Santa Croce
Despite being only a hop, skip and jump from the city’s major museums, this ancient part of Florence is far removed from the tourist maelstrom. The streets behind the basilica are home to plenty of locals, all of whom seem to be taking their neighbourhood’s reinvention as hipster central – epicentre of the city’s bar and club scene – with remarkable aplomb.
The Sights in a Day
MBegin with breakfast and glorious coffee at third-wave coffee shop Ditta Artigianale, then head to the Museo del Bargello to admire Renaissance Tuscan sculptures. Visit on a sunny day when the natural sun rays flood the vintage, dimly lit exhibition rooms and their incredible bounty of sculptures in an intoxicating light; true Michelangelo aficionados must continue to Museo Casa Buonarroti.
RMeander east to bijou, village-like Piazza Sant' Ambrogio with its neighbouring open-air food market, Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio, and cluster of famous Florentine eating addresses. Grab a sandwich at Semel or lunch with locals at busy no-frills Il Giova. Devote the afternoon to the neighbourhood's star turn, Basilica di Santa Croce.
NBegin the evening with a customary aperitivo (pre-dinner drink with nibbles) over Tuscan salami at All'Antico Vinaio. Indulge in gastronomic brilliance at Enoteca Pinchiorri, fish at fashionable Vivo or thin-crust Neapolitan pizza at trendy Santarpia.
l Local Life
x Best of Florence
Eating
Drinking
Nightlife
Getting There
2 Walk From Piazza della Stazione walk southeast via Via de’ Panzani, Via de’ Cerretani and Via del Proconsolo to Museo del Bargello. Take Via Ghibellina and turn right at Via Giuseppe Verdi to Piazza di Santa Croce.
Top SightsBasilica di Santa Croce
The austere interior of this massive Franciscan basilica is a surprise when compared with its magnificent neo-Gothic facade, which is enlivened by varying shades of coloured marble. Though most visitors come to see the tombs of Michelangelo, Dante, Galileo and Machiavelli in the nave, it’s the Giotto frescoes and the utterly exquisite Cappella de’ Pazzi that are the real highlights.
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
%055 246 61 05; www.santacroceopera.it; Piazza di Santa Croce; adult/reduced €8/4; 
h9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Sat, 2-5.30pm Sun
Frescoed Chapels
Giotto's murals feature John the Baptist in the Cappella Peruzzi (1310–20), while the Cappella Bardi (1320-28) features scenes from the life of St Francis. Giotto's assistant and loyal pupil, Taddeo Gaddi, frescoed Cappella Majeure (currently being restored) and Cappella Baroncelli (1328–38).
Sagrestia
From the transept chapels, a doorway designed by Michelozzo leads into a corridor, off which is the enchanting 14th-century Sacristy with Taddeo Gaddi's fresco of the Crucifixion. The large painted wooden cross (c 1288) by Cimabue was one of many artworks to be damaged in the 1966 floods which inundated Santa Croce in more than 4m of water.
Cappella de' Pazzi
Backtrack to the church and follow the 'Uscita' (exit) sign, opposite the main entrance, to access the basilica's two serene cloisters designed by Brunelleschi. His unfinished Cappella de' Pazzi is notable for its harmonious lines and restrained terracotta medallions of the Apostles by Luca della Robbia, and is a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture.
Cenacolo
Continue to the second cloister. Inside the cavernous Refectory, Taddeo Gaddi's dazzling The Last Supper (1334–56) fills the entire far wall, but it's Georgio Vasari's The Last Supper (1546) that steals the show. Submerged in floodwater for at least 12 hours, the severely damaged oil painting was returned to Santa Croce following 50 years of restoration in 2016.
Top SightsMuseo del Bargello
It was from fortress-like Palazzo del Bargello – built in the mid-13th century and Florence’s oldest still-standing public building – that the podestà meted out justice until 1502. Today, the building safeguards Italy’s most comprehensive collection of Tuscan Renaissance sculpture, including Michelangelo’s best early works. While crowds clamour to see his David, few rush here – rendering the Bargello a highly rewarding experience.
