Where to Stay in Florence: Local Guide to the Best Neighborhoods

For such a small city, Florence packs a formidable punch. With incredible Tuscan cuisine, world-class art, architecture, and Renaissance history seeping from every stone, it is one of the most popular cities in Italy for tourists. Florence’s historic centre is compact enough to explore on foot, with many major sights within a 20–30-minute walk of one another. Despite its smaller size it still has individual neighborhoods and choosing where to stay in Florence will have a big effect on how you experience the city.

Each area within Florence’s UNESCO-designated historic center has something different to offer. If you want to get the most out of your visit, check out our guide to finding the best places to stay in Florence.

Florence, with its architectural wonders, offers a perfect blend of history and romance. Photo credit: Pretty Pink on Unsplash

Where to stay in Florence: Neighbourhood Guide

Santa Maria Novella

Santa Maria Novella has two distinct sides: the busy, less picturesque streets closest to Florence’s main train station, and the more residential area stretching past the namesake basilica towards the Arno River. Choose your accommodation carefully, as the neighbourhood offers everything from budget-friendly hotels to elegant, high-end properties. The area is home to the magnificent Dominican Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, as well as cafés, bars and restaurants serving a range of cuisines. Its convenient location also puts many of Florence’s main sights within walking distance. The airport tram connects to the station, making this area particularly convenient for air travellers.

Stay here if: You want to be close to the train station; you’re looking for a centrally located hotel at a reasonable price; you enjoy a varied food scene; or you’re travelling with family and want convenient transport links. For a more attractive setting, look beyond the streets immediately surrounding the station and towards the basilica and river.

Santa Maria Novella Train Station

Although technically part of the Santa Maria Novella neighbourhood, the streets closest to Florence’s main train station are busier and less picturesque than some of the surrounding area. On the upside, this is a convenient place to stay if you’re short on time: the Duomo is around a 10-minute walk away, many other major sights are within walking distance, and the station is right on your doorstep. The area also offers some of the best-value accommodation in central Florence. In fact, we often stay here when visiting the city for work.

Stay here if: You’re on a tight budget; you have an early-morning train to catch; you’re booking at the last minute; or you prioritise convenient transport links over a picturesque setting. If you’re sensitive to noise or prefer quieter streets when returning to your hotel at night, check the exact location and recent reviews before booking.

Discover the views, and the neighborhoods of Florence from a bird´s eye view!

Fortezza da Basso

The neighborhood of Fortezza sits to the east of the train station. It might not seem like much at first glance, but that’s exactly its draw: It is well removed from the throngs of tourists, but still within walking distance of the city’s main sights.

You’ll find a few more cars here since it’s not completely pedestrianized, but you’ll also have the big complex of the 16th-century Fortezza (now a convention center) and restaurants featuring some of Florence’s most traditional foods. For example, the classic ribollita vegetable soup – one of the locals favourite warming winter Italian dishes – and the famous tripe sandwiches called lampredetto. Tripe may not initially appeal, but we promise you its worth a try, check out where to find this delicacy at the best panini restaurants in Florence.

Stay here if: You’d like a residential, quiet stay; you need to be near the train station but want to be slightly more up-market than Santa Maria Novella; you’ve come to Florence for a convention; you don’t mind walking a bit to see the city’s main sights; you want to avoid the crowds; you’re not interested in the nightlife.

Lampredotto is one of the best, most authentic ways to eat on the run in Florence.

San Lorenzo

Located between the train station and the Duomo, San Lorenzo is the market district. This is a bustling, chaotic, neighborhood and definitely where to stay in Florence if you want to be near attractions like the Renaissance Basilica di San Lorenzo and the adjacent Medici chapels, which stand out like islands in the middle of the street market which sells clothes, souvenirs, and leather goods.

The covered San Lorenzo market is a must-see. Peruse the stalls on the ground floor selling fresh fish, meat, and vegetables, then head up to the food court up above. The ground-floor fresh-food market generally operates Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm and on Saturday until 5pm, closing on Sundays and public holidays. The upper-floor Mercato Centrale food hall has different hours and is open daily. 

Stay here if: You thrive on crowds and chaos; You want to explore Florence’s food culture and scour the massive outdoor market for souvenirs, steals, and great finds; You find a good deal on a room; You want to be in the center; You’re a foodie.

The bustling San Lorenzo Market s a great way to spend the morning. Photo by Tiana Kai.

