14 May 2026
Florence
There is a Florence that cannot be captured in a photo from the steps of Piazzale Michelangelo. It is a city of half-open doors, unobtrusive signs, and marble counters worn smooth by generations of elbows. It lives in the workshops where a craftsman works leather as they did in the 19th century, in the cafés where you sip a cappuccino standing up while exchanging a few words with the barista, in the tailors’ shops that create custom-made garments without needing to advertise. It is the Florence that Florentines themselves seek when they want to feel at home, and that we at Palazzo Castri love to share with our most curious guests.
Historic shops: a heritage you can touch
Walking through the streets of the city center means passing by a series of historic shops over a century old that the city protects with a special designation. They are not museums: they are businesses still in operation, where you can shop, place orders, and chat. They are worth seeking out, because they tell the story of Florence better than many guidebooks.
- Farmacia SS. Annunziata since 1561: one of the oldest in Europe, with original furnishings and a line of cosmetics and perfumes made according to recipes handed down over the centuries.
- Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella: founded by Dominican friars in the 13th century, it is now a place where rose water, potpourri, and soaps can be purchased in frescoed rooms.
- Antico Setificio Fiorentino: in San Frediano, damasks and brocades are still woven here on 18th-century looms. Visits are by appointment only, and that is precisely what makes them special.
- Pegna: the historic grocery store just a stone’s throw from the Duomo, where since 1860 you can find specialty foods from all over the world and from Tuscany.
For those who want to explore further, the official Visit Tuscany website dedicates several pages to itineraries exploring Florentine crafts and traditions.
Tailors and ateliers: Florence dresses to measure
Long before becoming a hub of Italian fashion, Florence was a city of tailors. It still is, albeit more discreetly. In the lesser-traveled streets of the Oltrarno and the city center, you’ll find ateliers where garments are sewn by hand, shoemakers who craft custom shoes in just a few weeks, and milliners who still shape felt with steam. Those who step through these doors aren’t looking for a purchase, but a relationship: the first fitting, the choice of fabric, the delivery that arrives months later like a small ceremony.
This is a Florence that takes time, and perhaps that is why it remains hidden. But for those staying in the city for a few days, booking a visit to an artisan workshop can become the most personal memory of the trip.
Signature cafés: where the ritual endures
Having a coffee in Florence is a daily ritual that conceals a small, sentimental geography. There are the literary cafés of the late 19th century, frequented by poets, artists, and travelers, and there are the neighborhood roasteries where the beans are ground to order.
- Caffè Gilli, in Piazza della Repubblica, open since 1733: stucco, Art Nouveau mirrors, and a pastry shop that remains a landmark.
- Caffè Paszkowski, just a few steps away, a historic gathering place for writers and musicians.
- Ditta Artigianale, for those seeking a more contemporary take on quality coffee, with its own roasting and an almost obsessive attention to extraction.
Sit at a table, order without rushing, watch the city go by: it’s one of the most underrated ways to understand Florence.
Neighborhoods to explore at a leisurely pace
Florence’s understated elegance is also evident in certain residential neighborhoods that organized tours rarely visit. The area around Piazza d’Azeglio, with its 19th-century palaces and central garden, has the intimate atmosphere of a bourgeois living room. The San Niccolò neighborhood, just across the Arno, still has restoration workshops and trattorias where you can eat just as people did fifty years ago. And then there’s our area: between Piazza della Libertà and Piazza dell’Indipendenza, an elegant and lived-in corner of Florence, just a few minutes from the Duomo but far from the densest tourist crowds.
Starting Over at Palazzo Castri
We have always believed that a hotel should not merely be a place to sleep, but a base from which to discover the city at the right pace. That is why those who choose Palazzo Castri 1874 find, upon their return, rooms and suites that invite silence, a wellness center where they can stretch their legs after long walks, and a restaurant where they can rediscover the flavors of Tuscany presented with restraint.
Our reception staff is always available to suggest personalized itineraries: booking a visit to an artisan workshop, recommending a trattoria that takes reservations only by phone, or highlighting an exhibition opening the following week. Because the most elegant Florence is the one you discover at a leisurely pace, and we’re here to help you discover it.
To plan your stay, we invite you to browse our offers or book directly through our website, where you’ll always find the best rates.
