Laptop Friendly Cafes in Florence 2026: Coffee and Wifi

Updated October 2026

Florentine coffee culture is quick, and sitting for hours with a laptop is the exception. Still, a handful of places welcome working, and these are the ones I use.

Before you open the laptop

• Ask first. "Posso lavorare un po' qui?" (Can I work here for a while?) goes a long way.

• Ask for the wifi password. Some cafes limit time or do not offer it at all.

• Order something every hour or so.

• Close the laptop at lunch, when tables are needed for food.

Ditta Artigianale

Florence's specialty coffee pioneer, with good flat whites, filter coffee and pastries. My two picks for working are Via dello Sprone in the Oltrarno and the Sant'Ambrogio location, which also houses their coffee school. Ditta Artigianale locations

La Ménagère

Via de' Ginori 8r, near San Lorenzo. A big, beautiful space that is part cafe, part restaurant and part florist. It opens at 8:00 and stays open late, so it works from breakfast to the end of the day. La Ménagère

SimBIOsi

Also on Via de' Ginori. An organic bakery and cafe open from 8:00 to 16:00, good for a healthy lunch at the table. SimBIOsi brunch and cafe

Caffè dell'Oro

Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli, right by Ponte Vecchio. Open 7:00 to 23:00. The view of the bridge is the reason to come. Better for an hour of email than a full workday. Caffè dell'Oro

After work: Volume

Piazza Santo Spirito 5r. A bar full of books and old objects that now opens from 18:00. Not a work spot anymore, but my favorite place to close the laptop and order a drink.

Longer stays

Staying a month or a semester? Read my study abroad in Florence guide and gyms and healthy food in Florence. Pair your coffee with a cornetto from one of the best bakeries in Florence.

Biblioteca delle Oblate

Address: Via dell'Oriuolo 24. My secret weapon. This public library in a former convent, a few minutes behind the Duomo, has wifi throughout the building, about 280 seats for reading and study and a cafe on the second floor that opens onto a big terrace with a view of the dome.

Anyone can walk in. It opens Monday from 14:00, Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 and Saturday from 10:00, with late openings to 23:00 from Wednesday to Saturday, and it is closed on Sunday. The cafe hours can be shorter, especially in hot weather, so check the city library page before you go.

This is where I go when I have real work to do. The reading rooms are quiet, the people around you are working too and nobody minds if you stay all afternoon. Bring headphones and respect the silence rules in the reading rooms.

Caffè Gilli

Address: Piazza della Repubblica. Florence's grandest historic cafe, open since 1733, with a carved wooden bar, mirrors and chandeliers. It is not a laptop place. I come here for a coffee at the counter or a hot chocolate in winter, to remember why I love Florentine cafe culture, then move somewhere else to work.

How Florentine coffee works

If you are used to working in American coffee shops, a Florentine bar is a different world. People come in, order at the counter, drink an espresso in a minute and leave.

A cappuccino is a morning drink, and ordering one after lunch will earn a smile but never a refusal. Standing at the counter is the everyday way. Sitting at a table brings table service and a slower pace, and it is charged differently.

A few drinks to know:

• Caffè: a single espresso. Ask for a doppio if you want two shots.

• Macchiato: espresso with a spot of foamed milk.

• Cappuccino: the morning classic, never too hot to drink straight away.

• Caffè latte: a big glass of hot milk with coffee. Order "latte" alone and you will get just milk.

• Americano: espresso topped up with hot water, the closest thing to filter coffee.

The specialty cafes in this guide, like Ditta Artigianale, also make pour-overs, cold brew and flat whites.

A working day, cafe by cafe

When I have a full day of work in Florence, I move twice. I start at Ditta Artigianale in Sant'Ambrogio at opening, with a flat white and a pastry, and do my focused writing before the room fills. I walk to the Oblate library late morning for calls on the terrace, with the dome in front of me.

After lunch I spend the afternoon at La Ménagère, where the tables are big and the light is soft. By six the laptop goes away, and I head across the river for a glass of wine in Santo Spirito. Moving keeps me from overstaying my welcome anywhere, and it means I see three neighborhoods on a working day.

My laptop kit for Florence

• A small power bank. Outlets are rare in older cafes.

• An EU plug adapter for Italy, type L or C.

• A local eSIM with a generous data plan, so you can hotspot when the wifi drops.

• Noise-canceling headphones for busy rooms.

Working remotely for a month

If you are staying longer, consider a coworking space for a few days a week. They give you a desk, a reliable connection and a community, and you can still enjoy the cafes for a change of scene.

Ask your apartment host or school which spaces are closest. My guide to hotels and apartments in Florence covers longer stays, and my Eat and Drink in Florence page has more cafes.

How Italian coffee culture works

In most Florentine bars, coffee is drunk standing at the counter, quickly, in a few sips. Sitting at a table is a different service, often charged differently, and it is perfectly normal to take your time there. Cappuccino is a morning drink, usually before 11:00.

After lunch or dinner, order a caffè, which means an espresso. A caffè macchiato has a spot of milk foam, a caffè lungo is a longer espresso, and an americano is espresso with hot water. If you want it cold in summer, ask for a caffè shakerato, shaken with ice.

Working in cafés politely

The cafés on this list welcome laptops, but not every bar in Florence does. In a traditional bar, the counter is for quick coffee, and tables are for conversation, not hours of work.

In laptop-friendly places, I order something every hour or two, use headphones for calls and avoid the busy lunch hours. If a café has no visible sockets, it is a hint that they would rather you did not stay all day.

Other places to work

• Biblioteca delle Oblate: a public library with free Wi-Fi, long tables and a café terrace with a view of the Duomo.

• Hotel lobbies and bars: many hotels welcome guests and visitors who order a drink.

• Coworking spaces: several in the center offer day passes with fast internet and meeting rooms.

My working day in Florence

I start with a cappuccino at the counter, work for two hours at a café, take a long lunch, then work again in the library in the afternoon. I end with a walk along the river at sunset. It is the best office in the world.

FAQ

Do Florence cafes have free wifi?

Many do, but not all. Ask for the password.

Is it rude to work in a cafe in Florence?

In a traditional bar, yes. In the places above, it is fine if you keep ordering and avoid the lunch rush.

Where can I work for free with wifi in Florence?

The Biblioteca delle Oblate on Via dell'Oriuolo is a public library with wifi in every room and a terrace cafe facing the dome.

When should I avoid working in a cafe?

At lunchtime, roughly 12:30 to 14:30, when tables are needed for food, and in small traditional bars where people stand at the counter.

Can I order a cappuccino in the afternoon?

Yes. Florentines drink it in the morning, but no bar will refuse you.

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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