In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Italy
Calenzano
Skip as a base: Calenzano is a commuter town 15 min from Florence with no major sights. Use it only if you need a cheap bed near the A1 motorway or have business in the industrial zone.
Calenzano sits at the foot of the Calvana mountains, 15 km northwest of Florence. It has two historic churches and a handful of mid-range hotels, but nothing that justifies a detour. Most travellers pass through on the A1 or use it as a budget sleep option when Florence hotels are full.
- Country
- Italy
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat), Nov (rain)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Cards and contactless are widely accepted in cities; small cafés, markets and rural places may prefer cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget €50–80 excl. bed · Mid €80–130 excl. bed · High €130+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- TIM, Vodafone, WindTre and Iliad sell prepaid SIMs in shops and at airports; a passport and an Italian tax code (codice fiscale, issued in-store) are needed.
- Emergency
- Police 113 · Fire 115 · Ambulance 118 · EU-wide emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, F, L · 230 V · 50 Hz · Italian type L plugs have three pins in a row; most sockets also take two-pin Europlugs (C), and bivalent sockets take Schuko (F).
- Tipping
- Bar: Leave €0.10–0.20 of change on the counter if you like.; Restaurant: Coperto or service may already be on the bill; leave €1–2 a person or round up for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day.
- Water
- Tap water is safe unless signed otherwise; Rome's nasoni fountains run all day. Restaurants serve bottled water (naturale or frizzante) unless you ask for tap (acqua del rubinetto).
- Toilets
- Few public toilets; use bars (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a bar | €1.20–1.50 |
| Pizza (margherita) | €6–9 |
| Glass of house wine | €3–5 |
| Train Calenzano–Florence one way | €4 (check) |
| Bus Calenzano–Florence one way | €3 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- FLR · Florence Airport Peretola
- About 15 km (9.3 mi); taxi 20–30 min, bus to Florence then train or taxiAbout 9.3 mi (15 km); taxi 20–30 min, bus to Florence then train or taxi
- BLQ · Bologna Guglielmo Marconi
- About 90 km (56 mi); direct train from Bologna Centrale to Florence then local trainAbout 56 mi (90 km); direct train from Bologna Centrale to Florence then local train
Typical fares
- Train Calenzano → Florence SMN
- about €4, 15 min (check)
- Taxi Calenzano → Florence airport
- €30–40
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Bus (Autolinee Toscane) to Florence and nearby towns; train from Calenzano station to Florence Santa Maria Novella (about 15 min, check frequency). Car is most practical for the area.
See and do
Known for
- Church of Santa Lucia e Settimello
- Pieve di Santa Maria
- Proximity to Florence and the A1 motorway
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Florence | Train from Calenzano station to Firenze Santa Maria Novella, about 15 min | 30–40 min |
| Prato | Train or bus, about 20 min | 30–40 min |
| Fiesole | Train to Florence then bus 7 from Piazza San Marco | About 1 h |
| Greve in Chianti | Car via A1 or SS222, about 30 min | 40–50 min |
Sleep
- Calenzano centre
- Near the train station and bus stops; limited restaurants.
- Along Via di Barberino
- Closer to the motorway exit; larger hotels with parking.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Goodbye | Ciaochow |
| Thank you | Graziegraht-see-eh |
| How much? | Quanto costa?kwahn-toh koh-stah |
| Where is the station? | Dov'è la stazione?doh-veh lah stah-tsee-oh-neh |
| The bill, please | Il conto, per favoreeel kohn-toh pehr fah-voh-reh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say buongiorno (until mid-afternoon) or buonasera on entering shops and bars; avoid: Walking in and pointing without a greeting
- Cheek kisses: Two kisses, right cheek first, among friends; follow their lead; avoid: Kissing strangers or in business settings
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders and knees in churches; avoid: Beachwear, bare chests and flip-flops away from the beach
- Queues: At delis and pharmacies take a number (numerino); avoid: Assuming the crowd at a bar counter is chaos — pay at the till first where asked
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated and ask for the bill; avoid: Splitting a bill item by item with a large group
- Conversation: Food, football and family are safe openers; avoid: Mafia jokes and north–south stereotypes
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries, wine or flowers (not chrysanthemums, which are for funerals); avoid: Refusing seconds too firmly
Scams and watch-outs
- The train station is small; check the timetable in advance.
- No major tourist attractions; plan as a sleep base only.
- ZTL (limited traffic zone) in the old centre; park outside if driving.
Calenzano is a safe town. Standard precautions apply: lock your car, don't leave valuables visible. The main risk is traffic on the A1 motorway.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Calenzano yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Church of Santa Lucia e Settimello
- Pieve di Santa Maria
- Proximity to Florence and the A1 motorway
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Calenzano, revision 3491526 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=3491526
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Calenzano
A questo indirizzo, per favore
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US Consulate General is in Florence (Lungarno Amerigo Vespucci 38). Most other countries have consulates in Florence or Rome.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/calenzano). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.