Overview of City Districts

Florence is compact and divided into clearly defined districts around the Arno:

Duomo & Center (Centro Storico)

For whom: First-time visitors, art lovers, architecture fans
The absolute heart of the city: cathedral, baptistery, Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi, Piazza della Signoria. Here is the highest concentration of masterpieces. Full of tourists during the day, magically quiet in the evening.

Oltrarno & Palazzo Pitti

For whom: Gourmets, art craft fans, seekers of authenticity
The district south of the Arno is the "real" Florence: craft workshops, hidden trattorias, the magnificent Palazzo Pitti with the Boboli Gardens, and Piazzale Michelangelo with the most famous panoramic view of Tuscany.

Santa Croce & Sant'Ambrogio

For whom: Foodies, night owls, leather goods shoppers
The district around the Basilica di Santa Croce (Pantheon of Florence) is livelier and less touristy than the center. The Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio is the locals' insider market tip. In the evening, the nightlife pulses here.

San Lorenzo & San Marco

For whom: Market-goers, Medici fans, seekers of tranquility
The Medici district: San Lorenzo (family church and burial chapels), the Mercato Centrale (food hall), the Galleria dell'Accademia with the David, and the San Marco Monastery with Fra Angelico's frescoes. Quieter than the center, more authentic than the tourist mile.