San Frediano is the Brooklyn of Florence.
San Frediano named the Brooklyn of Florence
August 4, 2026 - Brooklyn Of (brooklynof.com), a travel publication that names the coolest neighborhood in more than 150 cities worldwide, has named San Frediano the Brooklyn of Florence.
The "Brooklyn of" a city is a metaphor, of course: shorthand for the coolest neighborhood in town, the one where independent culture, serious coffee, and creative energy define the character. Not the old town, not where the hop-on-hop-off bus goes. Every big enough city has one, and the site names exactly one per city. In many cities the pick is close to consensus, the name locals would give without hesitating. In others it picks a side. Florence's verdict went to San Frediano ahead of Santo Spirito, Sant'Ambrogio and San Niccolò, which take the runner-up positions.
"We named San Frediano the Brooklyn of Florence, and it was not a hard call. It is the part of the city that exhales: workshop doors flung open, wine bars that skip the English menu, piazzas that still belong to the people who live there. Florentines are welcome to tell us we are wrong," says Per, creator of Brooklyn Of.
The verdict comes with a guide to San Frediano's independent hotels, cafes, restaurants, bars and shops: no big chains, nothing sponsored, and placements are not for sale. Selections draw on research and local tastemakers in each city, and readers who disagree are invited to make their case.
The full Florence verdict: brooklynof.com/florence
Press contact: Per, creator of Brooklyn Of, hello [at] brooklynof.com
Press kit and images: brooklynof.com/press/florence
Runner-up neighborhoods: Santo Spirito, Sant'Ambrogio, San Niccolò
Free for editorial use in coverage of brooklynof.com. Credit: brooklynof.com.
hello [at] brooklynof.com · Per is available for interviews, quotes, and written commentary on this and every city in the index.