California State University International Program Florence

REVISED REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS.
NEW TIME AND PLACE FOR FIRST MEETING. READ BELOW:  

Almost all CSU students will be staying in the CSU program arranged group housing at the Hotel Meridiana and are to report directly to the Hotel on Thursday, Aug. 25, from 2:00 p.m. onwards. However, if you arrive earlier than 2:00 p.m. you may go to the hotel and leave your luggage in storage. The Hotel Meridiana is located  on Viale Don Minzoni 25.   The map below illustrates the location of the Hotel, the CSU IP study center and the main train station in Florence.

When you check-in at the Hotel Meridiana, you will be given a copy of the CSU IP Florence newsletter “The Firenzied Times”,  a copy of “Your First Week in Florence”, a map of Florence and directions to the CSU IP study center. On Friday morning, Aug. 26, at 9 am, all CSU students are to report to the Stensen Auditorium, which is located right next door to the Hotel Meridiana (same civic number, Viale Don Minzoni 25), for the first CSU general/orientation meeting.  During this meeting, the events of the first week in Florence will be explained, forms will be completed and we will answer most of your questions about the orientation period, housing, classes, etc. THIS MEETING IS MANDATORY FOR ALL STUDENTS! 

MEALS:  Breakfast and dinner are included during your stay at the Hotel Meridiana.  Breakfast is served from  7:30 am to 9:45 am.  Only on the first night of Thursday, August 25, dinner will begin at 8:00p.m. (to allow for those later arrivals to be able to make it for the first nights dinner) all of the following nights dinner will begin at 7:00p.m. You are entitled to dinner on your day of arrival and breakfast on your day of departure.

GUESTS ARE NOT ALLOWED : Guests CANNOT be placed in the Hotel Meridiana due to space limitations. If you will be traveling with friends and/or family, you MUST make prior hotel arrangements for their stay in Florence.  The hotels in Florence and throughout Italy are full at that time of the year so we HIGHLY SUGGEST that you contact your local travel agent or consult the web site    http://www.firenzealbergo.it      to reserve hotel rooms in advance for your guests. 

Most students coming into Florence by train will get off at the main train station, Firenze Santa Maria Novella (S.M.N.)   There is another local train station,  Campo di Marte, which is very close to CSU, however, not many trains stop at that station.    See the item circled on the attached map for reference.

To get to the Hotel Meridiana from the main train station Firenze, Santa Maria Novella (S.M.N.), you can do one of the following: 1.  you can walk (takes about 20 minutes at a brisk pace), which might be difficult if you have a lot of luggage; 2. you can take one of the  taxis  located right outside of the main entrance, which will take about 10 minutes and cost approximately 15 Euro;  or 3.  you can take ATAF bus # 1 or #7, which will drop you off across the street from the Hotel Meridiana. You can purchase a bus ticket either at the newspaper stand inside the train station or at one of the automatic ATAF ticket machines located just outside the main train station entrance.  The cost for a bus ticket is 1.20 Euro. Once you get on the bus you have to stamp/validate the ticket in the yellow or green box/ticket validator located at either the front or rear of the bus.  It is also possible to buy a ticket on the bus for 2.00 Euro.

To get to the Hotel Meridiana  from the Campo di Marte train station, you can take bus # 12, which will drop you off on Via Masaccio, near the corner of Viale Don Minzoni, right near the Hotel Meridiana. You can buy a bus ticket at the bar inside the train station.

If you fly directly to the Florence airport, you can get to the Hotel Meridiana in one of two ways:  1.  take a taxi from the airport (cost is roughly 20 -  30 Euro, depending on time of day and traffic) or  2.   take the ATAF/SITA airport shuttle bus (referred to as the Navetta Aeroporto/ ”Vola in Bus”) which leaves from just outside of the airport (near the exit, close to the highway) and takes you to the main train station in Florence.  This bus runs every 30 minutes, starting at 6:00 AM until 11:30 PM, and costs only 5.00 Euro.  The ticket for this bus can be purchased directly on the bus from the driver or at the bar inside of the "Departures" terminal.  Once at the train station in Florence, you can follow the instructions listed above to get to the Hotel Meridiana.

All independent travelers not using the CSU group housing arrangements at the Hotel Meridiana are to report at 9 am on Friday, Aug. 26 for the first CSU general/orientation meeting, directly to the Stensen Auditorium, which is located right next door to the Hotel Meridiana (same civic number, Viale Don Minzoni 25). (AUDITORIUM STENSEN)   

To reach CSU from the main train station in Florence, Firenze Santa Maria Novella (S.M.N.), refer to the map below which indicates the locations of both the CSU study center and the train station.  From S.M.N. you can take the public ATAF bus #31 or #32, which stops on the right side of the train station and will drop you off right in front of the CSU Florence center in Via G. Leopardi 12. You can purchase a bus ticket at the newspaper stand inside the train station or at the automatic ATAF ticket machine, located just outside the main train station entrance.  The cost for a bus ticket is 1.20 Euro. It is also possible to buy a ticket on the bus for 2.00 Euro.  If you prefer not to take the bus to get to CSU, you can walk or take a taxi as described above.

To reach CSU from the Campo di Marte train station, follow the exit for Via Mannelli/Viale Mazzini, follow Viale Mazzini to the end, where it runs into Viale A. Gramsci.  CSU is located just across Viale Gramsci, as indicated on the attached map, on Via G. Leopardi 12.

° We ask that you  not report to the CSU IP Florence Center before the first orientation meeting as the office may be closed and all materials for you may not be ready for distribution.

° The map below will show you how to get to the CSUIP Florence Center or the Hotel Meridiana,  using the main train station (Santa Maria Novella) in Florence as a point of reference.

° Buses # 1 and #7 take you to the Hotel Meridiana  from the Firenze S.M.N. main train station.

° Bus # 12 takes you to the Hotel Meridiana from the Campo di Marte station.

° Buses #31 and #32 take you to the CSU study center from the main train station.

 

View Via Giacomo Leopardi, 12 in a larger map