While the Mercato Centrale is Florence's biggest and most famous market, the Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio is a close second in both scale and reputation and is actually preferred by many locals. Local chefs, foodies, food writers, and savvy shoppers, in particular, favour the Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio and if you have found a luxury villa in Florence or a luxury villa in Tuscany and are planning on spending time in the city then it is definitely an excellent place to shop, wander, people-watch, and soak up the unique atmosphere of Florence.
Located in the Sant'Ambrogio district of Florence, an ancient part of the city that was once home to Florence's Jewish ghetto, the Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio dates to the 19th century when there was a large-scale programme of urban planning and redesigning of the city. This saw the demolishing of an older market in the district, as well as the ghetto. New, more permanent covered markets were designed and built in various spots throughout the city and the pretty cast iron and glass market that was built at Sant'Ambrogio was inaugurated in 1873, a year before the Mercato Centrale was unveiled at the International Exhibition of Agriculture. Designed by Giuseppe Mengoni, it is notable for its functionality and features brick exteriors divided by cast iron columns that support the upper part of the building, a cast iron roof, and ornate grey cast iron gates at the entrances. Throughout the years, the market expanded with a wholesale warehouse being built a distance away, near the city's main airport, and outdoor stalls added on three sides of the original Sant'Ambrogio market building, covered by open-air metal canopies.
This outdoor area of the market features stalls selling fruit and vegetables, spices, gastronomic specialties, plants and flowers, both new and vintage clothes, leather goods, cosmetics and perfumes, accessories and costume jewellery, and more. Inside, in the covered part of the market, there are stalls selling meat, poultry, fish, cheese, and other items that require refrigeration, as well as some bread stalls, a small supermarket, the beloved and traditional Da Rocco Tuscan trattoria (which has been serving up Tuscan specialties, snacks, pastries, coffees, and other beverages since 1987), a tripe seller, a bar and, a terrace-restaurant located over the Menoni butcher’s stall that boasts an excellent view of the market from above.
Open daily from 7am to 2pm (except for Sundays), the market is incredibly popular among locals who come to haggle and hunt early for discounts and bargains on their daily essentials. If you like getting well and truly off the beaten track and far away from typical tourist activities, then it is the perfect place to come and really live like a Florentine and soak up the city's atmosphere. Head out first thing on one of your days in the city, grab a breakfast of a fresh pastry and an espresso from Da Rocco, and then go browse the stalls once you have fuelled up! Keep in mind, however, that if you plan your visit for a Saturday morning that you are going to encounter some rather big crowds as this is the busiest day in the week when even more locals have the free time necessary to come and wander the market.
So, if you are a market-lover, a bargain-hunter, or a foodie and you are planning on holidaying in Florence or you are thinking of paying a visit to the city while you vacation in Tuscany, then a visit to the beloved Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio will be right up your alley! Try Tuscan specialties, pick up some souvenirs, stock up on some fresh food to prepare and enjoy in your villa, and live like a Florentine for a little while.
