Neighbourhoods

North of the river

Duomo and Signoria — the centre, and where essentially everybody is. Magnificent, and not somewhere to look for dinner.

San Lorenzo — the market quarter, the Medici church, the leather stalls, and the Mercato Centrale. Busy by day and much quieter at night.

Santa Croce — east, around the great Franciscan church, with the basilica, the leather school, and Sant'Ambrogio market beyond it.

San Marco and the university quarter — north, with Fra Angelico's convent and the Accademia, and a student population that keeps it ordinary.

South of the river

Santo Spirito and San Frediano — the Oltrarno. Workshops, the morning market, and the square where a large part of the city spends its evenings.

San Niccolò — under the hill, with the old gate and the climb to San Miniato.

⭐ These are four minutes from the Ponte Vecchio and feel like a different town.

Where to stay, roughly

⚠️ Staying inside the very centre means walking out of your door into the crowd every morning and paying the most for the privilege. Staying across the river or out towards Sant'Ambrogio means a ten-minute walk in and a completely different evening.

⛔ If you are driving, note that most of this is inside the ZTL and your hotel must register your plate.

Everything in this city is walkable from everywhere else in it. That is the one genuine luxury Florence offers.