Best Gelato in Florence 2026 and How to Spot the Real Thing
Updated: 7 hours ago
Updated October 2026
October 30, 2026 refresh: I rechecked every shop on this page, expanded the list from 5 to 15 gelaterie that are open this autumn, and added quick picks, ordering etiquette and a map list. My original notes are all still below.
I test gelato in Florence often, purely for research. The city has some of the best in Italy and plenty of neon tourist traps. Here is how I tell them apart, and where I go.
Below is how I tell the difference, and where I go in each neighborhood. For more sweet stops, see my guide to Florence bakeries.
How to spot real gelato
Look for flat or covered tins. Mountains of gelato piled above the rim usually mean added air and stabilizers. The best shops keep gelato in covered metal tins called pozzetti, or level in the case.
Check the colors. Pistachio should be a dull green-brown, not bright green. Banana should be grey-beige, not yellow.
Read the flavor list. Seasonal fruit flavors that change through the year are a good sign.
Taste first. Asking for a small taste is normal in good shops.
How to order
Pay first at the till if there is one, then hand your receipt to the server. Choose a cup or cone and a size, and most sizes let you pick two or three flavors. Panna, whipped cream on top, is usually offered free.
Best gelato by neighborhood
Santa Croce
Gelateria dei Neri (Via dei Neri 9/11r, closed Tuesdays) is my everyday favorite: creamy, generous and full of interesting flavors. Vivoli (Via dell'Isola delle Stinche 7r), tucked into a tiny side street near Santa Croce, is one of the oldest names in town. Gelateria de' Medici (Piazza Cesare Beccaria, closed Mondays; second shop at Via dello Statuto 3r) is worth the short walk for its rich cream flavors.
Oltrarno
La Carraia (Piazza Nazario Sauro 25r) sits at the foot of the Ponte alla Carraia, my classic stop on an evening walk along the river. Gelateria Santa Trinita (Piazza dei Frescobaldi 11/12r), just over the Santa Trinita bridge, is famous for its black sesame.
Gelato with kids
A gelato stop is the easiest reward after a museum morning. My Florence with kids guide has more ideas.
Pair it with your day
I like gelato mid-afternoon after a sandwich lunch. See my guide to the best sandwich shops in Florence. If you need a work break with Wi-Fi, try my list of Florence cafes with free wifi.
Where to stay
Santa Croce has several of the best gelaterie within a few blocks. See where to stay near Santa Croce.
A little gelato history
Florence claims a central role in the story of gelato. The Renaissance architect and designer Bernardo Buontalenti is credited by Florentine tradition with creating an early frozen cream for a Medici banquet, and today a rich egg cream flavor called "crema Buontalenti" is still on the counter in many shops.
Whether or not he truly invented it, gelato has been part of Florentine life for centuries, and the city takes it very seriously.
My go-to flavors
Crema Buontalenti: the Florentine classic, rich and custardy.
Pistachio: the test of a good shop. It should taste of nuts, not sugar.
Fior di latte: pure milk and cream, simple and revealing.
Riso: rice gelato, a creamy old-fashioned flavor.
Seasonal fruit sorbetto: fig in September, strawberry in May, lemon in summer.
Cioccolato fondente: dark chocolate, often dairy-free.
When to eat gelato
Florentines eat gelato any time, but the classic moment is the evening passeggiata, a stroll after dinner along the river or through the piazzas. In summer, the best shops stay open late, and lines form at ten at night. In winter, gelato still sells, and some shops add hot chocolate to the menu.
Gelato for special diets
Fruit sorbetti are almost always dairy-free and often vegan. Many shops also have dairy-free chocolate and nut flavors. Ask "senza latte?" to check. Gluten-free cones are increasingly common, and some shops list allergens by each flavor. For more ideas, see my vegetarian food guide.
Cups or cones?
A cup, coppetta, is neater and lets you share. A cone, cono, is more fun and the way most Florentines eat it on a walk. Some shops offer a wafer or a dollop of whipped cream, panna, on top, which I never refuse.
