Technically speaking…………..this is considered two markets. There are a number of outside market stalls dating back to the Middle Ages. At that time, the market was located outside of the city walls but as the city continued to grow, it was moved inside the city and became more organized. We didn’t spend a great deal of time in this section. It seemed to be mostly about leather goods and we were here for the food.
In the early 20th century, the market underwent a major renovation, which saw the construction of the covered market hall that still stands today. The renovation helped to modernize the market and improve the shopping experience for visitors. The cast iron and glass structure recalls European architecture, most notably Parisan. But enough of the history, let’s get inside!
Always love the shops that feature local products. So many things to look at.
Some specialize strictly in meat.
If you want your meat to be prepped – here you go.
Then you have the cheese mongers. I mean, come on, where can you find cheeses like these in the states?
Couldn’t resist this shot with the baby sheep highlighting the milk used.
Mushrooms – N.E.V.E.R seen this many shrooms in one place. This shot was only a small portion of the food stall.
And the veggies. LOVE their veggies. Artichokes were in season and numerous times we found 3 sizes of this veggie and priced accordingly.
Almost forgot about the seafood. Indeed, I only captured one photo. Being so far inland, seafood was still available but nothing really unusual was seen.
Renovated in 2014 the upstairs area is a foodie’s delight. This new floor of the market is not only a hub for food but also for Italian culture and history. Many of the specialty items represent a different method of production, dating back in time, calling upon old Italian cultural traditions.
There’s plenty of seating, a team of workers clear and clean the tables and the stalls work together with an electronic system when your orders are ready to be picked up.
Let me share a few of the food stalls:
What did we eat?
Soup dumplings
Sometimes you just wanted a sandwich. Okay, it was me that wanted a sandwich.
And let’s not forget desserts. One time I got this cake, slightly warmed up. It was very good.
I chose the ice cream bar on a different day, with sliced almonds – excellent!
This turned into our ‘lunch’ choice a number of days. We could each pick up what our heart desired at that particular moment, to eat or drink. 🙂
They are actively working on incentives for locals to shop and eat at the marketplace. Things such as a discount card, discounted or free parking and special cooking events. I know one thing……….if we lived in Florence, we would be coming back – repeatedly.
Darden Travels 