En route to the eastern reaches of the Oltrarno, you can take in the bucolic Boboli Gardens, central Florence’s largest green space with fountains, grottoes, quiet walkways and lichen-covered statues. Be sure to use the quieter Annalena entrance on Via Romana.
The pretty Piazza della Passera lies at the heart of what is known as Florence’s artisan quarter, and is home to hole-in-the-wall Gelateria della Passera where Cinzia Otri has won many awards for her creations that include classics – coffee, chocolate, almond and so on – along with more creative numbers such as Mojito and Fatal Attraction, a yoghurt and apricot mix garnished with glazed apricots and white sesame seeds.
The narrow, cobbled streets around the square are lined with the workshops of skilled craftsmen, dating back to the mid-16th century when the Medicis moved into nearby Palazzo Pitti. With them came the cabinet makers, seamstresses, bookbinders, gilders and furniture restorers. You can visit many of the workshops to see today’s artisans in action during shop hours (Mon-Fri 8.30am-12.30pm and 3-6pm, but hours can vary) as long as you don’t get in the way.
Nearby Piazza Santo Spirito, which hosts a small daily market, is the centre of the boho-chic Oltrarno; the eponymous church, with its blank facade, was Brunelleschi’s final, unfinished work and has a serene, beautifully proportioned interior.