If you are ordering two flavors, pair a creamy one with a fruit one, like pistachio and lemon or chocolate and raspberry.
How to avoid the tourist traps
Be wary of shops right on the main squares with neon colors and huge mounds. Walk two streets away and look for covered tins, short ingredient lists and seasonal flavors.
Good shops post their sizes clearly at the till, so you always know what you are getting, and they are proud to tell you where their pistachios and hazelnuts come from.
A gelato walk
My favorite evening loop: start at La Carraia at the foot of Ponte alla Carraia, walk along the Lungarno to the Ponte Vecchio, cross into the center, and finish in Santa Croce at Gelateria dei Neri or Vivoli. Three neighborhoods and two scoops. For a romantic evening around it, see my romantic restaurants guide.
Florence and the invention of gelato
Florentines like to say gelato was born here, and they have a good story to back it up. Bernardo Buontalenti, the Medici architect and engineer who designed the Forte di Belvedere and part of the Boboli Gardens, is credited with creating a frozen cream made with milk, eggs, honey and wine for a Medici banquet in the 16th century.
The flavor called Buontalenti, a rich, eggy cream, is still sold in gelaterias all over the city. Another Florentine, Ruggeri, is said to have won a competition at the Medici court and followed Catherine de' Medici to France.
The details are part legend, but Florence's long love affair with frozen desserts is real, and the city celebrates it each spring with a gelato festival.
Flavors to try that you will not find at home
Beyond chocolate and pistachio, look for these Florentine and Italian favorites:
Buontalenti: the city's own cream flavor.
Crema: egg custard, the classic test of a good gelateria.
Fior di latte: pure milk and cream, simple and perfect.
Riso: rice gelato, creamy with tender grains.
Zuppa inglese: custard with a liqueur soaked sponge.
Ricotta e fichi: ricotta and figs, in late summer.
Seasonal sorbets: wild strawberry, peach, blood orange or melon, made with fresh fruit.
Cone or cup
A cup is cleaner on a hot day, but a cone is more fun. Many gelaterias add a wafer or offer cones made in house. Order two flavors that go together, such as chocolate and orange, pistachio and crema, or a sorbet with a cream. Italians rarely mix more than two or three.
Granita and other summer treats
In the hottest weeks, I sometimes skip gelato for a granita, a Sicilian ice made with fruit or coffee, or an affogato, gelato drowned in espresso. Some gelaterias also sell semifreddo and gelato filled brioche, a southern tradition.
How to taste like a local
Ask for a small taste, "un assaggio", before you choose. Eat it slowly while walking, in the Italian way, and notice the texture: good gelato is smooth, dense and served at a slightly warmer temperature than ice cream, so the flavor comes through.
The best time for gelato
Florentines eat gelato in the afternoon and after dinner, often as a reason for a passeggiata, the evening stroll. A cone in hand on the Ponte Santa Trinita at sunset is my favorite way to end the day.
Quick picks: best gelato in Florence at a glance
Best overall: Gelateria della Passera, Oltrarno
Best classic Florentine: Vivoli, Santa Croce
Best Buontalenti: Badiani, Campo di Marte
Most creative flavors: La Sorbettiera, San Frediano
Best near the Duomo: Edoardo il gelato biologico
Best sunset spot: Gelateria Santa Trinita
Best granita: Carabè, near the Accademia
Best for chocolate lovers: Vestri, Santa Croce
The 15 best gelaterie in Florence (2026 list)
I lead groups in Florence and live there part of the year, so this list comes from a lot of evening walks. In October 2026 I checked every one of these shops again to make sure it is open, with its address and usual hours. Hours change by season, and many shops close earlier from November to February, so check the map listing on the day.
1. Gelateria della Passera
Area: Oltrarno, near Santo Spirito
Where: Via Toscanella 15r, on the tiny Piazza della Passera
Open: Closed Mondays. Otherwise from late morning into the evening, later on summer weekends.
