The 9th International Symposium on Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Florence, Italy, May 16-19, 2007
MDS 2007
Titolo
Sponsored by the Myelodysplastic Syndromes Foundation
Accompanying persons will enjoy taking part to different daily tours to Florence’s surroundings (Chianti area, Fiesole etc.) and an excursion to the famous Italian city of Pisa.
Please note that all the tours include:
• Transportation (from departure to arrival point)
• English/Italian speaking guide and assistant
Walking and museum tours are based on a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 20 participants. Bus tours on a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 40 participants.
Tour A: May 17th. 10:00 am
City Centre – half day walking tour (3 hours)
Euro 25,00 per person
The 11th century Baptistery and its famous "Doors of Paradise", the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (il Duomo), with its famous dome raised by Filippo Brunelleschi, and Giotto's 14 c. bell-tower are the most outstanding monuments in the Cathedral Square and create the religious centre of the city.
The political centre is the Signoria Square with the Palazzo Vecchio, which is the Town Hall of Florence.
Quite impressive is the incredible series of original statues (Perseus, Neptune, the Rape of the Sabines, etc.) which stands here, so that the square can be considered like an open air museum.
Ponte Vecchio, with all its famous jewellery stores, is one more world famous monument of Florence. It's the only bridge which is still original and dates back to the 14th century.
From Ponte Vecchio one of the main streets leads to the Piazza della Repubblica, which is a more recent square created in the 19th century, at the time when Florence was the capital of Ital, where the centre of the ancient Roman colony of Florentia used to be.
Famous are its many outdoor cafés.
Tour B: May 17th. 10:00 am
Florentine Hills - half day by bus (3 hours)
Euro 40,00 per person
Piazzale Michelangelo, located along the “Avenue of the Hills” provides an unforgettable view of the city but the view one can enjoy from San Miniato Church is even more enchanting. This church, with its green and white marble facade, is one of the most important examples of Florentine Romanesque architecture, surrounded by the typical Tuscan countryside. On the hills overlooking Florence to the north, the small historical town of Fiesole, of Etruscan origin, later a Roman town, provides a marvellous and truly exhilarating panorama of Florence, the Arno river valley and the Tuscan hills.
Tour C: May 17th. 3:30 pm
The Uffizi Gallery – half day walking tour (3 hours)
Euro 35,00 per person
The Uffizi Gallery is one of the greatest museums in the world. It was founded in 1581 by Francesco I de’ Medici, who collected numerous art-works in the building designed by Vasari. Today the Uffizi contains masterpieces by Italian and foreign artists from 13th to 18th century such as Cimabue, Giotto, Masaccio, Beato Angelico, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Piero Della Francesca, Raffaello, Caravaggio, along with Rubens Rembrandt, Durer, Goya and many others.
Tour D: May 18th. 9:00 am (return by 6pm)
Pisa and Lucca – full day by bus
Euro 100,00 per person
Pisa, located on the river Arno, a few kilometres inland, is famous for its “Piazza dei Miracoli”, with the Cathedral, the Leaning Tower, the Baptistery, the Camposanto; a monumental complex and one of the greatest examples of Romanesque architecture and sculpture. It is one of the most beautiful places in Italy: its splendid buildings with their rational and spacious layout rise proudly from the grass lawns, surrounded by the Camposanto. The tour continues to Lucca. The suggestive walls of this ancient city, admirable not only for its architectural masterpieces - the Cathedral, the Church of San Frediano - but also for its roads, buildings and squares as “Piazza del Mercato”, which has kept the original oval shape of the ancient Roman amphitheatre. Lunch in a typical restaurant.
Tour E: May 18th. 9:00 am
Masaccio and Churches in the Oltrarno Area – half day walking tour (3 hours)
Euro 40,00 per person
The Church of Santa Felicita, beside the Ponte Vecchio, contains one of the greatest masterpieces of Mannerist art: the dramatic "Deposizione dalla Croce" by Pontorno. The Church of Santo Spirito, built in the 15th century by Brunelleschi, is a splendid example of Renaissance architecture hidden behind a very simple façade. It also still contains a lot of the paintings which were originally done to decorate it, which is something very rare to find. The Church of S. Maria del Carmine was originally a 13th century Romanesque church, later rebuilt after being almost totally destroyed by the fire of 1771. Of the surviving chapels, the famous “Cappella Brancacci” boasts one of the most solemn monuments of Renaissance painting: the frescoes by Masaccio. These outstanding churches are located in the "Oltrarno" area, which is by itself worth a visit for its many workshops, where the tradition of Florentine artistic handicraft is still alive.
The tour includes a stop in a typical outdoor café of the picturesque Santo Spirito Square for a refreshing gelato or a drink.
Tour F: May 18th. 9:00 am
Chianti Area – half day by bus (4 hours)
Euro 70,00 per person
A relaxing drive through the Chianti wine area amidst lovely, ever changing scenery of vine clad hills, dotted with olive and cypress trees, little country churches, farmhouses, villas and castles, gives the opportunity to see one of the most suggestive areas of Tuscany, known all over the world.
A stop in one of the best Chianti wine estates will give the possibility to taste the local wines with country snacks and to visit the wine cellars.
Tour G: May 18th. 4:15 pm
The Academy Gallery – half day walking tour (2 hours)
Euro 35,00 per person
In 2004 Michelangelo's David celebrates its 500th birthday, as it was completed in 1504.
So it's even more a must to pay a visit to the museum where this statue is kept, together with some other impressive works by the great master, such as his unfinished statues called the Captives.
But this is not only David's museum. There is also, for instance, an interesting collection of 13th - 16th century paintings.
Tour H: May 19th. 9.00 am
Santa Croce, its Monastery, its District – half day walking tour (3 hours)
Euro 35,00 per person
Santa Croce church is not only one of the most important monuments of Gothic style architecture, enriched with mural paintings by Giotto and his followers, but also the burial place of great Italian personalities, such as Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, Rossini.
Part of its monastery is now a museum with suggestive cloisters, the monumental Refectory and the Pazzi chapel, the ancient Chapter room of the monks, designed by Brunelleschi.
What was once the ancient Dormitory of the novices has become the seat of a famous school of leather crafts, which is like a workshop of ancient times: creation and sale of special leather items are concentrated in the same place.
There are some other examples of artisans’ workshops in this same area: not far from the church it’s possible for instance to admire the spectacular stone mosaic works made by masters of this typical Florentine art.
Tour I: May 19th. 9.00 am
Santa Maria Novella church and Pharmacy – half day walking tour (3 hours)
Euro 35,00 per person
The Dominican friars settled in this area in the 13th century and built here the purest Gothic style church of Florence. Masaccio, Ghirlandaio, Filippino Lippi and many other artists embellished it with spectacular works of arts. The monks distilled herbs and flowers and made essences which became world wide famous over the centuries. This tradition is still alive thanks to the owners who, nowadays, keep working in the ancient rooms decorated with paintings, statues, precious furniture.
After the visit to the Pharmacy, a walking tour of the area will give the opportunity to admire the elegant exterior of the Rucellai Palace, the home of the Rucellai family which had the facade of Santa Maria Novella church completed in 1470.
The tour includes a little gift from the Pharmacy, to remind you of the visit to this special place.