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
www.bargellomusei.beniculturali.it; Via del Proconsolo 4; adult/reduced €8/4; h8.15am-1.50pm, closed 2nd & 4th Sun, 1st, 3rd & 5th Mon of month
Michelangelo
Michelangelo was just 21 when he created the drunken, grape-adorned Bacchus (1496–97) displayed in the ground-floor Sala di Michelangelo e della Scultura del Cinque Cento (first door on the right after entering the interior courtyard from the ticket office). Other Michelangelo works include the marble bust of Brutus (c 1539–40), the David/Apollo (1530–32) and the large, uncompleted roundel of the Madonna and Child with the Infant St John (1503–05; aka the Tondo Pitti).
Salone di Donatello
The majestic salon where the city’s general council met now showcases works by Donatello and other 15th-century sculptors. Don’t miss his St George (1416–17), originally on the facade of Chiesa di Orsanmichele and now within a tabernacle at the hall’s far end, which brought a new sense of perspective and movement to Italian sculpture.
Yet it is Donatello's two versions of David, a favourite subject for sculptors, that really fascinate: Donatello fashioned his slender, youthful dressed image in marble in 1408 and his fabled bronze between 1439 and 1443. The latter is extraordinary – the more so when you consider it was the first free-standing naked statue to be sculpted since classical times.
The Della Robbias
The 2nd floor moves into the 16th century with a superb collection of terracotta pieces by the prolific della Robbia family, including Andrea’s Ritratto idealizia di fanciullo (Bust of a Boy; c 1475) and Giovanni’s Pietà (1514). Instantly recognisable, Giovanni’s works are more flamboyant than those of his father Luca or cousin Andrea, using a larger palette of colours.
Local LifeA Night Out in Santa Croce
In this heavily touristed city, it can be hard to find authentic pockets of local life. Fortunately, the fact that the basilica is the only top-drawer sight in Santa Croce means the neighbourhood is blessedly bereft of sightseers – locals flock here to shop, eat, drink and party with their fellow Florentines as a result.
1Riverside Lounging
Begin the night out the Florentine way – soaking up the light, view and mood from a bridge across the Arno. Lounge with locals on Ponte alle Grazie as the sun softens and turns the river’s romantic cascade of bridges a hazy mellow pink.
2Shopping at Dusk
Nose-dive into trendy Via de’ Benci with its bevy of bars and boutiques. Pop into Boutique Nadine (
GOOGLE MAP
; %055 247 82 74; www.boutiquenadine.com; Via de' Benci 32r; h2.30-7.30pm Mon, 10.30am-7.30pm Tue-Sat, 2-7.30pm Sun) to browse its vintage clothing, jewellery, homewares and pretty little trinkets displayed in antique cabinets. Continue to the chic fashion boutiques of Via del Proconsolo.
3Fishing Lab
End your shopping spree with an aperitivo (pre-dinner drink) in the company of fried anchovies, tuna buns and other delightfully fishy nibbles at Fishing Lab (
GOOGLE MAP
; %055 24 06 18; www.fishinglab.it; Via del Proconsolo 16r; meals €40; h11am-midnight). Peek upstairs at the fragments of 14th- and 15th-century frescoes decorating the enchanting, vaulted dining room.
4Don Your Dancing Shoes
Dance with beautiful Florentine hipsters at Bamboo (
GOOGLE MAP
; %339 4298764; www.bambooloungeclub.com; Via Giuseppe Verdi 59r; h7pm-4am Fri, Sat & Mon, to 3am Thu), a lounge and dance club with chintzy red seating and a mix of hip-hop and R&B on the turntable. Dress up and look good to get in. (The dress code, if it helps, is 'smart, casual, sexy, chic'.)
5Post-Midnight Party
Check out the post-midnight party at Caffè Sant'Ambrogio (
GOOGLE MAP
; %055 247 72 77; Piazza Sant'Ambrogio 7r; h10am-3am; 
W), one of Santa Croce's original, iconic hang-outs. Trendy 30-something Florentines flock here for after-work cocktails, late-night drinks and parties 'til dawn.
6Il Teatro del Sale
No Florentine chef is more charismatic than Fabio Picchi, whose eccentric Il Teatro del Sale (
GOOGLE MAP
; %055 200 14 92; www.teatrodelsale.com; Via dei Macci 111r; lunch/dinner/weekend brunch €15/35/20; h11am-3pm & 7.30-11pm Tue-Sat, 11am-3pm Sun, closed Aug) guarantees an unforgettable experience. Dinner is a hectic, mesmerising symphony of outstanding Tuscan dishes, culminating at 9.30pm in a live performance of drama, music or comedy arranged by Picchi’s wife, comic actress Maria Cassi.
