No trip to Florence would be complete without enjoying the Tuscan food in the many restaurants, trattorias or osterias. You can also experience the best of the food on offer in the city though at the indoor food market on Via Dell’Ariento. Inside you’ll find specialist outlets selling the best in Italian meats, cheeses, olives, vegetables, fruits and spices. Best of all, you’ll find lots of free samples on offer too! We loved the smells, the atmosphere and especially the obvious pride that the stall-holders have in their produce. The best time to go is before 10am because at peak times of the day, the crowds start to clog up the aisles. This is an extract from our free Florence City Guide.
A fruit stall at the indoor food market, Florence
From the outside, this building looks somewhat out of place in Florence, but as soon as you enter, the sights an smells feel as normal as visiting the Duomo. Walking around makes you wish you had a kitchen in your hotel room!! Most stalls will wrap things for you to take home as souveniers, but make sure you follow your country’s rules when it comes to importing things like meat and cheese. If you love cooking you’re sure to like the Cooking Course and Florence Market Visit tour from our Tours & Activities pages.
The indoor food market (Mercato Centrale) is open Monday to Saturday from from 7am till 2pm. Some stalls are also open on Saturday afternoon. Don’t forget to visit the outdoor San Lorenzo Street Market while you’re here too which is great for leather goods, clothes and souveniers.
Mushrooms and dried fruits at the indoor food market, Florence
LOCATION & CONTACT
Address: Mercato Centrale, Via dell’Ariento, 50123 Firenze, Italy
MORE ON THE INDOOR FOOD MARKET
Hotels near Mercato Centrale/San Lorenzo Market – Best price guarantee from Hotel.com
Cooking Course and Florence Market Visit – Highly rated tour
Florence Cooking Course
More Florence Tours – From our Tours & Activities pages
Florence Guide Books – Amazon.co.uk (UK)
Florence Guide Books – Amazon.com (USA & Canada)
