Florence off-the-beaten path: one day in Firenze like a local

Florence, my hometown, is probably one of the most renowned cities in the world. It’s the cradle of the Renaissance and is famous for its great museums, buildings and monuments, such as Ponte Vecchio and Uffizi Gallery.

But Florence is much much more than this. Here I share with you my favorite places in town, places where you can blend with locals off the beaten paths. So, let’s have a look together at this unconventional itinerary in Florence!

Cappuccino with view

A place I love to have a cappuccino is Oblate Café, located on the roof terrace of a former convent just behind the Duomo in via dell’Oriuolo. From the café you can have the best view ever of Brunelleschi’s Cupola. It looks like you can touch it!

The local market

I love shopping at Sant’Ambrogio market! It’s a daily local market where you can find fresh fruit and vegetable, as well as clothing and accessories at good prices. The market runs daily from Monday to Saturday from 8am to 1pm. It’s also the perfect place to have lunch with trippa or schiacciata.

An hidden gem

Bardini Museum is a real hidden gem. This museum displays the large artworks collected by the famous Florentine antiquarian Stefano Bardini. Most of the works of art come from Florence and dates back to the Middle Ages and Renaissance. He collected most of them during Florence renovation works in 1881. Among the most important works there are the Carità by Tino da Camaino, the Madonna delle Mele and the Madonna dei Cordai by Donatello and Atlante by Guercino.

Don’t miss the Bardini Gardens. The best time to visit is Spring when roses and wisteria are flourished.

Unique handmade jewels

I felt in love whit this unique jewels when I was at school and passed everyday in front of his studio. Alessandro Dari is a real Florentine goldsmith master. He creates unique handmade jewels, representing magic worlds.

A romantic walk in Florence

Piazzale Michelangelo is one the most beloved places by Florentines. From up there you can admire the city and its beautiful monuments. The best moments are at dawn and dusk. To reach Piazzale I recommend you take the Rampe, large stairs climbing up the hill from Porta San Niccolò.

Then from Piazzale you can visit the Roses’ Gardens, famous for its large variety of roses and for the sculptures by Folon. The garden is quiet and perfect for a romantic meeting while watching Florence at your feet. For opening hours see here.

I also recommend you visit the Church of San Miniato al Monte with its typical Romanesque facade. Behind the church there is the monumental graveyard, where there are buried several important figures such as the father of Pinocchio. From the terrace of San Miniato al Monte the view is stunning!

My favorite gelato

In Florence there are plenty of ice cream shops, but my favorite in the very center is Carapina in via Lambertesca. I love this ice cream because is made with organic products and seasonal fruits. This means that when you take pear flavor it really tastes of pears!

And if you want to find out stories and legends about Florence, I recommend you download for free TooMuchFirenze available for iPhone ad Android.

These are some of my favorite places in Florence and I hope you’ll like it! What are you favorite places in Florence?