Non-touristy things to do in Florence

Experience artisan workshops, indie galleries, neighbourhood bars and peaceful gardens for a truly local feel in Florence.

Andrew Aitchison / Contributor Getty images

Cesca Rampley

11 September 2025, 15:31

Florence rewards anyone who slips into its daily rhythm, trading tick‑box sights for small rituals and hands‑on moments. Think an early coffee at the bar, a peek into working botteghe, and a low‑key evening wander along the Arno. These non‑touristy things to do sidestep the thickest crowds and lean into everyday life.

Crowd-light ways to experience Florence
Hands-on artisan experiences
Everyday food rituals without the queues
Free and low‑cost things to do in Florence
Night‑time Florence with a local feel
Mini day‑trips from Florence

Crowd-light ways to experience Florence

Slip into the city’s rhythm, and most crowds melt away. A few small tweaks to timing and habits make these non-touristy things to do feel wonderfully local.

Start early and hit the streets before 8 am to find quiet cafés, markets setting up and soft light on the river.
Take your coffee al banco, which means standing at the bar. It is quicker, cheaper and often leads to a friendly word with the barista.
Favour parallel backstreets over the main thoroughfares and drift across the River Arno into the Oltrarno for slower foot traffic.
Try pocket museums and cloisters around lunchtime when the big hitters are at their busiest. Do check posted hours because some places close for a midday break.
Keep a few small notes and coins in your pocket for tiny vendors. Some places prefer cash and may not be able to change large bills.

Hands-on artisan experiences

Florence still hums with working botteghe. A short class or studio drop‑in gives you living history without the velvet rope.

Zephyris, CC BY-SA 3.0 Creative commons

Try a paper marbling or bookbinding taster to learn a simple pattern and stitch.
Join a leather mini‑workshop where you can hand‑stitch a card holder or belt.
Have a go at ceramics by glazing a tile or shaping a cup on the wheel.
Watch gilding or frame restoration to see gold leaf handled with traditional tools.
Set your name in type at a letterpress studio and pull a print on a vintage press.

Everyday food rituals without the queues

Eat like a local and you will dodge lines and tourist mark‑ups while tasting the city’s soul.

Magnifico Fiorentino, CC0 Wikimedia commons

At the bar, a caffè means an espresso, and a cappuccino is a morning drink.
For schiacciata sandwiches, choose a small bakery rather than the headline spots. Go before the 1 to 2 pm rush so you can grab a bench nearby and enjoy it warm.
Try a lampredotto panino at a street stand and shuffle forward with the regulars. Choose salsa verde or piccante and eat beside the stand.
Look for pranzo di lavoro signs at lunch, which signal a simple fixed‑price menu for workers. It is good value and usually includes bread and water.
Expect a coperto when you sit, which is a modest cover charge for bread and service.
Book tiny trattorie by phone or in person and arrive on time so the kitchen can pace service.
Carry a refillable bottle and use the public fountains to top up. It saves money and cuts down on plastic.

Free and low‑cost things to do in Florence

There’s plenty of culture you can dip into without opening your wallet much, from community galleries to gardens with knockout views.

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Indie galleries and contemporary art

Le Murate. Progetti Arte Contemporanea: a former prison turned cultural hub showing contemporary art with free entry.
Street Levels Gallery (Oltrarno): an independent urban‑art space with well‑reviewed rotating shows and no ticket barrier.
Cartavetra: an indie gallery focused on works on paper and printmaking, often hosting artist talks.
Palazzo Strozzi courtyard: the courtyard installations are free to enjoy even when exhibitions are ticketed. Entrance costs 16 euros.

Affordable culture and music in Florence

Biblioteca delle Oblate: free to enter, with exhibitions and a terrace café that frames the Duomo. It’s a calm spot for an hour with a book and a quiet look over the rooftops.
Conservatorio Luigi Cherubini recitals: student concerts are often free or just a few euros. Check the conservatory’s listings and arrive a touch early for a seat.

Accessible green spaces

Giardino delle Rose: a free terraced garden under with sculpture and city panoramas.
Giardino dell’Orticoltura and the Orti del Parnaso: locals’ green corners with a wrought‑iron greenhouse and the quirky dragon fountain.

Night‑time Florence with a local feel

After dark, lean into small rooms, good glasses of wine and neighbourhood gelato rather than big, branded nightlife.

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Intimate live music concerts

Jazz Club Firenze: a basement institution with live jazz and a simple membership at the door.
Pinocchio Jazz at Circolo Vie Nuove: a long‑running weekend series with a loyal local crowd. Tickets are modest, and the programming leans adventurous without being flashy.

Authentic Florence wine bars

Le Volpi e l’Uva: a tiny, serious enoteca with by‑the‑glass gems and crostini.
Il Santino: a standing‑room wine bar with Tuscan salumi and great mood lighting.
Vineria Sonora: vinyl on the shelves, natural‑leaning wines and a neighbourhood feel.
Volume: a former woodworker’s shop turned bar with occasional live sets.

Gemma, CC BY-ND 2.0 Flickr

Top legit gelato spots

Go ice cream-parlour hopping in the evening, in search of the best gelato in Florence.

Gelateria della Passera: a tiny spot with seasonal flavours and consistently strong reviews.
La Sorbettiera: a favourite with locals for creamy classics and inventive specials.

Mini day‑trips from Florence

If you’ve got a spare day, slip out to a nearby non-touristy town near Florence, where the pace drops and the streets feel lived‑in rather than showy.

Pistoia has Romanesque squares, a laid‑back weekly market and easy café stops, and it is roughly 40 minutes by train from Santa Maria Novella station.
Prato leans into textiles and contemporary art at Centro Pecci, with excellent bakery counters for cantucci, and it is about 20–25 minutes by train.
Vinci brings olive‑grove paths and the Museo Leonardiano across two small sites, and it’s reached by taking a 30-minute train journey to Empoli and a short bus up to the village.