TRAVEL / CRAFTSMANSHIP / FLORENCE

Florence Beyond the Masterpieces:
Discover the City Through Its Artisans

Florence is inseparable from the Renaissance, but some of its most interesting traditions are still very much alive today. Beyond the galleries and famous monuments, generations of Florentine artisans continue to work with leather, gold, wood, ceramics, silk and paper in small workshops scattered across the city.…

Florence’s craftsmanship has long been considered part of its cultural identity, alongside its artistic heritage. Today, many of these skills can still be discovered in the workshops of the Oltrarno, particularly around Santo Spirito, San Frediano and San Niccolò, as well as close to Ponte Vecchio and Santa Maria Novella.

Some are hidden behind unassuming doorways, where jewellers, bookbinders, woodworkers, leather craftsmen and textile artists continue techniques passed down over generations. Rather than simply shopping for a souvenir, visiting these workshops offers a glimpse into a side of Florence that is still being made by hand.
Exploring the city this way changes the rhythm of a stay. Instead of moving from one major monument to the next, Florence becomes something to discover street by street.
The Oltrarno has long been one of Florence’s great artisan districts. Away from the busiest streets around the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria, areas such as Santo Spirito and San Frediano feel more residential, with workshops, small galleries, cafés and historic squares woven into everyday life.

This is a part of Florence best explored slowly. A workshop may lead to an antiques shop, a quiet courtyard or a neighbourhood market, while Via Maggio remains particularly associated with antiques and decorative arts.

One of the most interesting stops is the Vecchio Conventino, a former convent that has been closely connected with artists and craftsmen since the early 20th century. Today, it still houses traditional craft workshops and remains an important centre for Florentine craftsmanship.

ANOTHER SIDE OF FLORENCE

THE VERTU EXPERIENCE

A short walk from Florence’s historic centre, Palazzo Montebello occupies a restored historic residence near the Arno. The building brings together different architectural periods, with interiors extending around courtyards, a Tuscan-columned loggia and a flower-filled garden.

Its location makes it particularly well suited to exploring Florence on foot. Santa Maria Novella, the Arno and the historic centre are all within easy reach, while the artisan districts across the river can be reached naturally as part of a day spent wandering through the city.

After a day outside, the hotel offers quieter spaces away from the busiest streets, including its internal garden, as well as a sauna and gym available to guests

HOTEL HIGHLIGHTS

  • Historic Florentine residence with an elegant private garden
  • Central location within walking distance of Florence’s historic centre
  • Sauna, gym and peaceful courtyard spaces after a day exploring the city
DISCOVER PALAZZO MONTEBELLO
  • Florence Palazzo Montebello VERTU

    PEDESTRIAN STREET IN THE OLD TOWN

  • Florence Palazzo Montebello VERTU

    ITALIAN LEATHER CRAFTSMAN

  • Florence Palazzo Montebello VERTU

    PALAZZO MONTEBELLO’S COURTYARD