Food Market Tour Florence: 10+ Tastings & Local Wines

You taste your way through Florence's markets, not its tourist restaurants

You walk through Florence's Sant Ambrogio or San Lorenzo markets with a local guide, stopping for over ten tastings: cured meats, Tuscan cheeses, olive oil, hot dishes like ribollita and lampredotto, local wines, and gelato. The itinerary shifts based on what vendors have that day. Plan for a couple of hours on your feet, and let the guide know about any dietary restrictions when you book.

Step-by-step itinerary

Florence food and market tour

• Visit local market
• Taste local olive oil
• Sample traditional salamis and cheeses
• Pair cheeses with local wines
• Explore San Lorenzo neighborhood
• Savor homemade pasta
• Learn about Florence culture and history

The experience

You want to know what Florentines actually eat, not what the guidebook tells you to order. That's the pull of this food tour. It's not about standing in line at the Uffizi or another crowded piazza. Instead, you're walking into Sant Ambrogio market early, where vendors are still arranging their stalls, and your guide is pointing out which salami has been hanging for three years, which cheese comes from a farm outside the city that doesn't sell anywhere else. The market is loud and real, and you're tasting things as you go: olive oil first, then a slice of cured sausage, then a wedge of Tuscan cheese that tastes nothing like what you'd buy at home.

The walking is steady but not rushed. You'll move through the neighborhoods where locals live, stopping for a bowl of ribollita or peposo (a beef stew that's been simmered for hours), then later for lampredotto, which sounds intimidating until you taste it and realize it's just tender offal in broth, the kind of thing that used to be poor food and now tastes like history. Somewhere in there you're sampling wines, not in a tasting room but standing in a small shop or a corner of the market, learning the difference between what grows on one hillside and another. By the time you reach gelato at the end, you've eaten more than you expected and understood something about how Florentines think about food. It's not precious, it's not Instagram-ready, it's just good and it matters.

The tour runs in two versions: the main Secret Food Tour through Sant Ambrogio, or a Sunday option in San Lorenzo if you're there on the weekend. Both include over ten tastings, a mix of hot dishes and cold cuts, cheeses, seasonal vegetables, and wines. The menu shifts depending on what's available that day and what the vendors have, so you're never quite sure what you'll get, which is part of it. Comfortable shoes are non-negotiable. You're on your feet for a couple of hours, moving between stalls and small stops. If you have dietary needs, you'll want to mention them when you book, so the guide can plan ahead.

This isn't a cooking class or a wine masterclass. It's a market tour where the food is the teacher, and the guide is someone who knows which stall to trust and why. You leave with a full stomach, a sense of which neighborhoods to come back to on your own, and the kind of knowledge that only comes from tasting things in the place where they're made.

What’s included

• Your tour includes over ten tastings: a selection of traditional Tuscan salamis, cured hams, and sausages.
• local cheeses.
• olive oil.
• hot dishes such as ribollita, peposo, or ragù.
• lampredotto.
• coccoli.
• seasonal vegetables.
• bread.
• authentic gelato.
• and a secret dish chosen by your guide. You'll visit Sant Ambrogio market or San Lorenzo (depending on the day), taste wines paired with the food, and gain insight into Florence's food culture and history.

Options for this experience

4 options

Small group tour of Sant’AmbrogioGuide in English · 10:00, 10:15 and 10:30Choose this option to explore our Secret Food Tour of Sant Ambrogio with a group of no more than 12 people. Meeting point: Piazza di Santa Croce, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy

Small group tour of San LorenzoGuide in English · 10:30, 16:00 and 16:30Choose this option to take part in our Secret Food Tour of San Lorenzo in a small group of no more than 12 people. Starting point: Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy

Private tour of Sant AmbrogioGuide in English · 14 departure times: the first at 10:30, the last at 17:00Upgrade to a private tour: Select this option to turn your booking into a private food tour of Florence, just for you and your group. Duration: 3 hours. Starting point: Piazza di Santa Croce, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy

Food tour of San Lorenzo, privateGuide in English · 5 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 11:30Upgrade to a private tour: Choose this option to upgrade to a private food tour of the San Lorenzo neighbourhood, just for you and your group. Starting point: Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Information

Lasts 3h, runs every day, 17 start times, from € 98 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 12 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday to Saturday: 10:00, 10:15, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30 and 17:00Sunday: 09:30, 10:00, 10:15, 10:30, 11:00 and 11:30

GroupUp to 121 private ›

Live guideEnglishOther languages ›

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Secret Food Tours

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to taste how Florentines actually eat, not what tourists order. Expect a couple of hours of steady walking through markets and neighborhoods. That's what puts you where the food is real and the crowds are local.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long does the food tour last?

The tour involves a fair amount of walking over a couple of hours, moving between market stalls and stops. Exact duration depends on the version and the day's stops.

What's included in the 10+ tastings?

Cured salamis and hams, Tuscan cheeses, olive oil, hot dishes (ribollita, peposo, or ragù), lampredotto, coccoli, seasonal vegetables, bread, and gelato. A secret dish is also included.

Can I do the tour on a Sunday?

Yes, there's an exclusive Sunday Food Tour in the San Lorenzo neighborhood, with the same tastings and market experience.

What if I have dietary restrictions?

Contact the tour operator in advance to discuss your needs. They'll work to accommodate dietary requirements where possible.

Do I need to be fit for this tour?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, but it involves walking between market stalls. Comfortable shoes are recommended.

Is this tour away from tourist areas?

Yes, the tour focuses on local markets and neighborhoods away from the main tourist traps and museums.

What's lampredotto?

It's a traditional Florentine dish made from beef tripe, typically served in broth. It's a local specialty with deep roots in the city's food culture.

Will the menu be the same every day?

No, the itinerary and menu change based on what's available at the markets, the season, and other circumstances. That's part of the authentic experience.