Last Updated on 10th October 2023 by Sophie Nadeau
Florence is a foodie city that is a veritable delight for those in search of the good life. Birthplace of Gelato (depending on who you ask!), and home to many a pizza and pasta dish, Firenze is also where you’ll find the ‘Florence wine windows,‘ a rather unique method of selling that bar men and women adopted during the Renaissance to keep their patrons happy, all the while avoiding the plague.
Here’s everything you need to know about the wine windows of Florence, as well as how to visit a wine window for yourself!
For even more Florence inspiration, be sure to check out our suggested guides for spending one day in Florence, how to spend 3 days in Florence, the best cooking classes in Florence, and the top day trips from Florence. For those looking to visit Tuscany, be sure to check out our suggestions for spending one week in Tuscany.
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What are the Florence wine windows?
The Florence wine windows are characterised by their small arched windows in the side of otherwise unassuming walls throughout the city and are known in Italian as Buchette del vino (exact translation: little wine doors).
Also referred to as wine doors, these little openings were created so as to serve food and drink while maintaining as little human contact as possible (and as a way of avoiding expensive city taxes). After all, only a hand or arm can fit through these little openings. The buchetta are typically around 30cm tall and 15cm wide.
Today, there are almost 150 wine windows remaining in the city centre of Florence. However, it should be noted that the majority of these are walled/ bricked off and only a handful are in use as wine windows now.
Wine windows are not exclusive to Florence and can actually be found in cities all around Tuscany, though they are indeed most associated with Firenze. Arezzo, Siena, Pistoia, and Pisa all have their very own wine windows.
In total, there are over 90 documented wine windows across Italy, though no one is quite sure of the exact number as there has never been an official study of them!
A history of the wine windows
The first recording of a Tuscan ‘wine window’ was during the Bubonic plague in the 17th-century, when shops installed these little windows as a way of distributing food and drink while, quite literally, keeping the Plague at bay.
Since Tuscany is such a rich wine region (see: Chianti), during the Middle Ages, many noble families residing in Florence would have earned a fair bit of their income from winemaking.
From 1559, Cosimo I de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany allowed these families to sell wine directly to customers from their homes. As these nobles didn’t want to welcome people directly into their homes, they came up with the idea of installing little hatches, which would be big enough to pass a flask through for wine selling.
This also allowed them to avoid expensive city taxes, as importing wine into the city of Florence for use in a private home was exempt from city taxes, but opening a shop wasn’t.
When the wealthy nobles would sell their wine through the wine windows, they were able to create a brand new form of tax-free income. This is also why the placement of wine windows can sometimes seem a bit haphazard, because nobles would simply install them in their homes to avoid city taxes.
The wine windows soon came to be known as sportellos and proved particularly useful during the Bubonic Plague. The little windows were typically quite ornate in their design, with a little wooden hatch that would be pulled down between opening hours. On the wooden hatch, a still life or religious painting would be painted.
These relics of history were somewhat revived in 2020 by the global pandemic and ordering a glass of wine in one of these windows is now one of the more unusual things to do in Florence.
Vendors that put these little windows to use do not only sell wine, but other products such as Italian gelato, coffee, and even food. Today, you can enjoy some of the wine windows for yourself, if you know where to look…
Where are the wine windows located?
Today, there are two main districts where you can find wine windows in Florence. The first district is in the city centre. Just keep an eye out because they won’t necessarily be where you can imagine (think on ground level and hidden next to main doors).
The other area is Santo Spirito, which is just across the river from the city centre and has long been popular with artisans. If you’re still not sure where to find them, here’s an address list of non-functioning wine windows I found while in Florence:
- 38 via dei Benci
- 13 via Fiesolana
- 29 via Fiesolana
- 35 via Fiesolana
- 39 via della Pergola
- 8 via Cesare Battisti
- 26 borgo Degli Albizi
- 12 borgo Degli Albizi
- 11 borgo degli Albizi
- 5 via Fiesolana
- 12 via Fiesolana
- 1r Via del Trebbio
- 20 Borgo Pinti
- 13 Borgo Pinti
- 8 via de Pandolfini
- 7 via della Vigna Vecchia
- Opposite 1-5 via Dante Alighieri
- 41 via della Chiesa
- 82 via degli Alfani
Where to visit wine windows in Florence
In truth, one of the best ways to get to enjoy Florence is to simply stroll around the city centre and allowed Firenze to reveal itself to you (so be sure to wear comfortable shoes!).
Via dell’Isola delle Stinche at the Vivoli: This café and geltaeria use their wine window to sell coffee and dispense ice cream. Unfortunately, no wine can be purchased at this venue! During my visit in 2023, I visited the ice cream shop and the wine window was not in use but can still be admired.
Osteria delle Brache in Piazza Peruzzi: During 2020, wine by the glass was dispensed here from the wine window. Unfortunately, this eatery has since permanently closed down.
Il Latini: This wine window located just steps away from the River Arno is part of a dining establishment. I’ve read reports of patrons being able to get wine from the window while waiting for their table but didn’t see them for myself.
Babae in Piazza Santo Spirito: One of the most popular wine window establishments in Florence. A number of tipples are on offer, as well as an orange wine. During busy periods, you may have to ring the bell at the window to be served!
You can go inside afterwards for food and drink. Please note that, as this is the window that Stanley Tucci visited during his show, the window is always busy. The Oltrarno district is also well worth a wander around and is filled with gorgeous cafés, beautiful piazzas, and an overall local vibe.
Fiaschetteria Fantappié: My personal favourite of the wine windows that we visited was that of Fiaschetteria Fantappié, which is located just down the street from Babae. You can ring the bell and be served a spritz or glass of wine. Afterwards, you can bring your drink to a nearby table where you can order aperitivo snacks to go with your tipple.
CANTINA DE’ PUCCI BAR (WINE WINDOW): The other wine window which I particularly loved during our visit was the Cantina de’ Pucci. Just a couple of minutes walk away from the cathedral, you can line up here for various glasses of wine.
Osteria Belle Donne: This traditional Tuscan restaurant serves up typically local fare such as Florentine steaks. However, the real draw of the place for many people is the opportunity to visit a wine window. You can buy wine by the glass, as well as spritzes.
Watch the video about the wine windows of Florence
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Sophie Nadeau loves dogs, books, travel, pizza, and history. A Francophile at heart, she runs solosophie.com when she’s not chasing after the next sunset shot or consuming something sweet. She splits her time between Paris and London and travels as much as she can! Subscribe to Sophie’s YouTube Channel.
Dhwani Parikh
Saturday 18th of November 2023
Thank you! This was so useful!
Robbin Gheesling
Wednesday 28th of September 2022
I hope you were able to find my photo book of the wine doors of Florence!