7Monkey Bar
By midnight there’s a nip in the air. Duck into Monkey Bar (
GOOGLE MAP
; %055 24 28 62; www.facebook.com/MonkeyBarFirenze; Via della Mattonaia 20r; h6pm-2am), a noisy pub packed with Florentine and foreign students downing shots, Spritz and well-made Bloody Marys.
8Late-Night Drinks
Show over, plunge into the star-lit night and follow the hip crowd to Largo Pietro Annigoni. This large, car-free plaza opposite the Sant'Ambrogio market buzzes with life on summer nights when its bounty of alfresco terraces, including Drogheria (
GOOGLE MAP
; %055 247 88 69; www.drogheriafirenze.it; Largo Pietro Annigoni 22; h10am-3am), overflow with late-night drinkers.
5Eating
6Drinking
Sights
1Piazza di Santa CrocePIAZZA
This square was cleared in the Middle Ages to allow the faithful to gather when the church itself was full. In Savonarola's day, heretics were executed here. Such an open space inevitably found other uses, and from the 14th century it was often the colourful scene of jousts, festivals and calcio storico (www.calciostorico.it) matches. The city's 2nd-century amphitheatre took up the area facing the square's western end: Piazza dei Peruzzi, Via de' Bentaccordi and Via Torta mark the oval outline of its course.
1Museo Casa BuonarrotiMUSEUM
Though Michelangelo never lived in Casa Buonarotti, his heirs devoted some of the artist’s hard-earned wealth to the construction of this 17th-century palazzo (mansion) to honour his memory. The little museum contains frescoes of the artist’s life and two of his most important early works – the serene, bas-relief Madonna of the Stairs and the unfinished Battle of the Centaurs.
(%055 24 17 52; www.casabuonarroti.it; Via Ghibellina 70; adult/reduced €6.40/4.50; h10am-5pm Wed-Mon, to 4pm Nov-Feb)
1Museo HorneMUSEUM
One of the many eccentric Brits who made Florence home in the early 20th century, Herbert Percy Horne bought and renovated this Renaissance palazzo, then installed his eclectic collection of 14th- and 15th-century Italian art, ceramics, furniture and other oddments. There are a few works by masters such as Giotto and Filippo Lippi. More interesting is the furniture, some of which is exquisite.
(%055 24 46 61; www.museohorne.it; Via de’ Benci 6; adult/reduced €7/5; h9am-1pm Mon-Sat)
UnderstandCalcio Storico
It might well have been conceived to accommodate congregation overspill from the basilica, but it was inevitable that a space as vast and open as Piazza di Santa Croce would find other uses, too. Jousts and festivals have been staged here since the 14th century, as have matches of calcio storico (www.calciostoricofiorentino.it), a traditional sport that is a cross between football and rugby. This Florentine favourite pits 27 very burly men in brightly coloured costumes who beat each other bloody (literally) as they try to move the ball up and down the pitch. Sucker-punching and kicks to the head are forbidden, but few other rules apply – headbutting, punching, elbowing and choking are allowed. Games are played on the square each year during Florence’s Festa di San Giovanni (June 24).
Look for the marble stone embedded in the wall below the gaily frescoed facade of Palazzo dell’Antella, on the south side of Piazza di Santa Croce; it marks the halfway line on what is essentially one of the oldest football pitches in the world.
Local LifeAn Afternoon Gelato
Florentines take their gelato seriously and there’s healthy rivalry among the operators of local gelaterie artigianale (shops selling handmade gelato), who strive to create the city’s creamiest, most flavourful and freshest ice cream using seasonal flavours. In Santa Croce, Vivoli (
GOOGLE MAP
; %055 29 23 34; www.vivoli.it; Via dell'Isola delle Stinche 7; tubs €2-10; h7.30am-midnight Tue-Sat, 9am-midnight Sun, to 9pm winter) is the gelateria with the greatest number of devotees – try pistachio, pear and caramel or chocolate with orange to understand why. Pay at the cash desk then trade your receipt for the good stuff. No cones, only tubs, plus – unusually for a gelateria – coffee, cakes and comfy inside seating too.
Eating
5All'Antico VinaioOSTERIA€
The crowd spills out the door of this noisy Florentine thoroughbred. Push your way to the tables at the back to taste cheese and salami in situ (reservations recommended). Or join the queue at the deli counter for a well-stuffed focaccia wrapped in waxed paper to take away – the quality is outstanding. Pour yourself a glass of wine while you wait.
