Homelink De' Medici

Florence Oltrarno: local guide for guests

Distances, places and local tips to explore the neighbourhood and the city beyond the standard tourist itinerary.

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Leatherworker at a workbench in an Oltrarno Florence workshop trimming a vegetable-tanned hide with a curved knife

Guide to Florence leather crafts: Oltrarno and beyond

A complete guide to Florentine leather crafts in 2026: where the genuine artisan workshops are, how to identify real handmade Florentine leather, what separa...

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Castelfiorentino town centre with medieval church tower rising above terracotta rooftops in the Valdelsa valley

Day Trip to Castelfiorentino: What to See

Castelfiorentino what to see in 2026: the Museo Benozzo Gozzoli, the Valdelsa historic centre, the collegiate church, practical transport from Florence, and ...

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Piazza Farinata degli Uberti in Empoli with the white-and-green marble facade of the Collegiate Church of Sant'Andrea and surrounding medieval buildings

Day Trip from Florence to Empoli: What to See

Empoli day trip from Florence in 2026: how to get there, the glass museum, the Collegiate Church and its art, the historic centre, and what to eat in the Arn...

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Alabaster craftsman working in a Volterra workshop with carved alabaster objects

A complete guide to Volterra alabaster crafts

The technical process of working Volterra alabaster, which workshops are active in 2026, what the different quality grades look like, and realistic prices fo...

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Volterra medieval hilltop skyline with towers and Etruscan walls in Tuscany

What to see in Volterra: complete travel guide

What to see and do in Volterra in 2026: the Etruscan walls and museum, medieval centre, alabaster workshops, how to get there from Florence, and where to eat.

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Certaldo Alto hilltop medieval village in Tuscany with terracotta brick towers and a cobbled street descending through the historic centre

Florence Certaldo and Boccaccio: History and Places

Boccaccio and medieval Florence: the Decameron's structure and historical context, the places in Florence connected to his life, how to visit Certaldo, and w...

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Via San Niccolò in Florence looking east toward the medieval Torre di San Niccolò at dusk, residential buildings on both sides and a café terrace visible in the foreground

Authentic guide to San Nicolo neighbourhood Florence

A neighbourhood guide to San Niccolò in Florence: the medieval Torre di San Niccolò, the Bastione di San Giorgio designed by Michelangelo, the bars and works...

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Porta Romana seen from Via Romana looking south, the large central arch of pietra forte sandstone framing the road beyond the gate, with smaller pedestrian arches flanking it

Porta Romana Florence: history and what to see nearby

Porta Romana in Florence: the construction history of the 1326 gate, the architecture and military engineering of the third circuit of walls, the neighbourho...

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Stone fountain and cypress avenue in Florence's Boboli Garden seen from the upper terrace on a clear autumn morning

Historic gardens in Oltrarno Florence: visit guide

Boboli, Bardini, and the Giardino delle Rose are three distinct designed landscapes on Oltrarno's south-facing hillside, each with separate ticketing, openin...

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Dante Alighieri marble statue by Enrico Pazzi in Piazza Santa Croce, Florence, viewed from the east end of the square

Walking guide to Dante's Florence: places to visit

A walking guide to the Dante sites of Florence, what the historical record actually says about where he lived and worshipped, which surviving buildings he w...

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Panoramic view of Florence at dawn from Piazzale Michelangelo showing the Duomo and Arno bridges in low golden light

Best photography spots in Oltrarno Florence

A photographer's field guide to Oltrarno Florence: the specific locations, light conditions, best times of day, and technical considerations for shooting the...

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Close-up of a carved stone heraldic shield with the Florentine lily on a medieval palazzo facade in Oltrarno

Historical curiosities in Oltrarno Florence: a guide

Specific historical details of Oltrarno that most visitors walk past without noticing, the stone lanterns, plague markers, heraldic carvings, hydraulic infr...

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Night view of a narrow stone alley in Florence's Oltrarno with a single wall lantern casting long shadows

Oltrarno legends and stories: Florence hidden history

Poison at Palazzo Pitti, underground passages beneath the medieval alleys, and the hooded confraternities of Oltrarno: Florence's most documented legends sep...

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Detail of a stone coat of arms with six balls carved into the facade of a Florence palazzo, attributed to the Medici family

Hidden facts about the Medici in Florence

The Medici were merchants who became rulers without aristocratic titles, and Anna Maria Luisa's 1743 deed kept their entire collection in Florence: the histo...

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Facade of Palazzo Pitti facing the cobbled piazza in Florence's Oltrarno district

Medici history in Florence Oltrarno: full guide

How the Medici dynasty transformed Oltrarno from a working-class quarter into the seat of grand ducal power, from Palazzo Pitti to the Vasari Corridor.

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The Tribute Money fresco by Masaccio on the upper left wall of the Brancacci Chapel in Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence

Oltrarno Renaissance Art in Florence: Practical Guide

Florence Renaissance art in Oltrarno: how to read the Brancacci Chapel frescoes systematically, what makes Santo Spirito architecturally significant, and whi...

