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FLORENCE

What are the best Florence neighbourhoods for international residents?

Whether you're moving to Florence for the first time or are looking for a new place in the city, here are the five best 'quartieri' to call home.

Published: 16 December 2022 16:54 CET
Updated: 8 October 2023 07:00 CEST
A view of Palazzo Vecchio in Florence
Florence is the third-most popular Italian destination for native English speakers after Rome and Milan. Photo by Vincenzo PINTO / AFP

Given the city’s famous architecture, cuisine and rich cultural scene, it’s no wonder that Florence is one of the most popular Italian cities among foreigners. 

As many as 133,400 foreign nationals live in Tuscany’s capital, making up around 31 percent of the total local population. 

Florence is the third-most popular destination for native English speakers after Rome and Milan, with plenty of US and UK nationals living by the Arno.

But like most other major cities in Italy, Florence is a very diverse place and some of its neighbourhoods may be more suited to foreign nationals than others.

READ ALSO: Ten things to expect when you move to Tuscany

So, in no particular order, here are the city’s top five quartieri for foreign residents to consider.

Campo di Marte

Located about two miles east of the city centre, the Campo di Marte neighbourhood is one of Florence’s most tranquil residential areas. 

Granted, the quartiere might lack the appeal of the city centre’s Renaissance architecture, but Campo di Marte’s liberty-style buildings are still very, very far from your ordinary suburban condos. 

The area also offers plenty of sport and entertainment options as it is home to both the Artemio Franchi stadium, where the local Fiorentina football team plays, and the Nelson Mandela Forum, which regularly hosts some of Italy’s biggest music events. 

Florence's Artemio Franchi stadium

The Artemio Franchi stadium is one of many local attractions in the Campo di Marte area. The Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP

The neighbourhood is also suited to those who love being surrounded by nature as it is dotted by a number of parks and green areas, including the Niccolò Galli Garden and the Villa Il Ventaglio Park. 

Finally, housing in Campo di Marte is generally far more affordable than it is in areas closer to the city centre, with the average asking price standing at 4,115 euros per square metre.

San Marco

San Marco is a residential neighbourhood sitting just north of Florence’s city centre. 

Unlike Campo di Marte, its architecture is fully in line with that of the city’s centro storico and, as such, is graced by a number of gorgeous Renaissance buildings. 

The iconic Basilica di San Marco and the square stretching out in front of it are the beating heart of the area as they are residents’ favourite gathering place. 

That said, the beauty of the above church and of many other local landmarks also means that a good number of tourists populate the quartiere during the day. 

READ ALSO: Thirteen dialect words you need to know in Florence

This can sometimes result in crowded streets and chaotic road traffic, which can make it hard for residents to move around. 

At any rate, many foreign nationals choose to reside in the San Marco neighbourhood because housing is comparatively accessible for both renters and buyers and a sizeable community of expats, especially foreign students studying at the local University of Florence, already lives in the area.  

San Frediano

San Frediano is a very small neighbourhood located in the so-called ‘Diladdarno’, that is the southern bank of river Arno, which runs right through Florence. 

With its narrow streets and hidden squares, San Frediano is one of the city’s most picturesque areas. 

River Arno in Florence

San Frediano is a picturesque neighbourhood located on the southern bank of river Arno. Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP

The quartiere is dotted by historic artisan workshops and old-school trattorias and cafès, which are guaranteed to remind residents of times long gone. 

Though it has no shortage of architectural and artistic wonders, San Frediano doesn’t generally figure in the plans of most international visitors, which makes it a very quiet and liveable area. 

While local property prices have increased over the past few years, housing is still more affordable than in most nearby areas, with the average asking price hovering around 3,500 euros per square metre. 

Santo Spirito

Located just east of San Frediano, Santo Spirito is by far the chicest area south of the Arno. 

The neighbourhood, which radiates out of the iconic Santo Spirito Square, has a peculiar bohemian feel to it, with very characteristic family-run shops and flea markets lining its streets. 

Santo Spirito is also the right fit for those looking to regularly indulge in some fine dining as it is home to some very classy eateries and bars. 

And, if you do end up overeating, you can alway burn off some calories by taking a walk in the nearby Boboli Gardens, one of Italy’s most beautiful public parks.

