Location

Better Software will be held in the old city centre of Florence:

Conference Space

Experience the heart of Florence, thanks to the prime location of the conference venue, The Hotel Laurus, which is situated a few steps from the Duomo. Take advantage of the opportunity to combine your attendance at the conference with spending a beautiful evening in Florence.

The Hotel Laurus is one of Florence’s most prestigious besiness-centred venues, with excellent room service and top of the range catering to boot. The hotel is within easy reach of S. M. Novella central train station and several ample city centre parking facilities.

The Duomo auditorium is comprised of 2 floors. On the first floor, there is an ample 300-seat amphitheatre. Below this, on the ground floor, you will find a terraced environment which is divisible into 3 private rooms, as well as the main foyer.

How to reach Florence

Since the whole conference will be held in the old city centre, we encourage reaching the city by train. It will be comfortable traveling by feet during your stay to reach the conference.

If you come by train (strongly suggested!):

Detrain at Stazione Centrale of Santa Maria Novella. From there you can reach by feet the Viva Hotel Laurus (approx 5 mins). We suggest you to book a hotel room or B&B; in the old city centre.

If you come by car:

You can't enter the Better Software area with your car; moreover, almost all the streets in Florence are no-parking zones for visitors. That said, you have some options for parking:

Train station parking (in Santa Maria Novella) [+]

Both the nearest (in the city centre, under the station) and the most expensive: you can buy a ticket for no less than 5 days paying €140. Remember that there won't be any particular need for a car during the event, so you don't need to have it near.

Fortezza Fiera parking [+]

It's just outside the old city centre, approx 10 mins by feet from the station of Santa Maria Novella. A ticket for 24h costs €18.

Address for your GPS navigation system: "Piazzale Caduti nei Lager".
Suggested motorway exit: Firenze Nord.
Once arrived to the parking, proceed by feet to the train station, then reach the Better Software area from there.

Viale Pieraccini (Careggi) parking [+]

It's an attended parking near the Careggi hospital; far from the city centre, but you can reach there by bus. Flat price of €3 (for more than 3 hours, so that's also the total price for the whole 3 days).

Address for your GPS navigation system: "Viale Pieraccini Gaetano, 22".
Suggested motorway exit: Firenze Nord.
After the motorway exit, enter Viale Guidoni after the junction (that is, going straight ahead and keeping on your left). At the end of Viale Guidoni, turn right, then after the semaphore (Manzoni cinema) turn left. Keep straight ahead and you'll reach Careggi hospital. Find the parking around it, on the right.
From there, you can take the bus 14 to reach the station or Piazza dell'Unità Italiana (approx 20 mins), then you can get off and proceed by feet.

Mercatelli parking [+]

It's an attended parking in Via S.Antonino 13 R, phone number 055/210490, near Hotel Laurus. Availability: 25/30 places. Prices range from €25/day for small cars to €45/day for bigger and luxury cars. Opened 7:00-24:00.

Pieri parking [+]

It's an attended parking in Via Alamanni, phone number 055/282814, near Hotel Laurus. Availability: 25/28 places. Prices range from €21/day for small cars to €34/day for bigger and luxury cars. Opened 7:30-22:00 Mon-Fri, 7:30-12:00 Sat-Sun.

Warner Village parking [+]

It's a free but unattended parking (both on the surface and underground), in the far suburbs. Actually, it's the parking of the Warner Village cinema, and it's usually safe.

Address for your GPS navigation system: "Via del Cavallaccio" (no civic number).
Suggested motorway exit: Firenze Scandicci.
After the motorway exit, enter the highway heading Florence. Take the first exit (by the sign "Parcheggio scambiatore"). Take the third intersection of the traffic circle, then exit (again by the sign "Parcheggio scambiatore").
From there, you can take the bus 80 for the station (it's reasonably fast since it has just 4 stops, approx 15 mins). Otherwise, the bus 1 reaches the station in approx 25 mins. Once there, follow the same indications for train travellers to reach the hotel.

As an alternative, here is the complete list of garages in Florence.