Florence & the best of Tuscany Guide
East of the centre
The focal point of the eastern side of central Florence is the vast Franciscan church of Santa Croce, a building that's compelling both for its architecture and for its frescoes. The Santa Croce district was one of Florence's more densely populated areas before November 4, 1966, when the Arno burst its banks. This had catastrophic consequences for this low-lying zone, which was then packed with tenements and small workshops. Many residents moved out permanently in the following years, but now the more traditional businesses that survived the flood have been joined by a growing number of new and often extremely good bars and restaurants, a transformation that's particularly noticeable around the Sant'Ambrogio market.