It may only be a 10-minute stroll from the Duomo but the neighbourhood of Sant’Ambrogio feels distinctly more authentic than most nowadays in the Tuscan capital. This tight-knit community, devoid of the tourist traps and extortionately priced gelato found elsewhere, still manages to preserve its genuine Florentine identity.
It’s less chic and polished but that’s the beauty of the place. Besides being a magnet for foodies who hunt down its authentic osterie, the district holds a vintage market every Saturday from 8am to 1pm – in and around the main covered food market, which in essence is the heart of Santa Croce.
As a regular visitor to the city, it’s the neighbourhood that, to me, still feels like it wants to remain under the radar. The closer you get, the more noticeable it is that the tourist hoards start to diminish, which is a rare sight nowadays in Florence. Sant’Ambrogio feels more diverse and tolerant – with the medieval Chiesa di Sant’Ambrogio in the shadow of the beautifully exotic Moorish synagogue erected by the city’s Jewish community more than 140 years ago and the call to prayer of the city’s only mosque, Masjid Al-Taqwa on Piazza dei Ciompi.
I come here for the vintage finds, usually stopping for a caffeine fix at Coffee Manta on the way. Like most vintage shopping, it can be hit and miss. There are vintage stalls within the main covered market itself as well as others dotted outside on the perimeter, selling a mix of tweed jackets (expect to pay between €40-50 – a great place to start your Florentine tailoring experience by buying up traditional three-button wide-lapelled jackets, many of which were originally made bespoke for local gentry, and having them tailored to fit), shelves full of shoes, hats, antiques, cuff links and all manner of accessories. One of my go-tos is close to via Mino, where you can root around through a mass of second-hand watches in various states of disrepair. There’s another interesting chap selling vintage buttons just over the road on Nuovo Mercato delle Pulci, which you can use to upcycle your tweed finds, as often the vintage jackets, as well made as they are, have buttons that leave a lot to be desired.
Piazza Lorenzo Ghiberti, 50122 Florence, Italy
Lee Osborne is creative director at Secret Trips
