*Updated for 2016

Wi-Fi sweet wi-fi – what would this girl do without it? I remember when I first moved to in the suburbs of Florence near Bagno a Ripoli. We couldn’t get dsl and had to actually, gasp* use dial-up for a period. Dial-up. I am not joking. Remember that sound you hear in the opening credits of ‘You got Mail’ when Meg Ryan opens up her AOL account {what ever happened to them?}. Well it was less romantic of an experience for me and more like a test of patience and fortitude. I have fond memories of starting to load a webpage, go take a shower and await the long loading purgatory that would drive me insane akin to Chinese water torture.

Thankfully that has changed, or else I might have just gone crazy. I have wi-fi and cannot live without this precious connection, especially since 100% of my work is internet based. Florence is starting to get the hint that a decent internet connection is needed and now offers free connecting in the city.  There are tons of places where you can free internet but I chose mine based on being able to stay a long time without having to pay a lot of money and or feel awkward. Here’s an {updated} list of places you can to access free wi-fi in Florence and maybe even a cappuccino .. or better yet if you have exposure to dial-up, a whiskey shot. I also touched on this subject offering a list of coffee-friendly nerd havens around town if you want to have a look.

• SAN MARCO | Libri Liberi Sit’N’Breakfast is the co-working pop in place that we all have been asking for located by piazza san marco and open to any and all, whether it’s just a few hours working together or even a whole month. You can even reserve space for a meeting. Price wise it works as follows: 10€ for just one day, 40€ for a week, 100€ for a month. 4€ for the first hour (for beverage included), 3€ from the second hour onwards. FB page. address:  Via San Gallo 25R. to reserve a spot email  [email protected].
  

• SIGNORIA | Gucci Cafe in piazza della signoria has of late been a favorite of mine and my beloved laptop. Besides the impeccable ambiance and service, the coffee doesn’t break the bank (completely) and their internet connection is quite good. Great for business meetings too.

• DUOMO: Oblate Library – Biblioteca delle oblate. On several lists for wi-fi that you can find via any google search and it made mine as well because well, it’s simply awesome and you’ll find many Italian students there. Don’t forget about the cafe terrace up top! Where else can you get a normal-priced coffee or beer while also getting a view of Florence superstar – the Duomo cathedral. Bring your ID/passport and register to get connected and make this your home away from home. I love it there. Via dell’Oriuolo, 26  50122 Florence, Italy. Very central, (obv) close to the Duomo.  Open 9am-12am Tuesday – Saturday while Monday its open from 2-10pm.

• SAN LORENZO: La Ménagére. One of my favorite spots (and new) is in the San Lorenzo neighborhood. Concept bar/restaurant La Menagere serves up fine food, interesting cocktails and coffee from Ditta Artigianale. The bar area is seperate from the restaurant making it easier to claim a spot, a slice of cake and a coffee to work for a few hours on the computer. Also perfect for girly catch-ups or casual business meetings. They also have an in-house florist in case you need fresh flowers (why not). address: Via de’Ginori, 8, 50123 Firenze, Italy. open daily 7am-2am.
• OLTRARNO/PIAZZA TASSO: Tasso Hostel. You might be wondering why I am suggesting a hostel but this is no ordinary hotel. A cute place about a 15 minute walk from ponte vecchio, they are very welcoming if you want to come and work, plus they have a cafe there too. Enjoy! address:
  Via Villani, 15, 50124 Firenze

• SANTA CROCE/BECCARIA: Le Murate – Caffe Letterario. This converted prison is one of my favorite places in town. Quirky, cool – perhaps a little bit of a hipster paradise. While at night you will find crowds of people in the inner piazza enjoying aperitivo or live music, during the day many students come here to access WiFi (in the square) and enjoy coffee or tea in a nice ambiance. Located near via agnolo, via ghibellina and not far from Piazza Beccaria means you won’t have to go far to discover a place many Florentines are proud of. Open 9am – 1am daily. You check out their FB page here.

• OLTRARNO: Mama’s Bakery – Via della Chiesa, 34R, 50125 Firenze, Italy. Known for the awesome brunch, including freshly made bagels and baked goods. This cozy spot in the oltrarno or ‘other side of the river’ used to have a no-WiFi policy but now has come up from the dark ages to provide a connection. Matt and Cristina are two very awesome people and I admire how consistent they are with quality and innovation in their menu. Highly recommend. Open Mon-Fri 8am – 5pm, Sat-Sun 9am-3pm. website.

