Two - Due
Three - Tre
Four - Quattro
Five - Cinque
Six - Sei
Seven - Sette
Eight - Otto
Nine - Nove
Ten - Dieci
Twenty - Venti
Thirty - Trenta
Forty - Quaranta
Fifty - Cinquanta
Sixty - Sessanta
Seventy - Settanta
Eighty - Ottanta
Ninety - Novanta
One Hundred - Cento
One Thousand - Mille

Cost of Living:

1 Euro (€1) = £0.94; US$1.37; C$1.66; A$1.93
Currency conversion rates as of January 2009

Special Events:

Florence Carnival, around Shrove Tuesday, lively pre-Lenten procession and street festival, central locations (website: www.invernofirenze.it)
Diladdarno, Apr or May, three-week celebration, including music, exhibitions and street festivals, Altrarno (website: www.diladdarno.it)
Scoppio del Carro (Explosion of the Cart), Easter Sunday (Mar-Apr), colorful procession of ox and cart, culminating in a spectacular fireworks display when the cart (lit by a mechanical dove) explodes at 1100, through central Florence to Piazza del Duomo
Settimani dei Beni Culturali, Apr, state museums throw open their doors for free, state museums throughout the city
Festa del Grillo (Festival of the Cricket), Ascension Day (Apr-May), bizarre ancient ritual in which live crickets in hand-woven cages are given to loved ones, Parco delle Cascine
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (May Music Festival), Apr-Jun, major music festival with orchestra, chorus and Corps de Ballet, Teatro Comunale (website: www.maggiofiorentino.com)
Fiesole Summer Festival, Jun-Sep, dance, music and theater in Fiesole Roman theater (website: www.estatefiesolana.it)
Calcio Storico (Football in Costume), 24 Jun, football game in medieval dress, as part of celebrations for the city's patron saint, St John, Piazza Santa Croce (website: www.calciostorico.it)
Festa di San Giovanni (St John's Day), 24 Jun, another aspect of celebrations for the saint's day, involving a ceremonial procession from Palazzo Vecchio, while there is a large fireworks display at night on Piazzale Michelangelo, Palazzo Vecchio and Piazzale Michelangelo
La Rificolona (Festival of the Lanterns), 7 Sep, a torchlight procession dating back to the days of religious pilgrimage to celebrate the Virgin's nativity, with children carrying lanterns all over the city, throughout the city
Firenze Marathon (Florence Marathon), fourth Sun in Nov, annual city marathon from Piazzale Michelangelo to Piazza San Croce (website: www.firenzemarathon.it),
Oleovagando (Olive Oil Festival), Nov-early Dec, celebration of the new olive oil season with tours, tastings and openings of olive oil presses in and around Florence, various locations (website: www.oleovagando.it)

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Colosseum (Colosseo) Doges' Palace (Palazzo Ducale) Florence Duomo (Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore) Leaning Tower of Pisa (Torre Pendente di Pisa) Mount Etna Old Bridge (Ponte Vecchio) Pantheon (Panteone) Pompeii Rialto Bridge	Roman Forum (Foro Romano) San Siro Stadium Siena Main Square (Piazza del Campo) Spanish Steps and Keats Shelley Memorial House St Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) St Peter's Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro) Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi) Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel (Musei Vaticani e Capella Sistina)