District
Santa Maria Novella
Florence neighbourhood guide
station, church square, old pharmacies
The area between the main railway station and the river, anchored by the green-and-white marble front of Santa Maria Novella. Practical rather than pretty near the station, it gets more interesting towards Via della Scala, the old Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica and the quiet streets near Ognissanti.
Day trips from Florence
Siena · Pisa · Lucca · San Gimignano · Chianti
Most are about an hour away by train or bus.
Explore Santa Maria Novella
Plan Here →
Trattoria Sostanza
A narrow, old-fashioned trattoria near the river, known for chicken breasts cooked in butter and served sizzling in the pan, and an artichoke tortino. Small, popular and hard to get into: book by phone well ahead.
Buca Lapi
A vaulted cellar restaurant under Palazzo Antinori, open since 1880 and decorated with old travel posters. Traditional Tuscan cooking with the bistecca as the main event. More of an occasion than an everyday trattoria, and priced accordingly.
Il Latini
A big, convivial trattoria with hams hanging from the ceiling and shared tables. Busy and theatrical rather than refined; come hungry and in a group.
Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
One of the oldest pharmacies in Europe, grown out of the Dominican friars' herb garden at Santa Maria Novella. The frescoed shop rooms are free to walk through; the perfumes, soaps and herbal waters are not cheap, but browsing costs nothing.
Day trip to Siena
Florence's old rival, a Gothic city built around the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo and a cathedral of striped marble. Buses and trains each take about an hour and a half; check the current timetable, as the bus is often quicker. Stay into the evening when the day-trippers leave.
Day trip to Pisa and Lucca
Two cities on the same railway line west of Florence. Pisa's Piazza dei Miracoli takes a couple of hours; walled Lucca rewards a slower afternoon, ideally on a bike along the ramparts. Regional trains take roughly an hour to each; tickets for the Leaning Tower need booking.
Day trip to Chianti
The wine country between Florence and Siena: hill villages such as Greve, Panzano and Radda, olive groves and estates that offer tastings. Public transport reaches Greve but not much else, so most visitors drive or book a small-group tour. Do not plan to drive and taste.
Santa Maria Novella
The Dominican church by the station, with Leon Battista Alberti's marble facade, Masaccio's Trinity and Ghirlandaio's fresco cycle behind the altar. Paid entry includes the cloisters. Rarely as crowded as the cathedral, and a good first or last stop on a train day.