San Lorenzo has been at the heart of Florence's food scene since before the Medici built their church here. The Central Market, housed in a striking cast-iron pavilion from the 1870s, is where locals have shopped for generations – and this tour takes you straight inside.
Your culinary journey begins at a San Lorenzo bakery with cantucci biscuits and vin santo. You'll then explore the market stalls and surrounding streets on a small-group walking food tour, meeting the vendors who've been selling here for decades. Marco and his family have run their cheese and cold cuts counter for 40 years. A mother and son arrive daily from their Tuscan hill farm with olive oil, pesto and grappa. The Bambi family has been making lampredotto from the same recipe since the 1800s. At Ermal's bar del mercato, you can take a coffee break just like the stallholders do.
After exploring the market, you'll enjoy two glasses of wine at Zanobini, a family-run enoteca founded in 1944 and now in its third generation. The tour finishes with gelato, where you'll learn how to spot authentic Italian ice cream from imitations.
