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Recommended Reviews - Mercato di San Lorenzo
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Downstairs is the marketplace. Upstairs is the food hall. I bought a TON of dried pasta seasoning, risotto, truffle sauce, limoncello, parmesan cheese, and probably a bunch of other things to take home for myself and as gifts. Here's some really good advice I wish someone would have given me: 1. The limoncello is cheaper here than places I found north of here. 2. Skip the pasta seasoning OR look very closely that there are NO BUGS in there. I bought a few and had to throw them away. I found one bug in one of the packages. Removed the bug and put the rest in a ziplock because I brought this home all the way from Italy so I'm gonna freaking eat it. But then weeks later, there were a ton of bugs trapped in the bag. SO FREAKING GROSS! So I wish I could go back in time and NOT buy it. 3. Mushroom risotto was so good. I wish I bought more of that and less of the black risotto which is the squid ink. It lacked flavor. 4. Parm cheese - I found one stall that offered to cut my purchase into 4 blocks, then vacuum sealed it for me. I traveled Europe for 1.5 weeks unrefrigerated. When I finally got home, I put it in the fridge. 9 months later - it's still good! 5. If you want to try a bunch of Italian food, go to the food court. The lampredotto was snack size and delicious if you like intestines. The expensive truffle pasta was okay in my opinion (aka overrated). And I tried the pizza which was delicious!

Aloha, when in Florence there are a few must. Besides gold & leather, the Lampredotto is a must & the Mercato is the spot to slurp it up. A fun enclosed market of food & specialty shops you'll droll while walking the isles. Colorful fresh fruits & vegetables,truffle & porcini mushrooms, cheese & meats, wine & beer - a great venue for shopping or lunch after walking the streets of Florence. Ciao!

If you're looking to buy something in leather you can hardly do better than Mercato di San Lorenzo. The entire street is loaded with carts and stores containing every sort and kind of leather goods. But, be careful. The quality of goods varies greatly so don't just look at price and think you're getting some sort of bargain, because maybe you're not. The dealers here are pretty darn honest and upfront, and will tell you about the quality of any goods, lead you away from items made of rejected leather that will shrink, wrinkle or otherwise quickly fall apart. The smell of leather is in the air every place around here. There are lots of shoppers and tourists, but also a good number of pickpockets and those pickpockets are real slick, know every trick. So if you just stumble around, unaware with anything to pick, it will most likely end up in their pocket, not yours.

We came to this neat market as part of the walking food tour. So this place has a storied history & locals come here to buy meat, produce, vegetables & stuff. We got to sample the goods from a few of the vendors & ended up buying olive oil, pasta, truffle oil and other things to take home. We also got to eat at Nerbone, which we were told has really good beef intestine pasta / sandwiches. I have always like farmers market so getting to tour this working marketplace was a treat.

We have been to many markets like this in Europe and we just love them all. Of course some or better than others and we loved this one. We had a light, but very good lunch and then did some shopping. I bought the best prosciutto I have ever had here.

Mmmm...I swear I can still smell the leather!!! I wish someone prepared me before entering the Mercato di San Lorenzo. Leather leather everywhere...hanging off the stalls, hanging on people's arms and on the ground--bags, wallets, belts and everything and anything that could be made of leather. Plus other souvenir stalls were mixed in the crowd. These people were serious about selling their products!. Definitely touristy since there were swarms of groups and in some areas it was annoying to push through. If you're the bartering type than this is the place for you! I'm personally horrible at it and good thing one of the girls I traveled with was a pro. I mean, why would you honestly pay over 100 euros on something that could most likely be fake? The bags we thought looked great were flawed when we looked at it up close and some were discolored from being in the sun. We walked out of the market empty handed. Great experience...just wish I found something I could've taken home.
