Closed today: Boboli Gardens, Bardini Garden, all Uffizi-network state museums, Medici Chapels.
This is not a loss. Monday is the best day for the Oltrarno and Sant'Ambrogio. The tourists are queuing at closed doors - you'll have the market and the neighborhood to yourself.
Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti - 10 min walk from the flat. No tourists, no theater. Butchers, cheesemongers, fishmongers, bakers working the same stalls they have for decades. Browse the outdoor stalls first, then step into the indoor hall.
From Sant'Ambrogio, it's 5 min to Santa Croce - the natural next stop.
Walk across Ponte alle Grazie or Ponte Vecchio - about 20 min from Santa Croce. Monday note: some artisan shops close Monday mornings but reopen by 3 PM. Time accordingly.
From here: Via Maggio for antiques, Borgo San Frediano for leather, paper, and ceramics. Giulio Giannini e Figlio (Via Piazza Pitti 37) - marbled paper, established 1856.
Via del Porcellana 25R. Open Mon-Sat, dinner 7:30-9:30 PM, closed Sundays. Reservations required 2-3 days ahead - ideally booked from home before the trip.
The bistecca alla Fiorentina here is one of the best in the city. Famous also for pollo al burro (butter chicken). Old-school Florentine institution with almost no concessions to tourism.
Practical Notes
- Base flat: The Santissima Annunziata quarter flat - 3 min walk to Piazza Santissima Annunziata, 8 min to Duomo, 10 min to Sant'Ambrogio
- Book Trattoria Sostanza before leaving home - fills 2-3 days minimum in advance
- Da Rocco is cash only - bring small bills for the market visit
- Bus 12/13 from Piazza Ferrucci to San Miniato al Monte removes all climbing if preferred