Italy Travel Guide, About Italy Tourism & Tourist Information

If you come to Florence, you cannot miss coming here to the Firenze central market (mercato).
This is an essential place for local Florentines.
Inside this roof-covered building, there are a lot of stands where we can get things to eat, like ham, cheese, and take out side dishes which are very useful for travelers.

On the first floor, there is a famous stall "Nerbone" where we can taste Lampredotto, a stewed dish of cow stomach, a well-known dish in Florence.
It was founded in 1892, crowded with local people and tourists all the year. Please taste this Lampredotto.

Comments from travelers I have really taken to this market above all of the shops in Florence. We can get jars and dried foods obviously to bring back to our country, such as paste made from vegetables, various kinds of dried fruit, sauce for pasta etc. If you have trouble finding souvenirs, I recommend coming to this central market. Of course we can enjoy it as a place of interest. (April 2010)

Name	Mercato Centrale	View Larger Map
Location	5 minute walk from the SMN station, go east towards the San Lorenzo Church
Days open	Mon-Sat, closed Sun
Opening hours	early morning to 2 pm

This is the largest open-air market in Florence. It is held every Tuesdays in the Cascine Park; we can find every necessity like old clothes, vegetables, foods, high-class articles, shoes and bags.
Cascine Park along the Arno River and this big market is lined with about 2 kilometers of truck stands.

This place is recommended for finding the particular souvenirs; we can buy old clothes with 1 euro ($1.3), bags with 3 euro ($ 3.9).
If you want to experience the whole market, it would take a half day.
When you are hungry, you can have local familiar food "panino di trippa" (tripe sandwiches), beverages and refreshments.

If you come to Florence on a Tuesday, you must not miss going to this market! Beware of pickpockets.

Comments from travelers At this market we can find a lot of things at a cheap price, it's an amusing and exciting place. We happened to find one stand where we could buy old clothes at 50 cents ($0.75) We had such a good time. If you want to go to this market, it is recommended to leave your valuables at the hotel and bring no more than 50 euro for shopping, enough for shopping and eating. (March 2010)

Name	Mercato delle Cascine	View Larger Map
Address	Parco delle Cascine
How to reach	15 minute walk from the SMN station, go west, this market is found along the Arno River or you can take a bus No.17C from the SMN station
Days Open	every Tuesday
Opening hours	early morning to 2 pm

It’s frequented by local people. Clothing items, eating things, prepared foods , every day items are available. Small market, we can shop without confusion and not so dangerous. Fresh vegetables and fruits are available at low prices.

Name	Mercato Sant Ambrogio	View Larger Map
How to reach	Inside of piazza situated northwest of Santa Croce Church
Days Open	Mon-Sat
Opening hours	early morning to 2 pm

This market is held at Piazza Santo Spirito, which we can find by crossing the Ponte Vecchio or Ponte Santa Trinita.
Held only the second Sunday. If you happen to stay in Florence, you must not miss it.
There are various schools of design and fashion close to Piazza Santo Spirito and also there are many young foreigners, so we can find enough items like clothes, bags, accessories and small articles, really worth seeing for women.

Comments from travelers My friend has taken me to Santo Spirito. I bought a used hat, a coat and an accessory, cost 55 euro in total. Not to miss for someone who really loves fashion! (July, 2010)

This is the well-known flea market in Florence.
Inside the open space there are antique shops (open everyday); besides these shops there are antique furniture shops in rows.
Especially the last Sunday of every month, we can visit a large variety of stands.

We can get; antique furniture, coins, books and magazines, posters and accessories, curios and also clothes.
The people working in the stands are all friendly and we can have a good time even looking.
If you are lucky enough to come to Florence on the last Sunday of the month, don’t miss going to this flea market.

Name	Mercato delle Pulci	View Larger Map
Location	Piazza dei Ciompi (situated north of Santa Croce Church) and the area around
Days Open	last Sunday of every month
Opening hours	9 am - 7 pm (about)