This place has pretty much everything you could be looking for in a food destination. I have some adventurous eaters and some picky eaters, and both were happy here. If I was going to rate it any lower it would be from the smell of truffles that seems to be ever-present these days in most food establishments in Italy. Pro-tip- The bar in the center of the joint has a bunch of Valentino Rossi paraphernalia, so this tells me that if you're ever in Florence when Moto GP is on, you might want to check this place out for a drink while the race is on. Might be a good time. read more
Obviously I'm a foody so my first stop in Florence was the San Lorenzo Mercato. We arrived by frecciarossa (speed train) from Rome it took 1.5 hours smooth ride, 40euros. I wish we had more days in Florence, but arrived at 11am and stayed until 9. The market is very close to the train station surrounded by shops and street vendors selling leather goods, T-shirt's, souvenirs, etc... The bottom level is a mix of merchants: wine, olive oil, spices, cheeses, fresh meat, pasta, seafood, etc.... Then you go upstairs to the 2nd level and heavens gates open, the dining hall! Not only pasta, pizza but sushi, Chinese, vegan, fried chicken, smoothie bar, and a long beer tap bar. Oh also there's a pasta making kitchen but you must make reservation to join the lessons. It's a must for lunch or dinner and stop in Florence. The chicken tenders and fries good, the dumplings good, the pasta dish amazing! read more
Downstairs is the marketplace. Upstairs is the food hall. I bought a TON of dried pasta seasoning, risotto, truffle sauce, limoncello, parmesan cheese, and probably a bunch of other things to take home for myself and as gifts. Here's some really good advice I wish someone would have given me: 1. The limoncello is cheaper here than places I found north of here. 2. Skip the pasta seasoning OR look very closely that there are NO BUGS in there. I bought a few and had to throw them away. I found one bug in one of the packages. Removed the bug and put the rest in a ziplock because I brought this home all the way from Italy so I'm gonna freaking eat it. But then weeks later, there were a ton of bugs trapped in the bag. SO FREAKING GROSS! So I wish I could go back in time and NOT buy it. 3. Mushroom risotto was so good. I wish I bought more of that and less of the black risotto which is the squid ink. It lacked flavor. 4. Parm cheese - I found one stall that offered to cut my purchase into 4 blocks, then vacuum sealed it for me. I traveled Europe for 1.5 weeks unrefrigerated. When I finally got home, I put it in the fridge. 9 months later - it's still good! 5. If you want to try a bunch of Italian food, go to the food court. The lampredotto was snack size and delicious if you like intestines. The expensive truffle pasta was okay in my opinion (aka overrated). And I tried the pizza which was delicious! read more
Aloha, when in Florence there are a few must. Besides gold & leather, the Lampredotto is a must & the Mercato is the spot to slurp it up. A fun enclosed market of food & specialty shops you'll droll while walking the isles. Colorful fresh fruits & vegetables,truffle & porcini mushrooms, cheese & meats, wine & beer - a great venue for shopping or lunch after walking the streets of Florence. Ciao! read more
Our group of 5, ages 21-56, enjoyed dinner at the Mercato on our first night in Florence. There was something for every type of diner burgers made with Chianina beef, our favorite gondola-shaped fries, tagliere drizzled with truffle oil, roasted chicken and potatoes, Tuscan wine and so much more. read more
If you're looking to buy something in leather you can hardly do better than Mercato di San Lorenzo. The entire street is loaded with carts and stores containing every sort and kind of leather goods. But, be careful. The quality of goods varies greatly so don't just look at price and think you're getting some sort of bargain, because maybe you're not. The dealers here are pretty darn honest and upfront, and will tell you about the quality of any goods, lead you away from items made of rejected leather that will shrink, wrinkle or otherwise quickly fall apart. The smell of leather is in the air every place around here. There are lots of shoppers and tourists, but also a good number of pickpockets and those pickpockets are real slick, know every trick. So if you just stumble around, unaware with anything to pick, it will most likely end up in their pocket, not yours. read more
3 years ago
One of if not my favorite markets in the world. That tripe sandwich is an absolute classic. And the cock shaped pasta is radical
This is your go-to flea market in Florence to shop for souvenirs, leather, clothing and other goods. All of the vendors seemed to accept credit card, but I would recommend bringing euros for easier haggling/bargaining. There are some aggressive vendors who really want your business, but we had a friendly experience for the most part. To echo what Gabrielle H said, I wouldn't recommend purchasing from your first place or settling on the first thing you find since there are many vendors that sell similar or the same items for lower. My husband and I were able to pickup a few goodies here and souvenirs for our family and friends. This place is worth checking out when you're in Florence. read more
11 years ago
