THE OLTRARNO -- IT'S WHERE YOU WANT TO BE

An Artisan Walk Through the Oltrarno Quarter

We strongly recommended staying in the Oltrarno (the district south of the River Arno) when visiting Florence

You can pick an apartment close to the Pitti Palace, Ponte Vecchio and Santo Spirito, but you can still shop at local groceries, dine at less touristy trattorias, shop at the workshops of true artisans and people watch in small piazas populated by locals.

The brilliant folks at EveryTrail.com have come up with an exquisite 0.5 KM, one- to three-our stroll "through the narrow streets of this neighborhood that feature unique studios."

In the words of EveryTrail:

"Overview: Florence’s Oltrarno district is known for its artisans—"artigiani" in Italian—a dying breed of creative hands that carry on centuries' worth of Florentine traditions. 

From bookbinders to sculptors to metalworkers and gold-gilders, the little maze of streets between the Ponte Vecchio and Santo Spirito are quietly off the beaten track, overlooked by most visitors.

It’s a wonderful neighborhood to explore and get a peek into another era.

Some of these workshops look like something straight out of the Renaissance. 

While you are here, visit some of the great little cafes in the area. 

Also in this neighborhood are the Pitti Palace’s beautiful galleries—a visit here would complement this artisan trail that looks at the decorative arts in Florence.

Tips: Note that Florence has a unique address system! Any street number with an "r" after it means "red." 

Look for red-colored numbers, which usually signify a business. 

Any numbers written in blue or black are usually a residence.

This means any street could have two separate places with the same number, one black, one red and they are not always near each other!

The best time for this walk is morning, from 9am to 12:30pm or the afternoon up until 7:30pm. 

Artisans usually have a schedule much like office hours—that is, Monday to Friday, but some will probably also be open on a Saturday morning. 

Try not to do this walk around lunchtime, as most will be closed from 12:30 to 3:30pm.

The Pitti Palace is also a wonderful place to explore and if you wanted to beef up this trail, visit the Silver Museum, the Costume Gallery or the Palatina Gallery of the Pitti Palace for more."

http://www.everytrail.com/guide/an-artisan-walk-through-the-oltrarno-quarter