This is the one I send people to first. Cinzia Otri keeps a short list of flavors in covered tins, and they change with the seasons, so what you find in October is different from July. The Gambero Rosso gelato guide gave it its top Tre Coni rating again this year, the only shop in Florence to get it.
What to order: Whatever fruit is in season, plus one of the tea or spice flavors.
Tip: The piazza is tiny. Eat it standing in the square, it is part of the experience.
2. Vivoli
Area: Santa Croce
Where: Via dell'Isola delle Stinche 7r, a short lane near Piazza Santa Croce
Open: Closed Mondays. Tuesday to Saturday from morning to around 9 PM, Sunday a little shorter.
Vivoli has been run by the same family since the early 1930s, and it still feels like an old Florentine bar. It is cups only, no cones, and that is part of the charm.
What to order: The affogato: a scoop drowned in hot espresso. Or rice gelato.
Tip: Go mid-morning with an affogato instead of a coffee. My groups love it.
3. Badiani
Area: Campo di Marte
Where: Viale dei Mille 20r, a short taxi or bus ride from the center
Open: Open daily from early morning until late, past midnight on Friday and Saturday.
Badiani is the home of its own Buontalenti, a simple cream flavor that won a prize in a contest held in the late 1960s to honor Bernardo Buontalenti. Locals cross town for it, and it is worth pairing with a walk or a match at the stadium.
What to order: Buontalenti, of course. Add a fruit sorbet if you want contrast.
Tip: Combine it with a visit to Magnolfi nearby if you are doing a proper gelato crawl.
4. La Sorbettiera
Area: San Frediano
Where: Piazza Tasso 11r, with more shops on Via Mazzetta near Piazza Santo Spirito, Via de' Bardi and Via de' Banchi
Open: Open daily from around midday into the evening, usually later in summer.
Antonio Ciabattoni makes some of the most creative gelato in town, and the original shop on Piazza Tasso still feels like a neighborhood place. All of the flavors are gluten free.
What to order: Catrame, a licorice and caramel flavor that sounds odd and tastes wonderful.
Tip: It also does granita, affogato and gelato in a brioche.
5. Sbrino Gelatificio Contadino
Area: Oltrarno
Where: Via dei Serragli 32r
Open: Open daily from late morning until late evening.
A farm-to-cone approach with milk and fruit from small producers. Gambero Rosso gives it Due Coni, and it is an easy stop on the walk from Santo Spirito toward Porta Romana.
What to order: Pistachio, which the shop itself recommends, and a seasonal fruit.
Tip: Pair it with the Boboli Gardens or the Pitti Palace, which are a short walk away.
6. Edoardo il gelato biologico
Area: Duomo
Where: Piazza del Duomo 45r, on the south side of the square
Open: Open daily from late morning until late evening.
Proof that good gelato can exist right on the Duomo square. It is organic, and the cones are made by hand in the shop.
What to order: Any of the creams in a fresh cone.
Tip: This is my answer when a group wants gelato within sight of the cathedral.
7. Gelateria dei Neri
Area: Santa Croce
Where: Via dei Neri 9/11r, between the Uffizi and Santa Croce
Open: Usually from mid-morning until late. Map listings now show it open daily, but days shift by season, so check before a special trip.
A local favorite with a long counter and a wide range, including several dairy-free flavors.
What to order: Ask what is seasonal that day, or try one of the dairy-free flavors.
Tip: Easy to fold into a walk from the Uffizi to Santa Croce.
8. Gelateria Santa Trinita
Area: Oltrarno, at the Ponte Santa Trinita
Where: Piazza dei Frescobaldi 11/12r
Open: Open daily from late morning until late evening.
Right at the foot of the bridge, which makes it my favorite sunset gelato. The black sesame, made with sesame the shop imports from Japan, is the one people remember.
What to order: Black sesame.
Tip: Take your cup onto the Ponte Santa Trinita and watch the light on the Ponte Vecchio.
9. La Carraia
Area: San Frediano, at the Ponte alla Carraia
Where: Piazza Nazario Sauro 25r, with a second shop at Via de' Benci 24r near Santa Croce
Open: Open daily from late morning until late, closing earlier in winter.