Boboli Gardens in Florence

The Boboli Gardens, which border the popular Santo Spirito neighbourhood, are one of Florence’s many gems. Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP

Finally, the area is very popular among foreign nationals but local property prices aren’t exactly for everyone as the asking price is around 4,900 euros per square metre on average but it can be as high as 9,600 euros on some streets.

Santa Croce

Located just east of the city centre, on the northern bank of the Arno, this neighbourhood gets its name from the gorgeous Basilica di Santa Croce. 

But the Basilica isn’t the only local attraction, not by a long shot. A wealth of museums and galleries are located in the area, making Santa Croce one of the best neighbourhoods for art-loving international residents. 

The Santa Croce quartiere may also be appealing to people with interests other than art as it offers a good number of entertainment options, including calcio storico (historic football) matches over the summer.

Santa Croce is also home to the popular Sant’Ambrogio Market, which is ideal for those keen on fresh, locally-sourced groceries. 

As in the case of Santo Spirito, property prices are fairly high, though some more affordable housing remains available in some parts of the neighbourhood.

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AMERICANS IN ITALY

‘Everything shuts down for hours’: Shocks Americans get when they first move to Italy

You might have read up on Italian values and customs before moving here, but not everything is written down. We asked Americans what they found most surprising when they first arrived.

Published: 10 May 2024 09:48 CEST
‘Everything shuts down for hours’: Shocks Americans get when they first move to Italy

Americans are often drawn to Italy by its extensive art scene, wealth of food and quality of life. But living in the country can bring surprises for all new residents, including for statiunitesi, who often find things are very different to what they’re used to back home.

We asked Americans on The Local’s Living in Italy Facebook group, you told us mealtimes, paying bills and taking out the trash were amongst the most unexpected hurdles.

Mealtimes were one surprising factor for Kathleen Canape, a Foligno resident by way of New York.

“So lunch is crazy. Everything shuts down, for like three hours. In New York City, we eat at our desk,” she writes. 

She continues: “When I was growing up we ate dinner at 5pm, I usually had dinner at 7pm back in Long Island and that was considered late.

“Now I go to dinner at 9pm.”

Kathleen, who worked in fashion, finance and real estate in Manhattan and Long Island, found life couldn’t be more different when she moved to Foligno two years ago to be with her husband. 

She also found working on a Sunday is a big no-no in Italy, whereas she was used to it back in New York.

MAP: Where do all the Americans live in Italy?

“It’s a five-hour lunch that goes right into dinner.”

She finds it “wild” that some bills you have to pay at the tobacco shop or post office, rather than online. 

“That’s definitely a pain,” she adds.

Debbie Dexter, who lives in Umbria, notes the issues she had with recycling when she first arrived in Italy. 

She says the Umbria region has locked bins and that trash collectors would not pick up certain types of rubbish.

READ ALSO: Ten positives to focus on if you move to Italy from the US

“Out of desperation, I drove around trying to find an unlocked bin when I came across a large white box,” Debbie comments.

“I couldn’t read Italian yet but set about depositing my trash inside, only to learn that it was a collection box for donated clothes and other items. I felt SO bad!”

She relied on the help of her neighbours, who made her a copy of a key for the bins so she could deposit her waste. She was then caught by the collectors and was told  that, because she owned a house, she should have a set of sanctioned bins. In total, it took her a year to get the bin situation sorted. 

Debbie also had an unpleasant surprise when she entered her new home – all of the light sockets and the thermostat had disappeared.

“I already knew Italians tend to take the whole kitchen with them,” Debbie says. “But I didn’t expect to see open wires hanging out of the wall.”

“I had to fix everything. I am still shocked to this day that we did not get electrocuted.”

As a single woman living in Italy, she also says she gets weird looks when dining out alone.

READ ALSO: Ice to AC: Nine of the most common American misconceptions about Italy

“When a single woman walks in looking for a table on a Sunday, you almost get laughed at by the audacity of this request.  So, Sundays I make a nice little lunch for myself, open a bottle of wine and eat out on my terrace,” she adds. 

Manuela Rumsey, a real estate agent from California who lives in Vicenza, had an issue that many foreigners moving to Italy will have experienced:

“When I first arrived, I tried to get a phone number and bank account,” she writes. “The bank told me that I needed a phone number first, and the phone company told me that I needed a bank account first.

“It was over a month before I had both.”

Kathleen did however have a nice surprise when she adopted her dog.

She tells us: “It was completely free. In the States they charge you at least a $200 adoption fee.”

It just goes to show, not all surprises make life harder. 

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