• CENTER/SIGNORIA: Ditta Artigianale,  Via dei Neri, 32/R, Firenze, Italy and via della sprone in the oltrarno. One of the best (if not the best) coffee bars in town. This spot looks straight out of Brooklyn with the wooden plank tables and aeropress coffee options. I adore their flat whites and in the summer months, cold brew with coconut milk. They have WiFi and aren’t afraid to use it. The connection can be spotty at times, but it is a cool place to hang out for excellent coffee so absolutely try them out. Sun-Thurs 8am-10pm, Fri-Sat 9:30am-12am.

• SAN FREDIANO/OLTRARNO: La Cite – another library cafe located in the Oltrarno area of Florence.  Make sure to ask them for the wifi code! No secret that I love this place for its awesome vibe and cool loft layout, this is a cultural mainstay here in Florence. They also turn into a really cool bar at night so if you want to get work done, go earlier!  Borgo San Frediano, 20. Open every day from 9am-2 in the morning. 

• SANTA CROCE: Moye – Via dei Benci, 23/r, 50122, Florence, Italy. Been around forever and I am not a big fan of their food, however it is a nice spot to come for a cappuccino or three along with your laptop. The interior is modern and all glass and large tables. At night it becomes a aperitivo ‘buffet’ bar where people crowd. Open daily.
• SAN MARCO/DUOMO: ITIT Il Sandwich Cafè, a small coffee shop that resembles many American counterparts. You’ll see plenty of people here utilizing their WIFi connection. Honestly the coffee is nothing special but in this area, it’s one of the few places where you can study/work in peace. address: Via Camillo Benso Cavour, 45 R, 50129 Firenze.
• SANTA MARIA NOVELLA/DUOMO: Feltrinelli bookshop is part of a chain of shops around Italy and this also remains a great place to connect if you need a quick spot to get a little work done. address: Via de’ Cerretani, 40, 50123 Firenze, Italy.
• SANTA MARIA NOVELLA: Todo Modo Bookshop, this new independent bookshop has already gained a loyal following of those who seek to be around other lovers of the written word. The little cafe inside not only serves up coffee, you can also pick up a light lunch or aperitivo here. WiFi is more than decent. address: Via dei Fossi, 15 R, 50123 Firenze
• SANTO SPIRITO:  Volume Cafe, this was hipster before hipster was cool. You’ll find me here quite a bit and the WiFi as of late has been better than ever. address: Piazza Santo Spirito, 5/R, Firenze

• STATION: Arnold Coffee, Via degli Avelli, 8, Firenze, Italy. Close to the station, this place is eerily like Starbucks, but not as good. The one saving grace is that the WiFi works great and it is very close to the station. It often gets packed but at least you can hang out here with your bags and computer and no one will bat an eye.
• SANTA CROCE: Libreria Brac is one of those places that locals almost always know about. Known more for their vegetarian-friendly restaurant, you can also come here just for coffee and to work a bit. WiFi Is free and functional! Open daily. address: Via dei Vagellai, 18, 50122 Firenze.

• BECCARIA: L’Arte del Sogno, Borgo la Croce 26R. A little sweet spot serving up tea and coffee on the popular walking street, borgo la croce. They do have free Wifi (ask them for the code) and don’t mind if you sit there to get some work done. Open Monday-Saturday 8am-7pm, Sunday 9am-1pm, 3pm-8pm.

• GAVINANA: Coop Gavinana, viale europa area, Piazza Gino Bartali  50126. Yes this is a huge grocery store in the Florence suburbs, close to my house. What I like about this place is that it’s a pretty huge open space, they have free wi-fi and a caffè and you can sit here for hours doing your thing without anyone batting an eye. Plus when your done you can get your grocery shopping done. Some great people watching opportunities as well, you never know what craziness walks in those double doors.

Many of these places were mentioned in a previous blog post about bookstore caffe’s in Florence, if you want to check out that article, its here! . Also check out this list of places with wifi access on Yelp here or this cool google map.

If you know of some cool places that deserve a mention, let me know! I am always looking for new places to add to this list!

Save This Google Map With WiFi Locations In Florence