Generous, friendly and full of locals in the evening. The name comes from the bridge next to the first shop.
What to order: Any of the creams, and the house specials on the board.
Tip: The Santa Croce branch is handy after a day at the basilica.
10. Perché No!
Area: Duomo to Piazza della Signoria
Where: Via dei Tavolini 19r, a side street off Via dei Calzaiuoli
Open: Open daily most of the year, with shorter hours in the colder months.
One of the oldest gelaterie in the city, open on this lane since 1939. It is a reliable stop in the busiest part of the center.
What to order: Honey and sesame, or pistachio.
Tip: Use it to escape the crowds on Via dei Calzaiuoli.
11. Carabè
Area: San Marco, near the Accademia
Where: Via Ricasoli 60r
Open: Open daily from morning until late evening.
A Sicilian gelateria, so this is the place for proper granita and brioche. It is a short walk from the David.
What to order: Lemon or almond granita, or a cannolo.
Tip: Perfect reward after the Accademia line.
12. Gelateria de' Medici
Area: Beccaria and Statuto
Where: Piazza Beccaria 7r, with a second shop at Via dello Statuto 3r
Open: Closed Mondays. Otherwise from morning until late.
A neighborhood favorite with gelato cakes as well as cones and cups. It is where Florentine families go on a Sunday.
What to order: Any of the gelato creations or a slice of gelato cake.
Tip: Good choice if you are staying outside the center.
13. Gelateria Cioccolateria Magnolfi
Area: Campo di Marte
Where: Viale Manfredo Fanti 7h/r
Open: Closed Mondays. Otherwise from late morning into the evening.
Gelato and chocolate under one roof, rated Due Coni by Gambero Rosso. Hardly any visitors find it.
What to order: Chocolate in any form.
Tip: Do it the same afternoon as Badiani.
14. Vestri
Area: Santa Croce
Where: Borgo degli Albizi 11r
Open: Closed Sundays. Monday to Saturday from late morning to early evening.
A chocolate maker first, so the chocolate gelato here is the point. In cooler months it is also a good stop for hot chocolate.
What to order: Any of the chocolate flavors.
Tip: It closes early, so plan it for the afternoon.
15. My Sugar
Area: San Lorenzo
Where: Via de' Ginori 49r
Open: Closed Tuesdays. Otherwise from lunchtime to the evening.
A small shop near the Medici Chapels with creative flavors and a friendly team.
What to order: Whatever the staff suggest that day.
Tip: Handy after the San Lorenzo market or the Medici Riccardi Palace.
Real gelato checklist: tins, colors and seasons
I covered the basics above, but here is the quick checklist I give my groups before we walk anywhere.
Covered metal tins: the best shops keep gelato in deep steel pozzetti with lids, often called carapine. Less air and steady cold mean better texture.
Natural colors: pistachio should be a muted olive green, banana a pale gray-cream. Bright green or yellow means coloring.
Seasonal fruit: strawberries in spring, peach and melon in summer, fig, pear and chestnut in autumn. Mango in January is a warning sign.
No towering mounds: gelato piled high and decorated with wafers and fruit is built for photos, not flavor.
A short menu: a dozen or two flavors made fresh beats sixty in neon colors.
Gelato by neighborhood at a glance
Duomo and Signoria: Edoardo, Perché No!
San Lorenzo and San Marco: My Sugar, Carabè
Santa Croce: Vivoli, Gelateria dei Neri, Vestri, La Carraia on Via de' Benci
Oltrarno and Santo Spirito: Della Passera, Sbrino, Santa Trinita, La Sorbettiera on Via Mazzetta
San Frediano: La Sorbettiera on Piazza Tasso, La Carraia
Outside the center: Badiani and Magnolfi in Campo di Marte, Gelateria de' Medici in Beccaria and Statuto
Gelato ordering etiquette in Florence
Pay first in some shops: busier places have a cashier. You tell them the size, pay, then hand the receipt to the person scooping. Elsewhere you order and pay at the end. Watch what the locals do.