This is the place to shop for all things Italy. Get your souvenir shopping done here. Florence is known for its leather, so I would highly recommend looking here. If you see something you like, don't buy it right away. A lot of the vendors sell the same things for different prices. There was a beautiful leather purse that I really wanted but I waited until I could get it for the cheapest price possible and it was so worth the wait. It started at around 70 euros which at the time is close to 90 American Dollars (USD) and I bought it for 40 euros! Any price that the vendors are trying to sell you, try and talk them down. You will usually be successful because they want to sell to customers so badly. Shopping here is generally cheaper than shopping in a store which has a low success rate for trying to get lower prices. I got lots of little things like postcards, magnets, and just little things. One of my favorite things to do when I travel is shop and this was a great place to do just that. Even if you don't want to buy anything, it is so much fun to just walk around and soak in Florence. read more
10 years ago
We came to this neat market as part of the walking food tour. So this place has a storied history & locals come here to buy meat, produce, vegetables & stuff. We got to sample the goods from a few of the vendors & ended up buying olive oil, pasta, truffle oil and other things to take home. We also got to eat at Nerbone, which we were told has really good beef intestine pasta / sandwiches. I have always like farmers market so getting to tour this working marketplace was a treat. read more
We have been to many markets like this in Europe and we just love them all. Of course some or better than others and we loved this one. We had a light, but very good lunch and then did some shopping. I bought the best prosciutto I have ever had here. read more
I heard a lot of great things about this market so I was pretty excited to drop in to see what it was about. I was a bit disappointed with how little stands were out. I might have gone during low season and a lot of stands were gone but I'm not 100% sure. There were a main strip of stands that sold leather goods and scattered between each leather vendor were people selling tacky souvenirs and jewellery. Around this main strip of booths were other scattered booths selling what seemed to be knock off items of knock off clothing which seems strange ;) Don't get the wrong if you're here for leather this might be the place for you as there were a lot of "booths" selling leather but they all seemed to be extensions of stores that were located behind one of the booths. When purchasing anything from here I'd start at 50% of their asking price and go from there! Most will give you that large discount. You might want to go lower but depending on the mood of the vendor they might be jerks to you but you have to take it in stride. So in summary it was a very small market mainly located at an intersection consisting of a block or two of booths. It was mainly leather goods but had some souvenir and knock off items. If you want an awesome street market experience you can check out some of these recommendations http://www.lonelyplanet.com/china/hong-kong/travel-tips-and-articles/76326 If you're only looking for leather goods then this place might be awesome for you! read more
Such a fun place to browse in downtown Firenze. My husband and I purchased an inexpensive €12 leather dish to celebrate our third wedding anniversary, because leather is the traditional gift. I also picked up a cute handmade leather keychain for my grandmother for €8. Be careful of the quality if you're making a larger purchase like a jacket or handbag, because most sellers can't guarantee its origin. I was searching for tablecloths and although I couldn't find one at the Mercato di San Lorenzo, a kind textile vendor gave me two great recommendations in other parts of time. read more
Right outside of Mercato Centrale. They have all your typical touristy souvenirs - magnets, shot glasses, keychains, snow globes, etc. They also have clothing, shoes, belts, scarves, jewelry and bags. I contemplated buying a bag but I'm sure at those prices ($20 up), it wasn't real Italian leather. The bags do say they're made in Italy but I overheard a customer saying that even though it says it, they're really made in China (surprise, surprise). SO if you don't mind that, go ahead and buy one. You can definitely haggle and if they say no, bring your business to the next stall. They're all the same. read more
14 years ago
Mmmm...I swear I can still smell the leather!!! I wish someone prepared me before entering the Mercato di San Lorenzo. Leather leather everywhere...hanging off the stalls, hanging on people's arms and on the ground--bags, wallets, belts and everything and anything that could be made of leather. Plus other souvenir stalls were mixed in the crowd. These people were serious about selling their products!. Definitely touristy since there were swarms of groups and in some areas it was annoying to push through. If you're the bartering type than this is the place for you! I'm personally horrible at it and good thing one of the girls I traveled with was a pro. I mean, why would you honestly pay over 100 euros on something that could most likely be fake? The bags we thought looked great were flawed when we looked at it up close and some were discolored from being in the sun. We walked out of the market empty handed. Great experience...just wish I found something I could've taken home. read more
10 years ago
Most people call the San Lorenzo Markets a leather market, but I found a lot of other goodies while walking down the market. There are a lot of leather bags and leather goods, but I was able to pick up some gorgeous handmade placards and magnets as well as handmade notebooks made from Florentine paper. There are also a lot of scarf vendors as well as leather bracelet vendors. I found a leather bracelet that I really liked - that looks a lot different from all the other leather bracelets I saw in Rome. I don't think it's necessarily a great place to buy leather bags - especially if you're looking for something made from authentic Italian leather. They all say that it's authentic and some of the vendors won't hesitate to put a lighter to the leather to show you it's not burning, but I'm a bit skeptical about a $20 "authentic leather bag". I would still suggest browsing to see if there's anything that catches your eye, but don't expect too much. I'm not sure if haggling is done at the market, but we sure did! read more
