San Lorenzo

San Lorenzo, for the Florentines is synonymous with 'market'. The biggest open market of the city is, in fact, located here. In the colorful and noisy San Lorenzo market it's possible to find a wide choice of leather jackets and bags, jeans, t-shirts, shoes…everything of reasonably good quality and at reasonable prices.

Even if you don't plan to spend hours shopping we suggest that you visit the market all the same, just to enjoy browsing. Naturally, watch out for pickpockets here!

 

 

Just behind the open market, in the large grey and red building that resembles a train station, is the main daily indoor market of the city, the Mercato Centrale, where every morning (except on Sundays) you can find excellent food products (fruits, vegetables, typical local cheeses and meats) at good prices, as well as several places to stop for a quick, high-quality and low-cost lunch, immersed in the beautiful atmosphere of an ancient city market.The main attractions of San Lorenzo (apart from shopping, of course) are the San Lorenzo Basilique (made up of several buildings including the San Lorenzo church, the Brunelleschi Sagrestia Vecchia, the annex cloisters, the Canonici area and the Laurenziana Library with the famous staircase by Leonardo da Vinci) consecrated by St. Ambrose in 393, it is the oldest church in the city. It was then rebuilt along Romanesque lines in 1060. The present building dates to 1423 and was designed and built by Brunelleschi) and the Cappelle Medicee (the Medicean Chapels - are a precious tomb which preserve the Medici family remains, representing the mausoleum of the big family).

If you love shopping, chaos, art and crowds this is certainly the right district for you!

BARS: SABOR CUBANO, LA MENAGERE, KITSCH, MERCATO CENTRALE (2ND FLOOR)
RESTAURANTS: ZAZA', ANGIOLINO, TRATTORIA MARIO, DA GIANNINO, LOBS, MERCATO CENTRALE (2ND FLOOR)
PUB: ATLANTIC PUB, PANICALE