Florence City Guide
In between Pitti Bimbo trade fair moments
I/we (it really felt like a girls holiday) was/were in Florence for the Pitti Bimbo fair. Days were full, schedules were tight, and everything moved faster than expected. Between the fair itself and everything happening across the city, I was trying to catch fragments of Florence whenever I could.
This wasn’t slow travel. It was in-between travel. Early mornings before Pitti, late dinners after it, and quick moments in the city where something felt memorable enough to stop for.
This is what stayed with me
Mornings
Mornings were shaped by Pitti days. Coffee, something small, then straight into the rhythm of the fair or back out into the city.
Gilli Café
Right in Piazza della Repubblica, slightly theatrical, and one of the few places that felt worth slowing down for, even briefly, before the day picked up.
Giacosa 1815
Elegant and reliable. A place that worked just as well for a quick morning stop as it did later when the city shifted into evening
Aperitivo → Dinner
After the fair, Florence felt like a different city. Aperitivo became less of a ritual and more of a reset before dinner.
We often ended up at Giacosa 1815
And what started as a quick drink sometimes turned into staying longer than expected. Around Santa Croce and Oltrarno, smaller wine bars appeared in between everything else, natural wine, standing tables, and the kind of places you fall into rather than choose.
There were also the true “hole in the wall” spots, the kind you only notice if someone points them out. Tiny windows set into old façades, a bell to ring, and a drink passed out directly through a small opening in the wall. No signage, no seating, just a brief exchange and then you’re back on the street with a glass in hand, like you’ve been let in on something unofficial.
Dinner
Dinner became the grounding point of each day during Pitti week. Always slightly late, always necessary.
Giotto Pizzeria Firenze
Easy, no frills, exactly what we needed.
Loud, familiar, and full of local rhythm.
The one dinner that felt like stepping out of the pace entirely. And the most phenomenal views across the city! Wow
A piazza dinner that felt accidental but ended up being a highlight.
We returned here more than once because it worked in every version of the day
Gelato
Gelato became the smallest reset between everything happening around Pitti.
Voli Gelato
Clean, seasonal flavours and an easy return point.
Gelateria dei Neri
Always busy, always consistent.
Shops
Between fair appointments, Florence revealed itself through independent craft and small spaces that felt entirely separate from the pace of Pitti.
Riccardo Luci marbled stationery shop
A quiet, detailed space that slowed everything down for a moment.
Traditional marbled paper still made by hand, still fully alive as a craft.
Bookstore, café, courtyard space. A place to reset between days.
Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
Historic fragrance store and perfume pharmacy, immersive and slightly overwhelming.
Todo Modo
A bookshop that naturally interrupts the pace of the city.
Procacci
Known for truffle sandwiches, quick but memorable stop.
Small ateliers and workshops scattered through the centro that you only really find by moving through the city without direction
Kids & Conscious Shopping
Not something we set out to explore during Pitti, but these places came up and reflected a quieter side of the city.
L’Officina del Giocattolo
Traditional wooden toys and handmade games.
Piccini Bambini
Simple, ethical children’s clothing.
Where We Stayed
Our base shifted between places that made it easy to move between Pitti and the city.
Hotel Santa Maria Novella
Central, practical, and easy during a packed week.
Hotel Indigo Florence
Quieter, more design-led pause in the middle of the schedule.
Hotel Roma
Classic Florence energy right on the piazza
.
Conclusion
Florence during Pitti Bimbo felt full in every direction. Full days at the fair, full streets in the city, full evenings that arrived faster than expected.
But even in that pace, there were moments where Florence came through clearly. A café between appointments, a dinner that reset the day, a shop that pulled us out of the schedule for a minute.
Florence, you were nothing short of magical. And a massive thank you to the Pitti team for inviting me via Lemon magazine.