What a fun place to shop! This is the historic market of Florence where leather goods, souvenirs, clothing etc can be purchased outside. Inside the market building is the food market which is under some renovation of the floor. There are cool little shops next the the SL market that have been around a long time. Check it out to comparison shop for your gifts. read more
Some say it is just a market, but I love Mercato Centrale. The food stalls downstairs give you access to the freshest produce while upstair the turn this into cooked to order food delights at the various food outlets and competitive prices. Great for a casual lunch or dinner, and make sure you match your food with a local wine or two, also available upstairs by the glass or bottle. read more
One cannot come to Florence without a visit to the San Lorenzo Market. It is an outdoor market that is smaller than it was on my first visit to Florence many years ago. The markets run along several streets surrounding the Central Market. (Make sure you take the time to visit the Central Market.) There are hundreds of stalls on each side of the street selling everything imaginable - clothing, leather goods, ceramics, paper products, souvenirs, and so much more. It is so much fun to walk thru and see all that is going on. If you want to buy something, this is time to try your hand at bargaining. The vendors love to bargain. So, have some fun; but, don't pay the first price that is offered - try to bargain for something better. read more
I can't speak to the leather vendors (outside), but inside this market are some fantastic culinary treasures and upstairs is a full blown food court with multiple purveyors serving up delicious treats. If you rented a house in the area, this is a great place to shop for fresh ingredients to cook at home, and if you're walking by with a rumbling tummy, stop in and grab a bite (some delicious slow cooked beef downstairs at Nerbone). read more
Separate from the Mercato Centrale (the large interior market where all the food is), the bazaar/flea market ringing the Centrale is a great place to go for clothing and souvenirs. The market is huge and there is a ton of merchandise available--much of it is identical or hard to distinguish. However, some if it is definitely better quality than others, and some of it is imported from China, not made in Italy. Make a circuit of the entire market and be sure to ask if the goods are made locally. My girlfriend and I found some gorgeous silk and knit scarves and we both found wonderful belts for ourselves and others. I managed to snag a couple of touristy knicknacks for people back home as well (including a corny kitchen apron featuring Michaelangelo's David--penis and all). I'd recommend bringing some shopping bags and stocking up on a lot of the gifts you want to bring home. You'll find better prices than at the shops near the tourist attractions and will be able to get most of your shopping done in one place! Also be careful about prices. If it's not posted, then it's probably negotiable. I think I made a misstep of letting one merchant know how much I paid for my current belt before he quoted me the price of the one I wanted to buy. I might've gotten it for less if I hadn't done that. read more
12 years ago
I went to the Mercato di San Lorenzo multiple times, as it is an excellent place to get all of your souvenir shopping done at a fraction of the cost. There is a variety of items that you can purchase, from purses to belts to wine stops and pretty much anything that screams italy. One of the most general rules in Europe is to bargain prices at these types of places, or at least try. Most of the items are overpriced anyways to draw out tourists who think they may be cheaper than an in-store purchase. If you are looking for leather goods (one of the things that Florence is known for) and for a decent price, this is the place to go. Before purchasing anything, definitely have a look around - most stalls have the same stuff but you can check around for prices so that you can estimate a good bargaining point (I always start my price point low about 40% off their original price). If you're not comfortable with starting that low, I would say go for 20-30 Euros off. Overall, definitely give this place a look at least once. read more
8 years ago
Is it okay that I'm posting this review almost three years later? Better super late that never What can I say about this market? There is the indoor market with all the incredible food and the outdoor leather market with tons of purses, belts, scarves, ties, and other accessories. I spent 100€ and got 4 beautiful leather purses and 3 silk scarves. I can't say that everyone would have the same experience. I'd always heard that they liked chocolate women in Italy and when it came to negotiating prices I definitely noticed that I got better deals on the same thing! I went from booth to booth negotiating with the vendors and one of them took my hand and started calling me "brown sugar. I quickly got him to let go of me but by the time my sister in law and I left the market, other vendors we're calling out "brown sugar" as I walked down the street. That was annoying but I think the lack of variety when it comes to some of the products, was the biggest draw back. A lot of the vendors are selling the same purse so you have to wonder if you got the best deal or if the best price was one more booth away. Overall I enjoyed my time at this market and will definitely come back; hopefully without the nickname read more
7 years ago
