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Florence

Duomo in Florence, Italy

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Florence

Florence is the capital of the region of Tuscany, on Italy's north-west coast. A good reference point for navigating your way around Florence is its central train station, Santa Maria Novella, although the Duomo is pretty hard to miss. You can walk from one end of the city center to the other in about 30 minutes. There are plenty of tours available for tourists to learn about the city's amazing history and see breathtaking buildings found in courtyards you'd probably miss without a guide. Florence is a great place for honeymooners as the city's flair most definitely has a hint of romance in it.

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Highlights
The shop-lined Ponte Vecchio, the trademark Duomo, the gem-filled Uffizi Gallery, the turreted Piazza della Signoria and the Medici Chapels are must-sees. Thankfully, these unforgettable sites are all within walking distance of each other.
Geography/Environment
Florence is an inland city on the Italian Peninsula. It is approximately 200 kilometers north of Italy's capitol, Rome, and 50 kilometers south of Bologna. The city sits in a plain along the banks of the River Arno which flows from the mountains to the west of the city into the Ligurian Sea off the east coast of Italy. The city is surrounded by the Chianti mountains to the south and the Apennines to the north.
Activities
A stroll around the Giardino di Boboli is recommended - the views from here aren't bad either. You can also take full and half-day mountain bike tours of the countryside around Florence.The city is full of fabulous trattorias and the country begs a tour or two of a winery.
Climate and Weather
Florence's climate is Mediterranean, which means very high temperatures in summer whilst being surprisingly cold and damp in winter. The temperature is most comfortable in spring or autumn.

Other Important Information
More Florence resources at Amazon.com.
Destination Wedding Information
If you are not Italian and wish to get married in Florence, then you should:
  • For a civil marriage in Florence you should contact the Office for Marriages of the Municipality:

    Ufficio Matrimoni
    Palazzo Vecchio
    Room 3, mezzanine floor
    Monday to Saturday from 8.30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    Phone 055 2768370 or 055 2768299
    Fax 055 2768377 or 055 2616715;

  • The Ufficio Matrimoni must receive the necessary original documents at least 4 days before the wedding; for information only, documents can be sent previously to the Ufficio Matrimoni by fax
  • The Mayor or the Mayor's representative, a City Councillor,has the power to marry
  • If the bride and bridegroom cannot speak Italian, they will need an interpreter, with valid identity documents, both for the meeting with the officials of the Ufficio Matrimoni and for the wedding ceremony
  • Two witnesses, with valid identity documents, will have to be present at the wedding, witnesses may be relatives of the couple
  • The wedding date must be booked in advance
  • The marriage tax for non residents is €516.45
For further information see the Official Florence Marriage Site

Florence Reviews
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A perfect place for an adventurous honeymoon
by Nancy Dinsdale last updated on 07/25/2008
<p>Rome, Florence, and Venice are three very different cities to explore, but each have their own unique charm. Rome is a very large, explorable city which has much to offer. There is Ancient history, such as the Forum, and Colosseum to see and...