Less than two hours away from the Mediterranean Sea, Florence enjoys a temperate climate with warm summers and cool winters. During May the average high is 24° C with a 12° C low. Due to cooler nights and mild spring showers, a light jacket and umbrella are advisable. You can visit www.weather.com in order to have details on the current weather.

In order to make international calls to Italy, dial the international code +39 and the correspondent’s number (with the 0).

The currency in Italy is the EURO (€). A currency calculator can be found online at www.xe.com. It is often difficult to get change for an larger bills (>€100.00). Credit cards are widely accepted in Italy and the exchange rate is usually better than for cash or travelers checks. Generally, banks open Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 13:30 and 14:30 to 15:30. Please check the commission rate before exchanging money at currency exchange facilities not run by commercial banks.

Cycling is a wonderful and green way to see Florence in its Spring glory. The Official Board of Tourism in Florence provides more information on its website, including a map of bike paths and a list of bike rentals and prices.

In Italy, the electric current is 220 Volts, its frequency is 50 Hz, and the plugs are standard European with two male contact points. Plan to bring an adaptor and transformer for your electrical or electronic equipment using different voltage.

In case of an emergency - dial (the call is free within Italy): Ambulance: 118 Police: 112 Emergency medical care is supplied by the municipal authorities, and hotel/congress venue staff members can direct participants to local emergency centres, hospitals, or dental clinics. Emergency treatment at Italian public hospitals is free. Fees for non-emergency medical services are usually payable in cash, and are reasonable by international standards.

In Italy, a service charge is generally already included in the bill, thus tipping is not necessary. However, for good service, rounding up a few Euro or 5%-10% tip is appreciated.

Italian is the official language in Italy. The official local dialect is Florentine (Fiorentino). The vocabulary and pronunciation are largely identical to Italian, although Florentines have a distinctive accent.

Prescription and non-prescription medicine is generally obtainable from pharmacies on Mondays to Saturdays between 09:00 and 19:30. A 24-hour pharmacy service is provided on a rota basis. A surcharge is payable on medicine purchased outside normal opening hours.

Information will be available at the City Information Desk during the Congress hours. Official Tourist Website from Florence has information related to religions, place of worship and religious institutions.

Most shops of tourist interest are in the historic city centre. Opening hours are generally from 09:00 to 19:30 with half-day closing on Saturday afternoon (in summer) and Monday morning (in winter). Some shops close for lunch between 13:00 and 15:30-16:00. However, there are a fair number of exceptions to these opening hours. Large supermarkets and retailers usually have longer hours.

In indoor public areas such as restaurants, bars, congress venue and public transports such as flights, buses, trains, metros and taxis, smoking is NOT permitted by law. IOF and ESCEO thank all participants and exhibitors for not smoking in the Fiera Firenze Congress Centre at all times. This includes the meeting rooms, exhibition areas, poster areas, restrooms, snack bars, and within 100 metres of the main entrances and exits of the Fiera Firenze Congress Centre.

In Italy there are many opportunities to benefit from Tax Free Shopping. Wherever you shop, ask for a Global Refund Cheque. You have to pay 20% Italian VAT on the purchases you make, and the VAT is included in the price. All visitors residing outside of the European Union are entitled to claim back the tax, if the purchased goods are of a value greater than EUR 154.94. You have to ask for the tax free cheque in the store. Visit www.globalrefund.com for more information.

In Florence and in Italy in general, you must arrange for a taxi by phone or get a taxi at a taxi stand. You can also pre-book a day in advance. The most popular companies in Florence, offering 24 hour services, are reachable by phone at 055 4242 or 055 4390.

Florence follows Central European Summer Time (CEST). It is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT + 1).

Participants are strongly advised to make sure they fulfill all legal requirements to enter Italy. Besides a valid passport, an entry visa may also be required. Please visit the official website of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to find out whether, depending on your citizenship, country of long-term residence, and the duration and reasons for your stay, you need a visa to enter Italy.

It is highly recommended to start the process a minimum of 2 ½ months prior to your arrival in Italy or any Schengen country. Please contact your nearest Italian consulate or embassy in your country of residence for further information.

Attestation letters to assist in visa formalities are designed to help overcome administrative difficulties in certain countries. It must be understood that such letters do not imply any financial support or hosting arrangement from IOF or ESCEO, nor a guarantee of a visa being issued.

The attestation letter to assist in visa formalities will only be sent on request and only to participants who have paid their registration fees in full.

Should you wish to receive a letter, please note that your request must be registered as early as possible by filling in the appropriate fields in the on-line registration form or by sending an email to iof-ecceo10.reg‎@‎mci-group.com. before February 15, 2010 in case it has not been requested at the time of registration.

Certain information will be gladly provided by the Florence Convention Bureau at the Registration Area during Registration Hours.

A beautiful and historical city, Florence is teeming with many wonders, something to entice every visitor. Please visit the sites below of our Official Local Partners for more information about the attractions of the city:

• Official Tourism Board of Florence (APT Firenze) includes maps and search engines for events, restaurants and museums.
  www.firenzeturismo.it/en.html
  

• 16 Via A. Manzoni, IT-50121 Firenze Tel: +39 055 233 20 Mon –Fri 09h00-13h00.
• 4 Piazza Stazione IT-50123 Firenze Tel: +39 055 212 245 Mon-Sat 08h30-19h00 Sun 08h30-14h00
• 1 Via Cavour, IT-50129 Firenze Tel +39 055 290832 Mon-Sat 08h30-18h30 Sun 08h30-13h30

• Firenze Convention Bureau (FCB) is active in ensuring success and participation for all events. Tel: +39 055 497 3201
  www.conventionbureau.it
• Official Tourism Site of Tuscany Tel:+39 055 462 801
  www.turismo.intoscana.it

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