Everything You Need to Know About Gelato in Florence, Italy

Caitlinepstein415/ June 23, 2019/ Europe, Study Abroad/ 0 comments

If you’ve been following my Instagram stories this year, then you know that I have eaten a lot of gelato. Like obscene amounts. I have more or less had gelato each and every day that I have been in Italy, and some days found me getting gelato more than once. What can I say? I just can’t say no the question ‘hey, wanna go get gelato?’

Anyways, my constant gelato trips have made me a self-professed gelato connoisseur, and I am now going to share all of my gelato knowledge with you so you do not become yet another in a never ending line of tourists eating bad gelato in Florence.

First, some basic gelato tips

• Look for natural colors. Yes, it is easy to be drawn in by bright colors, but the real deal gelato shops use natural ingredients and no additives, so the pistachio should be a light brown/green and banana should be white/brown, not bright yellow.
• If it’s in a huge heaping pile, it’s probably fake. Real gelato is not meant to sit out enticingly in a huge pile all the live-long day. The shops serving up fresh gelato make new batches regularly and keep extra provisions of popular flavors fresh in the back. Some of the best gelato shops even serve their creations out of metal containers that don’t allow you to see it beforehand. Have no fear, though, it is almost always delicious and will certainly be better than factory produced gelato from a large pile.
• Go for the seasonal flavors and specialties. The best of the best gelaterias tend to have house specialties that are unique flavors, and unsurprisingly, these are usually the best. Seasonal flavors are also a good bet because they often employ the freshest ingredients, like watermelon and cantaloupe in the summer.
• If you don’t get a specialty flavor, go for a gelato mainstay flavor. At pretty much every gelato shop in Florence you’ll find the following flavors: chocolate, pistachio, lemon, strawberry, raspberry, and stracciatella. These flavors are classic and almost always good.
• The best gelaterias are only that: gelaterias. You are not going to get the best gelato in the city at a restaurant or bar that also happens to have gelato.

And now for a breakdown of the best gelaterias in the city…

Like I said, I had gelato quite often. So often that I made it through every flavor at two gelato shops. After that, I spent a couple of weeks making my way around the city to different gelaterias, trying a standard lemon and strawberry combo to directly compare each place. Here’s a breakdown of my favorites.

La Carraia

• Piazza Nazario Sauro, 25/r – across the river and the original location
• Via dei Benci, 24 – steps from the Basilica Santa Croce

Cost of a small cone: €1 for one flavor

First on the list and first in my heart. The Via dei Benci location was just a two-minute walk from my apartment during the Spring semester, and I systematically made my way through every single flavor they have. Along the way, I came to love not just the gelato but also the owner, Roberto. He and his brother founded La Carraia over 30 years ago, and I adored the personal connection I formed with the workers here. I am always greeted by name, and everyone there knows that I like my one euro cone without a plastic spoon. So, the people are lovely and the gelato is delicious to boot.

Flavors to try: Delizia la Carraia (white chocolate with ribbons of pistachio fudge), raspberry and chocolate cream

La Carraia was a mainstay on my Instagram story with their iconic green striped wall always serving as the background.

Gelateria dei Neri

Via dei Neri, 9 – minutes from the Bargello museum, the Uffizi Gallery and Palazzo Vecchio, and the Basilica Santa Croce

Cost of a small cone: €1.80 for two flavors

After trying all of the flavors at La Carraia, I started making my way through all of the flavors here, and it never disappoints. It gets pretty crowded at this gelateria, especially during the summer high season, but the gelato is worth the wait. They have soooo many interesting and delicious flavors that the only bad thing about this shop is making the difficult decision of which flavor to get.

Flavors to try: Riso (rice, sounds weird but it’s amazing), green tea, Mexican chocolate (spicy!), salted caramel, and a lot of refreshing fruit flavors

La Strega Nocciola

• Via Ricasoli, 16r – right near the Duomo and the Accademia
• Via de’ Bardi, 51/r – on the other side of the river near the Ponte Vecchio

Cost of a small cone: €2.60 for two flavors

This ‘artigianale’ gelato shop is a prime example of a shop that does not outright display their gelato, but nonetheless serves up some of the best gelato in the city. They also craft their gelato with all organic ingredients. It’s a bit pricier than some other shops in the city, but the gelato is very creamy, some of the flavors are unique, and it does stand out among the rest. I also just adore the name, which translates to ‘The Hazelnut Witch.’

Flavors to try: Bergamot (a fresh lemon flavor with a twist), lavender (one of the best flavors in Florence), and Azteca (tastes like Horchata!)

