San Lorenzo district

The Medici quarter

San Lorenzo sits immediately north of the Duomo and west of SMN station — the most central neighbourhood in Florence and, confusingly, one of the least polished tourist experiences. The enormous outdoor leather market that covers Piazza San Lorenzo and the surrounding streets looks like an authentic Florentine shopping destination but is largely not; the genuine historical and artistic interest is a few steps back, in the church, chapels and market hall.

Basilica di San Lorenzo and the Medici connection

The Basilica di San Lorenzo is the Medici family church, the burial place of Cosimo de’ Medici, Lorenzo the Magnificent and most of the subsequent Medici dynasty. It was also the site of the family’s personal sacristies — workspaces where Brunelleschi and later Michelangelo worked.

The church facade is unfinished — the rough brick exterior you see is exactly what Michelangelo left when the Medici ran out of money (or political will) in 1520. A model of his intended marble facade is in the Museo delle Cappelle Medicee. The interior, by contrast, is a refined Brunelleschi nave: grey sandstone pilasters, white plaster, coffered ceilings, mathematical proportions. The two bronze pulpits by Donatello (1460s) in the nave are among his last works.

Entry to the basilica: €7. Open Monday-Saturday mornings and afternoons; closed Sunday and during mass.

The Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana: Accessed via the cloister, the Laurentian Library was designed by Michelangelo on commission from Pope Clement VII de’ Medici. The vestibule staircase is particularly striking — a triple stairway in grey stone that is one of the earliest examples of Mannerist architecture. The library holds one of the world’s finest manuscript collections. Entry approximately €3-5; hours limited.

The Medici Chapels (Cappelle Medicee)

The Medici Chapels museum is entered separately from the basilica, around the corner on Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini. It comprises two principal spaces:

Cappella dei Principi (Chapel of the Princes): The grand Medici mausoleum begun in 1604, intended to rival St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The interior is clad in pietra dura — semi-precious stone inlay work in green, red, yellow and black. The effect is extraordinary; the project took centuries and is technically still incomplete. Six Medici Grand Dukes are buried here in enormous granite sarcophagi.

Sagrestia Nuova (New Sacristy): Michelangelo’s architectural and sculptural masterpiece, begun in 1521. The tombs of Lorenzo, Duke of Urbino and Giuliano, Duke of Nemours each carry allegorical figures carved in marble:

• On Lorenzo’s tomb: Dusk and Dawn
• On Giuliano’s tomb: Day and Night

These four figures are among the most important works in Michelangelo’s entire output. The room itself, with its geometric pietra serena detailing on white plaster, anticipates architectural ideas that would not become mainstream for generations.

Michelangelo’s secret room: Below the Sagrestia Nuova, a small room was discovered in 1975 containing charcoal drawings on the walls, now attributed to Michelangelo. Access is limited and sometimes available only with guided tours; check current availability.

Entry to the Medici Chapels: €9-12 for standard entry; guided tours €15-25. The chapels close on Mondays and on some first and third Sundays of the month. Book in advance to avoid queues.

Mercato Centrale

The Mercato Centrale is a two-storey iron-and-glass building completed in 1874 by Giuseppe Mengoni. The ground floor is the working food market: vegetable, meat, cheese, bread and delicatessen stalls that supply local restaurants and households. Prices here for fresh produce are fair; the lampredotto and tripe counters (including the famous Nerbone) serve working food at working prices.

The upper floor was converted in 2014 into a food hall with restaurant stalls. It is now primarily a tourist destination; quality is variable and prices are higher than the ground floor. That said, it serves a useful purpose for visitors who want to eat well without restaurant research — the pasta, pizza and Florentine steak stalls are generally honest.

Ground floor: open weekdays 7am-2pm. Upper floor food hall: open daily until midnight.

The San Lorenzo leather market: a frank assessment

The stalls that cover Piazza San Lorenzo and the adjacent streets sell leather goods, scarves, bags and souvenirs. The market has existed for decades and has a place in the tourist imagination of Florence. The reality: most goods sold here are imported, not made in Florence or even in Italy. Labels saying “Made in Italy” on goods sold at €15-30 should be treated with skepticism.

Genuine Florentine leather goods — made in the city’s workshops, using traditional techniques — cost significantly more. The Scuola del Cuoio (Santa Croce), Leather craftsmen in Oltrarno workshops, and specific established shops on Via della Vigna Nuova or Via de’ Tornabuoni sell authentic handmade products at prices that reflect skilled labor.

If you’re shopping at the San Lorenzo market, treat it as a souvenir market at tourist prices, not an artisan leather market. You may find something pleasant and useful; just don’t believe the “hand-crafted in Florence” stories.

Palazzo Medici Riccardi

One block east of the basilica on Via Camillo Cavour, the Palazzo Medici Riccardi was the original Medici family residence from 1444 to 1540 — before Cosimo I moved to the Palazzo Vecchio and later to the Pitti. It was designed by Michelozzo for Cosimo the Elder. The building that now houses municipal offices is open to visitors for:

The Cappella dei Magi: A tiny chapel on the first floor with frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli (1459-1461) depicting the Journey of the Magi — identifiable portraits of the Medici family as the three wise men. One of the most intimate Renaissance artworks in Florence; the room is small enough that the frescoes wrap around you. Entry €7.

The Museo di Palazzo Medici: Rotating exhibitions in the main hall.

Hours are limited and often overlooked in favour of the better-known attractions; consider it for a quieter afternoon visit.

Where to eat in San Lorenzo

The neighbourhood borders SMN station, which means restaurant quality near the market is variable. The closer to Via dei Panzani (the main tourist artery between station and Duomo), the worse the value-to-quality ratio.

Better options:

• Trattoria Mario (Via Rosina 2): Communal tables, cash only, lunch only, no reservations. Classic Florentine — ribollita, pasta e fagioli, roast meat. Beloved and increasingly crowded with visitors, but the food remains genuine.
• Da Sergio (Piazza San Lorenzo 8r): Small, simple, Florentine standards at fair prices.
• Mercato Centrale ground floor: The lampredotto sandwiches at Nerbone (€4.50-6) are one of the most authentic quick meals in the neighbourhood.

Getting there

San Lorenzo is the closest major neighbourhood to SMN station — 5 minutes on foot through the pedestrian zone. From the Duomo, it’s a 5-minute walk north via Via dei Servi or Via dello Studio.