{"id":9232,"date":"2016-06-14T10:29:28","date_gmt":"2016-06-14T08:29:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/walks.friday.ie\/?p=9232"},"modified":"2026-02-18T15:24:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T15:24:15","slug":"where-to-stay-in-florence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/where-to-stay-in-florence","title":{"rendered":"Where to Stay in Florence: Local Guide to the Best Neighborhoods"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">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. Despite its size (you can walk from one end of Florence to the other in about 30 minutes) it still has individual neighborhoods and choosing where to stay in Florence will have a big effect on how you experience the city. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In the tiny city center, or <em>centro storico,<\/em> alone there are at least seven neighborhoods, and that\u2019s without even crossing the bridge to the <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/florence\/oltrarno-florence-italy-pitti-palace\"><em>Oltrarno<\/em><\/a>. Though you are almost never farther than five minutes from the <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/florence-tours\/\">Duomo<\/a>, each location within Florence\u2019s UNESCO-designated historic center has something different to offer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">If you want to get the most out of your stay in Florence, check out our guide to finding the perfect Florence neighborhood for you.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/where-to-stay-in-florence\/#Santa_Maria_Novella\" >Santa Maria Novella<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/where-to-stay-in-florence\/#Santa_Maria_Novella_Train_Station\" >Santa Maria Novella Train Station<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/where-to-stay-in-florence\/#Fortezza_da_Basso\" >Fortezza da Basso<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/where-to-stay-in-florence\/#San_Lorenzo\" >San Lorenzo<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/where-to-stay-in-florence\/#Santissima_Annunziata_and_San_Marco\" >Santissima Annunziata and San Marco<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/where-to-stay-in-florence\/#Duomo\" >Duomo<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/where-to-stay-in-florence\/#Santa_Croce\" >Santa Croce<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/where-to-stay-in-florence\/#SantAmbrogio\" >Sant&#8217;Ambrogio<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/where-to-stay-in-florence\/#Piazza_Santa_Trinita\" >Piazza Santa Trinit\u00e0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/where-to-stay-in-florence\/#Santo_Spirito\" >Santo Spirito<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/where-to-stay-in-florence\/#San_Niccolo\" >San Niccol\u00f2<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/travel-tips\/where-to-stay-in-florence\/#San_Frediano\" >San Frediano<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Santa_Maria_Novella\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Santa Maria Novella<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_20681\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20681\" class=\"wp-image-20681 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Santa-Maria-Novella-basilica1200.jpg\" alt=\"church with white facade\" width=\"1200\" height=\"769\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Santa-Maria-Novella-basilica1200.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Santa-Maria-Novella-basilica1200-768x492.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-20681\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Completed in 1470, the Santa Maria Novella Basilica was the first great basilica built in Florence. Photo credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/druidabruxux\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Jose Javier Martin Espartosa<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Santa Maria Novella is a neighborhood in Florence that can be split into two distinct parts: the somewhat grim (though generally safe) streets closest to the train station and the eclectic residential area beyond that, between Santa Maria Novella church and the Arno River. Be careful about what you pick here; there\u2019s a large variety of lovely hotels and ones that leave a bit to be desired. That said, here you\u2019ll find the eponymous Dominican Basilica, a club or two, and alfresco dining that ranges from quiet caf\u00e9s to neighborhood pubs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Stay here if:<\/strong> Your online booking game is strong; you\u2019re looking for a laid-back vibe; You want to try some of Florence\u2019s ethnic and immigrant cuisine; you\u2019re on a food budget; You want a hotel that\u2019s centrally located but still budget minded. This neighborhood&#8217;s mix of high, low, and middle ground between the station and the center make it a great option for families.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Santa_Maria_Novella_Train_Station\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Santa Maria Novella Train Station<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Though technically a part of the Santa Maria Novella neighborhood, the streets closest to the city\u2019s train station are slightly grittier than the rest of the neighborhood. On the upside the area is a convenient place to stay in Florence for those without much time, as it\u2019s ten minutes from the <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/florence-tours\/\">Duomo<\/a> and other major sites, and just a skip away from the train station. It&#8217;s also the cheapest place to stay in central Florence. In fact, we often stay in this area for work trips to the city.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Stay here if:<\/strong> You\u2019re on a tight budget; You have a very early morning train; You don\u2019t need to navigate the city late at night; You booked last minute and there are no other hotel options in the city; You don\u2019t mind staying a 10 to 15-minute walk outside the city center.