(%055 238 27 23; www.allanticovinaio.com; Via de' Neri 65r; tasting platters €10-30; h10am-4pm & 6-11pm Tue-Sat, noon-3.30pm Sun)
5Trattoria CibrèoTUSCAN€€
Dine at chez Fabio Picchi and you'll instantly understand why a queue gathers outside before it opens. Once inside, revel in top-notch Tuscan cuisine: perhaps pappa al pomodoro (a thick soupy mash of tomato, bread and basil) followed by polpettine di pollo e ricotta (chicken and ricotta meatballs). No reservations, no credit cards, no pasta and arrive early to snag a table.
(www.cibreo.com; Via dei Macci 122r; meals €40; h12.50-2.30pm & 6.50-11pm Tue-Sat, closed Aug)
5SantarpiaPIZZA€
Florentines can't get enough of the thin-crust Neapolitan pizzas oven-fired by master pizzaiolo (pizza chef) Giovanni Santarpia at his thoroughly contemporary pizzeria across the road from Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio. Grab a table between brightly spangled walls and open the feast with deep-fried baccalà (salted cod), porcini mushrooms or other fritto – there is even pizza fritta con lampredotto (deep-fried pizza with tripe).
(%055 24 58 29; www.santarpia.biz; Largo Pietro Annigoni 9; pizza €8.50-11; h7.30pm-midnight Wed-Mon; W)
5VivoFISH€€
Raw fish, shellfish, oysters and other fishy dishes – all caught in waters around Italy by the Manno family's 30-strong fleet of fishing boats – are cooked up by chef Anna Maria at this fish restaurant, inside a hangar-styled contemporary space with a fishing-boat-shaped bar. Everything is ultra-fresh and the daily changing menu includes many a rare or forgotten fish.
(%333 1824183; www.ristorantevivo.it; Largo Pietro Annigoni 9a/b; seafood platters €15-50, meals €45; h12.30-2.30pm & 7.30-11pm Tue-Sun; W)
5BracVEGETARIAN€
This hipster cafe-bookshop – a hybrid dining-aperitivi address – cooks up inventive, home-style and strictly vegetarian and/or vegan cuisine. Its decor is recycled vintage with the occasional kid's drawing thrown in for that intimate homey touch; and the vibe is artsy.
(%055 094 48 77; www.libreriabrac.net; Via dei Vagellai 18r; meals €20; hnoon-midnight, closed 2 weeks mid-Aug; W
v)
5Trippaio Sergio PolliniFAST FOOD€
For a fast munch-on-the-move follow Florentines to this trippaio (mobile tripe stand) for a tripe panino (sandwich). Think cow's stomach chopped up, boiled, sliced, bunged between bread and doused in salsa verde (pea-green sauce of smashed parsley, garlic, capers and anchovies). A bastion of good old-fashioned Florentine tradition, this trippaio is one of the city's busiest.
(Piazza Sant' Ambrogio; tripe €3.50; h9.30am-3pm Mon, to 8pm Tue-Sat)
5Enoteca PinchiorriTUSCAN€€€
Niçois chef Annie Féolde applies French techniques to her versions of refined Tuscan cuisine and does it so well that this is the only restaurant in Tuscany to brandish three shiny Michelin stars. The setting is a 16th-century palace hotel and the wine list is mind-boggling in its extent and excellence. A once-in-a-lifetime experience. Reserve in advance.
(%055 24 27 77; www.enotecapinchiorri.com; Via Ghibellina 87r; 4-/7-/8-course tasting menu €150/225/275; hlunch & dinner Tue-Sat, closed Aug)
5Il GiovaTRATTORIA€
Pocket-sized and packed, this cheery trattoria with marigold walls and colourful ceramic-tiled tables is everything a traditional Florentine eating place should be. Dig into century-old dishes like zuppa della nonna (grandma's soup), risotto del giorno (risotto of the day) or mafalde al ragù (long-ribboned pasta with meat sauce) and pride yourself on having found the locals' lunchtime canteen.
(%055 248 06 39; www.ilgiova.com; Borgo La Croce 73r; meals €15; hnoon-3pm & 7-11pm Mon-Sat)
5Antico NoèOSTERIA€€
Don't be put off by the dank alley in which you'll find this old butcher's shop with marble-clad walls, wrought-iron meat hooks and a name inspired by an old Italian vermouth. The drunks loitering outside are generally harmless and the down-to-earth Tuscan fodder served is a real joy. For a quick bite, grab a panino (€4.50 to €5) at its fiaschetteria (small tavern).