Santissima Annunziata and San Marco

North of Florence’s busiest tourist streets, the Santissima Annunziata and San Marco area offers a slightly quieter base for exploring the city, with a wealth of historic sights and museums nearby. Although it’s a little removed from the liveliest parts of the historic centre, you’ll still be within walking distance of many major attractions, and you may find good-value accommodation if you look carefully.

Piazza della Santissima Annunziata is home to the beautiful Basilica of Santissima Annunziata and the Ospedale degli Innocenti, a pioneering foundling hospital designed by Filippo Brunelleschi and founded in 1419. Today, its museum explores the history of the institution and its care for abandoned children. Further south, near San Marco, you’ll find the National Archaeological Museum, with its important Etruscan collection, and the Galleria dell’Accademia, home to Michelangelo’s iconic David.

Stay here if: You want a quieter base within walking distance of major sights; you’re visiting Florence for its museums and art; or you’re looking for good-value accommodation away from the busiest tourist streets.

Duomo and the historic centre

The Duomo area is the city’s bullseye, it’s the center of the action as well as the most touristy and expensive place to stay. The actual name of this neighborhood is San Giovanni, but we also include the beautiful Piazza della Signoria in here as well.

This is Florence’s main hotel district, but be careful; while some of the hotels are the height of luxury, others hide behind the star afforded to them by their great location. You won’t be dodging tourists around the Florence Duomo neighborhood, you’ll be one of them, but you’ll be steps away from the beautiful Cathedral, Palazzo Vecchio, and the Uffizi Gallery – and that’s hard to beat.

Stay here if: Money is no object; You’re only in town for a short time; You’re unable or unwilling to walk a lot but still want to see the main sights; You don’t mind tourists; You want the convenience; You’ve come to Florence for a room with a view.

The Florence Historic Centre has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982.

Santa Croce

Santa Croce is best known for the massive Basilica of the same name. The walls inside are covered in intricate frescoes by Giotto and the chapels serve as the final resting place for some of the most well-known Italian artists and thinkers in the world, including Michelangelo and Galileo. Outside, the bars and restaurants that line the streets fill with people for the ever-popular aperitivo hour. There is also a wide variety of hotels. There’s a place to stay for travelers of nearly any taste and style on via de’ Benci or via de’ Macci.

Stay here if: You want to feel like a local; you’re looking for great nightlife close to the center; you don’t mind a bit of noise at night; you’re fascinated by Florentine art; you want to see and be seen; you plan on frequenting fashionable bars and restaurants; you want to be out of the throngs in the center, but still close enough to walk; you want to be centrally located between the Duomo and Oltrarno.

The Basilica di Santa Croce is one of Florence’s most impressive landmarks.

Sant’Ambrogio

To the east of Santa Croce is the quiet, family-oriented Sant’Ambrogio neighborhood. It’s one of the last genuinely Florentine neighborhoods left on this side of the Arno and features attractions like the city’s Synagogue, and some of Florence’s best, affordable cuisine.

The ever-popular flea markets held on the last Sunday of each month in the Piazza Annigoni sell anything from vintage furniture and clothing to teacups, lamps, mirrors and postcards. If you’re lucky enough to catch one, you’ll experience a real gem of Florentine life.

Stay here if: You’re looking for a completely non-touristy place to stay in Florence; you want to stay outside of the city center but still in a good neighborhood; you want to live like a local; you are more interested in the atmosphere than the sights; you’re traveling with kids and want a tranquil atmosphere during the day, but a bit of life after dark; you love the idea of exploring the daily antique market and monthly flea market.

Via de’ Tornabuoni and the luxury-shopping district

The most famous shopping street in Florence, Via de Tornabuoni spills directly into Piazza Santa Trinità, named after the beautiful church that dominates it. This is where to stay in Florence if you came to shop! Tornabuoni is home to Gucci, Armani, Versace and even more couture from Italy and beyond. Explore the narrow medieval streets stemming from Tornabuoni for even more options. The neighborhood is well-off, well kept, and a pleasant place to be even if you didn’t come to shop.

Stay here if: Your idea of souvenir shopping involves designer bags; you want to stay in a luxury hotel; the only tourist you’re willing to dodge is a well-dressed one; you want to be near the Oltrarno; you want to experience a modern Florence against a backdrop of medieval streets.

Florence’s Ponte Vecchio spanning over the Arno river.

Santo Spirito

Santo Spirito, along with the following two neighborhoods, is located in the Oltrarno district, literally all the area “over the Arno”. Once a working-class artisan quarter, it is still less touristy than the right side of the banks. This is one of the best places to stay if you like to find artisan workshops determinedly holding up centuries-old traditions of handcrafts. If you time it right, you can enjoy the Fierucola organic and artisan market, which is usually held on the third Sunday of the month (except August).

