Gelato counter with green walls
Gelaterie La Carraia is well-known for its creamy, thick gelato and variety of flavors.
Photo Credit: Gelaterie La Carraia

5 of the Tastiest Gelato Shops to Visit on Your Trip to Florence

Sample It All and Decide for Yourself Which Is Best!

Whether you’re in Florence for a day or a week, it’s absolutely necessary that you try some of the unique, delectable, world-class gelato! Regardless of dietary restrictions, most gelato shops today have options for all to enjoy — from dairy-free to sugar-free, anyone can delight their taste buds with the creamy goodness of delicious gelato.

The amazing thing about Florence is that gelato shops can be found around almost every corner and the majority of them are serving up some good quality stuff. That being said there are some gelato institutions that surpass the expectation of what you ever thought gelato could be.

Here are my top five places for the best gelato in Florence.

Gelaterie La Carraia

With two locations in the city, Gelaterie La Carraia is a gelato shop that absolutely cannot be missed. Their main location, just off the Carraia bridge, can sometimes have long lines so I suggest going to their less popular location at Via Dei Benci, 24 — still in the heart of the city, just a 15-minute walk away.

This place is well-known for its creamy, thick gelato and variety of flavors. They have almost an equal number of sorbet options as they do milk-based gelato. The shop has been around since 1990 and they’ve clearly perfected their recipes.

Another thing that puts this gelato place at the top of my list is the prices — for the quality of the product, they cannot be beaten. A single scoop cone will cost you €1 and a cup €1.5. Some flavors I’d recommend are peanut butter and berry cake, and for sorbet pineapple and coconut.

Woman holding cone of gelato up to old buildingFamous for being a chocolate shop, it’s no surprise they are known for their nutty, chocolaty flavors of gelato.Photo Credit: Getty Images

Venchi

Venchi is in no way a secret; they have a ton of locations and all of them have lines because their gelato is THAT good. I was skeptical at first since it is a little pricier and seemed quite touristy to me, but it totally lives up to the hype.

I highly recommend getting one of their specialty cones or cups where the outside is smothered with chocolate or caramel and dusted with a variety of toppings including hazelnuts, coconut, raspberry bits and nougat. Famous for being a chocolate shop, it’s no surprise they are known for their nutty, chocolaty flavors.

Something to note is that overall they have fewer sorbet options and fewer gelato flavors than other places.

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Interior of gelato shopGelateria dei Neri is a family-run shop serving some of the creamiest traditional-style gelato in the city.Photo Credit: Gelateriea dei Neri

Gelateria dei Neri

Gelateria dei Neri is a family-run gelato shop serving some of the creamiest traditional-style gelato in the city. It is popular for its amazing fusion of unique flavors with no compromise to quality. It has been a favorite of locals and tourists alike since it opened in 1989.

Some of their best and most exciting flavors to try are ricotta and fig, mascarpone (unique to Florence) and passion fruit. Many blogs and websites regard this as the top place for gelato in Florence.

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