San Lorenzo with Your Family in Florence
San Lorenzo is one of the liveliest neighborhoods in Florence. It is a short walk from Santa Maria Novella station and from most of the main museums. For families staying in the historic center it is almost impossible to avoid passing through.
The covered market and the open-air market, the Basilica di San Lorenzo, the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana: they are all packed into just a few blocks.
The San Lorenzo neighborhood with your family
San Lorenzo is the historic neighborhood around the basilica of the same name, just north of the Duomo. It runs at two speeds: during the day it is animated by the market and tourists; by evening it returns to being a quiet residential neighborhood.
For families with children it is one of Florence’s most practical areas. Services are there (pharmacies, supermarkets, bars), restaurant prices are on average lower than near the Duomo, and there is always something happening.
The pavement in front of the Mercato Centrale is often lined with outdoor stalls selling leather goods and textiles. You can get through with a pram, but it requires some weaving.
The San Lorenzo market
The San Lorenzo market is actually made up of two distinct parts.
Mercato Centrale (Via dell’Ariento): the covered market housed in a 19th-century iron building from 1874. On the ground floor is the food market with stalls selling meat, fish, cheese, fruit, and vegetables. Open Monday to Saturday from 7am to 2pm.
On the upper floor is the Mercato Centrale Firenze, a high-quality food court with different cooking stations: fresh pasta, Florentine tripe, gelato, pizza, Chianina beef burgers, wine, and craft beer. Open every day until midnight. For families it is a practical solution: each member of the group can choose something different.
The open-air market (Piazza San Lorenzo and surrounding streets): it spreads across several blocks around the square. Stalls selling leather goods, textiles, clothing, and souvenirs. Very touristy. Quality varies: look for the artisan workshops and be wary of suspiciously cheap leather products.
Attractions for children in the neighborhood
Basilica di San Lorenzo: one of Florence’s oldest churches, founded in 393 AD and rebuilt in the 15th century by Brunelleschi for the Medici. The interior is sober and geometric: white and grey pietra serena stone. For children aged 7-8 and over the visit is worthwhile, especially if you explain that this was the Medici family church, the ruling family of Florence.
Cappelle Medicee: accessible through a separate door in Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini, they hold the Medici tombs with sculptures by Michelangelo (Night and Day, Dawn and Dusk). For children aged 10 and over it is a powerful experience. Ticket about 9 euros.
Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana: the library designed by Michelangelo inside the cloister of San Lorenzo. Worth visiting just to see the entrance staircase, which is one of the most unusual architectural objects of the Renaissance. Free or reduced entry.
Palazzo Medici Riccardi: a few minutes from Piazza San Lorenzo. Museum featuring the Cappella dei Magi decorated by Benozzo Gozzoli (1459). The frescoes depict the Medici dressed as the Three Kings: children enjoy spotting the hidden figures. Ticket about 7 euros.
How to navigate the market
The open-air San Lorenzo market is a maze of stalls spreading in multiple directions. With children it is easy to get lost, or to lose them.
A few practical tips.
Agree on a meeting point before entering the market. The Mercato Centrale’s glass and iron entrance is easy to recognize. Make sure your children know where to go if you get separated.
Children are drawn to stalls with colorful leather goods, T-shirts, and gadgets. Set a budget and a rule beforehand (for example: “you can choose one thing under 10 euros”) to avoid endless negotiations.
Watch out for pickpockets in the crowded market: keep bags in front of you, especially those containing documents and bank cards.
What to eat in the area
Mercato Centrale upper floor: the most practical option for families. Wide choice, informal atmosphere, mid-range prices (8-15 euros per dish). Open every day until late.
Trattoria Mario (Via Rosina 2): open for lunch only, with shared tables and a fixed Florentine menu. About 12-15 euros per person. Always very busy: arrive before 12.30pm and join the queue.
Nerbone (inside the Mercato Centrale, ground floor): a historic stall serving lampredotto and boiled meats. Lampredotto is Florence’s signature street food (the fourth stomach of a cow). Not for everyone, but if you have curious children aged 8-9 and over, it is worth trying. A lampredotto sandwich costs about 4-5 euros.
Da Sergio (Piazza San Lorenzo): simple trattoria with classic home-style Florentine cooking. Family-friendly.
Where to stay
Charlotte is a bed and breakfast in the historic center of Florence, just minutes from the San Lorenzo neighborhood. The location lets you reach the market, the basilica, and all the other sights in the neighborhood on foot.
Designed for families, Charlotte offers everything you need for a comfortable stay in Florence.
Find out more about Charlotte and book your stay.