Choose the size, then the flavors: sizes are listed as cups (coppette) or cones (coni). Smaller sizes usually allow two flavors, bigger ones three.
Cup or cone: a cup lets you taste the gelato, a cone is more fun on a walk. Some classic shops, like Vivoli, serve cups only.
Ask to taste: a small taste of one flavor is fine. Do not work through the whole counter.
Cream on top: many shops offer panna, whipped cream, on top. Just say yes or no when they ask.
Eat it right away: gelato is served warmer and softer than ice cream, and it melts fast.
Beyond the scoop: granita, affogato and semifreddo
Granita: shaved, icy and refreshing. Carabè does the Sicilian kind, and La Sorbettiera has its own.
Affogato: a scoop of gelato drowned in hot espresso. Vivoli is famous for it.
Semifreddo: a half-frozen mousse, often served as a dessert slice. Badiani lists semifreddi alongside its gelato.
Gelato in brioche: the Sicilian way, a scoop tucked in a soft bun. Try it at Carabè or La Sorbettiera.
Gelato map list
Tap a name to open it in Google Maps, then save the ones you want for your walk.
Gelateria della Passera, Via Toscanella 15r
Vivoli, Via dell'Isola delle Stinche 7r
Badiani, Viale dei Mille 20r
La Sorbettiera, Piazza Tasso 11r
Sbrino Gelatificio Contadino, Via dei Serragli 32r
Edoardo il gelato biologico, Piazza del Duomo 45r
Gelateria dei Neri, Via dei Neri 9/11r
Gelateria Santa Trinita, Piazza dei Frescobaldi 11/12r
La Carraia, Piazza Nazario Sauro 25r
Perché No!, Via dei Tavolini 19r
Carabè, Via Ricasoli 60r
Gelateria de' Medici, Piazza Beccaria 7r
Gelateria Cioccolateria Magnolfi, Viale Manfredo Fanti 7h/r
Vestri, Borgo degli Albizi 11r
My Sugar, Via de' Ginori 49r
Keep exploring
FAQ
What is the difference between gelato and ice cream?
Gelato usually has more milk and less cream, less air and is served slightly warmer, so flavors taste stronger.
Which flavors should I try first?
Pistachio, fior di latte and a seasonal fruit sorbet. They show quality fast.
Is gelato open in winter?
The best shops stay open all year, sometimes with shorter winter hours.
What is crema Buontalenti?
A rich egg and cream gelato named after Bernardo Buontalenti, the Renaissance artist Florentine tradition credits with an early gelato.
Is there vegan gelato in Florence?
Yes. Fruit sorbetti and many dark chocolate flavors are dairy-free. Ask the shop to confirm.
Which is the best gelato in Florence?
My top pick is Gelateria della Passera in the Oltrarno, which also holds the top Gambero Rosso rating in Florence. Vivoli, Badiani and La Sorbettiera are close behind.
Do you pay before or after ordering gelato in Florence?
It depends on the shop. Busy places often have a cashier where you pay first and take a receipt to the counter. Smaller shops let you order and pay at the end.
How many flavors can I get in one cup?
Usually two in a small cup or cone and three in a bigger one. Ask, most shops are flexible.
Where did crema Buontalenti come from?
The flavor honors Bernardo Buontalenti, the Medici architect linked to frozen desserts at court. Badiani has made its own Buontalenti since winning a prize with it in the late 1960s.
Is there good gelato near the Duomo?
Yes. Edoardo il gelato biologico is right on Piazza del Duomo, and Perché No! is a short walk away on Via dei Tavolini.
What is the difference between granita, affogato and semifreddo?
Granita is shaved ice with fruit or coffee, affogato is gelato drowned in espresso, and semifreddo is a half-frozen mousse served like a cake.
About the author
I'm Jason GaNung, and I write every guide on Florence Life. I have spent extensive time in Florence over many trips, and I have stayed in many of the hotels and villas I cover, so my picks come from my own stays, not press releases. More about me.
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