Ask an Italian: Where to get gelato in Florence
We tapped Sabra, an expert Tour Director (and Italian!), for her best tips on where to get gelato in Florence. Read on to find her recommendations.
We tapped Sabra, an expert Tour Director (and Italian!), for her best tips on where to get gelato in Florence. Here, she shares her recommendations—and we definitely won’t judge if you visit them all in one trip.
Vivoli
This is a classic in Florence—historical, old-fashioned, and timeless. It’s tucked away in the Santa Croce neighborhood, but it’s extremely well-known and has been raved about by visitors from all over the world.
Flavor to try: Millefoglie, which captures the classic mascarpone-filled pastry in ice cream form.
Via dell’Isola delle Stinche, 7r, 50122
Baroncini
Another oldie, Baroncini has had a recent makeover to make it feel like a modern-meets-classic gelateria. But, they still show off the original sign: Latteria-Caffè, since 1946.
Flavor to try: Fondente all’ arancia, made with cocoa and orange jam.
De Medici
Traditional and rather elegant (check out the chandeliers!), the gelato here is sold alongside pastries, fresh sorbet-filled fruit, and elaborate cakes.
Flavor to try: Mix it up with ice cream cupcakes, which come in flavors like fregola (strawberry) and limone (lemon).
Gelateria della Passera
A tiny place in a very beautiful plaza, Gelateria della Passera looks a bit like it’s from a movie. All of the gelatos are handmade with fresh, organic ingredients, and flavors rotate depending on what’s in season.
Flavor to try: Menta—that’s fresh cream mixed with spearmint.
Carabè
Founded by a pair of Sicilians, Carabè also serves the Southern Italian specialty, granitas, which are more like a sorbet than ice cream. Either way, it’s a must if you’re in Florence and craving a sweet, frozen treat.
Flavor to try: Pistachio granita, made with pistachi di Bronte, a special type of pistachio harvested in the Catania region of Italy.
Find your favorite gelato on tour in Italy.