Florence is one of Italy's most expensive cities and prices are on par with Rome and Venice.
Prices in the surrounding countryside can be slightly better than in Florence, but proprietors in Tuscany can usually command lofty prices in high season.
ATMs
ATMs are not readily available in Florence.
Currency
January 1, 2002, saw the introduction of the euro coins and notes. All noncash transactions, such as payments by credit card, are now made in euros.
Euro notes come in denominations of EUR500, EUR200, EUR100, EUR50, EUR20, EUR10 and EUR5. The euro is divided into 100 cents, and coins are available as EUR2 and EUR1 and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2, and 1 cents. The euro can be used in 11 other European countries: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain.
Exchanging Money
For the most favorable rates, change money through banks. Although ATM transaction fees may be higher abroad than in the United States, ATM rates are excellent because they are based on wholesale rates offered only by major banks. You won't do as well at exchange booths in airports or rail and bus stations, in hotels, in restaurants, or in stores. To avoid lines at airport exchange booths, get a bit of local currency before you leave home.
Taxes
Hotel: The service charge and the value-added tax (VAT, currently 10% for all hotel categories) are included in the quoted rate in almost all hotels. In a very few, the VAT may be a separate item added to the bill at departure.
Restaurant: A service charge of approximately 15% is added to all restaurant bills; in some cases the menu may state that the service charge is already included in the menu prices.
Value-Added Tax: The value-added tax (VAT, or IVA in Italian) is 20% on clothing and other consumer goods and services. On consumer goods, it is already included in the amount shown on the price tag, whereas on services, it may not be.
Under Italy's VAT-refund system, a non-EU resident is entitled to a refund of the VAT on goods taken out of the country. Shop with your passport and ask the store for an invoice itemizing the article(s), price(s), and the amount of tax. When you leave the country, take the goods and the invoice to the customs office at the airport or other point of departure and have the invoice stamped. (If you return to the United States or Canada directly from Italy, go through the procedure at Italian customs; if your return is, say, via Britain, take the Italian goods and invoice to British customs.) Once back home - and within 90 days of the date of purchase - mail the stamped invoice to the store, which will send the VAT rebate to you.
Tipping
The following guidelines apply in major Italian cities, including Florence; Italians tip smaller amounts in smaller cities and towns.
In restaurants a service charge of about 15% usually appears as a separate item on your check. Some restaurants state on the menu that cover and service charge are included. Either way, it's customary to leave an additional 5%-10% tip for the waiter, depending on the service. Tip checkroom attendants EUR.25 lire per person and rest room attendants EUR.10 (more in expensive hotels and restaurants).
Tip EUR.05 for whatever you drink standing up at a coffee bar, EUR.25 or more for table service in cafes. At a hotel bar, tip EUR.50 and up for a round or two of cocktails.
From Rome south, tip taxi drivers 5%-10% of the meter amount. Railway and airport porters charge a fixed rate per bag; tip an additional EUR.25 per person, and more if the porter is very helpful. Give a barber EUR.50 to EUR1 and a hairdresser EUR1.50 to EUR4 for a shampoo or cut, depending on the type of establishment.
On sightseeing tours, tip guides about EUR1 per person for a half-day group tour, more for a very good guide. In museums and other sights where admission is free, a contribution (EUR.25 to EUR.50) is expected. Service station attendants are tipped only for special services, for example, EUR.50 for checking your tires.
In hotels, give the portiere (concierge) about 15% of his bill for services, or EUR2.50 to EUR5 if he has been generally helpful. For two people in a double room, leave the chambermaid about EUR.75 per day, or about EUR4 to EUR6 a week, in a moderately priced hotel; tip a minimum of EUR.50 for valet or room service. Double amounts in a very expensive hotel.
In very expensive hotels, tip doormen EUR.50 for calling a cab and EUR1 for carrying bags to the check-in desk, bellhops EUR1.50 to EUR2.50 for carrying your bags to the room, and EUR1.50 to EUR2.50 for room service.
