The time zone in Italy
CET (Central European Time) applies throughout Italy. From early autumn to late winter, standard time applies, corresponding to the time zone UTC+1, one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.
At the beginning of spring, Italy enters daylight saving time: the clocks move forward by one hour (UTC+2 time zone), to enjoy more sunlight in the late afternoon-evening.
The change from standard time to daylight saving time and vice versa always takes place on the night between Saturday and Sunday. The dates vary from year to year.
Italian meal times and usual daily routines
Italians normally have breakfast from 7.00 a.m., but some bars and pastry shops open as early as 6.00 a.m. Hotels usually have a set time (approximately 10.00 a.m.) at which breakfast ends. Room service is generally available for requests outside these hours.
Lunch in restaurants, farmhouses, diners or bars is usually served from 12.30 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. On special occasions or events, the start and duration of lunch may vary.
The “aperitif” is not to be missed: it takes place roughly from 6 p.m. until dinnertime.
Dinner is normally served from 7.30 p.m. until 11 p.m.
You can also find venues offering a late dinner, for after a theatre performance or for those who prefer to eat late at night.
Phone calls, internet and data roaming in Italy
Internet, Wi-Fi and data roaming in Italy
If you do not have a tariff plan that allows you to use the data network at no extra cost, we recommend using the Wi-Fi networks in Italy. As well as the free Wi-Fi networks in Italy provided by hotels and on means of transport, such as Wi-Fi on trains, you can also use Wi-Fi offered free of charge by many commercial establishments, such as bars and restaurants, attractions, cultural venues, etc.
Another very useful service is Piazza Wi-Fi Italia, the national network of free internet access. Before leaving, we recommend downloading and registering on the wifi.italia.it app (available for iOS and Android). Thanks to the geo-located map (also downloadable for offline use), this will allow you to easily locate the nearest Piazza Wi-Fi Italia hotspot.
You can also use a SIM card from an Italian operator offering your desired amount of GB.
Data roaming. A word of warning: it is a good idea to inform yourself about available offers and tariffs beforehand, to avoid unknowingly running out of credit. If your tariff plan includes additional costs for roaming, we recommend connecting to a Wi-Fi network. For information on roaming services and any additional costs, you can check the dedicated page on europa.eu.
Mobile phones and SIM cards in Italy
The Italian mobile network is based on LTE technology. The 4G network is the most widespread and ensures an average coverage of 99.3% across the country. 5G is currently only available in Milan, Bologna, Turin, Rome and Naples.
To call an Italian telephone number from abroad, you need to dial the Italian dialling prefix and international calling code 0039 (+39), followed by the user’s telephone number, whether calling from a landline or a mobile phone.
To call from Italy to another country, you need to dial 00 (+) with the international dialling code of the country you want to call, followed by the number you want to reach.
Depending on the length of your stay, we recommend purchasing an Italian SIM card to keep costs down. For calls within Italy, simply dial the telephone number without the country code. There are fewer and fewer telephone booths in Italy, but some can still be found on the street, in some establishments, and in shopping centres: they work using coins or cards that can be bought at tobacconists, newsagents and phone shops.
To call a landline in Italy, remember that each telephone number is preceded by a prefix that varies from area to area. Both must be included. To find out the area code of the location of your stay, you can check the Pagine Bianche website.
In Italy the single, free emergency number is 112, which you can dial without an area code. It will put you in touch with an operator who, in turn, will redirect you to the appropriate authority.
There are also other emergency numbers in Italy for specific areas: 113 for the Polizia di Stato (state police), 115 for the Vigili del Fuoco (fire brigade), 117 for the Guardia di Finanza (financial police), 1515 for the Guardia Forestale (forest rangers), 1518 for Viaggiare Informati (traffic information), 803.116 for Aci Soccorso Stradale (roadside assistance) to request a breakdown recovery vehicle in the event of an accident or breakdown, including on motorways. 118, on the other hand, is the number to call to request an ambulance if you need access to an accident & emergency room, including paediatric emergency rooms, and, in general, for emergency and urgent medical services.
How to get to Florence
Florence is well-connected with the rest of Italy and with Europe, and is easy to get to by air or land. In the last few years there has been a significant increase in traffic in and out of Florence's Vespucci Airport, and the infrastructure and facilities are constantly being upgraded.
Florence is also a key node on the Italian railway network. It has good connections with the main cities in the north, while to the south Rome is only about an hour and a half away. Work on the Bologna-Florence stretch of the high-speed railway line (TAV, Treni Alta Velocità) is at an advanced stage, and a new station is due to be built in Florence.
The A1 motorway, the main road artery linking the north and south of the country, runs past Florence, which has four exits. A third lane is currently being built on the Barberino-Incisa stretch of the A1. The A11 motorway and the Florence-Pisa-Livorno (FI-PI-LI) dual carriageway link the city with the west (Tyrrhenian Sea) coast.
Transport
The city is majority pedestrian with a strong train system getting travelers in and out. You can walk from Accademia on one side of the city to the Pitti Palace on the opposite side in 20 minutes.
Calling (or messaging) a Radio Taxi
Local Telephone: 055-4242 or see Taxi 4242
A new bus company, Autolinee Toscane, now runs all bus services in Florence and the rest of Tuscany. This includes urban and rural public transport. Beware of old pdf maps of Florence’s transport network on various websites. Some are no longer accurate.
The previous operator issued a bus and tram pdf network map in 2021, which is still a useful overview (Click the map image below). But for fully updated timetables and service information about Florence’s buses, night buses, electric buses and trams, go to the Autolinee Toscane website. There’s a trip planner, timetables, live bus arrivals, info on how to buy tickets, and more.
Florence airport to city – tram, bus or taxi transfer?
Florence’s Amerigo Vespucci Airport (also known as Aeroporto Peretola, the name of the suburb of Florence) is just 4 km north-west of the city centre, a short 20-minute ride on the T2 tram to the central train station, Santa Maria Novella, or on the bus shuttle (temporarily out of service in 2022). Taxis cost more, but a reliable meet-and-greet taxi service is great, especially if the airport tram doesn’t stop near your accommodation. You get friendly, professional assistance from the driver, no queuing or waiting, and free cancelation if your plans change.
Which is better: the tram or the bus?
• Both take approximately 20 minutes.
• The tram stops on the way; the bus is direct (but no faster).
• The tram is much cheaper per person and more frequent.
• Only one piece of hand luggage (max. 50x30x25 cms, 10 kilos) may be carried free on the tram. For each larger bag, an extra ticket must be bought.
• No large bags over 80x45x25 or 20 kilos are allowed on the tram.
T2 Tram departures from the airport vary from every 5 minutes at peak times. Tickets are bought at machines or sales points and must then be stamped on boarding the tram. They are then valid for the tram and any onward bus travel in the city for 90 minutes after the stamp.
Bus departures from the airport (when not ‘out of service’) are every 30 minutes from 5.30 a.m. and then every hour from 8.30 p.m. Hours are the same on weekends and holidays. One-way tickets can sometimes be bought on the bus from the driver, but if you want a round trip ticket, you’ll need to buy it before getting on.
Shared minibus:
The shared airport transfer service, which may be available in 2023, will drop you at your hotel or apartment. Covid restrictions allowing, it’s the best budget choice if you have luggage and your accommodation isn’t near the station or a tram stop. It was a well reviewed service pre-covid and cheaper than a taxi.
