Oltrarno
Cross any bridge to the south bank of the Arno and the city shifts register entirely — fewer tour groups, more working studios, and a neighbourhood identity fiercely proud of its craft traditions. The Oltrarno is where gilders, bookbinders, furniture restorers and independent ceramicists still work in ground-floor botteghe, their doors open to the street.
Streets and Squares to Explore
Begin at Piazza Santo Spirito, the neighbourhood's sunlit living room, where a small daily market gives way to aperitivo hour by late afternoon and the Brunelleschi basilica anchors the scene with quiet authority. The bars around the square are among the most affordable and least self-conscious in central Florence.
Via Maggio is the grand antique dealers' street, lined with 16th-century palazzi whose ground floors are given over to gilded mirrors, Baroque furniture and oil paintings of uncertain provenance. Even if you're not buying, it's one of the most beautiful commercial streets in Italy.
Food, Craft and the Boboli Connection
Eat at any of the small trattorias tucked into the side streets off Piazza Santo Spirito — look for handwritten menus and no English translation as a quality filter. Il Guscio on Via dell'Orto and Buca Mario on Piazza Degli Ottaviani are both reliable and loved by locals.
The Oltrarno also gives direct access to the Boboli Gardens behind Palazzo Pitti — buy a combined ticket that includes the Palatine Gallery and the Costume Museum to make the most of a full day on the south bank.
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