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Row of antique market stalls in Florence with silver objects, printed maps, and ceramics laid out on cloth-covered tables

Florence Sunday antique market: complete guide

The second-Sunday market in Piazza Santo Spirito, the permanent stalls at Piazza dei Ciompi, and Via Maggio's established dealers: a practical guide to buyin...

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Artist's canvas leaning against a stone wall inside a contemporary gallery in Florence's Oltrarno district

Contemporary art galleries in Florence Oltrarno

Six working galleries and a cluster of open studios make Oltrarno the most active contemporary art district in Florence, where Renaissance craft traditions s...

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The green and white marble geometric facade of San Miniato al Monte basilica photographed from the terrace, with the Florentine cityscape and Arno valley visible below on a clear afternoon

Complete guide to San Miniato al Monte in Florence

A complete practical guide to San Miniato al Monte: the uphill route from Oltrarno, the basilica's 11th-century history and interior contents, the terrace pa...

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Open Renaissance courtyard in an Oltrarno palazzo with stone loggia, central well, and potted citrus trees

Secret courtyards of Oltrarno palazzi in Florence

How to access the hidden palace courtyards of Oltrarno, which ones are open, when, the architectural history behind them, the families who built them, and w...

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Interior nave of Santo Spirito in Florence with Brunelleschi's grey pietra serena columns lining the central aisle

Lesser-Known Oltrarno Churches in Florence: a guide

A building-by-building guide to Oltrarno's overlooked churches, opening hours, admission, what to look for inside, and the historical context behind Santa F...

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Via Porta Rossa view of Palazzo Davanzati's stone facade showing medieval arched openings at street level and the later-added loggia at the roofline

Visiting Palazzo Davanzati in Florence: full guide

Everything you need before visiting Palazzo Davanzati: the building's 14th-century history, room-by-room contents, ticket prices, opening hours, and why it o...

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Piazza Santo Spirito in Oltrarno Florence at night, lit by street lamps, with the Brunelleschi basilica facade in the background and people gathered at outdoor tables

Oltrarno evening walks in Florence: local guide

A practical route guide for evening walks in Florence's Oltrarno district: which streets to take, where to stop for wine or aperitivo, the best piazzas after...

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Stone-paved alley in Florence with tall medieval buildings casting deep shadows at midday

Walking Florence historic streets: insider guide

Five walking routes through Florence's medieval street plan, with specific turns, building details, and navigation notes for independent walkers in 2026.

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The Arno river at dusk from the south bank in Florence, with Ponte Vecchio and the north bank facades reflected in still water

Evening walk along the Florence Lungarno: full guide

The south Lungarno from Ponte Vecchio to Ponte San Niccolò is where Florentines actually walk in the evening: the specific stretches, the best stopping point...

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The three elliptical arches of Ponte Santa Trinita photographed from the south bank at dusk, with Ponte Vecchio visible downstream and the hillside of Oltrarno in the background

Florence bridges: history, character and what to see

The documented history of Florence's Arno crossings, from the Roman ford to the 1944 demolitions, with structural facts, bridge-by-bridge profiles, and the...

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Bolts of fabric stacked against a wall in a Florentine tailor's studio, with a half-finished jacket on a mannequin

Artisan fashion in Florence: tailors and local designers

Bespoke suits from €1,200, shirts from €150, and a cluster of independent designers in Oltrarno who source fabric from Prato mills: what Florence artisan fas...

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Artisan painter applying cobalt glaze to a white-fired majolica plate in a small Florentine workshop

Artistic ceramics in Florence: majolica and workshops

A practical guide to Florentine artistic ceramics in 2026: which workshops in Oltrarno still hand-paint majolica, how to distinguish genuine pieces from impo...

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A leather craftsman in an Oltrarno workshop stitching a bag by hand, with hides and tools on the bench and shelves behind

Oltrarno leather artisans in Florence: where to buy

Florence leather artisans in Oltrarno: the tanning history of the Santa Croce area, how to identify handmade leather goods, which workshops on Via dei Serrag...

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Close-up of a goldsmith's workbench in Florence with metal gravers, a torch, and a ring held in a vice

Florence goldsmiths: shops near Ponte Vecchio

Ferdinando I expelled the butchers from Ponte Vecchio in 1593 and reserved the spaces for goldsmiths: the history, the working workshops off the bridge today...

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Close-up of a corniciaio's hands pressing gold leaf onto a gesso-primed wooden frame in an Oltrarno workshop

The art of gilded frames: Florence frame-makers

How Florentine frame-making works, which Oltrarno workshops still practice gold-leaf gilding in 2026, how to commission a frame and what it costs, and the te...

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Artisan cutting marbled paper sheets over a wooden workbench in a Florentine bookbinding studio

Artisan bookbinders in Florence: a living tradition

Oltrarno's working binderies still produce hand-marbled paper and sewn leather notebooks using 17th-century techniques: where to find them, what authentic wo...

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Close-up of a restorer's hands applying consolidant to a section of a damaged gilded wooden frame on a workshop bench in Oltrarno, Florence, with brushes and small glass jars visible nearby

Antique object restorers in Florence Oltrarno

Florence's restoration trade in Oltrarno: the training system at the Opificio delle Pietre Dure, the range of specialisations, how the process of restoring a...

