When visiting the city of Florence for the first time, given the amount of beautiful things to see, it may be easy to just stick to the basics and not go more in-depth into exploring the hidden gems of the city. Visiting the most important museums, buildings and monuments, such as the Uffizi Gallery, the Dome and its stunning Cupola is definitely fundamental but, once you’re done with visiting these things, we highly suggest you go visit the Oltrarno district, one of the most suggestive districts in the city of Florence.
Let’s talk about the beauty of the Oltrarno District and why you should add it to your Florence itinerary!
Discovering Oltrarno District
The name of the Oltrarno district says it all about its location! The word “oltre” in Italian means “beyond” and the word “Arno” obviously refers to the Arno River. Combine the two together and you will easily understand that the Oltrarno district is located beyond the Arno River!
You can get to the Oltrarno neighborhood simply by crossing Ponte Vecchio, one of the most beloved attractions by locals and tourists that is often referred to as the Old Bridge in English. You will find yourself in the beautiful Oltrarno district, which is divided into three quarters, but more on this later.
What you can see in the Oltrarno District
As previously mentioned, the Oltrarno district is divided into three quarters: the San Frediano, the Santo Spirito and the San Niccolò. Each of these quarters is known for something in particular, which is why we’ll give you a small guide of things you can’t miss out on when visiting the Oltrarno district!
- PALAZZO PITTI: First and foremost, you can’t miss out on visiting the infamous Palazzo Pitti. This palace belonged to the Medici Family and it’s filled with works of art from the Renaissance made by some of the greatest artists in the whole world, such as Raffaello Sanzio, Perugino, Caravaggio and many more;
- BRANCACCI CHAPEL: If you want to go more in-depth into Renaissance art, we suggest you take the time to visit the Brancacci Chapel. This Chapel is located in the Santa Maria del Carmine Church and it’s filled with beautiful frescoes made by Masaccio;
- BOBOLI GARDENS: If you wish to escape the frenzy of the city for a while and get lost in nature, you can visit the Boboli Gardens, one of the biggest and most beloved parks in Florence;
Street Art in the Oltrarno District
Something that has become more and more popular in Florence in the last decades is street art. The Oltrarno District is one of the best examples of this, as it’s filled with art, especially in San Frediano and San Niccolò. Here’s a list of some of the most influential artists of this movement that you should look out for:
- Clet: known for modifying street signs;
- Exit/Enter: known for creating the simplest images in the best way;
- Blub: known for creating underwater depictions of celebrities;
Conclusion
Visiting the Oltrarno district is a fantastic way to get to know a different side of the city of Florence that is just as worth it. If you want to get to know more about the city of Florence and Italy in general, check out our other blogs and book a private tour with us!
