The markets in Florence include covered food halls, outdoor food stalls and specialist markets on set days. Start with Mercato Centrale for food browsing, then compare the neighbourhood feel of Sant’Ambrogio with the stalls around the Porcellino.
- Mercato Centrale: covered food market in San Lorenzo.
- Sant’Ambrogio: covered and outdoor markets at Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti.
- Mercato Nuovo: daily market at Piazza del Mercato Nuovo.
- Antiques: a specialist market on the last Sunday of each month except July.
Mercato Centrale for food and browsing
Mercato Centrale is a covered food market in Florence’s San Lorenzo district, with stalls selling produce, meat, fish, cheese and baked goods. The market is at Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 50123 Firenze.
The ground-floor market dates to 1874, when it was built to accommodate the city’s fruit-and-vegetable market. Its range makes it a straightforward stop for browsing different kinds of food under one roof; you can compare the stalls as you go.
Sant’Ambrogio market and its neighbourhood
Sant’Ambrogio brings together a covered market and an outdoor food market at Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti in Florence’s historic centre. The covered market has 20 stalls, including food sellers, a bar, a hot-food counter and a trattoria.
The City of Florence’s public-commerce plan describes the covered market’s Monday-to-Saturday pattern, except public holidays, and says access and selling hours are set by a separate mayoral ordinance.
For the outdoor food market, access begins at 05:30, sales start at 07:00 and end at 14:00, and the area is cleared by 15:00. The city’s schedule includes holiday closures, with exceptions for December 8 and the two Sundays before Christmas.
If you want to browse the outdoor stalls, plan around their morning and early-afternoon sales window; the covered market follows a separate schedule.
Mercato Nuovo and the Porcellino
Mercato Nuovo is a daily market at Piazza del Mercato Nuovo, where Via Porta Rossa meets Via Calimala. The same place is also known as the Porcellino Loggia, Loggia del Mercato Nuovo and Mercato della Paglia.
The market operator gives daily hours of 09:00–18:30, with closures on December 25–26 and January 1. If you’re fitting it into a day of sightseeing, its daily schedule differs from the weekly and monthly markets; a one-day walking route from the Santa Croce area can help you plan other stops.
How do Florence’s other markets differ?
Florence’s other markets include a monthly antiques market and weekly markets with their own days and hours. The specialist antiques market takes place on the last Sunday of each month except July.
The Cascine market runs on Tuesdays, with sales from 08:00 to 14:00; in December, sales are from 08:00 to 18:00. The Fiori e Piante market runs on Thursdays, with sales from 08:00 to 18:00. Check the day before you shape your plans around one of these markets.
Check schedules and plan your visit
Choose a market by what it sells and when it operates: Mercato Centrale for a covered food browse, Sant’Ambrogio for indoor and outdoor food stalls, and Mercato Nuovo for a daily market visit. Weekly and monthly markets require you to plan around their particular days.
Before setting out, check the official site before you go: use the City of Florence’s market schedule for municipal markets and the market operator’s site for Mercato Nuovo.
After browsing the markets, you can return to a Florence hotel for a market visit. You can get a sense of the surrounding area with answers to common questions about Florence’s old town.
FAQs
Which Florence market is best for food?
Mercato Centrale and Sant’Ambrogio both focus on food. The former is a covered market in San Lorenzo; Sant’Ambrogio has covered and outdoor sections.
Is Mercato Nuovo the same as the Porcellino market?
Yes. Mercato Nuovo, the Porcellino Loggia and Mercato della Paglia are names associated with the same place.
When is the antiques market in Florence?
The specialist antiques market is scheduled for the last Sunday of each month, except July.