<strong><br \/>\n<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fortezza_da_Basso\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Fortezza da Basso<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The neighborhood of Fortezza sits to the east of the train station. It might not seem like much at first glance, but that\u2019s exactly its draw: It is well removed from the throngs of tourists, but still within walking distance of the city\u2019s main sights. You\u2019ll find a few more cars here since it&#8217;s not completely pedestrianized, but you\u2019ll also have the big complex of the 16th-century Fortezza (now a convention center) and restaurants featuring some of Florence\u2019s most traditional foods, like the famous tripe sandwiches called <em><a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/florence\/panini-restaurants-in-florence\">Lampredotto<\/a><\/em>\u00a0and the classic <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/food-and-wine\/italian-foods-for-winter\"><em>ribollita\u00a0<\/em>vegetable soup<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Stay here if:<\/strong> You\u2019d 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\u2019ve come to Florence for a convention; you don\u2019t mind walking a bit to see the city\u2019s main sights; you want to avoid the crowds; you\u2019re not interested in the nightlife.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"San_Lorenzo\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">San Lorenzo<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_20682\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20682\" class=\"wp-image-20682 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/San-Lorenzo-market-1200.jpg\" alt=\"people shopping in a street marking\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/San-Lorenzo-market-1200.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/San-Lorenzo-market-1200-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-20682\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The bustling San Lorenzo Market s a great way to spend the morning. Photo by Tiana Kai.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">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 <em>Basilica di San Lorenzo<\/em> 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.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Stay here if:<\/strong> You thrive on crowds and chaos; You want to explore Florence\u2019s 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\u2019re a foodie.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Santissima_Annunziata_and_San_Marco\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Santissima Annunziata and San Marco<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Santissima Annunziata\u00a0neighborhood to the north of Florence doesn\u2019t have a great reputation. The traffic streaming across the north, aggressive panhandlers, and the fact that it\u2019s a bit removed from the action in the city center means it typically doesn&#8217;t make it onto top lists of where to stay in Florence. That said, all of the above make it a strong budget location to stay in Florence, and it&#8217;s packed with sites. The namesake <em>piazza<\/em>, for instance, houses the gorgeous <em>Santissima Annunziata Basilica<\/em> and a whole lot of history. The neighborhood is also home to the\u00a0<em>Ospedale degli Innocenti. <\/em>The first orphanage in Europe, it was created during the Black Death when more than half the population of Florence died. Farther south, near\u00a0San Marco Church, there is the Etruscan Archaeological Museum and\u00a0the <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/top-attractions\/gallerie-dellaccademia-venice\">Accademia<\/a> that holds the statue of <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/top-attractions\/michelangelo-david-sculpture-florence\">David<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Stay here if:<\/strong> You\u2019re looking for the best hippie hangout in the city; you want to be a bit removed from the chaotic center; you like the idea of finding an undiscovered gem of a hotel (totally doable) along a quiet street; you keep your wits (and wallet) about you in crowded piazzas; you\u2019re here for the attractions and you don\u2019t need great dining or nightlife directly underneath your hotel.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Duomo\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Duomo<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_24939\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24939\" class=\"wp-image-24939 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/florence-private-tours-david-duomo-uffizi-home-new.jpg\" alt=\"The exterior of Florence's Duomo, with its distinctive red dome and black and white facade.\" width=\"800\" height=\"461\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/florence-private-tours-david-duomo-uffizi-home-new.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/florence-private-tours-david-duomo-uffizi-home-new-768x443.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-24939\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The neighborhood around the Duomo is where to stay in Florence if you want the tourist experience par excellence.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/florence-tours\/\">Duomo<\/a> is the city\u2019s bullseye. As always in Italian cities, it&#8217;s the center of the action as well as the most touristy and expensive place to stay. The actual name of this neighborhood is <em>San Giovanni<\/em>, but we also include the beautiful <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/top-attractions\/piazza-della-signoria-florence\"><em>Piazza della Signoria<\/em><\/a> in here as well. This is Florence&#8217;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\u2019t be dodging tourists around the Florence Duomo neighborhood, you\u2019ll be one of them, but you\u2019ll be steps away from the beautiful <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/florence-tours\/\">Cathedral<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/top-attractions\/palazzo-vecchio-florence\">Palazzo Vecchio<\/a>, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/top-attractions\/uffizi-gallery-florence\">Uffizi Gallery<\/a>&#8211;\u00a0and that&#8217;s hard to beat.