(http://anticonoe.com/; Volta di San Piero 6r; meals €40; hnoon-2am Mon & Wed-Sat)
Local LifeRiverside Street Food
‘Bringing the countryside to the city’ is the driver behind La Toraia (
GOOGLE MAP
; %338 5367198; www.latoraia.com; Lungarno del Tempio; burger €6, with cheese €7; hnoon-midnight 15 Apr-15 Oct), a cherry-red artisan food truck whose name translates as ‘breeding shed’. Parked riverside, a 15-minute stroll east of Piazza di Santa Croce, the truck cooks up sweet 140g burgers, crafted from tender Chianina meat sourced at the family farm in Val di Chiana and topped with melted pecorino (sheep’s milk cheese).
Real McCoy homemade fries (€4; made from organic Tuscan potatoes grown on the farm, of course), craft beers (€4) from the same valley, and a bunch of tables, chairs and comfy loungers by the river cap off the bucolic alfresco experience.
Local LifeLunch at the Market
Florentines swear by Semel (
GOOGLE MAP
; Piazza Ghiberti 44r; panini €3.50-5; h11.30am-3pm Mon-Sat), a pocket-sized sandwich bar with no fixed menu, rather an impossible-to-decide choice of six gourmet combos, crafted with love by passionate owner and panini king Marco Paparozzi. Wash it down with a glass of water or wine, and pride yourself on snagging one of the cheapest, tastiest lunches in town.
For dolci (dessert), nip across the street to buy some local, seasonal fruit at the Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio (
GOOGLE MAP
; Piazza Ghiberti; h7am-2pm Mon-Sat), the neighbourhood's bustling outdoor food market with an intimate, local flavour. The best day is Saturday when farmers from the region travel here to sell their produce straight from the field.
Drinking
6Le Murate Caffè LetterarioBAR, CAFE
This artsy cafe-bar in Florence's former jail is where literati meet to talk, create and perform over coffee, drinks and light meals. The literary cafe hosts everything from readings and interviews with authors – Florentine, Italian and international – to film screenings, debates, live music and art exhibitions. Tables are built from recycled window frames and in summer everything spills outside into the brick courtyard.
(%055 234 68 72; www.lemurate.it; Piazza delle Murate Firenze; h9am-1am; W)
6Caffè CibrèoCAFE
The cafe arm of Florentine superstar chef Fabio Picci, this charming old-world cafe behind Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio is an idyllic spot for a mid-morning coffee and sugar-dusted ciambella (doughnut ring).
(%055 234 58 53; Via Andrea del Verrocchio 5; h8am-1am Tue-Sat, closed Aug)
6Beer House ClubCRAFT BEER
Sample the best of Italian craft beer at this young, fun beer bar in Santa Croce. Pick from 10 craft beers on tap and another 100 bottled beers, local, Italian and international. Big sports matches are screened here, the bar has a party-packed social agenda – check its Facebook page for events – and it serves food.
(%055 247 67 63; www.beerhouseclub.eu; Corso dei Tintori 34r; hnoon-3am)
6QueloBAR
Hidden down a rather dark and dank street near Basilica di Santa Croce, this tiny bar is a sweet spot for a quick drink between sights or a dusk-time aperitivo with generous buffet spread. Check its Facebook page for upcoming DJ sets, live music and other cultural happenings. Interior design is 1950s vintage.
(%055 1999 1474; Borgo Santa Croce 15r; h8.30am-2am; W)
6Lion's FountainIRISH PUB
If you have the urge to hear more English than Italian – or to hear local bands play for that matter – this is the place. On a pretty pedestrian square, Florence's busiest Irish pub buzzes in summer when the beer-loving crowd spills across most of the square. Live music and a canary-yellow food 'truck' serving burgers, nachos, clubs, wings and brunch (€5 to €10).
(%055 234 44 12; www.thelionsfountain.com; Borgo degli Albizi 34r; h10am-3am)
6Full UpCLUB
A variety of sounds energises the crowd at this popular Florentine nightclub, in the biz since 1958, where 20-somethings dance until dawn.
