This document provides a summary of additional attractions to see beyond art in Florence, Italy. It lists several non-art attractions, including the San Lorenzo food market filled with Italian products, panino con lampredotto sandwiches, the Biblioteca delle Oblate public library, secret bakeries open late at night, love locks at Piazzale Michelangelo bridge, artisans in the Oltrarno quarter, whimsical traffic signs by Clet Abraham, and describes Florence as a treasure box with endless discoveries around every corner.

1. Beyond Art
Other Attractions to See
in Florence

2. Fun facts about Florence
O The city center of Florence was declared
as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in
1982.
O It was ranked by Forbes as one of the most
beautiful cities in the world.
O It is considered as the birthplace of the
Renaissance.

3. As one can expect from a city that is
steeped in culture and history, almost every
street and every corner boasts a historical
building or a work of art.
However, other than your usual tour of
galleries and museums, there are still a
myriad other interesting places to see and
things to do in beautiful Firenze.

4. Florence’s Other
Attractions
Here is a short list of just some of those attractions,
and we’re sure that you will discover even more in
your own explorations!

5. San Lorenzo Food Market
O The San Lorenzo Mercato Centrale is a two-
story building that was built in 1874, and
serves as both a historical landmark, as well
as a food-lover’s paradise.
O It is filled with stalls that sell everything you
would ever need for your own Italian kitchen
with products that include fresh and preserved
meats and seafood, as well as wines, breads,
pasta, spices, herbs, and cheeses.

7. Panino con Lampredotto
O Classified as street food, it is very popular
with locals, and it shouldn’t be surprising if
you end up buying your share alongside the
city’s workers. It is basically a sandwich with
tripe (the fourth stomach of a cow) that has
been boiled in broth, and then served with
some local condiments and sauces.
O For a few euros, you can have a traditional,
delicious, and most importantly, filling snack!

8. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

9. Biblioteca delle Oblate
O Formerly a monastery and hospital, this
building has since been converted into the
city’s main public library.
O The library itself feature books and
magazines in Italian as well as a variety of
other languages, and it also has a
children’s section with comfortable seats
and enough space for kids to play in.

10. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

11. Florence’s “Secret Bakeries”
O Most establishments in Italy have set
operating hours and tend to close rather early,
so looking for some place to eat at two in the
morning or so can be rather problematic.
O However, whether you happened to arrive in
the city too late or too early, you’re back from
a late night out, or you just really want a snack
in the middle of the night, all you have to do is
to walk down a street and look for the lights
coming from open doors and windows.

12. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

13. Love Locks at
Piazzale Michelangelo
O Inspired by the novel Tre Metri Sopra il Cielo
(Three Meters Above the Sky) written by
Federico Moccia in 1992, sweethearts have
been visiting the bridge at Piazzale
Michelangelo to profess their affections for
each other, as they inscribe a padlock with
their initials before locking it into place on the
railings, and throwing the key into the Arno
River.

15. Oltrarno Quarter’s Artisans
O A short distance away from Florence’s bustling central
quarters, Oltrarno features restaurants, cafes, tranquil
gardens, squares, monuments, museums, churches, and
palaces.
O However, it also serves as home to a majority of
Florence’s artisans who create beautiful pieces of
merchandise that include items such as bespoke shoes
and clothing, stationery, jewelry, leather goods, and
mosaics of Murano glass.
O Even if you're not out to buy, feel free to peek inside their
studios and ateliers to watch the masters at work.

16. Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

17. Traffic signs by Clet
Abraham
O Every day, we tend to simply walk past
road and traffic signs without a second
thought, because they’re… well…
everywhere.
O In Florence, however, you might want to
stop and look for a few seconds longer, as
the French artist Clet Abraham has taken
his brand of whimsical art to the streets,
adding a touch of fun to otherwise plain
installations.

18. Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

19. Treasure Box
O The city of Florence is a treasure box of
treasure boxes, where every turn at
almost any hour can lead you into
something fascinating and beautiful.
O So after you’re done with your museum
and gallery tours, go ahead and feel free
to step out, take a deep breath, pick a
direction, and just keep walking. Stop at
whatever catches your fancy.

20. For more information
about travel to Italy,
visit our website
www.touritalynow.com
or call our travel experts
at 800.955.4418.