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Stay here if:<\/strong>\u00a0Money is not an object; You\u2019re only in town for a short time; You\u2019re unable or unwilling to walk a lot but still want to see the main sights; You don\u2019t mind tourists; You want the convenience; You\u2019ve come to Florence for a room with a view.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Santa_Croce\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Santa Croce<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">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\u00a0fill with people for the ever-popular <em>aperitivo<\/em> hour. There is also a wide variety of hotels &#8211; There\u2019s a place to stay for travelers of nearly any taste and style on <em>via de\u2019 Benci<\/em> or <em>via de\u2019 Macci<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Stay here if:<\/strong> You want to feel like a local; you\u2019re looking for great nightlife close to the center; you don\u2019t mind a bit of noise at night; you\u2019re 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.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SantAmbrogio\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Sant&#8217;Ambrogio<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_20676\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20676\" class=\"wp-image-20676 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/FirenzeFood1200.jpg\" alt=\"hand holding a red tomato\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/FirenzeFood1200.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/FirenzeFood1200-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-20676\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The fresh produce at the Sant&#8217;Ambrogio market, which we explore on our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/florence-tours\/?filters=Food%20%26%20Wine\">Florence food tour,<\/a> is amazing!<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">To the east of Santa Croce is the quiet, family-oriented Sant\u2019Ambrogio neighborhood. It&#8217;s one of the last genuinely Florentine neighborhoods left on this side of the Arno and features attractions like the city\u2019s Synagogue, <em>Piazza dei<\/em><em>\u00a0Ciompi<\/em> flea market, and some of Florence\u2019s best, affordable cuisine. The ever-popular flea markets held on the last Sunday of each month in the\u00a0<em>Piazza dei Ciompi<\/em> sell anything from vintage furniture and clothing to teacups, lamps, mirrors and postcards. If you&#8217;re lucky enough to catch one, you&#8217;ll experience a real gem of Florentine life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Stay here if:<\/strong> You\u2019re 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\u2019re 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.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Piazza_Santa_Trinita\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Piazza Santa Trinit\u00e0<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The most famous <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/florence\/best-shopping-in-florence\">shopping street in Florence<\/a>, <em>via de Tornabuoni<\/em> spills directly into <em>Piazza Santa Trinit\u00e0<\/em>, named after the beautiful church that dominates it. This is where to stay in Florence if you came to shop! <em>Tornabuoni<\/em> is home to Gucci, Armani, Versace and even more couture from Italy and beyond. Explore\u00a0the narrow medieval streets stemming from <em>Tornabuoni<\/em> for even more options. The neighborhood is well-off, well kept, and a pleasant place to be even if you didn\u2019t come to shop.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Stay here if:<\/strong> Your idea of souvenir shopping involves designer bags; you want to stay in a luxury hotel; the only tourist you\u2019re 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.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Santo_Spirito\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Santo Spirito<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_20675\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20675\" class=\"wp-image-20675 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Boboli-Garden-in-Florence1200.jpg\" alt=\"sculptured green garden with pink flowers\" width=\"1200\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Boboli-Garden-in-Florence1200.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Boboli-Garden-in-Florence1200-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-20675\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The nightlife isn&#8217;t all the Santo Spirito neighborhood has to offer. Tour the beautiful \u2013 and massive \u2013 Boboli Gardens while you&#8217;re there! Photo credit: The Culture Map<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Santo Spirito, along with the following two neighborhoods, is located in the <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/florence\/oltrarno-florence-italy-pitti-palace\">Oltrarno<\/a> district, literally all the area \u201cover the Arno\u201d. Once a working-class artisan quarter, it is still less touristy than the right side of the banks and you can find artisan workshops determinedly holding up centuries-old traditions of handcrafts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The lively, popular Santo Spirito neighborhood starts just on the other side of the <a href=\"https:\/\/walksofitaly.com\/blog\/top-attractions\/the-ponte-vecchio\">Ponte Vecchio<\/a>. Today it\u2019s best known for its great restaurants and rowdy nightlife. This Florence neighborhood\u00a0is home to both the\u00a0<em>Palazzo Pitti<\/em> and the <em>Boboli Gardens<\/em>, along with some of the original artisan shops from Renaissance Florence. Enjoy a night out at one of\u00a0the myriad\u00a0different bars and restaurants in the area, then spend the next day with those in the know at the Santo Spirito Flea Market (which sets up on the second Sunday of each month).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Stay here if:<\/strong> Your idea of a perfect neighborhood is offbeat and lively; you\u2019re coming for the nightlife; you don\u2019t mind a few hipsters; you are a hipster; you want to explore the tiny streets and stone alleyways in a lively atmosphere; you\u2019ve already visited the major sights around the Duomo; you don\u2019t mind being a bit of a hike from the train station.