(%055 29 30 06; www.fullupclub.com; Via della Vigna Vecchia 21r; h11pm-4am Thu-Sat, closed Aug)
Local LifeThird-Wave Coffee & Gin
With industrial decor and a welcoming, laid-back vibe, Ditta Artigianale (
GOOGLE MAP
; %055 274 15 41; www.dittaartigianale.it; Via de' Neri 32r; h8am-10pm Sun-Thu, 8am-midnight Fri, 9.30am-midnight Sat; W) – an ingenious coffee roastery and gin bar – is a perfect place to hang any time of day. The creation of three-times Italian barista champion Francesco Sanapo, it's famed for its first-class coffee and outstanding gin cocktails. If you're yearning for a flat white, cold brew tonic or cappuccino made with almond, soy or coconut milk, come here.
Fantastic food is served all day, kicking off with Greek yoghurt and muesli, French toast and pancake breakfasts from 9am and culminating with tasty tapas from 7pm when a gourmet aperitivo kicks in. Should expertly crafted gin cocktails be your sin, there is no finer address.
Shopping
7AquaflorCOSMETICS
This elegant Santa Croce perfumery in a vaulted 15th-century palazzo exudes romance and exoticism. Artisan scents are crafted here with tremendous care and precision by master perfumer Sileno Cheloni, who works with precious essences from all over the world, including Florentine iris. Organic soaps, cosmetics and body-care products make equally lovely gifts to take back home.
(%055 234 34 71; www.florenceparfum.com; Borgo Santa Croce 6; h10am-7pm)
7Alla Sosta dei PapiFOOD & DRINKS
This tiny enoteca (wine bar) is a wine-buff one-stop shop. Tuscan wines range from as cheap as chips (bring your own bottle and fill it up for €2.40 per litre) to the very best. Even better, taste before you buy over a glass in the company of cheese and salami platters, crostini and other mouthwatering wine-bar-style nibbles.
(%055 234 11 74; www.sostadeipapi.it; Borgo La Croce 81r; h4-10pm Mon, 9am-1.30pm & 4-10pm Tue-Sat)
7Mercato delle PulciANTIQUES
Historically at home (alongside the city's fish market) on Piazza dei Ciompi since 1900, Florence's antiques and flea market can be found for the moment opposite Santa Croce's Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio. Peruse its racing-green stalls for a piece of Old Tuscany to take home.
(Flea Market; Largo Pietro Annigoni; h9am-7.30pm)
UnderstandFlorentine Cuisine
Be it by sinking your teeth into a flavoursome bistecca alla fiorentina (T-bone steak), savouring the taste and aroma of freshly shaved white truffles or sampling rustic specialities such as trippa alla fiorentina (tripe slow-cooked with onion, carrot, celery and tomatoes), you’re sure to discover plenty of taste sensations when eating in Florence.
Florentine cuisine has stayed faithful to its humble regional roots, relying on fresh local produce and eschewing fussy execution. That’s not to say that it lacks refinement – Florence is home to many highly skilled and internationally lauded chefs – but it’s true to say that the hallmark of the local cuisine is its simplicity.
When here, be sure to try a bistecca alla fiorentina, but be prepared for it to come to the table al sangue (bloody). Accompanied by slow-cooked white beans, or sometimes roast potatoes, this signature dish relies on the quality of its Chianina beef (from the Val di Chiana south of Florence) and the skill with which it has been butchered and grilled. Wash it down with a Tuscan red wine – a Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montepulciano or perhaps even a Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
Other local specialities include cinghiale (wild boar), best savoured in autumnal stews; antipasti plates featuring fresh pecorino cheese made from sheep’s milk, locally cured meats and crostini (lightly toasted pieces of bread topped with liver pâté); and minestre (soups) including zuppa di fagioli (bean soup), ribollita (a ‘reboiled’ bean, vegetable and bread soup with black cabbage) and pappa al pomodoro (a thick bread and tomato soup).
Adventurous eaters need go no further than the city’s trippai (tripe carts), where tripe panini (sandwiches) are doused in salsa verde (a tasty pea-green sauce of smashed parsley, garlic, capers and anchovies). Such rustic, powerfully flavoured treats stand in stark contrast to the refined joy of white truffles from San Miniato near Pisa – best shaved over a bowl of pasta or risotto – and porcini mushrooms gathered in local forests and tossed through taglierini (thin ribbon pasta). Both of these indulgences are surprisingly affordable and utterly delectable.