Vivoli

Via dell’Isola delle Stinche, 7r – near the Basilica Santa Croce

Cost of a small cup: €2 for two flavors

This shop is a classic stop in Florence because it is the oldest gelato shop in the city. It has been around since 1930 and handed down through 4 generations, meaning that they have been perfecting their gelato for damn near a century. Vivoli is almost always crowded, but they know their stuff and you won’t be disappointed with a cup of gelato here.

Flavors to try: Pineapple and ginger, pear and caramel

Festival del Gelato

Via del Corso, 75/red – very close to the Duomo and the Palazzo Vecchio

Cost of a small cone: €2.50 for two flavors

A lot of the gelato shops right by the Duomo are tourist traps, but this one actually serves up some pretty fresh and delicious gelato. They have a huge variety of flavors, from the classics to some that are more interesting and unique. So, if you’re in the heart of the historical center, stop by this festival of gelato.

Flavors to try: mojito, limoncello, and kiwi

Carabe Firenze

Via Ricasoli, 60/r – very close to the Accademia

Cost for a small granita: €2.50

Carabe brings the best of Sicily to Florence, so this is not as much a recommendation for gelato, but rather for amazing cannoli and granita, a slushy confection that is perfect for summer. If you need a break from gelato, then step into Carabe for a taste of another region of Italy.

Flavors to try: keep it classic with lemon and strawberry granita

Edoardo

Piazza del Duomo, 45/r – this gelato shop is right on top of the Duomo!

Cost for a small cone: €3.50 for a cone

Edoardo is the only gelato shop that is serving up real and amazing gelato right in the Piazza del Duomo. I will say that it is one of the pricier shops in the city, but you’re paying for organic ingredients and original flavors that change each day. I had an apple pie flavor the day after attending the International Gelato Festival in Florence, and if it had been a competing flavor in the competition, it would have gotten my vote in a heartbeat.

Flavors to try: this is difficult because they switch it up so often, but if they have apple pie that is a must and the wine flavors (both red and white!) are amazing!

Gelateria della Passera

Via Toscanella, 15/r – across the river not too far from the Palazzo Pitti and the Ponte Vecchio

Cost for a small cone: €1 per scoop

This gelateria is not right on top of a popular tourist attraction, and that’s part of what makes it great. It’s quiet, it’s local, and even better, it has one of the cheapest cones in the city. They also have a cute cafe across the street where you can enjoy your gelato and escape the heat, the cold, or the rain.

Flavors to try: Fior di Latte alla Menta (a refreshing mint), fresh fruit flavors like kiwi and plum

Santa Trinita Gelateria

Piazza dei Frescobaldi, 8/r – just across the river via the Ponte Trinita

Cost of a small cone: €2.20 for two flavors

I was a little hesitant while trying Santa Trinita for the first time because their gelato is piled pretty high, and that’s usually a good sign. But what sold it for me that it was fresh was their mission statement dedicated to making the gelato fresh each and every day as well as their unique black sesame flavor that proves that they make their very own flavor rather than order it in.

Flavors to try: the black sesame!!! Fruit flavors such as passion fruit and orange are also good options

Gelateria de’ Medici

• Via dello Statuo, 3/5r – pretty far out of the city center past the Santa Maria Novella Station
• Piazza Cesare Beccaria, 7r – a little bit out of the city center near the Sant’Ambrogio Market and in Piazza Beccaria

Cost of a small cone: €2 for two flavors

Last but certainly not least, Gelateria de’ Medici. The first time I tried this gelato shop, I walked 30 minutes in the rain to get to the Via dello Statuo location. I absolutely hate walking through the city in the rain because tourists can really only get more irritating when armed with umbrellas, but it was worth the walk. You can just look at this gelato and know it’s the real deal. When I came back to Florence in June, I was super excited to discover that not only did Gelateria de’ Medici have a second location, but it was just minutes from my new apartment. It is worth the walk to get to this gelato shop, and will get you to a quieter and more local part of the city.

Flavors to try: Cremino (tastes like a Reeses Peanut Butter cup), watermelon, Crema de Medici – their signature flavor

Honorable mentions from around Italy:

• Rome: Giolitti
• Cinque Terre (Corniglia): Alberto Gelateria
• Venice: Gelatoteca Suso
• San Gimignano: Gelateria Dondoli

And there you have it! Everything you need to eat the very best gelato in Florence, Italy! Now I just have to figure out what I’m going to do without my daily gelato fix back in the United States!