MERCATO CENTRAL (CENTRAL IN MARKET FLORENCE)

So you’ve spent the day soaking up the beautiful culture Florence has to offer but hasn’t all that walking made you hungry?

Well, StudentsVille.it to the rescue! Ever heard of the Florence Central Market Food (San Lorenzo Market) or the Mercato Centrale (central food market Florence)? It’s in walking distance from Piazza San Marco and Piazza del Duomo and is a lovely place to go for lunch or dinner.

Apartments for rent in Florence Italy monthly quality rentals at honest prices.

The San Lorenzo Central Market in Florence Italy court has two floors; the ground floor being a rustic, old fashioned style market where you can find absolutely everything: dried fruits, pasta, fresh fish and chicken, bread and pastries and locals doing their shopping!
The first floor has been completely revamped and modernized into a gourmet food court with every type of dish available and even has the world famous Eataly restaurant. As much as I love Eataly in Florence, I’m impatiently waiting for the day we finally have an Eataly in London (in Oxford Street from September 2016)!

If you’re as passionate about cooking food as you are about eating it, the San Lorenzo central market Florence Italy food court even has a special section that sells cookbooks so you can have a try at being Italy’s next best chef!

Anyway, check this link out for the best markets in Florence

Florence Central Market Food on Google Maps

FIERA CIOCCOLATO (CENTRAL MARKET CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL) IN FLORENCE

If you feel like treating yourself while you’re on holiday, why not stop by the annual Fiera Cioccolato (chocolate festival) in Piazza Santa Maria Novella? 

There are at least 14 stands so you will definitely be spoilt for choice! If the rich chocolate is too much for you to handle after such a rich dinner you can get something small like a Nutella drizzled waffle, just like I did! Even if you visit to buy a chocolately souvenir, we promise you won’t be disappointed! Get there quickly – the last day is Sunday 21st February!
The stalls we recommend are Cioccolateria Cavalsani which sell a variety of solid chocolates, chocolates made with fruit and chocolate mixed with other ingredients such as pralines and hazelnuts. These tend to be solid nuts or blended with the chocolates. They specialize in the use of high-quality raw materials from national territory and no added hydrogenated fats.
The other place we recommend is Stringhetto. They sell a variety of delicious chocolate spreads that are not to be missed! Also, you can find out about the central market chocolate festival that happens once a year.

Find more information here:
www.fieradelcioccolato.it

MARCO OTTAVIANO, IL GELATO GOURMET (#1 ON ICE CREAM SHOP ON TRIPADVISOR!)

The final place that we recommend is Marco Ottaviano il Gelato Gourmet. It’s an ice cream shop run by an amazing husband and wife team. They are dedicated to producing the best quality ice cream possible!
They have over 45 flavours and you can also get a loyalty card which rewards you with some money off your 5th and 10th ice creams. No one cares about the enjoyment of ice cream more than this devoted couple!
Still need convincing? Well, there’s a reason this cute place was voted number 1 out of 176 for desserts in Florence on Tripadvisor and number 1 out of 2,367 for places to eat in Florence!
If that isn’t enough to make you want to run there, we don’t know what is!
Take a look at their website (link below) which was wonderfully made by the Studentsville team), or check out other gelaterias in Florence.

Find more information here:
www.marcoottaviano.it

Articles & Pictures by Anita Lofinmakin* (Bromley College, UK)

*A  few lines about Anita?
“A is for Adventurous
N is for Nosey
I is for Imaginative
T is for Talkative
A is for Amazing!”

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