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"San_Niccolo\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">San Niccol\u00f2<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_20674\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20674\" class=\"wp-image-20674 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Florence-panorama1200.jpg\" alt=\"landscape view of buildings in the distance\" width=\"1200\" height=\"796\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Florence-panorama1200.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Florence-panorama1200-768x509.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-20674\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The view from Piazzale Michelangelo really is spectacular!<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">San Niccol\u00f2 sits to the east of Santo Spirito and at the foot of Florence\u2019s hills. Now beginning to buzz as a nightlife spot, possibly from Santo Spirito\u2019s overflow, this neighborhood doesn\u2019t have tons to offer in terms of hotels. Still, it\u2019s a good place to visit for better prices on dinner and drinks before crossing back over the bridge to the <em>centro storico<\/em>. Also, perched above this neighborhood is the beautiful San Miniato church in <em>Piazzale Michelangelo<\/em>. Head there to enjoy the best sunset view over Florence that the city has to offer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Stay here if:<\/strong> You want to escape the crowds but still enjoy the nightlife in and around Santo Spirito. Even if you can&#8217;t find a place to lay your head, the neighborhood is definitely worth a visit for the views, food, and quiet strolls alone.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"San_Frediano\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\">San Frediano<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_20683\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20683\" class=\"wp-image-20683 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Santa-Trinita-bridge-1200.jpg\" alt=\"sunset light on bidge connecting an old town\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Santa-Trinita-bridge-1200.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/Santa-Trinita-bridge-1200-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-20683\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Santa Trinit\u00e0 bridge is a strategic place to catch the sun setting over the city&#8217;s other bridges. Photo credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/cfwee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Chris Wee<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">San Frediano sits to the west of the Santo Spirito neighborhood and is now among the most interesting places to stay in Florence. Stretching from the Oltrarno end of the Santa Trinit\u00e0 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&#8217;s where to stay in Florence if you want to tell all your friends that you &#8220;went there before it was popular&#8221;. In fact, there\u2019s enough good food, lodging, and culture in San Frediano that a visitor won\u2019t even need to cross back over the river.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Stay here if:<\/strong> You want to know more about Florence\u2019s ancient artisan history and see how it juxtaposes with modern day Italy; you want to stay \u201coff-the-beaten-path\u201d; you don\u2019t mind walking a bit; you want to stay somewhere \u201cnew\u201d; you really detest the crowds; you don\u2019t need to be near a major attraction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>Need more advice on where to stay in Florence or what to share your own tips?\u00a0Make yourself heard in the comments!<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>We know its hard to make a decision on where to stay in Florence, but no matter where you choose, you&#8217;ll be close to all the best Florence has to offer. And once you make your hotel reservation, don&#8217;t forget to book one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/florence-tours\/\">walking tours of Florence<\/a>. With small groups and local guides, you really can&#8217;t go wrong.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>This blog post was updated on November 27, 2023.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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. Despite its size (you can walk from one end of Florence to the other in about 30 minutes) it [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":8867,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[96,64],"ppma_author":[161],"class_list":["post-9232","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel-tips","tag-accommodation","tag-florence"],"authors":[{"term_id":161,"user_id":40,"is_guest":0,"slug":"ginamussio","display_name":"Gina Mussio","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d9497ce1b0417babd82886ad23b18998?s=96&d=mm&r=g","user_url":"","last_name":"Mussio","first_name":"Gina","job_title":"","description":"Gina is a Midwesterner living in Lombardy, Italy where she writes about Italian culture, travel and food. She is a bilingual primary school teacher by day, forever interested in developing cross-culture communication skills across languages. Gina loves touring Italy's beautiful and tiny borghi with her family and exploring Italy's culture through its culinary history."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9232"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9232"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9232\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24941,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9232\/revisions\/24941"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8867"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9232"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9232"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9232"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.walksofitaly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=9232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}