i bought a stunning leather jacket from this store and i need to contact them to get another because some low life stole mine can anyone help me get in contact with this store i've been searching all the stores in Florence leather market and i'm positive this is the correct store. I bought it last year July 2018. If someone from this store can contact me please do so i can try and describe the jacket to buy another one. read more
9 years ago
It's a really beautiful place, full of shops and places with food (and I know you love food as much as I do), I tried the pasta al tartuffio, apprently the best in town : I wouldn't know the taste of the truffles because they put a oil/parmesan sauce on my pasta that tasted like lemon... Still good but if you really want to taste the truffle (and not the lemon) maybe ask without sauce. Upstairs is where you cab really eat : there are so many choices ! Like I told my mom, this was the only museum worth seeing ;) the market and restaurants truly made you feel you are in Italy. You HAVE to go there if you come to Firenze ! read more
10 years ago
Overrated. They all say it's "real" leather. But if real leather sold at that price, they'd be crying themselves to sleep. All the booths pretty much carry the same things. Price compare before - and IF - you buy. read more
12 years ago
Haggle. Haggle. Haggle!!! There are plenty of shops selling the same thing so if you don't get the price you want from one stand, move on. We got great deals on cashmere scarfs and souvenirs for my family. I wanted to buy a purse but I was hesitant it was not real leather. Some of the sellers can be aggressive, but just walk away and ignore them. It's definitely an experience you shouldn't miss. read more
If you need anything in leather this is the place to go. Over the years I bought two leather coats ,wallets. vests, and many other items at half the price as in other places in Italy. If you forgot something in Rome or Venice to buy ,chances are you can find it here. Go inside the main market for a great snack or lunch. FYI if you like a jacket , bargain with them keep in mind this is not Macy's or Bloomingdales. read more
8 years ago
Too much of a hard sell, felt accosted. Didn't really want to shop after the experience. However, found one stall seeking cashmere scarves. Decided to go ahead and buy one. read more
9 years ago
I give it three stars rather than zero because you can't blame every store for the actions of one or two. My family and I had a lot of fun and bought many leather goods and cashmere and silk scarves at very attractive prices. We enjoyed a delicious lunch at the second floor food court. Haggling can be fun, as long as you are willing to walk away. Unfortunately we came across a store called Florence Leather, written in cursive letters white on black,where after telling me he would sell me a jacket for 150E I tried it on and then he said he wanted 250E. I told him he wasted my time and he started cursing and using anti American and anti Semitic language yelling that he hates Jews. Wow! Talk about ignorance. Stay away from this shop. read more
11 years ago
Great market, redone in 2014. Don't miss it during your trip to Florence. Food court will make it hard to choose what to eat.
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More info about Mercato di San Lorenzo
Piazza del Mercato Centrale
50123 Florence
Italy
Santa Maria Novella
Directions
Hours
What time does Mercato di San Lorenzo open?
Mercato di San Lorenzo opens at 9:00 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
What time does Mercato di San Lorenzo close?
Mercato di San Lorenzo closes at 7:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.Mercato di San Lorenzo is closed on Sunday.
Mon-Sat 9:00 AM - 7:00 PMSun Closed
Food & Alcohol
Does Mercato di San Lorenzo have catering options?
No, Mercato di San Lorenzo does not have catering options.
Outdoor Amenities
Does Mercato di San Lorenzo have parking?
Yes, Mercato di San Lorenzo has parking options. Validated Parking
Mercato di San Lorenzo Reviews in Other Languages
Review Highlights - Mercato di San Lorenzo
“Besides gold & leather, the Lampredotto is a must & the Mercato is the spot to slurp it up.”
Mentioned in 13 reviews
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
3 reviews that are not currently recommended
The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.
13 years ago
E' sicuramente una delle attrazioni della città, non si può certo definire bazar, anche se ormai di fiorentino è rimasto solo la struttura del Mercato Centrale, la maggior parte del commercio esterno alla struttura è concentrato su prodotti in pelle, souvenir e abbigliamento semplice, direi più roba per turisti incuriositi, comunque ha un suo fascino dovuto alla Chiesa di San Lorenzo, al Chiostro, alle Cappelle Medicee e all'antico Mercato Centrale dove ancora all'interno si possono trovare negozi storici. Impossibile non visitarlo, grazie anche alla sua locazione strategica, ma è anche ben pubblicizzato da diverse guide turistiche. Non consigliabile per gli acquisti, non credo che sia molto conveniente i prezzi proposti. read more
15 years ago
Situato nella zona del mercato centrale, raccoglie un gran numero di bancarelle, dove vengono venduti i più disparati articoli, dalla pelletteria, all'abbigliamento. storicamente è considerato tra i più antichi di Firenze, se non il più antico, ma la fiorentinità del posto ha perso sicuramente il fascino che probabilmente anni e anni addietro lo rendeva il più caratteristico della città. rimane sempre un'attrazione turistica, ma suo malgrado le sembianza è quella appunto del bazaar. comunque da visitare. read more
4 years ago
Totally awesome shopping experience! Excellent service and there is something for everyone!
























































































