Conference EMMC 2026
General information
FLORENCE, the capital of the region of Tuscany, has a population of around half a million inhabitants, spreads on the banks of the Arno River, between the Adriatic and the Tyrrhenian seas, almost in the middle of the Italian peninsula. It is a city that bustles with industry and craft, commerce and culture, art and science. Being on the main national railway lines, it is easily accessible from the most important places both in Italy and abroad.
The Florence “Vespucci” airport, where both national and international airlines stop, is located 5 Km from the city center. The main motorway, A1, connects Florence with Bologna and Milano in the North and Rome and Naples in the South. The motorway A11 to the sea joins Florence to Prato, Pistoia, Montecatini, Lucca, Pisa, and all the resorts on the Tyrrhenian sea. There is also a motorway which connects Florence to Siena.
The climate is temperate but rather variable, with breezy winters and hot summers.
The Chianti area, between Florence and Siena, is one of the most beautiful countryside in Italy and a famous wine production area.
ART AND CULTURE
Florence contains an exceptional artistic patrimony, a glorious testimony to its secular civilization. Cimabue and Giotto, the fathers of Italian painting, lived here, along with Arnolfo and Andrea Pisano, reformists of architecture and sculpture; Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio, founders of the Renaissance; Ghiberti and the Della Robbia; Filippo Lippi and l’Angelico; Botticelli and Paolo Uccello; the universal geniuses Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Their works, along with those of many generations of artists up to the masters of the present century, are gathered in the city’s many museums. In Florence, thanks to Dante, the Italian language was born; with Petrarch and Boccaccio literary studies were affirmed; with Humanism the philosophy and values of classical civilization were revived; with Machiavelli modern political science was born; with Guicciardini, historical prose; and with Galileo, modern experimental science. Up to Charlemagne's time, Florence was a university town. Today it includes many specialized institutes and is an international cultural center. Academies, art schools, scientific institutes, and cultural centers contribute to the city’s intense activity.
HISTORY
Founded by the Romans in the first century B.C., Florence began its rebirth after the decadence of the barbaric ages, in the Carolingian period, and reached its highest pinnacles of civilization between the 11th and 15th centuries, as a free city, balancing the authority of the Emperors with that of the Popes, overcoming the unfortunate internal dispute between Guelfs and Ghibellines. In the 15th century, it came under the rule of the Medici family, who later became the Grand Duke of Tuscany. This was the period when the city was at the height of its glory in art and culture, politics, and economic power. The Grand Duchy of the Medicis was succeeded, in the 18th century, by that of the House of Lorraine, when in 1860 Tuscany became part of the Kingdom of Italy of which Florence was the capital from 1865 to 1871. In this century, the city has once more taken up its role as an important center for culture and arts.
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Travel to Florence is via several International Airports: Florence “Amerigo Vespucci”, Pisa “Galileo Galilei”, Bologna “Guglielmo Marconi”, Rome-Fiumicino “Leonardo da Vinci”, Milan Malpensa Airport, and more.
In addition, the city has excellent high-speed train service connecting to Rome, Milan, Venice, Pisa, Bologna, Verona, and Naples. Once in the Florence area, Congress participants can move easily and safely around the city by walking, using trams, using buses, and using taxi cabs.
The city has a central position in Italy.
BY AIRPLANE
Florence Airport
The international airport Amerigo Vespucci is situated in the north-west suburban area of Florence, just 4 km from the city center. It is a 25-minute ride by shuttle bus Volainbus operating between the airport and the central railway station. Tickets can be bought on board or at the newspaper stall or at the Bookshop: it costs € 6.00 one way and Euro 10,00 round trip. Taxis can be found outside the airport: with a 15-minute ride you reach the city center at a conventional prices:
Working days: Euro 22,00
Festive days: Euro 24,00
Night service (22,00-06,00): Euro 25,30
Supplements:
Luggage Euro 1,00 each
From 4th passenger Euro 1,00 each
Vespucci Airport is connected to some of Europe’s major airports: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Bucharest, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, London Gatwick and City, Madrid, Munich, Paris C. De Gaulle, Paris Orly, Tirana, Zurich, Wien.
FLORENCE “AMERIGO VESPUCCI” AIRPORT
Tel (+39) 055 30615
http://www.aeroporto.firenze.it/
Flight Information: Tel (+39) 055 3061700 – (+39) 055 3061702 - 24 hours a day
Florence airport – information: +39 055 3061300
Florence airport – lost luggage: +39 055 3061302
Pisa Airport
Pisa’s Galilei Airport is about 80 km from Florence. It is linked to Florence by rail and road and is connected to the Tuscan capital by train (every hour) and Terravision bus (full flight coverage with 18 return journeys). For information about timetables and fares visit www.terravision.eu For information www.pisa-airport.com
Bologna Airport
After the upgrading of the railway line “Freccia Rossa” between Florence and Bologna in just 35 minutes, also Bologna airport is a stop of easy access to Florence. Bologna and Florence airports are also connected by the “Appennino shuttle bus” For timetables visit www.appenninoshuttle.it
For information www.bologna-airport.it
BY TRAIN
The city’s main railway station is Firenze SMN (Santa Maria Novella).
Situated in the city center, it is conveniently close to the major tourist attractions.
The station area is also the principal node for buses serving the city and surrounding area (see Getting around by bus).
Other important railway stations are Firenze Campo di Marte and Firenze Rifredi. Local trains connect these two stations with the central one; otherwise, you can catch the ATAF bus to the city center: Italian railway services are made by Trenitalia and by Italo.
BY CAR
If you arrive in Florence by car, park it and use public transportation or special tourist transportation to reach the chief parts of the city.
Pay particular attention to the notices marking the points of access to the Limited Traffic Zone (ZTL), which corresponds to the historic center (monitored by electronic gates with information in English), which requires previous authorization.
If you are looking for accommodation, the hotelier to whom you have applied or the garage where you intend to park can provide you with temporary access to the ZTL according to a specific procedure.
USEFUL LINKS
TIME ZONE
Florence local time in May is to be considered Central Europe Time (UTC+1).
CURRENCY
Euro (EUR)
All major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express) are accepted in most of the restaurants, shops etc.
VOLTAGE
The electric voltage supplied is 220 V. Round, two-pin plug points are available, as elsewhere in Europe.
In case you have any devices from the USA or UK, please remember to bring a transformer/adapter.
BANKING
Most Florence banks open between 08:30 and 13:30 and 14:45 to 15:45 Monday to Friday. They are closed on weekends and public holidays and most of them have a cash dispenser and a currency exchange service.
USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Call the single European emergency number if you require urgent assistance from:
the police,
the fire brigade,
medical services.
The 112 operators will forward the call to the relevant service depending on the type of emergency.
Calls to the single European emergency number, 112, are free of charge from landlines and mobile networks, even if the phone does not have a SIM card, is blocked, or is out of credit.
For international calls from Italy: 00 + country code + number
For international calls to Italy: +39 + city code + number
24hour Pharmacies:
– Santa Maria Novella Station
– Via Calzaiuoli, 7 r
– Piazza San Giovanni, 20
DISCLAIMER
The Organizing Secretariat disclaims all responsibility for medical, accident and travel insurance, for compensation for death or disability, for loss of or damage to personal property and for any other loss that may be incurred during travel time or the period of participation. In this context, it is strongly recommended to secure prior to departure international medical insurance for the period of participation.