The lively, popular Santo Spirito neighborhood starts just on the other side of the Ponte Vecchio. Today it’s best known for its great restaurants and rowdy nightlife. This Florence neighborhood is home to both the Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens, along with some of the original artisan shops from Renaissance Florence. Enjoy a night out at one of the myriad different bars and restaurants in the area. 

Stay here if: Your idea of a perfect neighborhood is offbeat and lively; you’re coming for the nightlife; you don’t mind a few hipsters; you are a hipster; you want to explore the tiny streets and stone alleyways in a lively atmosphere; you’ve already visited the major sights around the Duomo; you don’t mind being a bit of a hike from the train station.

The Boboli Gardens in Florence. Photo by Lorenzo Turroni on Unsplash

San Niccolò

San Niccolò sits to the east of Santo Spirito and at the foot of Florence’s hills. Now beginning to buzz as a nightlife spot, possibly from Santo Spirito’s overflow, this neighborhood has a smaller offering of accommodation and hotels and offers reasonable prices on dinner and drinks. Also, perched above this neighborhood is the beautiful San Miniato church in Piazzale Michelangelo. Head there to enjoy the best sunset view over Florence that the city has to offer.

Stay here if: You want to escape the crowds but still enjoy the nightlife in and around Santo Spirito. Even if you can’t find a place to lay your head, the neighborhood is definitely worth a visit for the views, food, and quiet strolls alone.

The view from Piazzale Michelangelo can’t be beat!

San Frediano

San Frediano sits to the west of the Santo Spirito neighborhood. Stretching from the Oltrarno end of the Santa Trinità bridge and westward to Porta Pisana, this former working class borough can still claim Florentines as its citizens and artisans as its lodgers. 

Once upon a time it was a little too residential to merit a mention; now, however, it’s the best area to stay in Florence if you want to tell all your friends that you “went there before it was popular”. In fact, there’s enough good food, lodging, and culture in San Frediano that a visitor won’t even need to cross back over the river. 

Stay here if: You want to know more about Florence’s ancient artisan history and see how it juxtaposes with modern day Italy; you want to stay “off-the-beaten-path”; you don’t mind walking a bit; you want to stay somewhere “new”; you really detest the crowds; you don’t need to be near a major attraction.

This beautiful bridge is a great place to watch the sunset over the river. Photo Credit: Chris Wee on Flickr, CC by 2.0

FAQs – Where to stay in Florence

How much does it cost to stay in Florence?

Accommodation prices in Florence vary considerably depending on the season, location and type of property. As a rough guide, budget double rooms and guesthouses may cost around €80–€150 per night, while comfortable mid-range hotels often fall between €150 and €300. Luxury hotels can cost considerably more, particularly in the historic centre during peak season. These are estimates rather than fixed prices, so compare options for your dates and check whether local tourist tax is included in the quoted rate.

How far in advance should I book accommodation in Florence?

If you’re visiting between April and October, aim to book your accommodation around three to six months in advance, especially for weekends, public holidays and major events. Booking early gives you a wider choice of locations and prices, particularly if you want a hotel near the Duomo or a room with a view. Outside the busiest months, you may have more flexibility, but compare cancellation policies before committing to a non-refundable rate.

What is the easiest way to get from Florence Airport or train station to my hotel?

Florence Airport is connected to the city by tram line T2, which reaches the city centre in around 20 minutes and serves the Santa Maria Novella railway station area. This is usually a convenient, economical option if your hotel is near the route. Taxis are another option, particularly if you’re travelling with heavy luggage or staying somewhere that requires a longer walk from the tram. If you’re arriving by train at Santa Maria Novella, many central hotels are within walking distance, but check the exact route and distance before booking. If your flight arrives at Pisa Airport instead, allow extra time and budget for the transfer to Florence.

Take a guided tour to discover the best of Florence with a local expert who knows the city streets and sights!

Still deciding where to stay in Florence, Italy, or found your own favourite neighbourhood? 

Choosing the best area to stay in Florence depends on your budget, interests and travel plans, but wherever you book, the city’s Renaissance treasures are never far away. Once you’ve found your base, make the most of your visit with our Florence tours, led by local expert guides who bring the city’s art, history and culture to life. Or if you are looking for a more personalised experience, our private tours in Florence let you explore at your own pace and tailor your visit to your interests.