This secret garden, positioned behind San Miniato al Monte, just a few steps away from one of the most beautiful look out points Florence has to offer, Piazzale Michaelangelo. Here is a quaint whimsical hideaway. Coming from my small town roots, completely surrounded by nature; finding this miniature grove was a gold mine. Here, you will find trees, things I immensely love and miss; this slice of nature here gives me a refreshing taste of purity and comfort.

Nice Lunch. 

Piazza die Ciompi depicted here, along with San Lorenzo leather market and Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio host one of the many markets in Florence. Countless treasures; everything from antiques, leather goods, an amazing variety of fresh, typically organic fruits and vegetables, meats and cheeses of all sorts, cheap clothing, and a immediate submersion into the sounds and smells of Italian cultures. This is one of the only places I can experience the authenticity of Florence, these markets force me to speak Italian which is a rarity since this city flourishes with English speaking people and establishments.

The place I feel like home when I´m in Firenze. Wine, antipasto and cheese. Who needs more?

The market here is held every morning (excluding holidays) from 7:00 to 14:00, from Monday to saturday. It's where I shop weekly. It is partly outdoors, with stands of clothing, fruit and vegetables and food, and partly indoors, in the building built in 1873 by Giuseppe Mengoni. Inside the building you can find stalls of food, meat and fish, a couple of bakeries. While all the stalls inside are always the same- the ones on the outside (apart for the ones selling fruits and vegetables) tends to change everyday. Depending on the day you can find vintage clothing, shoes, vintage bags, military clothing, a florist, a stall that sells fabrics, an underwear stall and so on. The prices here are way much cheaper than the San Lorenzo market (the one close to the station) and the quality of the food is better. If you're planning to stay in Florence for a while, grab a tote and do your grocery shopping here.