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Artisan at a workbench in an Oltrarno Florence workshop, with hand tools and half-finished wooden frames on a pegboard behind

Authentic artisan workshops in Florence Oltrarno

Florence artisan workshops in Oltrarno: which crafts are still practised, how to identify a genuine production workshop versus a retail front, and what to ex...

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A direct-sale market stall in Florence with crates of seasonal vegetables, rounds of aged pecorino, and glass jars of local honey arranged on a wooden table under a canvas awning

Where to find local food producers in Florence

A practical guide to buying from Tuscan producers in Florence: which markets sell direct, what the territory around the city produces, where to find genuine ...

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Three dark glass bottles of Tuscan extra virgin olive oil with handwritten paper labels on a wooden shelf in a Florence food shop

How to buy extra virgin olive oil well in Florence

Tuscan extra virgin olive oil is peppery, early-harvested, and high in polyphenols: how to read a label, which Florence shops stock genuine DOP Toscano, and ...

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Chianti wine bottles on a shelf in a Florence wine shop showing different producers and labels

How to buy Chianti wine well in Florence

Where to buy Chianti in Florence in 2026, how the classification system works, which vintages are drinking well now, and how to get bottles home without brea...

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Glass of natural wine at a wine bar counter in Oltrarno Florence with bottles in background

Natural wine bars in Florence Oltrarno: where to go

How the natural wine movement established itself in Oltrarno, what distinguishes it from conventional wine, which wine bars are worth visiting, and what to e...

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Barista pulling espresso at an original 19th-century marble counter inside a historic Florence cafe

Historic cafes in Florence: where to drink well

A journalist's guide to Florence's surviving historic cafes, how they differ from neighbourhood bars, what to order, how much to pay, and where to find auth...

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Close-up of freshly baked cantuccini with whole almonds on a linen cloth beside a glass of amber vin santo

Artisan cantuccini in Florence: where to find the real ones

Where to find genuinely artisan cantuccini in Florence and Oltrarno, the biscuits' actual history, the differences between industrial and handmade versions,...

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Ceramic bowl of ribollita on a trattoria table in Oltrarno Florence, the thick dark mass of cavolo nero and dissolved bread glistening with olive oil, served with a fork rather than a spoon

Where to eat authentic ribollita in Florence Oltrarno

The documented history of ribollita, how to distinguish the genuine dish from tourist approximations, which Florentine trattorias still make it correctly, an...

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Four Tuscan crostini topped with dark chicken liver pâté on a slate board, with a glass of Chianti and a white cloth napkin

Where to eat real Tuscan crostini in Florence

Tuscan crostini in Florence: the difference from bruschetta, how chicken liver pâté is made, which Oltrarno restaurants serve them properly, and what to expe...

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Lampredotto sandwich at a traditional Florentine street stall, served in a bread roll

History of lampredotto in Florence: a working-class food

Lampredotto's origins in Florence's medieval offal trade, how it is cooked and served at street stalls, the best places to find it, and what it costs in 2026.

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A thick Chianina T-bone bistecca fiorentina resting on a wooden board, cooked rare, with a grill-marked crust, in a Florence restaurant

Where to eat a real Florentine steak in Florence

A practical guide to eating an authentic bistecca fiorentina in Florence in 2026: breed standards, cut specifications, which restaurants still follow the rul...

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A Negroni in a lowball glass with ice and an orange twist on a marble bar counter in a historic Florentine wine bar

Florence aperitivo: where locals drink authentically

Authentic aperitivo in Florence: the Negroni's origin story, which Oltrarno wine bars have maintained pre-dinner drink culture since the mid-twentieth centur...

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Interior of a traditional Florentine trattoria at midday with workers seated at simple wooden tables

Where locals eat in Florence: trattorias in 2026

Practical methods for finding trattorias in Florence that serve a working Florentine clientele, with neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood guidance and realistic pr...

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Narrow Florentine osteria dining room with bare wooden tables, terracotta floors, and a handwritten menu on a blackboard above the kitchen pass

Real Florentine taverns: where to find a true osteria

A field guide to finding genuine Florentine osterie: the dishes, the tells, the neighbourhoods, and the unwritten codes that separate working restaurants fro...

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Interior of a small Oltrarno bistro with marble-topped tables, a handwritten chalkboard menu on a brick wall, and evening light from a street window

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Where to eat well at an Oltrarno bistrot in Florence

A 2026 guide to eating well at Oltrarno bistros in Florence: what distinguishes them from tourist restaurants, which specific addresses are worth visiting, t...

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Oltrarno Florence neighbourhood street view with historic buildings and local shops

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Florence Oltrarno: complete neighbourhood guide

A factual guide to the Oltrarno neighbourhood in Florence: its territorial boundaries, historical layers, current character, main squares, and the mix of soc...

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Narrow cobblestone street in Oltrarno Florence with artisan workshop doors open

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What to see in Oltrarno Florence: local guide

What to do and see in Oltrarno, Florence's south bank district: the main monuments with entry prices, the artisan streets, and the squares that function as t...

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