With its iconic Renaissance masterpieces and stunning architecture, Florence is rightly one of the most-visited cities in Italy. But to avoid the crowds, seek out some of the city’s hidden gems with our tour. Oltrarno neighborhood of Florence. This is a quieter part of the tourist-heavy city. Tour the labyrinthine streets around Palazzo Pitti where you will find a wealth of tiny artisan shops, from shoemakers, goldsmiths, and leather bookbinders, to shops for ceramics and inlaid stones. If you are truly inspired, learn the craft of shoemaking as an apprentice at the Stefano Bemer shoe atelier. A short distance away from the impressive Piazza Pitti, you will visit some of the extraordinary workshops and admire local artisans at work in San Frediano district